Questions and Answers in English
This section is designed for non-Japanese people interested in studying at the University of Tsukuba. Therefore, some questions and answers may not apply to Japanese students.
| General Questions About the University of Tsukuba | |
| Admissions | |
| Scholarships | |
| Courses of Study | |
| Student Life |
General Questions About the University of Tsukuba
What is the education structure at the University of Tsukuba?
The education system is separated into undergraduate (college clusters and schools) and graduate levels. At the graduate level, there are three programs that are simultaneously offered in the graduate schools: (1) two-year master's degree programs aimed at producing professionals with academic and technical expertise and at offering re-education opportunities for the general public; (2) doctoral programs consisting of a) 5-year programs, and b) programs that are divided into 2-year (mater's level) and 3-year (doctoral level) ones, both aiming to nurture researchers in specialty fields and professionals with a high degree of technical skills; anc c) professional degree programs emphasizing practical training and education and aim at producing human resources with highly specialized professional abilities.
The University of Tsukuba has prepared itself to offer courses held in English as part of the "Global 30" Project for Establishing Core Universities for Internationalization, promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We offer many courses where degrees can be earned only in English.
For further information, please refer to the Coueses in English under the Global 30 Project.
Those wishing further details regarding the college-cluster and graduate-school organization at the University of Tsukuba should consult the University of Tsukuba website.
There are seven classifications of international students at the University of Tsukuba.
| Undergraduate Students | Regular
students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees. ->List of courses where students can receive academic degrees by studying in English only |
| Graduate Students | Regular
students who are pursuing graduate degrees. ->List of courses where students can receive academic degrees by studying in English only |
| Credited Auditors (kamokutorishusei) | This is a special classification of international students aimed at those who are already living in Japan. Credited auditors may take a certain number of classes of their own choosing. Overseas students are not eligible for this status. |
| Non-degree Research Students (kenkyusei) | Students who conduct their designated research under the guidance of academic advisers. |
| Exchange Students (tokubetsu chokogakusei) | Students of other universities who are taking classes at the undergraduate or graduate levels at this university. Most of them are undergraduate-level students. |
| Exchange Research Students (tokubetsu kenkyugakusei) | Students of other universities who are receiving guidance from supervisors at the graduate level at the University of Tsukuba. This classification is mainly for students who are at the 2nd year of their Master's degree program and above. |
| Students of Intensive Japanese Training (nihongo kenshusei) | Students who are receiving Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships and are attending intensive Japanese language training for six months before beginning their studies as research students. |
For further details, please refer to the Student Classifications section of this website.
Admissions
When is the university admission period?
As shown in the table below, admission periods vary depending on each student's status.
| Student Classification | University Admission Period |
| Undergraduate Students | April (August for Courses in English) |
| Graduate Students | April, August* * Available at limited programs |
| Credited Auditors | April, August, and December |
| Non-degree Research Students | April, September and December |
| Exchange Students | April, September, and December |
| Exchange Research Students | Any time during the academic year |
In addition to the above categories, there are also students in the intensive Japanese training program. However, application procedures for this program are different from those for other categories of students, and therefore, they are not listed in the above table.
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The standard admission criterion for undergraduate students is completion of 12 years of formal education in a country other than Japan. People with different academic backgrounds and those who wish to receive an application package for admission to the University of Tsukuba should contact the office below for further details.
1st & 2nd Entrance Examination Unit
Division of Admission
Department of Educational Promotion
University of Tsukuba
Tennodai 1-1-1
Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305-8577 JAPAN
Telephone: +81-29-853-6007
Facsimile: +81-29-853-6008 - Students wishing to enter the University of Tsukuba as self-supporting international students must take the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) administered by the Japanese Student Service Organization (JASSO) in the applicable year. All applicants must take all required subjects in EJU and satisfy the scores required by each college/school. In addition, applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (for those who apply for the College of Biological Sciences and the College of Agro-Biological Resource Sciences, either TOEFL or TOEIC is required).
- EJU is administered in 17 cities in 14 countries/regions. Information on EJU is available on the JASSO website.
- The selection method for applicants for the School of Medicine consists of an evaluation of the application documents at the first stage, and a short composition and an interview at the second stage. The selection method for other applicants consists of “a short composition and an interview” or “a practical examination and an interview.” Students are admitted in April.
- Consequently, international students are required a high level of Japanese proficiency in order to enter undergraduate schools.
- For additional information regarding undergraduate admissions, please see the Prospective Undergraduate Students section page on the University website.
<Courses in English>
- The University of Tsukuba has prepared itself to offer courses held in English as part of the "Global 30" Project for Establishing Core Universities for Internationalization, promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We offer many courses where degrees can be earned only in English.
- For detailed information, please refer to the Global 30 page on the University of Tsukuba website.
