Admissions

Application

September 2025 Entry
Application Guidelines for M.A. Program / Ph.D. Program
Graduate Program on Global Society
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
The University of Tokyo

 
Applications are made to either the M.A. or Ph.D. programs. For more information on the application process, requirements, and deadlines, please see the information provided below. Application guidelines, forms, and instructions can be downloaded from the Downloads box located near the bottom of the page.
 

Degrees Offered and Projected Numbers of Entrants

 

1. Eligibility

M.A. program
Those who have completed or who expect to complete their undergraduate education (a Bachelor's degree or the equivalent) by the time of enrollment * are eligible to apply for the M.A. program.

Applicants whose qualifications differ in any other respect from those stated above must contact the GPEAK Admissions Office by September 17, 2024.

For details, please refer to Appendix 1.

* Note: Those who expect to complete their undergraduate education (a Bachelor's degree or the equivalent) on September 30, 2025, must consult the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance.

Ph.D. program
Those who have or are expected to have a Master's degree or the equivalent (including Ph.D. candidacy) by the time of enrollment * are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program.

Please note that applicants whose qualifications differ in any other respect from those stated above must contact the GPEAK Admissions Office by September 17, 2024.

For details, please refer to Appendix 2.

* Note: Those who are expected to receive a Master's degree or the equivalent (including Ph.D. candidacy) on September 30, 2025, must consult the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance.

 

2. Selection

Selection for admission is based on the evaluation of the materials submitted by the applicant. Applicant interviews may also be conducted as part of the admission selection process.
 
Selection for admission regarding those applicants to the Ph.D. program who expect to obtain a Master's degree from GSP in August 2025 is based on the student's Master's thesis, the quality of the student's work and grades while in the M.A. program, and the oral examination. Each applicant will, following the submission of his or her application, receive notification of the appointed selection date and place from the GPEAK Admissions Office.
 

3. Application Period

Applications for admission will be accepted from December 2 to December 11, 2024.
Applications received on December 11 must arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. (JST)
 
Please submit the necessary application documents (refer to 5. Application Documents) online as follows:
 
[Application Documents A to D, F to L, and M (Ph.D. only)]
Upload the application documents A to D, F to L, and M (Ph.D. only) to the designated link that will be posted on the GSP website at http://gsp.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/admissions/index.html
 
The link for applicants will be accessible only during the application period. The application documents may NOT be hand-delivered, faxed, or emailed. Applications will only be considered valid if they are uploaded no later than 4:00 pm on December 11, 2024 (JST). The GPEAK Admissions Office is not responsible for any system malfunction caused by applicants' computers.
 
[Application Document E. Three letters of recommendation including Form #3.]
Please ask your recommenders to upload the signed Form #3 and the signed letter of recommendation to the designated link no later than 4:00 pm on December 11, 2024 (JST). That link will also be posted to the GSP website above.
 
Your applicant number will be downloadable from the online system during the designated period. For details, please check the instructions which will be updated later on the GSP website above.
 
Applicants to the Ph.D. program who expect to obtain a Master's degree from GSP in August 2025 must upload their application materials to the designated link, which will be sent from the GPEAK Admissions Office via e-mail, during the period of May 7 to May 9, 2025.
 

4. Notification of Result

The applicant numbers of successful applicants will be announced on the homepage of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (https://www.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/eng_site/index.html) at noon on March 7, 2025 (JST). A formal notification in writing will be sent only to successful applicants. The university cannot respond to inquiries regarding the results of any part of the screening process.
Results of the selection process regarding those applicants to the Ph.D. program who expect to obtain a Master's degree from GSP in August 2025 will be announced on the above homepage at noon on August 8, 2025, and followed by formal notification in writing.
 

5. Application Documents

 

