Translation guide
A university funded and operated by the national government. In Japan, this refers to 国立大学 (kokuritsu daigaku), which are prestigious public universities.
national university
Most common translation. Use this for Japanese national universities.
Referring to a Japanese university that is part of the national university system.
Standard term for a national university in Japan. Often abbreviated to 国立大 (こくりつだい) in casual speech.
The University of Tokyo is a national university.
Tuition at national universities is cheaper than at private ones.
Short for 国立大学, used in compound words or casual contexts.
I'm aiming for a national university.
Referring to a national university outside Japan.
Can be used for national universities in other countries, but may need clarification if the country is not obvious from context.
Seoul National University is a national university in South Korea.
A more descriptive phrase meaning 'a university that is national', useful when 国立大学 might be misunderstood as specifically Japanese.
国立 (こくりつ) means national, 公立 (こうりつ) means public (prefectural/municipal), and 私立 (しりつ) means private. Be careful with pronunciation: しりつ (私立) and いちりつ (市立) can be confused, so 私立 is often pronounced わたくしりつ for clarity.
There are several national universities in Australia.