Global Science Course (GSC) — Undergraduate Transfer Program, Department of Chemistry

Programme overview

The Global Science Course (GSC) is the University of Tokyo's all-English undergraduate transfer route into the Faculty of Science. Launched in April 2014 in the School of Science, it admits students who have completed a minimum of six years of secondary education and at least two years of undergraduate study entirely outside Japan directly into the third year of the four-year Bachelor of Science programme, in the Department of Chemistry. Students spend two years at the Hongo Campus taking chemistry lectures and laboratory work delivered wholly in English by School of Science faculty, and on fulfilling the graduation requirements are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree by the University of Tokyo. Every admitted transfer student receives the Faculty of Science Scholarship of JPY 150,000 per month for up to two consecutive years, plus university-arranged accommodation with fully supported monthly rent, a student tutor and teaching assistants. Application is made directly to the GSC Administration Office through an online form; selection is by document screening by the GSC Faculty Committee, followed by an online interview stage. Only the Department of Chemistry currently accepts GSC transfer students.

GSC students join the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science at the start of the third undergraduate year and complete the final two years of the four-year Bachelor of Science programme at the Hongo Campus. The taught programme is built from GSC-specific chemistry lectures and laboratory courses delivered in English by School of Science professors, with visiting professors from abroad giving special lectures and seminar talks. Graduation requires 37.5 credits of compulsory subjects, 37 credits of elective subjects, 6 credits of transfer subjects and attendance at the non-credit GSC Seminar. The academic year runs on the UTokyo calendar: the Autumn (A) Semester begins in early October and ends in late January; the Summer (S) Semester runs from early April to late July.

Important facts