INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE FOREIGN STUDENTS

STRUCTURE

The Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences consists of the following two departments.

• Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Department of Pharmacy

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Master's Program

The 2-year terminal master's program aims at producing professionals with academic and technical expertise as well as at educating researchers. During this period, students must take courses and earn 30 or more credits, receive necessary guidance for research work, complete the master's thesis and pass the final examination.

Doctoral Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Scineces (Three-year program)

The objective of the 3-year doctoral program is to train students to become independent researchers capable of conducting original research. Students must take 20 or more credits, receive guidance for research and successfully pass the examination for the doctoral dissertation and comprehensive examination.

Doctoral Program, Department of Pharmacy (Four-year program)

Postgraduate International Research Student

International students wishing to study a specific subject at the postgraduate level may be admitted in the capacity of postgraduate foreign research students.
Research students belong to a specific laboratory of one of the departments and engage in research work under guidance of the guidance professor.
Period of research is one year and if further research is desired, the period can be extended. However, a postgraduate foreign research student may be ordered to leave the University if the student is found to be unsuitable. No degree or qualification will be conferred upon completion of a research program. Research students may audit classes with the prior permission of the instructors, however, cannot earn credits.

ADMISSIONS

Graduate Admission (Master and Doctoral Programs)

Please refer to Special Selection for International Students

Entrance Examinations

1. Entrance examinations are usually taken by students who attended Japanese language courses, or research students who have completed their terms. To apply directly from abroad, students must:
   1. obtain a prospective guidance professor's guidance approval. Students are required to make ample contact with one faculty member of this graduate school and to be given approval concerning their study plans, Japanese language proficiency and living arrangements in Japan before applying. Please refer to 'FACULTY AND FIELDS OF RESEARCH'. The University does not take any responsibility for finding guidance professors for students.
   2. take the examination in a tourist or another (Temporary visitor) visa status. Students who pass the examination are required to apply for college student visa or apply for change of the visa status.
2. Students residing in Japan have to follow the same procedure as applicants from abroad do, concerning prospective guidance professors. Students who pass the examination are required to obtain a College student visa.
3. International applicants take the same entrance examination as Japanese students do, but the examination is held in Japanese as well as in English. There is no fixed number of international students for regular courses, and the selection is Special Selection.
4. The entrance examination will test not only academic ability in the student's major field, but also proficiency in English. An advanced level in English is required.

Application Procedure

For entrance examination schedules, admission requirements, period of application, documents to be submitted and fees, please refer to INFORMATION ON APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS.

Admission Information for Postgraduate International Research Student

Selection

1. Selection is made on the basis of the submitted documents by the selecting committee of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. It is not necessary for applicants from abroad to come to Japan while documents are being screened.
2. To apply directly from abroad, students must:
   1. obtain a prospective guidance professor's guidance approval. Students are required to make ample contact with one faculty member of this division and to be given approval concerning their study plans Japanese language proficiency and living arrangements in Japan before applying. Please refer to 'FACULTY AND FIELDS OF RESEARCH'. The University does not take any responsibility for finding guidance professors for students.
   2. Students residing in Japan have to follow the same procedure as applicants from abroad do, concerning prospective guidance professors.
3. Students residing in Japan have to follow the same procedure as applicants from abroad do, concerning prospective guidance professors.

Application Procedure

Please refer to ADMISSION INFORMATION ON POSTGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH STUDENT

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

The graduate program of this Graduate School does not include any courses specially designed for foreign students. The language of instruction, discussion and research supervision is Japanese. Therefore, it is essential for the students to be proficient in Japanese. If an applicant is not proficient enough in Japanese for academic and daily life, the applicant needs to study Japanese prior to admission, either in his/her home country or at any recognized Japanese language school in Japan. The University of Tokyo does not establish special courses for foreign students in which students study the Japanese language and society. Although the International Center offers an intensive Japanese language course as well as a supplementary course, the intensive course is open only for MEXT Scholarship students. And the overcrowding in the supplementary course may be a hindrance to students who look forward to quick results.

