Seigakuin University is one of many Japanese universities originating in the activities of American Christian missionaries. It can trace its roots back to the foundation of Seigakuin Seminary in the city of Ageo in the Saitama Prefecture by the Disciples of Christ in 1903.
The foundation of Junior and Senior High Schools in 1966 and a Junior College in 1967 was followed by the establishment of Seigakuin University in 1988 offering courses in political science and economics.
It remains faithful to religious roots, calling itself "a community based on a culture of academic research and education, whose members are dedicated to the pursuit of truth in the atmosphere of liberty and piety originating in the spirit of Protestant Christianity", declaring "worship to be the source of its community life" and aiming to offer "transformative education that stresses cooperation over competition".
The chapel, which was completed in 2004 is a focus for activity on the campus on the banks of Kamo River.
It offers "six spheres" of study operated through three faculties. Humanities is made up from European and American culture and Japanese culture; political and economic science incorporates local community development; and human welfare includes children studies.
In 2017 there were 1,800 undergraduates, with a male-female ratio of about 60:40.
In 2014 Japanese University Accreditation Association assessors praised student support facilities, particularly in careers guidance.
The university has 11 international partnerships, five each with colleges in Korea and the USA, and one in Romania. Notable academics include political scientist Satoru Miyamoto, regularly quoted in the international media on North Korean issues.
