Keio University (Japanese: 慶應義塾大学, Hepburn: Keiō Gijuku Daigaku), abbreviated as Keio (慶應) or Keidai (慶大), is a privateresearch university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally established as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo. It was granted university status in 1920, becoming one of the first private universities in the country.
The founder of Keio Fukuzawa Yukichi's statue on Hiyoshi campus.
Keio traces its history to 1858 when Fukuzawa Yukichi started to teach Dutch while he was a guest of the Okudaira family. In 1868 he changed the name of the school to Keio Gijuku and devoted his time to education. While Keio's initial identity was that of a private school of Western studies, it expanded and established its first university faculty in 1890.[citation needed]
Keio has approximately 30 Research Centres located on its five main campuses and at other facilities for advanced research in Japan. Keio University Research Institute at SFC (KRIS) has joined the MIT and the French INRIA in hosting the international W3C.
Keio University (慶應義塾大学, Keiō Gijuku Daigaku) was first established in 1858 as a School of Western studies located in one of the mansion houses at Tsukiji by founder Fukuzawa Yukichi. "Shinshu Kan[ja]" was the original name of Keio University. Keio University's root is considered to be the Han school for Kokugaku studies, named Shinshu Kan established in 1796.[citation needed] It later changed its name to "Keio Gijuku" in 1868, which originated from the era name "Keio", with "Gijuku" as the translation of Private school. It moved to its current location in 1871, established a Medical school in 1873, along with the university department of Economics, Law and Literacy studies in 1890.[citation needed]
Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum established
Keio University in May 1912
In 1899, Keio sent six students to study abroad. In the same year, it also accepted three international students from India, Qing-dynasty China, and Siam. Eight international students entered from Taiwan (which had technically been a territory of the Japanese Empire since 1895) the following year. In 1946, Keio University began accepting female students.
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2025)
In 2021, there were 33,469 students at Keio University, with 28,667 undergraduate students and 4,802 graduate students. Although two-thirds of the student body are males, the gender ratio differs between different majors (e.g. 56% of students are female in the Faculty of Letters, whereas in the School of Medicine, three-quarters of students are men.).
Demographics of student body in 2021
Undergraduate
Graduate (Master)
Graduate (Doctor)
Professional
Total
Total
28,667
3,034
1,408
360
33,469
Male
18,346
2,044
985
228
21,603
Female
10,321
990
423
132
11,866
International
874
861
1,735
There were 1,908 international students on May 1, 2021, with 874 undergraduate students (3.1% of total undergraduate students (=28,667)), 861 graduate students (18.0% of total graduate students (=4,802) ) and 173 other students. China provided the most international students with 1,016, followed by South Korea (436), France (66), Taiwan (51), the United States (36), Indonesia (34), and Germany (29).
Student life
Mita Sai
Societies
In Japanese universities, student societies are known as "circles". There are over 410 circles at Keio University by estimate, including both official and unofficial circles.
Athletics
The interest of Keio's students in baseball stretches back to the early years of the 20th century. In 1913, an American touring team of players from the New York Giants and the Chicago White Sox played an exhibition game against the Keio team. In a 1932 exhibition game, the Keio team beat the University of Michigan team, which was then touring Japan.
Keio's baseball team plays in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League.
The Kei-So baseball rivalry, which has existed for over a century, holds a notable place in the history of Japanese baseball. A game played on October 16, 1943, is particularly well known and was later depicted in the 2008 film The Last Game – the Final So-Kei Sen.[citation needed]
In October 2016, six male students from Keio Advertisement Society, a long-standing student club known for its organisation of the Miss Keio pageant contest, were investigated for gang rape during a club activity. An out-of-court settlement was reached and the students were not prosecuted. In May 2018, another three students were arrested for sexual assaults.
In March 2017, a student tennis club was disbanded after a student died of alcohol poisoning during a club activity. Two other Keio students died due to over-drinking in 2012 and 2013.
In June 2017, the school's election committee unconventionally selected Haseyama Akira, a legal history professor who won second place at the general election among teachers and staff, to be the school's new president, breaking a 50-year convention.
In late 2019, both the American football team and the cheerleading club suspended club activities for "inappropriate behaviours".
In January 2020, it was reported that a former member of the school president's secretarial staff had installed a camera in a female toilet stall on the Mita campus, filming over a thousand videos over 3 months.
