This university welcomes all outstanding and passionate students regardless of nationality. As of May 2011, the university has 1,498 international students from 84 countries and regions.
Tohoku University was established in 1907 as Japan's third Imperial University, following the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. Later, it was re-established as a new national university under the educational reforms of 1949, and was then privatized as a national university corporation in April 2004. The university celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2007, and is proud to be ranked among Japan's leading universities.
Moreover, it has continuously upheld its academic traditions of "Research First" and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education," and through these has produced much unique international research and many exceptional graduates. For example, Koichi Tanaka, a graduate of the Tohoku University undergraduate School of Engineering, received the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The university was also among the first universities in Japan to open its doors to international students, graduating two (from India and China) in 1911. This tradition continues today, and the university is known for its broad acceptance of international students.
The university is comprised of 10 undergraduate schools, 16 graduate schools, 5 research institutes, 13 research centers, and the University Hospital; as of May 2011 it employs about 5,000 teaching staff and has an enrollment of approximately 18,600 students.