Graduate Program on Global Society (GSP) — M.A. Program

2 years English open

Entry requirements

All routes M.A. Program — September 2027 entry (single annual round)

Eligibility

Appendix 1 (1) — graduate of a Japanese university
"Those who have graduated from a Japanese university or are expected to graduate before the enrollment date." Japanese universities here means universities within Japan as prescribed in Article 83 of
Appendix 1 (2) — 16 years of school education abroad
"Those who have completed, or are expected to complete before the enrollment date, 16 years of school education abroad." Includes completion of a correspondence programme provided by a foreign school
Appendix 1 (3) — bachelor-equivalent degree from a foreign institution (3-year programmes included)
"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 (l
Appendix 1 (4) — MEXT-designated institutions
"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 instituti
Appendix 1 (5) — NIAD bachelor's degree
"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 Educa
Appendix 1 (6) — individual screening of entrance qualifications (age 22+)
"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 equival
Advance consultation for non-standard qualifications
"Applicants whose qualifications differ in any other respect from those stated above must contact the GPEAK Admissions Office by September 16, 2026."
Nationality and age
No nationality restriction and no maximum age limit are stated in the guidelines; the only age reference is the 22-years-or-older condition attached to eligibility route (6).

Accepted tests and qualifications

Test / QualificationRequirementNotes
GRE General Test — mandatory "GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) General Test score reports. Only the scores of tests taken on or before November 6, 2026, will be accepted." Two forms are required: "1) [PDF] All pages of the Test
GRE minimum score No minimum GRE score is published; the FAQ gives only the same "outstanding level of academic excellence" wording used for TOEFL. · Guidance
Examination integrity "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 admissio
Bachelor's degree or equivalent by enrollment "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 graduating on the enrollment date itself "Note: Those who expect to complete their undergraduate education (a Bachelor's degree or the equivalent) on September 30, 2027, must consult the GPEAK Admissions Office in advance."
Degree certificates and transcripts "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

English proficiency

TOEFL or IELTS score report (two forms required) Applicants must submit both "1) [PDF] The Test Taker Score Report (TOEFL) or the Test Report Form (IELTS)" uploaded with the application, and "2) An Institutional Score Report (TOEFL Institution Code
Test date cut-off "Only the scores of tests taken on or before November 6, 2026, will be accepted."
Arrival deadline for the institutional report The institutional score report "must arrive at the office by December 18, 2026".
Accepted and excluded test formats "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
Minimum score No minimum TOEFL or IELTS score is published: "We do not provide specific minimum scores for the results. However, the submitted scores should show an outstanding level of academic excellence that is
Degree taught in English "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

Required documents

  • Personal Statement (500 words or less) Required

    Past field of study, reasons for interest in GSP, future career plans, and any other relevant information.

  • Three letters of recommendation Required

    Including Form #3 (Confidential Evaluation); each is uploaded directly by the recommender through a dedicated link by 4:00 pm JST on December 9, 2026.

  • Interview — possible, not guaranteed Required

    "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." "Interviews are

  • Portfolio Required

    No portfolio, writing sample or thesis chapter is required of M.A. applicants; document M (a chapter of a master's thesis, approximately 3,000 words) applies only to Ph.D. applicants, who are out of s

Other

A. [PDF] CHECKLIST (Form #1)
Downloadable from the GSP Downloads box (Form #1 CHECKLIST FOR THE GRADUATE PROGRAM ON GLOBAL SOCIETY 2027).
B. [PDF] APPLICATION FORM (Form #2)
"Attach a photograph to the application form." The applicant's signature certifies that all documents are truthful, accurate and entirely their own; falsification may lead to retroactive cancellation
C. [PDF] Certificates of all higher degrees and diplomas awarded (or attested proof of expected graduation)
M.A. applicants submit the Bachelor's certificate.
D. [PDF] Official transcripts from each institution of higher learning attended
Transcripts from a study-abroad institution are not needed if that coursework and those grades appear on the home institution's transcript. Transcripts may not be sent directly by the issuing universi
E. [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" — not by the applicant — "no later than 4:00 pm on December 9, 2026 (JST)". A dedicated Link fo
F. TOEFL or IELTS score reports
Test Taker Score Report / Test Report Form uploaded as PDF, plus an institutional report sent directly by the testing institution.
G. GRE General Test score reports
All pages of the Test Taker Score Report uploaded as PDF, plus a Graduate Institution Score Report sent by ETS.
H. [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
I. [PDF] Research Proposal
900–1,000 words for M.A. applicants, excluding references. See requirements.researchPlan.
J. [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."
K. [PDF] One Certificate of Remittance (English or Japanese)
Proof of application-fee payment. Applicants outside Japan pay through the University of Tokyo's e-payment system at https://e-shiharai.net/english and submit the printed "result" page as the Certific
L. [PDF] Proof of Citizenship
"A photocopy of your passport, your census register, or other proof of citizenship."
Language of documents
"The application form and all additional documents must be submitted in English. If any of the required additional documents cannot be submitted in English, the applicant must obtain a translation of
Return of documents
"None of the documents or materials submitted will be returned."
Name-change evidence (conditional)
"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."
M.A. programme, September 2027 entry — fee-waiver documentation for MEXT scholars
"All fees will be waived for MEXT (Monbukagakusho) scholarship students. Application fees will be waived upon submission of either a certificate of MEXT scholarship status or a Certificate of Admissio
Disability accommodations during the entrance examination
"Those who wish to request accommodations for entrance examinations should contact the GPEAK Admissions Office (office[at]gsp.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp) at your earliest convenience before your application. Alt
Security export control screening
"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 poten
Programme sources (13)