History
In 1911, Vice Minister of Education Masataro Sawayanagi, moved to Sendai to become Tohoku University’s first president. Sawayanagi firmly believed that academic research should be integrated with education. He also believed that a university should not discriminate based on class or gender.
Education
- The Advanced Graduate School will incorporate all current graduate programs from the different divisions to create more interdisciplinary collaborations.
- It will include the International Joint Graduate Programs, which aim to attract higher caliber global talent.
- There will be increased financial support for graduate and undergraduate students.
- Study Abroad Programs will be enhanced and a new quarter academic system will provide more exchange flexibility.
Research
Tohoku University, along with the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, received confirmation of its new status from the Japanese Government in June 2017. The three were chosen from among 86 national universities in the country.
The conferment of the Designated National University title is a recognition of the university's abilities to lead and shape global education and research. The new status provides the university with a better platform to further contribute to communities at home and abroad.
University Ranking
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2025
107 6
2024
113 -34
2023
79
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2025
120 10
2024
130 71
2023
201
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2024
201
2023
201 -50
2022
151
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2025
-
2024
311 -25
2023
286
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Student services
The International Support Office aims to facilitate a wide range of engagements for international students and researchers, from issues with Status of Residence to tips for everyday shopping.
ICT services
Laptops are used for everyday academic activities such as preparing and submitting reports, distributing class materials, viewing class syllabuses, checking grades and registering for classes. Because of this, Tohoku University requests that all students bring their own laptops.
Medical services
The Student Health Care Center provides annual checkups: in April for freshmen, and in May for other students. Students are advised to take advantage of the opportunity. In Japan, it is required by law to conduct medical checkups.
Campus life
The ancient castle grounds of Sendai's famous feudal war lord Masamune Date, are home to the majority of Tohoku University's facilities. In addition to the five main campuses is the new Aobayama campus on Aobayama mountain surrounded by beautiful fir forests native to the region's hilly terrain.
The Tohoku University Botanical Gardens, was founded for research and education on Aobayama mountain, in 1958.
Sports facilities
The Student Friendship Association is a university-wide organization consisting of 47 sports and 24 cultural clubs. The university also provides facilities for extracurricular activity.
Student clubs
The Student Friendship Association is a university-wide organization consisting of 47 sports and 24 cultural clubs. The university also provides facilities for extracurricular activity.