Tuition & Fees

Fee(s) for students enrolled in 2025

Fees for 2026 enrollees will be released on this webpage once finalized. For reference, fees below are for students who enrolled in 2025.

(UNIT: JPY)

Program Enrollment First year Second year
and beyond
Admission
Fee		 Tuition for
Spring
Semester		 Tuition for
Fall
Semester		 Total Tuition
per
Semester		 Total
 GLA  April 200,000 1,150,0001,150,000 2,500,000 1,150,000 2,300,000
September - 1,150,000 1,350,000
 JD Program  April 699,400 699,400 1,598,800 See below
 GS Major    April 699,400 699,400 1,598,800 699,400 1,398,800
September - 699,400 899,400
 CRPS  September - 647,100 847,100 647,100 1,294,200
 ISSE Course  April 860,700 860,700 1,921,400 860,700 1,721,400

NOTE:

  • Spring Semester: April to September / Fall Semester: September to March
  • The admission fee is paid only in the first year.
  • Separate fees may be charged if a student takes certain courses.
  • Changes to tuition fees may be proposed when social factors such as rapid inflation have a significant impact on the University.
  • Payment of the miscellaneous membership fees detailed below is carried out at the same time as payment of tuition fees.

Miscellaneous Membership Fees

The University collects fees on behalf of the various groups detailed in the table below. These membership fees are collected at the same time as Tuition Fee(s).

First year fees for students enrolled in 2025

(Unit: JPY)

Program Enrollment Student Union Academic
Association		 Parents Association
of Student Education
Assistance		 Total
Registration
Fee		 Annual
Membership
Fee		 Membership
Fee		 Registration
Fee		 Annual
Membership
Fee
 GLA  April 3,000 5,000 - 5,000 10,000 23,000
September 3,000 5,000 - 5,000 10,000 23,000
 JD Program  April 3,000 5,000 4,000/Semester
8,000/Year		 5,000 10,000 31,000
 GS Major  April 3,000 5,000 4,000/Semester
8,000/Year		 5,000 10,000 31,000
September 3,000 5,000 4,000/Semester
 5,000 10,000 27,000
 CRPS Major  September
 3,000 5,000 4,000/Semester 5,000 10,000 27,000
 ISSE Course  April 3,000 5,000 - 5,000 10,000 23,000

NOTE:

  • Registration Fees for the Student Union and Parents Association of Student Education Assistance are only collected in the first year.
  • Membership Fees for the Student Union and Parents Association of Student Education Assistance can only be paid in one payment.

 GLA 

While studying at ANU, students do not have to pay membership fees for the Student Union but must pay the membership fees for the Parents Association of Student Education Assistance.

 JD Program 

While studying at AU, students do not have to pay membership fees for the Student Union and Academic Association but must pay the membership fees for the Parents Association of Student Education Assistance.

 JD Program     GS Major     CRPS Major 

For April Enrollment
Membership fees for the Academic Association are collected per semester (4,000 yen per semester), however, an annual fee of 8,000 yen is collected when tuition fees are paid for both Spring Semester and Fall Semester at once.

For September Enrollment
Membership fees for the Academic Association are collected per semester (4,000 yen per semester), however, an annual fee of 8,000 yen is collected if, after enrollment, the student chooses to pay tuition fees for 2 semesters (e.g. the second semester; the third semester) at once.

Fee(s) for the Joint Degree Program (JDP)

Tuition Fees and Miscellaneous Fees at American University

  • Fees for study at Ritsumeikan University (RU)
    Students of this program study their first year, the spring semester of their second year, and the fall semester of their fourth year at RU. Students pay tuition fees to RU during these periods. Please see the table above for tuition fees for the periods of study at RU. The fees below are tuition fees for the second year and beyond for the study at RU.
    Tuition per semester: 699,400 JPY, Tuition per year: 1,398,800 JPY
  • Fees for study at American University (AU)
    Students of this program will be attending AU for 4 semesters from the fall semester of their second year to the spring semester of their fourth year. Students will pay tuition and other fees to AU during this period. The fees below are tuition and other fees for the 2025-2026 academic year at AU. The fees will change at AU every academic year.

    • School of International Service Tuition Fee

    (unit: USD)


    Tuition Fee (per semester) Total
    Full-Time
    (12-17.5 credit hours)    		 30,135 60,270
    Full-Time
    (18 credit hours)    		 32,142 64,284


    School of International Service Miscellaneous Fees
    (Undergraduate Students Full-Time, per semester)

    (unit: USD)


    Undergraduate
    Activity
    Fee    		 Support
    Services    		 Metro
    U-Pass    		 Digital
    Courseware
    (Eagle Access Program)    		 Total
    175 550 136 324 1,185

    NOTE:

    • For American University tuition fees, 2,007 USD per additional credit is incurred over 18 credit hours (Tuition 2025-2026).
    • The above fees are for the 2025-2026 academic year at AU. The tuition and fees are expected to increase 5-7% annually. Therefore, the fees may be more than the price listed in this handbook by the time students study at AU in their second year.
    • In addition to the tuition and fees, students who stay at AU’s dormitories will need to spend about 6,020 USD (Double Occupancy) for a dormitory and about 3,165 USD for food (All inclusive Plus with $100 Dining Dollars) per semester, depending on their dormitories and meal plans. Also, all the fees are subject to change.

    Please see this page for more information.

    Student Union, Parents Association of Student Education Assistance and Academic Association

  • Student Union

    The Ritsumeikan University Student Union is a student-run autonomous organization made up of all undergraduate students at Ritsumeikan University with the aim of contributing to the improvement and expansion of both academic and extracurricular activities as well as the development of the Ritsumeikan Academy. The Student Union holds a variety of extracurricular activities including welcome events for new students, the yearly school festival, and various academic, arts and sciences, athletic and volunteer activities, calls for the improvement of student learning environments, improves usage conditions of facilities for extracurricular activities, and contributes to upgrading amenities for students. Information on their activities are posted on the Student Union’s website (https://www.ritsumei.club/) *Only available in Japanese The membership fee is mainly used for the Student Union’s various activities, such as holding welcome events for new students and the school festival, and supporting students’ extracurricular activity groups. In addition, a group within the Student Union called Global Supporters was established in AY 2021 to support English basis students. In the first year of the group's establishment, they promoted initiatives to support participation in extracurricular activities in English, and took the following actions. (1) Published an English version of “Circle Collection,” a booklet introducing RU clubs and circles; (2) exhibited at club and circle information booths at welcome events for new students; and (3) held consultations on joining clubs and circles. The University believes that the autonomous and independent activities of students via the Student Union play an important role in the growth of the students themselves, and we support the Student Union’s activities. In addition, the University is entrusted with partially managing and implementing the Student Union’s budget.

  • Parents Association of Student Education Assistance

    The Parents Association of Student Education Assistance strives to support educational activities and increase communication between students and parents in accordance with the educational policies of Ritsumeikan University while also promoting friendship between its members. This includes supporting student life through social activities and scholarships as well as conducting activities to support students in their search for post-graduate employment.

  • Academic Association

     JD Program     GS Major     CRPS Major 
    The Academic Association of the College of International Relations/the College of Policy Science is made up of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members for the purpose of furthering academic research and presenting its results. The association edits and publishes association journals, hosts conferences and lectures, and organizes surveys and field trips using membership dues and other income, such as donations.


    • Financial Info