Medicine Schools and Programs in Japan

Medicine Studies in Japan

Medicine in Japan is an undergraduate degree: students enter a six-year programme directly after secondary school, not after a first degree as in the United States. Almost all teaching and clinical training is in Japanese, so the subject suits international students who are ready to study the language to a high level, or doctors who come for graduate research. Our directory lists three universities in Japan for this subject: the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University and the University of Yamanashi.

How the degree is organised

According to Study in Japan, the official site run by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), medicine is one of the six-year undergraduate programmes and requires at least 188 credits. Graduates who continue in research can take a doctoral programme, which lasts four years in medicine. Most Japanese universities run their academic year from April to March, and most admit students in April.

Japan had 812 universities in 2025 (85 national, 103 local public and 624 private), according to the Ministry of Education's School Basic Survey. Medical schools exist in all three sectors, and the difference in cost is large (see below).

Admission for international students

Each university publishes its own admission guidelines for international applicants, so requirements differ. Most national universities ask for scores from the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students), which tests Japanese and basic academic knowledge in science, mathematics and "Japan and the World". The EJU is held twice a year, in June and November, in Japan and in 13 countries and regions outside Japan, all of them in Asia. For medical and dental programmes, some universities also require the national university entrance exam that Japanese applicants take.

Language is the main barrier. Some Japanese universities now offer degrees taught only in English, but these are mostly in other fields; medical students treat patients in Japanese hospitals during their clinical years and need fluent Japanese.

Costs and scholarships

JASSO gives the average first-year cost (admission fee plus tuition) for undergraduate study as about 820,000 yen at national universities and about 3,800,000 yen for medical, dental and pharmaceutical programmes at private universities. Fees vary by school, and national and public universities in particular can be much cheaper over six years than private medical schools.

The Japanese government's MEXT scholarship also covers undergraduate study; applicants are recommended by a Japanese embassy or by a university. For medicine, the scholarship lasts seven years including Japanese language training, waives tuition and pays a monthly stipend of 117,000 yen for undergraduates.

Visa

International students need the "Student" status of residence. First, a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is requested from the regional immigration bureau in Japan; in most cases the university acts as the applicant's proxy. With the COE, the student applies for a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate at home. Applicants may have to prove that they can cover their expenses, for example with bank statements and income certificates.

Where to study medicine in Japan

Tokyo. The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as Japan's first national university, and its Faculty of Medicine sits on the Hongo campus. Undergraduates at the university spend their first two years on liberal arts courses before moving to their faculty. The Graduate School of Medicine also runs a combined PhD-MD course.

Kyoto. Kyoto University, founded in 1897 as Japan's second university, has a Faculty of Medicine with programmes in medical science and human health sciences, and a School of Public Health at graduate level.

Yamanashi. The University of Yamanashi, a national university, has its Faculty of Medicine and university hospital on a separate medical campus in Chuo City.

Licensing and careers

To practise as a doctor in Japan, graduates must pass the national medical licensing examination run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; the next one takes place on 6 and 7 February 2027. Graduates of Japanese medical schools are eligible once they have passed the shared pre-clinical exam taken during their studies. Graduates of foreign medical schools, or doctors licensed abroad, can sit the exam only if the Minister recognises their training as equivalent. A degree from Japan is also not automatically valid in other countries: anyone planning to practise at home must check the rules of their own medical authority.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study medicine in Japan?

The undergraduate medical programme takes six years and at least 188 credits. A doctoral programme in medicine takes another four years.

Can I study medicine in English in Japan?

The undergraduate medical degree is taught in Japanese, and clinical training involves Japanese patients. English-taught degree programmes exist in Japan, but mostly in other subjects or at graduate level.

How much does medical school cost in Japan?

According to JASSO, the average first-year admission and tuition fees are about 820,000 yen at national universities and about 3,800,000 yen for medical programmes at private universities.

Can a foreign doctor work in Japan?

Only after passing the Japanese national medical licensing examination. Doctors trained abroad must first have their training recognised as equivalent by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.