1. [PDF] CHECKLIST (Form #1)
2. [PDF] APPLICATION FORM (Form #2). Attach a photograph to the application form.
3. [PDF] Certificates of all higher degrees and diplomas awarded or an attested document certifying that the applicant will graduate from a college, university, or other institution of higher learning by the time of enrollment. M.A. program applicants must submit their Bachelor's certificate, and Ph.D. program applicants must submit both their Bachelor's and Master's certificates.
4. [PDF] Official transcripts from each college, university, or other institution of higher learning attended.
5. [PDF] Three letters of recommendation including Form #3. Each letter and Form # 3 must be uploaded to the designated link on the GSP website by each recommender.
6. TOEFL or IELTS score reports.
   Only the scores of tests taken on or before November 8, 2024, will be accepted. Applicants must submit the following two types of score reports:
   1) [PDF] A copy of the Test Taker Score Report (TOEFL) or the Test Report Form (IELTS)
   2) An Institutional Score Report (TOEFL Institution Code = 6184, TOEFL Department Code = 99) / Test Report Form (IELTS) should be sent, by the testing institution, directly to the GPEAK Admissions Office and must arrive at the office by December 20, 2024. Applications missing the score report will not be reviewed.
   Notes:
   - TOEFL-ITP scores are not accepted. (For an exception regarding applicants in China, see below.)
   - In the case of TOEFL iBT, either recent, valid Test Date scores or the MyBest scores must be sent to our office.
   - Applicants are requested to submit scores for the regular versions of TOEFL or IELTS. If TOEFL or IELTS has been suspended in the applicant's country of residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then the applicant may instead submit a score report for the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition or IELTS Indicator. Applicants in China may submit scores for TOEFL ITP Plus for China.

   English proficiency can also be demonstrated by the receipt of a Bachelor's degree or other advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education where English is the primary language of instruction.

7. GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) General Test score reports.
   Only the scores of tests taken on or before November 8, 2024, will be accepted. Applicants must submit the following two types of score reports:
   1) [PDF] A copy of all pages of the Test Taker Score Report
   2) A Graduate Institution Score Report (Institution Code = 8326, Department Code = 5199) should be sent, by ETS, directly to the GPEAK Admissions Office and must arrive at the office by December 20, 2024. Applications will not be reviewed without the score report.

   Important: Any applicant who is found to have cheated on any qualifying exam will not be admitted, and any admitted student who is found after the fact to have cheated may forfeit his or her admission.

8. [PDF] Personal Statement. Applicants should describe, in 500 words or less, their past field of study, the reasons for their interest in the GSP program, their future career plans, and any other information they deem relevant to the consideration of their application.
9. [PDF] Research Proposal. Applicants should describe their detailed research plans, including the tentative title of their research topic, research design and methods, and relevant sources and data for research. For those applying for the M.A. program, the proposal should be between 900 to 1,000 words (excluding reference), and for the Ph.D. program, between 1,200 to 1,500 words (excluding reference).
   Notes:
   - If the proposed research topic involves a particular country or geographical region and requires a particular language, the applicant will be expected to acquire that language.
10. [JPEG] Passport-style photo (square or 3x4 aspect ratio; medium to high resolution; maximum file size: 2 MB). The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months.
11. [PDF] One Certificate of Remittance (English or Japanese). All applicants, except MEXT (Monbukagakusho) scholarship students and applicants to the Ph.D. program who expect to obtain a Master's or a professional degree from the University of Tokyo in August or September 2025 must pay the application fee prior to submitting the application. Students residing outside of Japan must pay the application fee through the University of Tokyo's online payment system (e-payment). Please visit the website (https://e-shiharai.net/english) and follow the instructions. The printed “result” page will constitute the “Certificate of Remittance” and must be provided with the application. Those residing in Japan may pay by bank transfer using a specified payment slip, by credit card, or at a convenience store. Further details are provided on Form #4. The Certificate of Remittance should be submitted. MEXT scholarship students should submit a certificate of proof of their scholarship status instead of a certificate of remittance.
12. [PDF] Proof of Citizenship. A photocopy of your passport, your census register, or other proof of citizenship.
13. (For Ph.D. Program Applicants Only)
    [PDF] A chapter of your master's thesis or additional supplemental work (approximately 3,000 words).

 
Applicants to the Ph.D. program who expect to obtain a Master's degree from GSP in August 2025 are only required to submit those materials listed under B, H, I, J, and M above.
 

6. Contact

 

7. Notes

(1) International students are required by the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Cabinet Order No. 319 of 1951) to obtain an appropriate visa prior to entering the GSP Program. Successful applicants will receive further information from the University by the end of May regarding the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and visa application procedures.
 
(2) The GSP Program does not offer any financial aid or scholarship opportunities of its own. Enrolled students may be eligible to apply for tuition waivers and other financial aid from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, but the competition is very tight. We therefore strongly recommend that, prior to enrollment, applicants identify and apply for all suitable financial aid or scholarship opportunities available to them.
 
(3) Those with disabilities may request special accommodation for examination and study. If you wish to apply for such accommodation, please contact GPEAK Admissions Office (office[at]gsp.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp) at your earliest convenience before your application.
 
