Graduate International Research Students (kenkyusei), Graduate School of Science

6 months as standard, renewable in 6-month steps up to a maximum total of 2 years English open

5-stage learning journey

6 months as standard, renewable in 6-month steps up to a maximum total of 2 years · English

Stage 0 - Pre-application: securing a supervisor The gating step of the whole route, and the one that must start earliest. "Before submitting an application, please contact a prospective supervisor and obtain his/her consent to supervise you. The consent obtained here is the consent to be your supervisor if you are accepted and does not guarantee your acceptance." Documentary proof of that contact is a required application document: "Proof of your prior consultation with the potential supervising professor at the Graduate School of Science, such as a copy of correspondence emails." No separate deadline is published for making contact - the operative deadline is that the consent and its evidence must both exist before the application window closes. Stage 1 - Application and selection Ten application items (application form in Excel plus items 2-10 combined into a single scanned PDF) are uploaded to a route-specific URL within the designated window, the 9,800 yen examination fee is paid inside the same window, and the Graduate School Office is notified by email; it replies "within six business days after confirming receipt of your files". Selection is by review of the submitted documents by the Graduate School of Science; no entrance examination or interview is published. Results are notified "as soon as the decision has been made" for MEXT applicants, "around December 2026" for April 2027 self-supported entrants and "around June 2027" for October 2027 self-supported entrants. Stage 2 - First six-month research period Enrolment on April 1 or October 1. "Normally the period of enrollment for a Graduate International Research Student is six months." Self-supported entrants pay the admission fee (84,600 yen) and the six-month tuition fee (173,400 yen) after being admitted, on deadlines notified individually. The student conducts the research described in the Study Plan under the agreed supervisor, without attending classes or accruing credit. Stage 3 - Extension review (around June and December, every year) "The Graduate School Office contacts students twice a year (around June and December) and students may apply for an extension of their research period, subject to approval from their supervising professors." Each approved extension adds a further research period; the supervising professor's approval is the decisive condition. Fees for a further period are not separately published beyond the six-month tuition figure. Stage 4 - Exit at or before the two-year ceiling "The total period as a Graduate International Research Student cannot exceed 2 years." On leaving, no degree, qualification or credit is conferred. A student who wants a University of Tokyo degree must have applied separately, and competitively, to the Master's or Doctoral programme; kenkyusei status neither substitutes for nor advantages that application.

Stage 0 - Pre-application: securing a supervisor curriculum

The detailed course list for this stage has not been published yet.

Course domains

Department of Physics — "The Department of Physics at the Graduate School of Science is a world-class choice for those who wish to pursue research at the frontiers of physics, including but not limite
Department of Astronomy — "The master's program focuses on endowing students with the necessary knowledge and methodological skillset while the doctorate program prepares students for independent glob
Department of Earth and Planetary Science — "The Department of Earth and Planetary Science covers a wide range of research areas, from Earth's interior to deep space, and from the origins of the solar
Department of Chemistry — "The graduate Department of Chemistry has a double mission. On the one hand, it is committed to training top-tier scientists who do basic research to understand natural chemi
Department of Biological Sciences — "Because biology, which studies 'life' from molecular structures to organelles, cells, organisms, and ecosystems, is extremely diverse, the graduate Department of B
Departments and laboratories open specifically to research students

Extension of research-student status — "The Graduate School Office contacts students twice a year (around June and December) and students may apply for an extension of their research period, subject t

Moving on to a Master's or Doctoral course — Kenkyusei status carries no admission advantage and is not a prerequisite. The School's own FAQ answer is: "You can apply directly for the Master's/Doctora

No degree or credit on completion — "Note that a 'kenkyusei' is not entitled to receive any degree or qualification on completion of the program." Nothing earned as a kenkyusei transfers as credit int

Automatic progression

"A Graduate International Research Student (kenkyusei) is an international student admitted to the Graduate School of Science to conduct research on a specific subject under the supervision of a facul

"Note that a 'kenkyusei' is not entitled to receive any degree or qualification on completion of the program. If you wish to apply for admission as a candidate for a Master's or doctoral degree, see '

The enrolment period is deliberately short and reviewed: "Normally the period of enrollment for a Graduate International Research Student is six months", extendable on the supervisor's approval, with

Embassy Recommended Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship holders who have passed their Embassy's preliminary selection use this application to obtain a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from the Graduate

Core learning formats

The only published mode of study. Research is conducted "on a specific subject under the supervision of a faculty member" of the Graduate School of Science.
Programme sources (39)