The University of Tokyo
東京大学
Japan's first national university, where every undergraduate spends two broad years at Komaba before choosing a major.
- Students
- 29,230
- 14,058 undergraduates
- International
- 17%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 10.2:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- ¥643K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1877
About UTokyo
The University of Tokyo, founded in 1877 as Japan's first national university, sits at the top of the Japanese system and places first among Japanese institutions in the QS 2027 table. Its main campuses are Hongo, the historic heart with the Akamon red gate and Yasuda Auditorium, Komaba, and Kashiwa. Around 29,000 students are enrolled, split almost evenly between undergraduates and graduate students.
Its defining feature is late specialisation. Students are admitted into one of six broad streams, Humanities and Social Sciences I to III or Natural Sciences I to III, and all first- and second-year undergraduates study liberal arts in the Junior Division of the College of Arts and Sciences at Komaba. Only after those two years do they move into one of more than 50 Senior Division courses across 10 faculties, from Law and Medicine to Engineering, Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Most undergraduate teaching is in Japanese, and international applicants to the regular degrees need a high level of Japanese. That is changing at the edges: the English-taught PEAK program took its final intake in autumn 2026, and the new UTokyo College of Design, a five-year English-taught combined bachelor's and master's program, admits its first 100 students in September 2027. The place suits students who want intellectual breadth first, are comfortable with self-directed study, and plan to use Tokyo's research and industry base.
Why students choose UTokyo
The two-year Junior Division at Komaba lets you explore widely before committing to one of 50-plus Senior Division courses.
The new UTokyo College of Design offers a fully English-taught five-year bachelor's plus master's degree, and about one in five of its students receives a scholarship, including a need-based grant of JPY 2.4 million a year.
Tuition is the national-university level of JPY 642,960 a year, far below most peer institutions worldwide.
Undergraduates can reach research such as the Kamioka Observatory and the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, both run by the university.
Admissions
Entry in April 2027 (Japanese-taught degrees) and September 2027 (UTokyo College of Design)
Selectivity
UTokyo does not publish an overall admit rate for international applicants. The special selection for privately financed international students admits only a small number (若干名) per stream, and the College of Design admits 100 students a year across two routes of 50 each.
Typical entry requirements
| EJU (special selection, category 1) | All required subjects: Humanities streams take Japanese, Japan and the World, and Mathematics Course 1; Science streams take Japanese, two of physics, chemistry and biology, and Mathematics Course 2 |
|---|---|
| SAT (College of Design, Route B) | Expected score 1480 or higher from a single sitting; superscores not accepted |
| ACT (College of Design, Route B) | Expected composite of 33 or higher |
| IB Diploma (College of Design, Route B) | Expected 38 of 42 points across six subjects plus at least 2 points for TOK/EE |
| International A-levels (College of Design, Route B) | Expected at least three A grades |
| European Baccalaureate (College of Design, Route B) | Expected average of 87% or higher |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 Figures are the College of Design expected scores (not strict cut-offs): TOEFL iBT above 80 (tests before 21 January 2026) or above 4 on the new scale, IELTS above 6.0, Duolingo above 110, Cambridge above 169, taken on or after 1 January 2025; applicants with English-medium education for three of their last four school years are exempt. The Japanese-taught special selection requires a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score taken between 1 December 2024 and 30 November 2026 but states no minimum. |
Deadlines
- UTokyo College of Design (Routes A and B) Next deadline · In 30 daysNovember 5, 2026, 5:00 pm JST
Applications open October 15, 2026, 9:00 am JST. Video assignment due November 13-16, 2026. Route B: first-screening results December 22, 2026, online interviews January 13-22, 2027. Route A: first-screening results February 10, 2027, in-person screening February 15 or 16, 2027. Final decisions February 20, 2027; enrollment September 2027.
- Special Selection for Graduates of Foreign Schools, Category 1 (privately financed international students) In ~2 monthsDecember 7, 2026, 5:00 pm JST (documents must arrive)
Application period December 1-7, 2026. First-stage results mailed January 25, 2027; essay February 25, 2027 and interview March 4, 2027; successful candidates posted March 10, 2027. Entry April 2027. The deadline for eligibility queries was September 18, 2026.
Dates are from the official 2027 guidelines. PEAK, the previous English-taught Komaba program, accepted its last students for autumn 2026 entry and has no 2027 round.
How to apply
Japanese-taught degrees: online application form plus mailed documents for the Special Selection for Graduates of Foreign Schools (Category 1), including a statement of purpose and recommendation letter, EJU and TOEFL/IELTS scores; document screening, then an essay and an interview, both in Japanese, on the Hongo campus. College of Design: online application with English essays, a video assignment, a teacher evaluation, transcripts, test scores and three extracurricular descriptions, followed by an online interview (Route B) or a full-day in-person screening (Route A).
What admissions looks for
- For the special selection, a holistic review of the submitted documents first, then an essay and interview used alongside the first-stage results.
- Completion of 12 years of schooling abroad, normally with at least one year at the final school while living abroad, or a recognised qualification such as IB, Abitur, French or European Baccalaureate or A-levels.
- For the College of Design, a diverse cohort of 100 students with a balanced mix from Japan and around the world, bringing a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
- For the College of Design, evidence beyond grades: essays, a video assignment, a teacher evaluation and three documented extracurricular activities or achievements.