In 2017 Keio ranked 53rd in the world in the Times Higher Education's Alma Mater Index. In 2014 it ranked 34th globally in the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) and 3rd in Asia. In 2016 Keio ranked at 58th of the Reuters Top 100 innovative universities worldwide. British Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) company estimates that Keio is ranked the 192nd in QS World University Rankings 2017/18. It is ranked the 45th in QS World University Ranking 2017/18 for Graduate Employability Ranking. In the Asian University Ranking (2015), Quacquarelli Symonds also ranked Keio as 37th in Asia. The Academic Ranking of World Universities (2015), which is compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ranks Keio 151-175 in the world and 37 in Asia.
Research performance
According to Thomson Reuters, Keio is the 10th best research university in Japan, the only private university within the Top 15. Keio has provided 3 presidents of Japanese Economic Association in its 42-year history, and this number is 5th largest.
Keio Business School (KBS) is Japan's first business school and one of four Japanese institutions holding The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation. Eduniversal also ranked Keio as the No.1 in Japan (75th in the world). In Eduniversal Keio is one of 3 Japanese schools categorized in "Universal Business schools with major international influence". In 2012, the Keio Business School became a founding member of the university alliance Council on Business & Society.[citation needed]
Medicine
There have been four presidents of Japan Medical Association related to this university (two alumni and two professors). This number is the 2nd largest among Japanese medical schools. Keio is one of 2 Japanese universities which provided a president for the World Medical Association.
Law
In 2010 and 2015, Keio University Law School ranked highest among all Japanese universities for the Bar Exam passage rate. The number of Members in Parliament who graduated from Keio is the 3rd highest in Japan.
Popularity and selectivity
Nikkei BP has been publishing a ranking system called "Brand rankings of Japanese universities" every year, composed of various indicators relating to the reputation and brand power of Japanese institutions. Keio University was placed 1st in 2014, and ranked 2nd in 2015 and 2016 in the Greater Tokyo Area. Webometrics (2008) also ranks Keio University as 3rd in Japan, 11th in Asia, and 208th in the world for quantity and quality of web presence and link visibility.
Evaluation from Business World
The university ranking according to the order of the evaluation by Personnel Departments of Leading Companies in Japan
15th (out of 781 universities in Japan as of 2020)
Source
2020 Nikkei Survey to all listed (3,714) and leading unlisted (1,100), totally 4,814 companies
Finance
Operating revenues/expenses in 2010
Revenues
(yen in millions)
ratio
Expenses
(yen in millions)
ratio
Tuition and fees
49,204
24.97%
Compensation and benefits
65,270
33.12%
Investment return
4,170
2.12%
Education & Research
52,148
26.46%
Capital gain
20,817
10.56%
Investment
32,923
16.71%
National appropriation/Grants (Direct)
17,082
8.67%
Repayment of debt
13,236
6.72%
Medical care
48,274
24.50%
Debt loan
11,680
5.93%
Endowments
5,475
2.78%
Total
197,061
100.00%
Total
197,061
100.00%
According to Keio's financial report, there was an operating revenue of 197 billion yen in 2010. The top three largest incomes were from "tuition and fees", "medical care" and "capital gain", with 49 billion yen, 48 billion yen and 21 billion yen respectively. The number of endowments in 2010 was about 5 billion yen. Keio is known for having one of the largest financial endowments of any Japanese university.
On the other hand, the top 3 largest expenses in 2010 were "Compensation and benefits", "Education & Research" and "Investment", with 65 billion yen, 52 billion yen and 33 billion yen respectively. The total asset value in 2010 was about 364 billion yen with an increase of 5 billion yen. In addition, the total amount of assets under management was approximately 109 billion yen in 2010, composed mainly of cash, deposits with banks and marketable securities.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees
Undergraduate
4 years in Total (yen)
Per year (yen)
Social Science & Humanities
4,440,000
1,110,000
Natural Science & Engineering
6,280,000
1,570,000
SFC
5,320,000
1,330,000
School of Medicine
14,440,000
3,610,000
Graduate
2 years in Total (yen)
Per year (yen)
Social Science & Humanities
1,380,000
690,000
Natural Science & Engineering
1,965,000
983,000
SFC
2,071,000
1,035,000
School of Medicine
2,625,000
1,313,000
At Keio University, tuition fees vary and depends on the course. Social Science & Humanity studies have the lowest fees at approximately 1,110,000 yen per year, with the School of Medicine having the highest fees of around 3,610,000 yen per year. The tuition fees for various graduate schools cost much less than those for undergraduate studies, e.g. 690,000 yen per year for Social Science & Humanities and 1,313,000 yen per year for School of Medicine.
Although it is acceptable to pay twice with half in spring and half in autumn, the "entrance fee" must be paid before enrolment. The entrance fee for undergraduate study is 200,000 yen and the one for graduate study is 310,000 yen.
