MARCH (マーチ, Māchi) is the collective name of 5 private universities located in Tokyo, Japan. The name comes from the initial letters of the Japanese Roman characters of each school:
MARCH universities are some of Japan's most prestigious and well known private universities. They have highly selective admissions, with an acceptance rate averaging around 15%.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] All MARCH universities have an entrance examination difficulty level that is in the top 10 for private universities in Japan.[6]
Combined, MARCH universities' alumni include 5 world leaders,[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] 2 Supreme Court Justices,[12] [13] and 6 Olympic medalists.[14] Meiji, Hosei and Rikkyo universities are part of the Top Global University Project of Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.[15]
| Name | Picture | Year founded | Location in Greater Tokyo | Academic rankings (2023) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meiji University 明治大学 Meiji Daigaku | 1881 | Chiyoda Suginami Nakano Kawasaki | THE National: 45[16] QS Asia: 291-300[17] QS World: 1001-1200 | ||
| Aoyama Gakuin University 青山学院大学 Aoyama Gakuin Daigaku | 1874 | Shibuya Machida Sagamihara | THE National: 52 QS Asia: 351-400[18] QS World: 1201-1400 | ||
| Rikkyo University 立教大学 Rikkyō Daigaku | 1874 | Ikebukuro Niiza | THE National: 40 QS Asia: 248[19] QS World: 1201-1400 | ||
| Chuo University 中央大学 Chūō Daigaku | 1885 | Hachiōji Bunkyō Shinjuku | THE National: 54 QS Asia: 451-500[20] QS World: >1400 | ||
| Hosei University 法政大学 Hōsei Daigaku | 1880 | Shinjuku Koganei Machida | THE National: 59 QS Asia: 551-600[21] QS World: >1400 |
A former extension, Sophia University (上智大学, Jōchi Daigaku), alongside the rest of MARCH, were called JMARCH in the 1960s. The term is no longer used, due to Sophia now being grouped with Waseda and Keio as Japan's top 3 private universities.
Originating in 2005, GMARCH is a widely used extension of MARCH, with G being Gakushuin University (学習院大学, Gakushūin Daigaku).[22]
With T standing for Toyo University (東洋大学, Tōyō Daigaku), the extension of TMARCH originated in 2023 as a result of Toyo's rise in prestige and reputation, with observers and pundits often comparing the University with the rest of MARCH.[23] [24] [25]