Tips for applying to UTokyo
- 1 The Japanese-taught route has you write the essay and sit the interview in Japanese, so plan for real academic Japanese, not just a strong EJU Japanese score.
- 2 Check the EJU mathematics course before you sit it: Humanities streams need Course 1 and Science streams need Course 2, and applicants with the wrong course are not accepted.
- 3 Only TOEFL Test Date scores count (not MyBest), and IELTS One Skill Retake scores are not used.
- 4 College of Design applicants should apply for the need-based scholarship in the same online system during the application window; it cannot be added later.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in JPY
International students pay the same tuition as Japanese students and can apply for tuition exemptions. The College of Design awards a need-based UTokyo Design Scholarship of JPY 2,400,000 a year plus the admission fee and one-way travel for international students, and a merit scholarship of JPY 600,000 a year, both for up to five years. Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarships are also available for embassy- or university-recommended students.
- JPY 282,000
- Admission fee (one-time)
- About 20% each year
- College of Design students receiving a scholarship
- JPY 2,400,000 per year, up to 5 years
- College of Design need-based grant
- JPY 150,000 per month
- Global Science Course (3rd-year transfer) support
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (S and A), each split into two terms (S1/S2, A1/A2), plus a short W term
Junior Division, College of Arts and Sciences (Komaba)
Every undergraduate spends years one and two here in a liberal arts curriculum before choosing a Senior Division course.
UTokyo College of Design
The university's new English-taught, project-based five-year combined bachelor's and master's program, first intake September 2027.
Global Science Course (GSC)
An all-English transfer program into the third year of the Faculty of Science, with a JPY 150,000 monthly scholarship and housing support.
Natural Sciences III stream (Medicine)
The stream that leads to the Faculty of Medicine; international applicants can apply to it through the special selection.
Research
- Kamioka Observatory, the underground neutrino detector site operated by the university.
- Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU).
- Affiliated research institutes alongside 15 graduate schools.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Letters
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Economics
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- UTokyo College of Design
Student life
Life starts at Komaba, where all first- and second-year students study together before most move to Hongo in central Tokyo. Each campus has its own festival: the Komaba Festival in November and the May Festival (Gogatsusai) at Hongo. The university has almost no on-campus housing for domestic students, so most people commute or rent nearby. International students can use residences such as Mejirodai International Village and the Mitaka International Student Residence. UTokyo's baseball team plays in the Tokyo Big6 league against Waseda, Keio, Meiji, Hosei and Rikkyo at Meiji Jingu Stadium.
- Komaba Festival (November, Komaba campus), first held in 1950
- May Festival (Gogatsusai) on the Hongo campus
- Tokyo Big6 Baseball League games at Meiji Jingu Stadium
- The Akamon red gate, one of the few structures predating the university's move to Hongo and its best-known symbol
Housing. All College of Design first-years live at Mejirodai International Village (JPY 82,300 a month in total plus a JPY 70,930 initial cost, as of July 2026); for other students on-campus housing is limited.
Location
The Hongo campus is in Bunkyo, a quiet, bookish ward in central Tokyo a short subway ride from Ueno and Tokyo Station, and Komaba is near Shibuya. You get the transit, internships and culture of one of the world's largest cities while living in residential neighbourhoods. Rent is the main cost, so many students live further out and commute by train.
Nearest airport: Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND); Narita (NRT) for many international flights
Notable alumni
- YK Yasunari KawabataNovelist, Nobel Prize in Literature 1968
- KO Kenzaburo OeNovelist, Nobel Prize in Literature 1994
- NS Natsume SosekiNovelist, author of Kokoro and I Am a Cat
- YM Yukio MishimaNovelist and playwright
- LE Leo EsakiPhysicist, Nobel Prize in Physics 1973 for electron tunnelling
- MK Masatoshi KoshibaPhysicist, Nobel Prize in Physics 2002 for neutrino astronomy
- KT Kenzo TangeArchitect, Pritzker Prize laureate
- NK Nobusuke KishiPrime Minister of Japan
Frequently asked questions
Can I study at the University of Tokyo in English?
Yes, through the new UTokyo College of Design, a five-year English-taught program starting September 2027, or the Global Science Course for third-year transfers. The PEAK program took its last students in autumn 2026, and most other undergraduate degrees are taught in Japanese.
Do international students need the EJU for the University of Tokyo?
For the Japanese-taught degrees, yes: privately financed international applicants must take all required EJU subjects in June or November 2026 and submit TOEFL iBT or IELTS scores. The College of Design uses SAT, ACT, IB or similar qualifications instead.
What SAT score do you need for the UTokyo College of Design?
Route B lists an expected SAT of 1480 or higher from a single sitting (superscores are not accepted), or alternatives such as an ACT composite of 33, IB 38 of 42, or three A grades at international A-level. These are expected scores rather than strict cut-offs; decisions are holistic.
How much is tuition at the University of Tokyo?
Undergraduate tuition is JPY 642,960 a year plus a one-time JPY 282,000 admission fee (2026 rates), the same for Japanese and international students. The 2027 College of Design guidelines quote these same rates, subject to revision.
When is the University of Tokyo application deadline for 2027?
The College of Design application window runs October 15 to November 5, 2026. For the Japanese-taught special selection for privately financed international students, documents must arrive December 1-7, 2026.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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