Meiji University: GJS English-Taught Undergraduate Program, Surugadai and Izumi, Tokyo’s Private MARCH Leader for International Students | Study Abroad Blog | Dr.G. Academy
Meiji University: GJS English-Taught Undergraduate Program, Surugadai and Izumi, Tokyo’s Private MARCH Leader for International Students
Published on December 22, 2025
Meiji University is a major private MARCH university in Tokyo, known for GJS, English Track programs, strong domestic employer recognition, and a large alumni network.
Meiji University: GJS English-Taught Undergraduate Program, Surugadai and Izumi, Tokyo’s Private MARCH Leader for International Students
Published on May 14, 2026
If you ask Japanese office workers, “Besides Waseda and Keio, which private universities are most popular with employers?” the answer is almost always the same: “MARCH” - Meiji, Aoyama Gakuin, Rikkyo, Chuo, and Hosei. The “M” in MARCH is Meiji University: with 33,000 students, it is one of Japan’s largest private universities; founded in 1881 (one year before Waseda); its Surugadai Campus is in Tokyo’s Jimbocho district, Japan’s largest bookstore area; and its career outcomes have ranked in the top 5 among private universities for years.
For Taiwanese families, Meiji is especially easy to understand: it is like “a Japan-version NTU in scale, alumni network, and city-center convenience.” Meiji was not one of the original 13 G30 universities and is not on the HSP +10 point bonus list, but it is one of the 24 SGU Type B driver universities: private flagship institutions that the Japanese government has invested in for internationalization. The GJS (Global Japanese Studies) fully English-taught undergraduate program is Meiji’s most open entry point for international students. The English Track Program has also been established in the School of Political Science and Economics, School of Commerce, and School of Global Japanese Studies. Annual tuition is about JPY 1.1M (around TWD 240,000): twice that of national universities, but slightly cheaper than ICU and Sophia, and nearly one-third cheaper than Waseda SILS.
Meiji’s biggest advantage is “high recognition of MARCH within Japanese society and the corporate world”. This brand recognition is extremely practical when it comes to employment.
1. Basic Information
Item
Details
Founded
1881 (as Meiji Law School, founded by lawyers Tatsuo Kishimoto, Kozo Miyagi, and Misao Yashiro)
Institution type
Private university
Location
Tokyo (Surugadai, Izumi, Ikuta, and Nakano campuses)
Campus
Surugadai Campus is in Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku (Japan’s largest bookstore district)
Undergraduates
~30,000 (one of Japan’s largest private universities)
Graduate students
~3,000
Student-faculty ratio
1:20
Motto
"Rights, Liberty, Independence, Self-Governance"
2. World Rankings
Ranking
Position
QS World 2026
#801-1000
THE World 2026
#1201-1500
QS Asia 2026
#211-220
THE Japan University Rankings 2024
#25
Major employer hiring rankings (private universities)
#5 (top 5 among private universities)
Number of successful bar exam candidates
4th-5th among private universities
Number of successful civil service exam candidates
Top 5 among private universities
Note: Meiji’s global overall ranking is relatively modest (large private-university scale dilutes research density in the ranking denominator), but on the three practical indicators of “domestic employability in Japan, bar exam results, and civil service exam results,” Meiji remains firmly in the private university top 5. Its status as one of the 24 SGU Type B driver universities shows that the Japanese government views Meiji as a leader in the next wave of internationalization.
3. Admissions Data (2024 Entry)
Global Japanese Studies (GJS, School of Global Japanese Studies English Track)
Indicator
Figure
Applicants
~250-350
Admitted students
~40-60
Overall acceptance rate
around 17-22%
Fields
Japanese studies, culture, media, popular culture, society, politics
Other School English Track / Partially English-Taught Options
School of Political Science and Economics English Track: politics, economics, sociology
School of Commerce ABS (Advanced Business Studies): partially English-taught commerce program
School of Global Japanese Studies “Global Initiative”: programs in cooperation with global partner universities
Overall G30 / SGU Undergraduate Admissions
Indicator
Figure
Total applications (including GJS + English Track)
~500-700
Total admitted students
~80-120
Overall acceptance rate
around 16-20%
Students admitted from Taiwan each year
5-10
Application Requirements (GJS)
Item
Requirement
English proficiency
TOEFL iBT 79+ / IELTS 6.0+ (iBT 90+ recommended)
Standardized tests
SAT 1200+, ACT 24+, IB 30+, or 3 A-Level subjects at C or above
Japanese
N4-N3 recommended at enrollment (although GJS is English-taught, some courses include Japanese)
Recommendation letters
1-2 letters
Essay
Personal Statement, Study Plan
Interview
Required for some applicants
International Students
International students make up around 40-50% of GJS (a mix of Japanese and international students)
Meiji’s overall international student ratio is around 5-6% (typical for a large private university)
Main regions of origin: Asia (China, Taiwan, Korea, Southeast Asia) + some students from Europe and North America
4. Tuition and Financial Aid
2025 Tuition (Private University, Varies by School)
Item
Amount (JPY)
Approx. TWD
Enrollment fee
200,000
~44,000
Tuition (annual, humanities / law / commerce / political science and economics)
~1,100,000
~240,000
Tuition (annual, science and technology / agriculture / information)
~1,400,000
~310,000
Dormitory (private international student dormitory, monthly)
50,000-90,000
~11,000-20,000
Living expenses (monthly, Tokyo)
80,000-120,000
~18,000-26,000
Estimated four-year total cost
around JPY 9-12M
~TWD 2.0-2.7M
Meiji’s tuition is about twice that of national universities, around 25-30% cheaper than Waseda SILS, and close to ICU / Sophia. For Taiwanese families, Meiji’s tuition plus Tokyo living costs fall into the “mid-tier private university” range and require clear budget planning.
