Studying in Sapporo
There’s a wide variety of universities in Sapporo. You’re sure to find one that’s just right for you.
Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University of Education
Sapporo City University
Hokkaido University’s origins date back to 1876, when Sapporo Agricultural College was established as Japan’s first modern university. It later became Hokkaido Imperial University and a national university under the reformed school education laws, before attaining its current status as a leading comprehensive research university, the National University Corporation Hokkaido University. Throughout its long history, the university has adopted the four basic philosophies of “frontier spirit”, “global perspective”, “all-round education” and “practical learning”. In 2026, the university will reach an important milestone – it’s 150th anniversary – as it continues its reforms towards becoming “Hokkaido University that contributes to resolving global issues”, while acknowledging the importance of the university’s role in society.
Hokkaido University of Education has campuses in five major cities in Hokkaido (Sapporo, Asahikawa, Kushiro, Hakodate and Iwamizawa), with its headquarters established on the Sapporo Campus. It is one of the largest state-run teacher-training universities in Japan, and has international exchange agreements with 35 universities in 15 countries and regions. International students of various nationalities – including regular faculty and graduate school students, exchange students from partner institutions, exchange research students,short-term language training students and the like – study at each of the Hokkaido University of Education campuses.
A new learning forum in which design and nursing are integrated in the study of respect for human life. With an education philosophy that focuses on the “importance of humanity” and “contribution to local society”, the university aims to nurture professionals to deal with the advanced specialist fields of design and nursing. At the School of Design, students acquire a wide range of design skills, including new perspectives, technical capabilities, and planning abilities, with the aim of contributing to the realization of abundant social activities; students learn specialist knowledge and skills while taking part in practical training in community-rooted design and management. At the graduate schools (Graduate School of Design and Graduate School of Nursing), further collaborative design and research is developed with the aim of nurturing even higher levels of specialist professionals, researchers and educators.
Sapporo Otani University
Sapporo International University
Sapporo University
The university boasts Hokkaido’s first Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, comprising the Department of Music and the Department of Fine Arts. In the first year’s Theory of Art & Culture Ⅰ and Ⅱ, classes are taught by teaching staff who are specialists in various fields, enabling students to learn about music and fine art from a wide perspective. Courses in which music and fine arts students study jointly are rare within universities in Japan. What’s more, in the 3rd year, joint practical courses – Production & Performance A (stage) and B (screen) – are held in which students from the Department of Music and the Department of Fine Arts collaborate. The university is dedicated to nurturing human resources with a wide artistic perspective in the fields of both music and fine arts.
This university provides an exclusive international student support desk to provide proactive support and campus activity back-up for overseas students.
Sapporo University is dedicated to nurturing young people to lead the cohesive society to which 21st century mankind aspires. At the Sapporo University Inter-Communication Center (SUICC) established in 2013, a variety of interaction takes place between local residents and students, regardless of nationality. At this university, which was established on the basis of Hokkaido’s business community’s demand for globally oriented human resources, students overcome national and ethnic differences and study the history and culture of Japanese ethnicity and Ainu ethnicity, together, while proactively absorbing the different cultures nurtured by neighboring countries such as Russia. In addition, cultural exchanges through sports are carried out with universities from neighboring countries, through club activities in which international students also participate.
Tenshi College
Tokai University
Fuji Women’s University
As a Catholic school based on the Christian spirit, this college trains specialists to deal with the advanced needs of medical care, healthcare and welfare, under the keywords of “health” and “living”. The School of Nursing & Nutrition, comprising the Department of Nursing, which trains nurses, and the Department of Nutrition, which educates registered dieticians and the like, opens its doors to students who have “completed 12 years of school curriculum overseas and who are qualified to enter university in that country” or those studying Japanese, Science (either Chemistry or Biology) and Mathematics for the Japan Student Services Organization’s “Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students” in the year of their application.
This university is a comprehensive nationwide university with campuses throughout Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, aiming to advance the development of human resources through integrated education in humanities and sciences. With it’s core of education, research, social collaboration, international cooperation and, in particular, as a pioneer of international exchange activities that advocate international peace, the university is proceeding with globalization through the establishment of separate Japanese language training courses and international student courses that focus on the education of students from overseas.
Fuji Women’s University was founded in 1961 by Fuji School Corporation, the parent organization of Fuji Girls’ High School, which was established in the belief that “The future of Hokkaido is in the education of girls”. The university comprises two faculties – the Faculty of Humanities on the Kita 16-jo Campus (Sapporo), and the Faculty of Human Life Sciences on the Hanakawa Campus (Ishikari) – and 6 departments. The university is true to its mission to foster women of intellect and humanity to live in love and service a wider society, through a holistic higher education founded on the compassion of the Christian world view.