- The standard admission criteria for graduate students is as follows:
- »Master's Programs, Initial Two-Year Doctoral Programs (corresponding to mater's level) and Continuous Five-Year Doctoral Programs
- Persons who have graduated from the university in Japan
- Persons who have completed a 16-year program of school education in a country other than Japan
- »Doctoral Programs related to Medicine (The Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences)
- Persons who have graduated from the university (specifically, Medicine, Dentistry or the 6-year course of Veterinary Medicine) in Japan
- Persons who have completed an 18-year program of school education in a country other than Japan
- Persons who have obtained a Master's degree
- »Continuing Three-Year Doctoral Programs (corresponding to doctoral level) and Three-Year Doctoral Programs
- Persons who have obtained a Master's degree
For detailed application eligibily, please be sure to refer to the application guide.
For requesting an Application Guide, please refer to the following webpage:Request for Application Guide
If you have any questions, please inquire of the following office.
Entrance Examinations Unit
Division of Educational Planning and Administration
Department of Educational Promotion
University of Tsukuba
Tennodai 1-1-1
Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305-8577 JAPAN
Telephone: +81- 29-853-2230, 2231
Facsimile: +81- 29-853-7379 - Applicants must come to Japan to take the entrance examination which is held at the University of Tsukuba and pass the examination in order to enroll in a graduate school. The application form, examination schedules, and required examination subjects may differ depending on the graduate course to which you are applying. The application form is available in Japanese only and no English version is available; hence, a high level of Japanese proficiency is required if you apply for the graduate school by yourself.
- In order to enter Japan for taking the entrance examination, you need to obtain a "Temporary Visitor" visa at the Japanese embassy/consulate in your home country. To obtain a temporary visitor visa, you need to submit the "Examination Admission Card" (or "Admission Ticket") to the Japanese embassy/consulate. The period of stay for the temporary visitor visa is for 15 or 90 days. However, if you pass the entrance examination while you are staying in Japan, you can change the status of residence to "College Student" (which is required for international students) without returning to your home country. However, it should be noted that the above case can only be applicable to those who take the entrance examination for April admission in February. If you take the entrance examination for another trimester admission, you must return to your country, obtain a college student visa at the Japanese embassy/ consulate in your home country, and come to Japan again.
For further details regarding graduate student status, please refer to the Prospective Graduate Students section of the university's website.
<Courses in English>
- The University of Tsukuba has prepared itself to offer courses held in English as part of the "Global 30" Project for Establishing Core Universities for Internationalization, promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We offer many courses where degrees can be earned only in English.
- For detailed information, please refer to the Global 30 page on the University of Tsukuba website.
- As students undertaking their designated research under the guidance of an academic supervisor, research students are not able to acquire academic credits/units or degrees for their studies. However, they are able to audit classes (without receiving credit) provided they are permitted to do so by the head instructors or professors of the classes. Students may enter the University of Tsukuba as research students in either April, September or December, and their designated period of study may continue up to the end of the academic year (March 31). With permission, research students may be allowed to extend their research period up to a total of two years.
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The standard admission criterion
for research students is completion of 16 years of formal education
in a country other than Japan. People with different academic backgrounds
should contact the office below for further information.
Division of International Students
Department of Global Activities
University of Tsukuba
Tennodai 1-1-1
Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305-8577 JAPAN
Telephone: +81- 29-853-6085, 6087
Facsimile: +81- 29-853-6204
E-mail: isc@sec.tsukuba.ac.jp - Research students are selected on the basis of their submitted application documents. Therefore, it is not necessary for them to be present in Japan to complete the appropriate application procedures.
- However, it is necessary that each prospective research student receives a statement from their proposed supervisor that (s)he will accept the student under his/her guidance.
- An "Application Package for Research Students" as well as an "Enrollment Guidebook" (with details regarding application procedures and a listing of potential supervisors and their research areas) are available for ordering at the office noted above. Please send the following if you would like to receive either or both of these documents.
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For applicants residing
in Japan, please send the following amount in stamps:
Application Package for Research Students (1 copy) 240 yen Enrollment Guide (1 copy) 580 yen Both Application Package for Research Students and
Enrollment Guide (1 copy each)580 yen - For further details regarding research student status, please refer to the Student Classifications section of this website.
(a) A self-addressed,
self-stamped A4-sized envelope (see below for postage rates)
(b) A sheet of paper with your name, address, telephone and fax
numbers, and e-mail address, along with the name of the documents
you request
(c) The appropriate postage in either stamps or International
Reply Coupons.
For applicants residing outside Japan, when we send the documents to you, we will advise you of the amount that you will need in International Reply Coupon. At that time, please inquire at your local post office to purchase these coupons and send them back to us.
Do I have to be enrolled as a research student prior to entering graduate school?