Meiji University Scholarships
Meiji University Grant-Type Scholarship: JPY 400,000-1,000,000 per year, selected based on academic performance and financial need
Meiji University International Exchange Scholarship (for international students): JPY 300,000-600,000 per year
JASSO Honors Scholarship: JPY 48,000-80,000 per month
MEXT University Recommendation Scholarship: Meiji is also one of the universities eligible to recommend students for MEXT (full tuition waiver + monthly living stipend)
5. Program Structure / Signature Programs
Global Japanese Studies (GJS)
Meiji’s most important English-taught undergraduate entry point. It is primarily English-taught over four years, with some Japanese-language courses:
Core areas:
Japanese Pop Culture: academic study of anime, manga, J-pop, games, and cosplay
Japanese Society: politics, social issues, gender, generational studies
Japanese Media: traditional / new media, journalism, advertising
Japanese Business: Japanese corporate culture, strategic management
Japanese History & Thought: intellectual history, religion, literature
Strong encouragement for overseas exchange in Year 3: 300+ partner universities
Japanese minor: students are advised to reach N2 before graduation; some courses mix in Japanese
The defining features of GJS are that it is “the easiest to apply to, the friendliest to international students, and covers Japanese popular culture plus academic research.” It suits students interested in “cool Japan.”
School of Political Science and Economics English Track
Four-year partially English-taught program (core courses in English; electives available in Japanese / English)
Three majors: political science, economics, and regional administration
Suitable for students interested in Japanese policy studies and public administration
School of Commerce ABS
Advanced Business Studies
Partially English-taught commerce program
Mixed classes with Meiji School of Commerce undergraduates
School of Law, School of Arts and Letters, School of Agriculture, School of Science and Technology
Primarily taught in Japanese
A small number of English-taught electives are open to international students each semester
Naitei System (Graduate Level)
For Meiji graduate school applications, students must first contact a professor and obtain informal acceptance. Meiji University’s office for international student programs is well developed, and this is one of the areas where Meiji has the strongest reputation among international students.
6. Campus Culture / School Personality
Meiji’s culture can be summarized in a few words: MARCH leader, Tokyo, social elite, sports powerhouse.
No. 1 in MARCH: the leader of the private university group known as “Mei-Ao-Rik-Chu-Ho,” with the largest student body and strongest employability
Member of the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League: alongside Waseda, Keio, the University of Tokyo, Rikkyo, and Hosei. Meiji’s baseball team is a training ground for Nippon Professional Baseball players
Surugadai Campus “Liberty Tower”: a 23-story high-rise academic building, Meiji’s modern landmark, with a distinctive design
Jimbocho cultural immersion: Surugadai Campus is in “Jimbocho used bookstore district,” Japan’s largest old-bookstore area, with a high density of cafes and a strong cultural atmosphere
500+ student clubs: Meiji has one of the largest numbers of student clubs in Japan, covering sports, arts, academics, study abroad, and many other fields
Deep job-hunting culture: Meiji students’ commitment to shukatsu (job hunting) and their confidence in the MARCH brand reflect Japanese workplace culture
Strict senpai-kohai relationships: as a large private university, Meiji has a dense alumni network across the corporate world
Meiji’s character is that of a “training ground for Tokyo’s Japanese social elite”: a combination of large private university scale, city-center location, and employability that national flagship universities cannot replicate.
