Waseda University – History, Ranking, Courses and Scholarship

According to Japanese university rankings, Waseda is considered one of the most prominent and selective institutions, particularly in its humanities and social sciences programs. It is frequently listed as one of the most extraordinary private institutions in Japan, alongside its rival Keio institutions. According to the QS World University Rankings for 2020–2024, Waseda University was placed 189th. According to MEXT’s Top Global University Project, Waseda has been chosen as one of the “Top Type” (Type A) universities. The university has established joint degree programs with foreign universities, including National Taiwan University, Peking University, Korea University, and the National University of Singapore.

History of Waseda University

On October 21, 1882, Ōkuma Shigenobu, a samurai scholar, statesman, and former Prime Minister, founded Waseda as Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō. Before adopting the current name “Waseda,” the school was also known as Totsuka Gakkō or Waseda Gakkō, referring to its locations in Totsuka Village and the founder’s mansion in Waseda Village, respectively. On September 2, 1902, it was granted university status and renamed Waseda University. It began as a college offering three departments under Japan’s previous higher education system.

University Campus

The main campus of Waseda University is situated in Shinjuku’s Nishi-Waseda neighborhood. Although Waseda is typically connected to Takadanobaba on the Yamanote Line, it is the closest station.

Place of Stay

For exchange students attending Waseda University, the Residence Life Centre (RLC) provides an alternative to the university dormitory. The Waseda University International Student House, Waseda Hoshien, and Nishi-Waseda International Student House are the three primary dorms for exchange students. The distance between Waseda Campus, Toyama Campus, and Nishi-Waseda Campus is all within walking distance of those dorms.

Rankings

Waseda University is one of Japan’s most prestigious and selective institutions of higher education. Through memoranda of agreement signed with 432 cooperation institutions in 79 countries, the university aims to foster academic and student exchange as well as joint research. Along with Keio University, Waseda University has the most challenging entrance exam among private universities in Japan.

Positioning

There is the actuality of manoeuvring through the distinct Japanese employment and job-hunting procedures. This entails applying to companies on time, rather than to specific openings, during the period of mass recruitment for recent graduates, and going through the interview process, which is Japanese in nature and has many unwritten norms. The Career Centre hosts job fair events on campus, one-on-one career consultations, and enrichment seminars to help international students navigate the process.

Scholarships offered by Waseda University

For overseas students holding a “Student” visa, the university offers the following three categories of scholarships.

1. Internal scholarships: This is the scholarship program run by Waseda University. Submit an application to the graduate program or faculty you are enrolled in.

2. University recommendations / external scholarships (including internal selection): Submit an application to the graduate program or faculty you are enrolled in.

3. Open recruitment/external scholarships (free application): Send a direct application to the scholarship foundation.

Classes provided by Waseda University

Waseda, which has schools of political science and economics, law, literature, education, commerce, science and engineering, and social science, has achieved distinction in the domains of political science, literature, and business education.

Reasons to select Waseda University

There are a lot of Waseda University alumni—roughly 527,000 in Japan and worldwide. Waseda is renowned for its distinguished alumni, who are spread throughout Japan’s economic and political circles, as well as in other countries. Six Japanese prime ministers have attended Waseda thus far.

Qualification standards

Standardised exam scores from the SAT, ACT, IB, A-Level, GAOKAO, GSAT, HKDSE, AISSCE, Canadian Provincial Exams, Abitur, Baccalaureate, and more are accepted for admission at Waseda.

Conclusion

One of Japan’s most prestigious and selective institutions is Waseda. In the 2011 undergraduate admissions, there were 20.5 applications per available spot. The second-highest number of applicants in Japan was this one. Of the 730 private universities, Keio is typically regarded as having the most demanding admission requirements.