Established in 2004 and modeled on American liberal arts colleges, AIU is one of the few universities in Japan offering all of its courses in English.

During trade summit meetings in 1986, negotiations began between Japanese and American officials to establish a university in Akita Prefecture.

[7] Akita International University's establishment was approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan in November 2003 and the university was inaugurated in April 2004 with Dr. Mineo Nakajima as the founding president.

[14] Adjacent to the university is Akita Prefectural Central Park, which is equipped with facilities for many sports.

[17] The building's interior is made of locally-grown cedar wood and its half-dome shape is inspired by traditional Japanese parasols.

[18] The library's collection includes over 86,000 physical books, over 470,000 e-book titles, over 4,600 CDs and DVDs, as well as access to databases and journals.

[22] The cafeteria also has a restaurant that operates at limited hours, serving dishes cooked to order.

While individual rooms do not have cooking facilities, Komachi Hall provides a community kitchen.

Each unit consists of 12 individual bedrooms attached to a common living-dining-kitchen area and bathroom.

Residents of Tsubaki Village can also live in "themed houses" where they plan events and activities for the university.

[14][34] The university provides free mental health care and medical services in Building E.[35][36] The undergraduate programs are taught entirely in English, making them unique for Japan.

[42] The President's Advisory Board consists of experts from academia, business, and public service who provide guidance on university matters.

The university has two main intake periods: April and September, with a total admission capacity of 175 students for the undergraduate program.

[43] Japanese students who want to enroll or transfer apply through the university's online applications system.

After submitting their applications and required information, prospective students must take an entrance exam, write an essay, and be interviewed to determine their English competency.

[43] There are 13 different admissions processes for Japanese students, depending on who they are, when they plan to enroll, whether they want to participate in a special subject, and other factors.

The university accepts applications for semester or year-long exchange programs, as well as for degree-seeking students.

[45] After nomination, students must complete an online application and submit required documents via email.

[45] Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria, including being enrolled at their home institution during the application process and their stay at AIU, having completed at least two semesters with grades reflected on their transcript, and maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale.

Acceptable certificates include IELTS (5.0 or above), TOEFL (500 or above PBT, 61 or above iBT), TOEIC (630 or above), or CEFR (B1 or above).

[48] AIU organizes field trips for students including to the Oga Peninsula, Akita city, Gojōme, and Yuzawa.