7. Location / Campus Environment
City Positioning
Meiji’s four major campuses are in Tokyo:
Surugadai Campus (Chiyoda-ku): main campus for the School of Law, School of Commerce, School of Political Science and Economics, School of Arts and Letters, and School of Business Administration. Located between JR Ochanomizu Station and Jimbocho subway station: 5 minutes from Tokyo Station and 10 minutes from Otemachi
Izumi Campus (Suginami-ku): foundation courses for Years 1-2 (most schools). 8 minutes from Shinjuku Station
Ikuta Campus (Kawasaki, Kanagawa): School of Science and Technology and School of Agriculture
Nakano Campus (Nakano-ku): School of Global Japanese Studies, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences, and interdisciplinary programs
Advantages of Surugadai Campus
Jimbocho used bookstore district: Japan’s largest old-bookstore area, with 180+ used bookstores; a paradise for students
5 minutes by train to Akihabara: anime, electronics, and cosplay culture
Imperial Palace + Kitanomaru Park: within walking distance, good for exercise, cherry blossoms, and autumn leaves
Tokyo Station and Otemachi financial district: 15 minutes on foot, extremely convenient for internships
Climate
Winter: 2-10°C, dry and cold with little snow
Summer: 26-35°C, humid and muggy
Comfortable cherry blossom season in spring and foliage season in autumn
Campus Landmarks
Liberty Tower: Surugadai’s 23-story academic building and Meiji landmark
Academy Commons: Surugadai exhibition space and Meiji University Museum
Central Library: around 2.5 million volumes
Izumi Campus Library Mead Hall: one of Japan’s most beautiful university libraries
8. Research and Resources
Libraries
Central Library + branch libraries on each campus: around 2.5 million volumes
Comprehensive electronic resource subscriptions
Some areas open 24 hours
Notable Research Institutions
Meiji University manga library (Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library): Japan’s largest academic manga research library, with 240,000+ items
School of Global Japanese Studies: an academic research center for Japanese popular culture
Nakano Campus designed by Kisho Kurokawa: the architecture itself is a textbook example of modern architecture
Academic Strengths
Law: rooted in Meiji Law School’s founding tradition; 4th-5th among private universities in successful bar exam candidates
Commerce / business administration: among the strongest within the MARCH system
Political science and economics: a high proportion of Meiji alumni in Japan’s political science community
Agriculture / food and environmental policy: high concentration of Meiji professors in Japan’s food studies associations
9. Notable Alumni
Politics: Tomiichi Murayama (former Prime Minister), Takeo Miki (former Prime Minister, alumnus of Meiji’s predecessor institution), Toshiki Kaifu (former Prime Minister)
Major corporations: leadership at JR East, Suntory, Meiji Seika (same name but no formal relationship), Bandai Namco, Konami, and others
Entertainment / media: Takeshi Kitano (manzai master and film director), Seiji Miyane (news anchor), Maki Horikita (actor), Ryohei Otani (actor, active in Korea’s entertainment industry)
Sports: Senichi Hoshino (renowned former professional baseball manager), Sadaharu Oh (although from Waseda, he competed against Meiji baseball), Shigeo Nagashima (although from Rikkyo, he was a Tokyo Big6 rival of Meiji)
Meiji alumni are especially concentrated in “Japanese entertainment, media, and sports”. This is the root of GJS’s emphasis on “Japanese popular culture studies.”
10. Lesser-Known Facts About Meiji University
Meiji University’s manga library is the world’s largest academic manga collection: with 240,000+ items, including out-of-print manga, doujinshi, and industry materials, it is a pilgrimage site for manga researchers worldwide.
The name “Meiji” does not come directly from the “Meiji era”; rather, the university was founded in 1881, which happened to be Meiji 14. Meiji University is the higher education institution most directly named “Meiji.”
Meiji’s baseball team has produced many Nippon Professional Baseball players: Senichi Hoshino, Kenshin Kawakami, and Kazuma Okamoto (the Giants’ current cleanup hitter) all graduated from Meiji’s baseball program. In Japan, “Meiji baseball” is a traditional powerhouse on par with Waseda and Keio.
The “Liberty” in Liberty Tower comes from Meiji’s motto, “Rights, Liberty, Independence, Self-Governance.” When completed in 1998, it was Japan’s first “high-rise university academic building.”
Meiji University receives over 100,000 applicants year after year: more than 100,000 people apply to Meiji each year (including general admissions, recommendations, AO admissions, and internal progression from affiliated high schools), making it one of Japan’s most-applied-to universities.