Scholarship/loan
Scholarship/loan
2008
the number of students
ratio
average amount (yen)
Total using scholarship/loan
9,764
30.25%
Total of using scholarship funded by Keio
3,000
9.30%
300,000
International students (undergraduate)
397
appx. 100%
259,942
International students (graduate)
359
appx. 75%
517,473
In 2008, 9,764 students (about 30% of all students) used either scholarships or loans throughout their studies. Additionally, Keio funds over 3,000 students who receive, on average, scholarships of 300,000 yen.
Organization
New South building on Mita CampusKitasato Memorial Medical Library on Shinanomachi campus3rd Building on Shiba Kyoritsu campus
Faculties
Keio University has ten undergraduate faculties, with each operating independently and offering educational and research activities. The faculties, with a planned annual number of enrolled first-year students in parentheses, are:
Keio's Media Centers, with combined holdings of over 4.58 million books and publications, are one of the largest academic information storehouses in the country.
Mita Media Center
Hiyoshi Media Center
Media Center for Science and Technology
Shinanomachi Media Center
SFC Media Center
Information technology Centers
ITC Headquarters
Mita ITC
Hiyoshi ITC
Shinanomachi ITC
Science & Technology ITC
Shonan Fujisawa ITC
Hospital
Keio University Hospital
Keio University Hospital is one of the largest general hospitals in Japan,[citation needed] the number of surgeries for carcinoma uteri in 2007 was top and the one for lung cancer was third among all university hospitals. The number of trainee doctors who selected Keio as their first choice training hospital was 30 (33rd) among all Japanese teaching hospitals in 2010. Established in 1920, it has over 1,000 beds, a leading laboratory, and research and medical information divisions.
Keio alumni include Japanese prime ministers Shigeru Ishiba (2024–2025), Junichiro Koizumi (2001–2006), Ryutaro Hashimoto (1996–1998), and Tsuyoshi Inukai (1931–1932). Dozens of other alumni have been cabinet members and governors in the post-war period. Keio alumni include 230 CEOs of major companies and 97 CEOs of foreign-affiliated companies. Keio has over 320,000 alumni in 866 alumni associations.
Toshiko Hamayotsu, Minister for Global Environmental Issues and Director-General of Environment Agency of Government of Japan (1994).
Kenji Kosaka, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Law, 1968)
Jirō Kawasaki, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Business and Commerce, 1971)
Andrew Thomson, Minister for Sport and Tourism and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Sydney 2000 Games in the Australian Government 1997 – 1998
Hiroshi Nakai, Chairman of the National Commission on Public Safety, Minister of State for Disaster Management and the Abduction Issue (Economics, 1969)
Masayoshi Tomizuka (B.S. and M.S. degrees, Mechanical Engineering, 1968 and 1970)
Tatsuji Nomura (medicine, 1945), a pioneer in the development of laboratory animals with the aim of assuring the reproducibility of experimental results in medical research. Medal of Honor With Purple Ribbon from Japanese Government(1984).
Yasuhiro Koike, Developed the High-bandwidth graded-index plastic optical fibre. He is thought as one of the Nobel Prize candidates in Physics in terms of the achievement of plastic optical fibre. (Sci. and Tech)
Masaru Tomita, Established the metabolomics analysis by using the CE-MS. (Environment and Information Studies)
Eitaro Noro, Marxian Economist. Author of History of the Development of Japanese Capitalism (日本資本主義発達史講座) (1930), Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo
Yoshio Taniguchi (Engineering, 1960), member of Japan Art Academy. Architect best known for his redesign of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City which was reopened on November 20, 2004,
Theodor Holm "Ted" Nelson, Computer architect, visionary, and contrarian (PhD, Media and Governance, 2002)
Wataru Kamimura, professional shogi player (the first university graduate to become a shogi professional) (Science and Technology / mathematical sciences, 2013)
Sho Sakurai, singer, actor, entertainer, newscaster, member of Arashi, first artist in Johnny & Associates to graduate from University. (Bachelor of Economics, 2004)
↑"THE Alma Mater Index(2017". Times Higher Education (THE). timeshighereducation.co.uk. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved Sep 9, 2020.
↑"日本の大学数は 781 大学 私立大学が約 8 割"[The number of universities in Japan is 781 as of April 1, 2020. About 80% are private universities.](PDF). Ōbun Sha (in Japanese). Retrieved August 4, 2024.
↑"Archived copy"(PDF). ecommons.cornell.edu. Archived from the original(PDF) on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
↑Miller, J. Scott (John Scott) (2010). The A to Z of modern Japanese literature and theater. Miller, J. Scott (John Scott). Lanham: Scarecrow Press. ISBN978-1-4617-3188-7. OCLC828424705.