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All universities in Japan Public universities571
Medicine & Health Sciences51 Social Sciences & Psychology47 Education34 Business & Management32 Computer Science & IT21 Arts, Design & Architecture20 Economics & Public Policy19 Languages & Linguistics19 Science16 Agriculture & Environment13 Law13 Engineering12 Life Sciences9 Media & Communication9
Master's universities82 Bachelor's universities59 PhD universities23 Professional universities10 Diploma universities10 Bachelor's programs268 Master's programs150 PhD programs31 Professional programs12 Diploma programs10 Bachelor's Social Sciences & Psychology22 Master's Medicine & Health Sciences24 PhD Medicine & Health Sciences6 Bachelor's Business & Management17 Master's Social Sciences & Psychology22 Bachelor's Computer Science & IT16 Master's Business & Management15 Bachelor's Languages & Linguistics14 Master's Education9
All scholarships Deadlines closing soon Master's scholarships12 PhD scholarships8 Medicine & Health Sciences38 Social Sciences & Psychology35 Business & Management33 Arts, Design & Architecture30 Economics & Public Policy28 Life Sciences27 Languages & Linguistics24 Education22 Engineering21 Computer Science & IT21
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27 Best Public PhD Universities in Japan

Kobe University leads the 27 Public PhD universities in Japan at #482 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by Kumamoto University (#20 in Japan) and Fujita Health University (#65 in Japan). The universities on this list offer 31 matching courses between them.

27 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

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Public Universities Public Master's Universities Master's Universities Public Bachelor's Universities Bachelor's Universities Public Medicine & Health Sciences Universities Medicine & Health Sciences Universities Public Social Sciences & Psychology Universities Social Sciences & Psychology Universities Public Education Universities

How these universities are ranked

Only one university here holds a QS World position — Kobe University at #482 — so it heads the list. Below them, universities follow their research output: Kobe University is cited most (7,062,570 citations).

Public, private and where they are

27 are public and 0 private (100% public). The oldest is Kyushu Dental College, founded in 1914. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies is the largest, with 4,268 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

The most common subjects are Medicine & Health Sciences (6), Education (4), Social Sciences & Psychology (4) and Music & Performing Arts (2). The usual length is 4–6 years and 4 years. 97% are full-time and 1 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake). International University of Japan offers the widest choice, with 3 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in Japan for Public PhD?

Kobe University (QS World #482), Kumamoto University (#20 in Japan) and Fujita Health University (#65 in Japan) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many public universities offer Public PhD in Japan?

27 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public PhD course take in Japan?

Most listed courses run 4–6 years, with 4 years the next most common.

When do Public PhD courses start in Japan?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then.

Can I study Public PhD online with a university in Japan?

1 of these courses are listed as online.

Which university has the most Public PhD courses in Japan?

International University of Japan, with 3, ahead of Kobe University (2).

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