Although students do not have to be research students prior to entering a designed graduate program, there are certain procedures they must follow such as sitting for entrance examinations and making arrangements to study in Japan. Given these circumstances, many students opt to spend time as research students in order to prepare for entrance examinations.
Scholarships
Can you suggest any scholarships that I can apply for?
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Although you can apply for a number of scholarships while you are still overseas (before coming to Japan), given your individual circumstances, it is relatively difficult to find scholarships within your own fields of study and complete the procedures while your are in your own country. Of course, you can apply for private scholarships after you have entered the University of Tsukuba.
You can apply for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusyo) Scholarship while you are in your home country which is comparatively easier in terms of applicatioin procedures. -
Applying for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarships, which are available in many countries for a wide range of research fields, is comparatively easier. However, these scholarships have age limits of 35 years of age for graduate (research) students and 22 years of age for undergraduate students.
There are two application methods for Japanese Government Scholarships, and in either case, students must apply from overseas.Embassy recommendation
Together with the Japanese Ministry of Education and Science, Japanese embassies and consulates situated overseas conduct the first stage of screening applicants. This initial screening involves examining application documents, administering an evaluation test, and conducting interviews of prospective candidates. Based on the results of this initial screening, the embassies/consulates forward the names of their recommended applicants to the Japanese Ministry of Education and Science. The Ministry of Education and Science and the potentially accepting university together make the final decision as to whether to accept a candidate. Successful candidates will arrive in Japan in either April or October. Please contact the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country for an application package or if you have any questions regarding the application procedures.
University Recommendation
Universities that have formal academic or institutional exchange agreements with Japanese universities select appropriate candidates for study at a Japanese university and recommend their names to that university. Select candidates are then further recommended to the Japanese Ministry of Education and Science. Different from the embassy recommendation system, students are not necessarily recommended to the Japanese Ministry of Education and Science, even if they have already made unofficial arrangements with Japanese instructors. The number of students who are selected for scholarships through this method is rather small. For students wishing to pursue this method, it is suggested that they discuss it with the appropriate person in the international exchange/affairs section of their university and their supervisors at their home universities to confirm if their home university has an exchange agreement with the University of Tsukuba. Students who are successful in this application method commence their period of study in October.
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It is very important that students make the appropriate financial arrangements for their studies prior to coming to Japan. Therefore, please use your time before coming to Japan to investigate the opportunities for scholarships.
We have prepared another FAQ page for FAQ for Monbukagakusho Scholarship Candidates.
-> Please refer to this webpage.
Courses of Study
What types of courses are available in English?
The University of Tsukuba has prepared itself to offer courses held in English as part of the "Global 30" Project for Establishing Core Universities for Internationalization, promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We offer many courses where degrees can be earned only in English.
For further information, please refer to the Coueses in English under the Global 30 Project.
For undergraduate level short-term exchange students, we offer classes in English through the Junior Year at Tsukuba (JTP) Program. There are over 60 classes available in areas such as international relations, education, psychology, law, comparative cultures, Japanese language and culture, biology, and engineering. As the JTP program is a one-year program only, it is not possible to get degrees. For further details, please refer to the JTP Program (JTP Overview) section of this website. Please remember that these undergraduate courses are offered conditionally, depending on circumstances such as the year and the availability of professors. Furthermore, these undergraduate courses are not open to graduate-level students.
I want to study Japanese. Is there an appropriate course available at the University of Tsukuba?
The International Student Center offers Japanese-language courses for international students who are studying at the University of Tsukuba. However, these courses are available only to students who have been admitted to the university such as undergraduate, graduate, research, exchange, and exchange research students but not credited auditors. Therefore, it is not possible to take these courses if you are not a student at the University of Tsukuba.
There are 10-week courses available in each of the three trimesters throughout the academic year. It is necessary for students to take a placement test that will decide their class level at the beginning of each trimester. Students are then placed in the level of course appropriate to their ability.
For further details regarding the Japanese-language courses, please refer to the Japanese Language section of this website.
The University of Tsukuba does not offer Japanese-language summer courses.
The application procedure varies depending on whether your university has an exchange agreement with the University of Tsukuba or not, whether you want to study at the undergraduate or graduate level, or whether you require credit for classes attended at the University of Tsukuba or not. It is recommended that you contact the office below. In any event, your status at the University of Tsukuba will be either an exchange student or exchange research student.
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Short-term Exchange Programs International Student Center University of Tsukuba Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken JAPAN 305-8577 TEL +81-29-853-6255, 6256, 7479 FAX +81-29-853-6257 |
How can I apply for either a six-month or one-year period as a student to the University of Tsukuba?
If you have already graduated from a university outside Japan, or if it is certain that you will graduate by the time you enter the University of Tsukuba, you may apply for admission as a research student for half a year or one year. For further details, please see the Admissions information for research students provided on this website.