EXPENSES

Academic Fees

Academic fees include application fee, admission fee and tuition. Application fee is collected at the time of application, and admission fee at the time of entrance registration. Annual tuition is usually paid in installments in May and November. International students can apply for tuition and/or admission fee exemption, but this is not applicable in the case of postgraduate foreign research students. The fees charged are as follows:

Living Expenses

The University operates The University of Tokyo International Lodge (Shiroganedai, Komaba, Kashiwa) and International Students Hall of Residence (Mitaka, Toshima, Oiwake). The accommodations, however, are limited, and most students live in private apartments or rooming houses.

http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/administration/housing-office/housing/shukusha/index.html#long01

The average rent of private apartments is around 35,000yen to 60,000yen a month with an initial key and deposit money amounting to three or four times the monthly rent. It is noted that because of the serious housing shortage in Tokyo, it may take a long time to find a room where the rent is desirable, and expenses for housing may exceed students' estimate. In all, living expenses including housing, daily living, incidental expenses and study expenses range from 80,000yen to 130,000yen a month.

http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/administration/housing-office/housing/minkan/index.html

Part-Time Job

An international student with a College student visa is supposed to study at a university, and not to work for saving money. Once admitted as students of this division, foreign students are urged not to work off-campus.

However, foreign students can work part-time under the following conditions if they obtain permission from the Minister of Justice.

• The purpose is to earn money to pay for tuition fees and other necessary expenses for the student's period of study in Japan.
• The number of hours worked does not exceed 28 hours (14 hours for research students) a week. During summer vacation (July & August), 8-hour workday is permitted.
• The type of work does not fall under the Entertainment Establishments Control Law or violate other laws or public ordinances. Please note that it is impossible to finance all living costs by part-time work alone.

Scholarships

There is no special scholarship sponsored by the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences for international students. Since it is very difficult to obtain a scholarship after students' arrival in Japan, it is advised that students are financially prepared for the expenses before coming to Japan.

Scholarships Available before Coming to Japan

1. Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (Application through Japanese embassies)

MEXT requests Japanese diplomatic missions via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to invite applications for Japanese Government Scholarships and select qualified people. The diplomatic missions carry out this process with the cooperation of the host government and/or other organizations in charge. The selection process consists of a screening of documentation, written examinations and an interview.

The diplomatic missions recommend candidates for scholarships to MEXT based on the results of the examinations. MEXT makes the final decision after conferring with the selection committee and discussing with the universities and schools slated to accept scholarship recipients.

For details please check with the nearest Japanese diplomatic mission in their own specific country or region.

2. Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (Application through universities)

The Japanese universities, that permit enrollment based on university exchange agreements, select and recommend students who have excellent academic records and are in need of financial assistance from among the applicants for graduate schools. MEXT confers with the selection committee, and then makes its final selections. For further details, candidates should contact their guidance professor of the current school of enrollment.

3. Rotary Scholarship for International Understanding

The Rotary Foundation of the International Rotary Club provides scholarships for exceptional foreign students with interest in international problems who can serve as "ambassadors of good will" while studying abroad. For details please check with the nearest Rotary Club.

4. Scholarships by Private Foundations

A small number of scholarship systems permit application from overseas. For further information, please refer to the pamphlet "Scholarship for International Students in Japan 2016-2017(JASSO)".

5. Foreign Government Scholarships

The Japanese Government will cooperate with foreign governments for admission of students sent by those governments under their human resource development program. Japan is now cooperating with China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in admitting students under this system. For details, check with the nearest local government agency.

Scholarships Available after Admission

1. Private Foundation Scholarships

There are a number of private fund scholarships for foreign students who are presently enrolled at graduate schools. Most of scholarships are available only to regular students and there are very few available to non-degree research students. All scholarship announcements will be posted at each division of the University. Also, students are not able to apply for scholarship through the University prior to enrollment in the University.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE

For request for application bulletins, the inquiry must be addressed to

Admission Office
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan
Tel: 03-5841-4704 , Fax: 03-5841-4711

For consultation on application and admission, make contact with

International Student Advising Room Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan
Tel: 03-5841-4878, Fax: 03-5841-4878