Sophia University

About

Sophia University, located in the heart of Tokyo, is one of Japan's premier private research institutions and is best known for its pioneering role in internationalized higher education. Academically, the university excels in the humanities, international relations, global studies, and economics, offering several fully English-taught undergraduate and graduate degree programs that attract a diverse global cohort. The experience for international students is exceptionally well-supported through the Center for Global Education and Discovery, which coordinates comprehensive academic advising, visa assistance, and integration events. A distinctive characteristic that sets Sophia apart is its remarkably multicultural and Jesuit-inspired campus environment, where nearly ten percent of the student body is international, and Japanese and non-Japanese students regularly study side-by-side in bilingual classrooms.

Background

Sophia University (Japanese: 上智大学, Hepburn: Jōchi Daigaku; Latin: Universitas Sedis Sapientiae) is a private Jesuit research university in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1913 by the Jesuits, it was granted university status in 1928, becoming the first Catholic university in Japan. Sophia University has 12,080 undergraduate students and 1,357 postgraduate students. The university has 9 undergraduate faculties and 10 graduate schools, with over 13,900 students in total. Sophia University has international students from 77 countries and exchange agreements with 400 universities in 81 countries. As of 2022, foreign students constituted approximately 9% of the student body. Sophia's alumni are commonly referred to as "Sophians", among whom include the 79th Prime Minister of Japan, Morihiro Hosokawa, several members of the Japanese National Diet, several foreign statesmen (including Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Mukhriz Mahathir, and Li Linsi), and a number of actors and musicians in the Japanese film and music industries.

Location

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