Hokusei Gakuen University
Hokkai Gakuen University
Hokkai School of Commerce
This university has been involved in international-exchange education for 50 years. It currently has exchange agreements with 16 universities in the United States, Canada, UK, Indonesia, Korea, Switzerland, Spain, China and Taiwan, with between 60 and 70 international students studying at the university each year. As well as the standard entrance examination for 4-year education programs, a separate entrance examination has also been established for international students from overseas. However, as there are no special educational programs established for such international students, they attend the standard lectures along with the Japanese students.
Hokkai Gakuen University was founded in 1952 as Hokkaido’s first 4-year private university and has currently developed into a comprehensive coeducational university comprising 5 undergraduate schools and 6 graduate schools. The university continues to turn out human resources in numerous fields and enterprises, including approximately 80,000 graduates in public offices in Hokkaido and beyond. Japanese language lessons have been established for international undergraduates, with support provided to improve linguistic ability. Club activities also make for a dynamic student life, with many sports-oriented clubs taking part in national events, and liberal arts clubs performing around the different regions.
This university was opened in 2006 as Hokkai Gakuen University’s sister school and “one more Gakuen” at which to study commerce major with the educational goal of “studying Asia in the Asian era”. The university aims to take advantage of its small-class-size education and the development of advanced communication skills. Efforts are also being concentrated on language study, with selected students spending approximately 5 months from the second half of the first year of studies, at a partner school overseas. Language training programs have been established at each school, and students develop international perspectives and business sense through a variety of exchange opportunities.
Health Sciences University of Hokkaido
Hokkaido University of Science
Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University (to open in April 2015)
Health Sciences University of Hokkaido Graduate Schools offer systematic education programs by means of research courses and certified physician/medical specialist training courses. Overseas students and other members of the international society are actively welcomed, creating an environment of mutual stimulation among students of various academic backgrounds. Through its management of the process towards being awarded a degree, the university endeavors to nurture extremely talented research-minded dentists and researchers to lead the development of dentistry in the future.
Established in 1967 as Hokkaido Institute of Technology, with the aim of contributing to the development of industry and regeneration of regional society through the education of human resources, its name was changed in 2014 along with the establishment of 3 more healthcare-related departments. Academic disciplines were expanded to engineering and medical & social sciences, creating Hokkaido’s No.1 practical comprehensive university, under the basic principal of the “harmony of humanity and technology”. In April 2015, the group’s sister school, Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University will move to the same site, creating the potential for more profound study with a wider perspective, by means of strengthened collaboration.
Hokkaido Pharmaceutical University is a pharmaceutical college that implements a 6-year integrated education with the aim of nurturing highly qualified pharmacists as healthcare personnel to support the growth and development of local healthcare. Since its establishment in 1974, the school has turned out over 6,000 pharmacists, many of whom are active at various healthcare institutions throughout Hokkaido and Japan. In April 2015, the principal functions of student education will be transferred from the present site in Katsuraoka in Otaru to Maeda in Teine-ku, Sapporo. Subsequent educational practices will be further enhanced through collaborations with the adjacent Hokkaido University of Science.
Sapporo Otani Junior College
Sapporo International Junior College
Hokusei Gakuen University Junior College
Students of the Department of Childcare acquire the general skills required of childcare personnel: skills obtained by learning from textbooks and teachers, abundant practical training work and hands-on lessons, as well as senses that are refined through musical and artistic expression. These skills are further improved through contact with children at the college’s affiliated kindergarten and on-campus Childcare Support Center. The college’s aim is to nurture kindergarten teachers and child minders with a rich sense of humanity as childcare personnel, through practical education and hands-on training at affiliated facilities.
In order to proactively support international students, this college has established a Support Desk for exclusive use by students from overseas, as a way of providing back-up for their activities at the college.
The college’s Department of English has a short-term overseas study program that currently has agreements with 8 universities in 5 countries (United States, Canada, UK, Malaysia and New Zealand) (The college only dispatches students and cannot accept exchange students from overseas). As well as the standard entrance examination for 2-year study programs, a separate entrance examination has also been established for international students from overseas. However, as there are no special educational programs for such international students, they attend the standard lectures along with the Japanese students.
Hokkaido University of Science Junior College
Four courses – 1) Automobile Maintenance, 2) Technical Development, 3) Non-life Insurance, 4) Management – are established to provide the skills required for those aspiring to work in the automotive industry. The college aims for steady achievement through the accumulation of specialist knowledge in various fields, based on fundamental automobile engineering and general education. In addition, the basic education course is standardized with that of Hokkaido University of Science, enabling students to attain a general education and fundamental preparation for working life on a par with the 4-year university students.