If you are currently enrolled as either an undergraduate or a graduate student in your home country and wish to study for a short period of time at the University of Tsukuba, you can become an exchange student or exchange research student. For further information, please refer to the section above or the Junior Year at Tsukuba (JTP) Program (JTP Overview) section of this website.
Are there any summer courses available?
Unfortunately, the university does not offer any summer courses at this time.
Are there any programs that I can take from the fall?
If you intend to study at the University of Tsukuba as a regular undergraduate or graduate student, you must formally start your academic year in April (in August for the courses in English).
If you intend to come to the University of Tsukuba as a credited auditor, non-degree research student, exchange student, or exchange research student, under certain conditions, you may be able to audit/attend some classes or receive research guidance from the fall.
Are there any courses available online through the Internet?
Unfortunately, the university does not offer online courses at this time.
Does the University of Tsukuba offer a one-year MBA course?
The The Master's Program in Business Administration and Public Policy (MBA-MPP) in the Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering offers a one-year MBA course. For detailed information, please refer to their website.
At the University of Tsukuba's Otsuka Campus, the Graduate School of Education (master's degree in Counseling) and the Graduate School of Business Sciences (master's degree in Systems Management, master's degree in Advanced Studies of Business Law, and the third-year doctoral degree in Systems Management and Business Law) offer classes in the evening. These programs are aimed at people who are currently employed or have job experience.
Please note that international students who are planning to take evening courses and are applying for the status of residence of "College Student"must be regular course students. Therefore, the above courses do not accept international students as Research Students and Credited Auditors because these non-regular students cannot apply for the status of residence of "College Student".
Student Life
Is it possible to receive an exemption from entrance and/or tuition fees?
In addition to examination fees, self-supporting international students must also pay admission and tuition fees. However, regular undergraduate and graduate students (excluding non-regular students such as research students) who are having financial difficulties can apply for and receive an exemption from such fees provided that they achieve excellent results in their academic studies. Further information will be provided for successful applicants.
Admission fee and tuition fee (1st yaer) are waived for students enrolled in undergraduate courses in English under the Global 30 Programs.
As an education and research institution, it is not possible to recommend that you support yourself through part-time employment. However, students are able to work up to 28 hours per week at part-time jobs provided they obtain the necessary permission from the Japanese Ministry of Justice. During extended vacation periods such as summer holidays, students are eligible to work up to 8 hours per day.
Furthermore, part-time employment is restricted to certain appropriate employment categories. Such employment may be difficult for those students who are not fluent Japanese speakers, and therefore, it may be precarious to rely on part-time employment for the majority of your living expenses. Please make the appropriate financial arrangements prior to taking up your studies in Japan.
How much will I spend for university fees and my daily-life expenses?
Although the total amount of a student's education depends on his/her lifestyle, the following figures may be used as guidelines for planning your educational expenses.
Taking the examples of undergraduate and graduate students, for the 2010 academic year, admission fees for the first year of study at the University of Tsukuba are 282,000 yen and tuition fees are 535,800 yen. This means that students must pay a total of 817,800 yen for their first year of study. From the second year onward, students are required to only pay annual tuition fees of 535,800 yen. In addition to these fees, you need to bear the cost of living. As there are many cases where entrance and tuition fees cannot be waived for self-supporting students, please make the appropriate financial arrangements before commencing your studies.
A survey conducted by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) in 2007 shows that self-supporting international students at higher educational institutions in Japan spent about 152,000 yen per month, including university fees, a year in average. Based on this data together with other factors in Tsukuba in particular, we have listed below, for your reference, the yearly expenses that students may incur.
Contents Monthly Expenses Admission fees and Tuition fee (Average) Books and other study expenses Transportation (Bicycle) Food Accommodation (one person) at a university dormitory (see note below) Utilities Insurance and medical expenses Leisure and entertainment Miscellaneous Total
Note: Depending on the student's situation (choose either dormitory or apartment). These amounts are based on the first year's expenses.
At the University of Tsukuba, as much consideration as possible is given to ensure that newly admitted international students can secure accommodation in the university's dormitories. However, as the number of rooms are limited, it is not possible for all students who apply to live in the dormitories to obtain rooms. Unfortunately procedures for entering the dormitories are undertaken once students arrive in Japan. However, application is possible if the student can arrange a representative/proxy in Japan who can carry out the paper work.
Please refer to the Housing & Dormitories section of this website for further information.
What about participating in extracurricular clubs and other activities?
The Extracurricular Activities section on the University of Tsukuba website lists various extracurricular activities and clubs available at the university (in Japanese only). Please ask at the International Student Center for a copy of the annual list of activities and clubs (also in Japanese).
| Division of International Students Department of Global Activities University of Tsukuba Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken JAPAN 305-8577 TEL+81-29-853-6085, 6087 FAX +81-29-853-6204 email: isc@un.tsukuba.ac.jp |