11. Typical Admitted Student Profile (GJS)
High school GPA of 3.4/4.0 or above
TOEFL iBT 85+ or IELTS 6.5+
SAT 1250+, IB 32+, or A-Level 3B or above
Able to clearly explain “why Meiji, not Waseda SILS / Keio PEARL / ICU”: usually through angles such as “Japanese popular culture studies,” “central Tokyo location,” “MARCH employability,” and “manga library resources”
Genuine interest in Japanese anime, music, popular culture, and social issues (not just “I like watching anime”)
Experience in overseas exchange, Model UN, student council leadership, or arts and cultural activities
Recommendation letters from social studies / English / homeroom teachers
A concrete vision for “working in Japanese companies + using the MARCH alumni network”
12. What Kind of Student Is It Suitable For?
✓ Suitable for:
Students whose budget can handle annual tuition of JPY 1.1M and who want a famous private university in Tokyo
Students with genuine passion for Japanese popular culture, media, and social research
Students who want the boost of a central Tokyo campus + Jimbocho / Akihabara culture
Students planning to work in Japan after graduation (Meiji has extremely high recognition in Japanese corporate circles)
Students who want a large student community + rich club life + strong alumni network
Students who do not need the aura of a G30 flagship university but do need practical employability
Students interested in academic research on manga / anime
✗ Not necessarily suitable for:
Budget-sensitive students who want national university tuition of JPY 535,800
Students who want a top-tier program in pure medicine or pure engineering (Meiji’s science and technology programs are not in the top tier)
Students who want the G30 / SGU Type A halo (Meiji is SGU Type B)
Students who want the HSP +10 point bonus (Meiji is not on the bonus list)
Students who want small classes, an elite environment, and a quiet campus (Meiji is a large university with 33,000 students)
Students who dislike Japan’s “senpai-kohai and job-hunting culture”
13. HSP Highly Skilled Professional Permanent Residency Path
Meiji University is not on the HSP +10 point bonus list. This is Meiji’s biggest disadvantage compared with national flagship universities. But this does not mean Meiji graduates cannot take the HSP route: they simply need to accumulate points through salary + work experience + English ability + Japanese ability.
The most common HSP paths for Meiji graduates are:
Meiji GJS / English Track → enter a major Japanese company (Dentsu, Hakuhodo, Suntory, JR, ANA, JAL, Bandai Namco, Sony Music) → accumulate 70 points over 3-5 years → apply for HSP
Graduate school route: Meiji undergraduate degree → graduate school at the University of Tokyo / Kyoto University / Hitotsubashi University (master’s) → obtain a master’s degree from an HSP +10 point bonus university → take the HSP route directly
Media / entertainment / creative industries: Meiji has strong placement in entertainment, advertising, and media, but salaries in these industries accumulate points more slowly, so the HSP path usually takes longer
Another path suitable for Meiji graduates is “regular permanent residency application”: work in Japan for 10 years (including 5 years of regular full-time employment) → permanent residency. For students not in a rush to use the HSP fast track, Meiji is completely viable for this route.
Practical recommendation: Meiji undergraduate degree + University of Tokyo / Hitotsubashi / Kyoto University master’s is the “Meiji upgrade” strategy most commonly used by Taiwanese families. It lets students benefit from Meiji’s undergraduate employability and alumni network while later obtaining a master’s degree from an HSP +10 point bonus university. For detailed strategy, please refer to Dr. G.’s internal materials: “Post-Graduation Visa Strategy / 05_Japan_Visa_Strategy,” “Master Grad School Database / Japan,” and the MARCH ROI comparison in the “Top 30 Cost-Performance Report.”
Conclusion
Meiji is a “famous private university that Taiwanese families underestimate the most, yet is in practice one of the most practical choices.” If your goal is to enter the Japanese workplace, establish yourself in Tokyo with a degree recognized by Japanese employers, and enjoy metropolitan life, Meiji’s MARCH leadership, 33,000-person alumni network, and Surugadai city-center location make it one of the best choices outside Waseda and Keio. It does not have the “research flagship” label of a G30 Type A university, nor the “fast track to permanent residency” of the HSP +10 point bonus. But it does have 30 years of accumulated brand recognition in Japan’s corporate world + the city-center advantage of Jimbocho / Akihabara / Otemachi in one line + the highly international-student-friendly GJS school.
The most common reasons Taiwanese families overlook Meiji are “lower QS ranking” and “tuition twice as high as national universities.” But this is the biggest misconception about studying at private universities: the value of a private university lies in its recognition within Japanese society and the corporate world, not in its QS global ranking. In one sentence: if you want to work after graduation at Dentsu, Hakuhodo, Suntory, or Bandai Namco, commute in a suit to Otemachi, and enjoy the urban life of young people in Tokyo, Meiji is the strongest entry point within the MARCH system.