(4) The University of Tokyo has established "The University of Tokyo Security Export Control Regulations" in accordance with Japan’s “Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act”, and rigorously screens potential international students on the basis of these regulations. In particular, international students and some Japanese students are required to undergo screening prior to acceptance.
 
Therefore, students should be aware that if they fall under any of the items regulated by the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law, even if they are finally accepted through the selection process of the entrance examination, they may not be allowed to enroll thereafter, or their desired research activities may be restricted after enrollment.
 
(5) The University of Tokyo shall use the personal information obtained through the application process only for the purpose of (1) Selection procedures, (2) Notification of results and (3) Enrollment procedures. For those who enroll, this personal information and the examination results used for admission selection shall also be used for (4) Educational Affairs (school registration, attendance, etc.), (5) Student Support (healthcare, career support, application procedure for tuition exemption and scholarships, use of libraries, etc.) and (6) the Management of tuition payment.
The examination results used for admission selection may be used in future studies for the improvement of admission and education systems at the University of Tokyo.
 
Details can be obtained from the following website:
Office of Export Control
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/adm/export-control/ja/rule.html (Only in Japanese)
 

Appendix 1. Requirements for Eligibility: M.A. Program

Persons who fulfill at least one of the following requirements are eligible to apply for the M.A. program.
 
(1) Those who have graduated from a Japanese university or are expected to graduate before the enrollment date. (Note 1)
 
(2) Those who have completed, or are expected to complete before the enrollment date, 16 years of school education abroad. (Note 2)
 
(3) Those who have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a degree equivalent to that of a bachelor's degree from a foreign university or other foreign institution (limited to those whose comprehensive status of education and research activities have been assessed by the government of the said foreign country or a related organization), having completed a program with a completion period of 3 years or more. (Note 2)
 
(4) Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or those who have graduated or are expected to graduate before the enrollment date from an educational institution designated by the Minister. (Note 3)
 
(5) Those who have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a bachelor's degree by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD).
 
(6) Those who are 22 years or older on the enrollment date, whom this graduate school has recognized through individual screening of entrance qualifications, as having abilities that are at least equivalent to those who have graduated from a Japanese university. (Note 1) (Note 4)
 
NOTES TO APPENDIX 1

(Note 1)
Japanese universities mentioned in Requirements (1) and (6) above are universities within the boundaries of Japan and as prescribed in Article 83 of the School Education Law.

(Note 2)
Requirements (2) and (3) above include the case of having completed a correspondence program provided by a foreign school of said country while residing in Japan.

(Note 3)
Those mentioned in Requirement (4) above refer to any who have graduated from the following schools or educational institutions.
・The Japan branch of a foreign school as designated by the Minster of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
・Specialized training college designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (limited to programs where the program duration is at least 4 years and which satisfies standards determined by the Minister)
・Universities under the old university ordinances, or higher educational institutions (daigakko) under the national/provincial/independent administrative agency ordinances

(Note 4)
(a) Those mentioned in Requirement (6) above refer to those who do not fall into any of the Requirements (1) through (5) above but have graduated from an educational institution equivalent to a 4-year university, and whom this graduate school has recognized, through individual screening of entrance qualifications, as having abilities that are at least equivalent to those who have graduated from a Japanese university.
(b) Those who wish to apply based on Requirement (6) above must contact the GPEAK
Admissions Office by September 17, 2024, and submit all the documents specified by the GPEAK Admissions Office, as the eligibility for application is confirmed individually in advance by document screening. Please ask the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance about the eligibility for application and the documents to be submitted.
(c) Those who are recognized as having abilities that are at least equivalent to those who have graduated from a Japanese university through screening of entrance qualification will be permitted to apply and take the entrance examination. The results of this screening will be notified by e-mail.

 

Appendix 2. Requirements for Eligibility: Ph.D. Program

Persons who fulfill at least one of the following requirements are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program.
 
(1) Those who are expected to obtain, before the enrollment date, a Master's or a professional degree from the University of Tokyo.
 
(2) Those who have already obtained a Master's or a professional degree from the University of Tokyo.
 
(3) Those who have obtained, or are expected to obtain before the enrollment date, a Master's or a professional degree from a Japanese university other than the University of Tokyo. (Note 1)
 
(4) Those who have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a Master's degree from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD).
 
(5) Those who have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a degree equivalent to a Master's or a professional degree abroad. (Note 2)
 
(6) Those who have completed, or are expected to complete before the enrollment date, a program in an educational institution in Japan which is designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and which provides the program of a foreign graduate school within the school education system of a foreign country, and who have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a degree equivalent to a Master's or a professional degree.
 
