UK Universities from Japan: Entry Requirements, Foundation Years and Costs

Families in Japan look at UK universities for good reasons: a degree in three years rather than four, a specialist subject from the first day, and Oxford, Cambridge and London in the mix. The first question, though, is whether the student's school qualification gets them in at all.

The rules below come from the universities' own pages, checked in October 2026. Entry requirements vary by course, so check each course page before applying.

King's College Chapel, Cambridge

Is a Japanese high school diploma enough?

Usually not, at the most selective universities.

Cambridge says that applicants with the Japanese high school leaving certificate (kōtō gakkō sotsugyō shōmeisho) alone "will not be competitive and are unlikely to be successful", and strongly recommends further study. It gives these as examples of suitable qualifications:

• A-levels
• The International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Five or more AP exams at score 5, with an overall GPA of 5.0 and grade 5 in the relevant subjects on the Japanese certificate
• Possibly the first year of a degree at a university outside the UK

Cambridge recommends contacting your chosen College first if you plan to apply with APs or a first year of university.

UCL asks for the equivalent of A-level grades ABB as its minimum, and says it will also consider applicants who have completed one year of a bachelor's degree at a recognised Japanese university, with an average equivalent to a UK upper second-class degree. Its Japan page does not list the high school certificate on its own. UCL also runs a one-year international foundation programme, the Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate, for students whose school qualifications do not give direct entry.

Other UK universities have their own rules, and some accept the Japanese certificate together with a foundation year. Look up each university's country page for Japan.

The four routes from Japan

At a top university, the realistic route for most students at Japanese high schools is APs, a foundation year or a year of university first. Students at international schools with the IB or A-levels can apply directly.

UCAS: one application, five choices

All undergraduate applications go through UCAS: one form, one personal statement and up to five choices, for a fee of £34.50 for 2027 entry.

In Japan time, 18:00 on 13 January in the UK is 3:00 on 14 January. Don't plan on staying up for it: your school reference has to be added before you submit, so aim to finish days earlier.

Oxford and Cambridge close about eleven months before the course starts, and you can apply to only one of them in the same year. A student in year 2 of high school now who wants either for 2028 entry should plan for a mid-October 2027 deadline.

What it costs

UK universities charge international students much more than UK students. Cambridge's international tuition fees for 2027 entry, fixed for the length of the course:

International students at Cambridge also pay an annual College fee, which varies by College, on top of tuition and living costs.

Need-based grants for international undergraduates are much rarer in the UK than at US private colleges. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation is one Japanese scholarship that covers the UK: up to £70,000 a year at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, King's College London and Edinburgh. See scholarships for studying abroad.

The student visa

A UK Student visa costs £558 to apply for, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year of the visa, paid up front (figures from GOV.UK). On a three-year course the surcharge alone comes to more than £2,000.

The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford

The UK or the US?

• Choose the UK if you know the subject you want, value finishing in three years, and have, or can get, the IB, A-levels or APs.
• Choose the US if you want to explore before choosing a subject, or need generous aid. Some US colleges are need-blind for international applicants. See what is a liberal arts college.

Many students apply to both. The timetables differ: UCAS closes in mid-January (mid-October for Oxford and Cambridge), US early deadlines fall in November, and both send decisions in the spring. See US college application deadlines for fall 2027 and US, UK, Canadian or Australian university?.

FAQ

Can I go to a UK university with a Japanese high school diploma? At the most selective universities, rarely on its own. Cambridge says applicants with only the Japanese certificate are unlikely to succeed; it looks for A-levels, the IB, five APs at score 5, or a first year of university. Some other universities accept the Japanese certificate with a foundation year.

What is a foundation year? A one-year course in the UK that prepares international students for a degree. UCL's is called the Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate.

When is the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry? 18:00 UK time on 13 January 2027 for most courses. Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine courses closed on 15 October 2026.

How much does Cambridge cost for an international student? Tuition for 2027 entry is £30,798 to £70,554 a year depending on the subject, plus a College fee and living costs.

Are there scholarships for UK universities? Few need-based ones for international undergraduates. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation covers seven UK universities, up to £70,000 a year.