(7) Those who have completed or are expected to complete a program at the United Nations University and have been conferred, or are expected to be conferred before the enrollment date, a degree equivalent to that of a Master's degree.
 
(8) Those who have passed, or are expected to pass before the enrollment date a screening for the fundamental ability for doctorate dissertation research as specified in Article 16-2 of the Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools at a school abroad, an educational institution mentioned in Requirement (6) above, or the United Nations University, shall be recognized by this graduate school as having abilities at least equivalent to those who have a Master's degree. (Note 3)
 
(9) Those who have graduated from a Japanese university or have completed at least 16 years of academic education overseas, and have been engaged in research at a university, research institute, or other institution in Japan or abroad for at least 2 years, or are expected to have been engaged in research for at least 2 years before the enrollment date, and shall be recognized by this graduate school as having abilities at least equivalent to those who have a Master's or a professional degree as a result of said research. (Note 1) (Note 2) (Note 3) (Note 4)
 
(10) Those who are 24 years or older as of the enrollment date, whom this graduate school has recognized, through individual screening of entrance qualifications, as having abilities that are at least equivalent to a Master's or a professional degree holder. (Note 5)
 
NOTES TO APPENDIX 2

(Note 1)
Japanese universities mentioned in Requirements (3) and (9) above are universities within the boundaries of Japan and as prescribed in Article 83 of the School Education Law.

(Note 2)
Requirements (5) and (9) above include the case of having completed a correspondence program provided by a foreign school of said country while residing in Japan.

(Note 3)
Those who wish to apply under Requirement (8) or (9) above must contact the GPEAK Admissions Office by September 17, 2024, and submit all the documents specified by the GPEAK Admissions Office, as the eligibility for application is confirmed in advance by document screening. Please ask the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance about the eligibility for application and the documents to be submitted.

(Note 4)
Requirement (9) applies to those who have been engaged (or are expected to have been engaged) on a full-time basis or equivalent to full-time status in research at a university, research institute or other institution in Japan or abroad for at least 2 years.

(Note 5)
(a) Those covered under Requirement (10) apply to those who do not qualify under Requirements (1) through (9) above, but are recognized, through individual screening of entrance qualifications by this graduate school, as having attained the equivalent of a Master's or a professional degree. (b) Those who wish to apply based on Requirement (10) above must contact the GPEAK Admissions Office by September 17, 2024, and submit all the documents specified by the GPEAK Admissions Office, as the eligibility for application is confirmed individually in advance by document screening. Please ask the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance about the eligibility for application and the documents to be submitted. (c) Those who are recognized as having abilities that are at least equivalent to a Master's or a professional degree holder through screening of qualifications will be permitted to apply and take the entrance examination. The results of this screening will be notified by e-mail.

 

 

Results

Graduate Program on Global Society Admission Results for September 2024 Entry [PDF/145 KB]
 

FAQ

Are there any restrictions on the types of research proposals that will be considered?

Applicants should submit proposals for feasible research projects on topics in which they are interested.

Do I have to submit a GRE score record?

Yes. A GRE score is mandatory. In order to evaluate students with different educational backgrounds equally, we ask our applicants to submit a GRE score. No exceptions will be made.

Are there required minimum scores for the TOEFL and GRE when applying?

We do not provide specific minimum scores for the results. However, the submitted scores should show an outstanding level of academic excellence that is in line with incoming graduate students of the University of Tokyo.

What happens if the application documents are not submitted by the application deadline?

It will not be considered for admission.

Can I hand-deliver my application packet?

No. All application documents must be uploaded to the designated link on the GSP website.

My university does not issue a certificate of degree. Should I submit the original diploma?

Please do NOT send the original diploma. An officially duplicated diploma is accepted instead of a certificate of degree.

Is it possible to have an official transcript / a certificate of degree sent directly to GPEAK Admissions Office from my university?

No. Please upload all application documents together to the designated link at the time of application.

Do I need to submit official transcripts from an institution where I studied abroad?

Yes. However, if the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit transcripts from the study abroad institution.

What should I do if the name on my official documents is different from my current name?

Please submit an official document that verifies the name change.

Do I need to have studied Japanese to apply to the GSP program?

No. There is no need to have studied Japanese in advance. But it is highly recommended that you acquire any foreign language needed to conduct research in your desired field.

What kind of subjects should I have studied to enter the GSP program?

We accept students with various academic interests.