Updated:June 19,2024. Japanese version

Research at the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences is devoted not only to core mathematics but also applied mathematics.
For information on the possible research areas, please consult the list of professors. (current research contents of each professor)

1. Master and Ph.D.Course

The official number of new students we can accept at the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences each year is 53 for the Master's program and 32 for the Ph.D. program.
The number of international students we are able to accept in each program is about six in the former and three in the latter.

We recommend new international students to enter the Master's course if they have already completed a Master's course in their home countries.
We believe this will ensure smooth transition.

Those who passed the entrance examination to the Master's course may enter the graduate school as research students (non regular course students) on April 1 or October 1 for one year or half a year and then enter the Master's course on April 1 in the following year.
This will provide the students time for better preparation, including time to improve their Japanese language skills, because research in the Master's course may sometimes be very difficult.
The student who aims at taking the entrance examination to the regular course, which is held in our school (4.1), cannot apply for the research student program.

Two years in residence for a Master's degree and three years for a Ph.D. are usually required.
If the supervisory adviser judges that the student has sufficient ability, the student can finish the Master's program in one year and proceed to the Ph.D. program. It is possible for a student with an exceptionally high research accomplishment, to finish the Ph.D. program in one year.
However, when a student finishes the Master's program in one year and continues to study in the Ph.D. program, the minimum requirement for the period of the study is two years instead of one.

2.Terms

The academic year begins on April 1.
The academic year is divided into two semesters. The first semester (Ｓ semester) is begins April 1 and ends August 31. The second (Ａ semester) is from October 1 until February of the following year

Most students enter the graduate school on April 1.
Those receiving Japanese Government Scholarship or other government scholarship however may enter in October as an exception.

3. Graduate Study Program and Degrees

3.1 Seminars and Lectures

In the graduate programs, every student has a supervisor. Students must attend lectures and a seminar organized by their supervisor.

3.2 Required Credits and Degrees

Thirty course credits are required for obtaining a Master's degree and twenty for a Ph.D. In order to get a Master's degree or Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences, the student is required to submit a thesis under the guidance of the supervisor in addition to earning the required course credits.
About half of the Master's theses, written by the students in the aim of entering the Ph.D course, have been published in international journals.

4. Admission

4.1 Entrance Examinations

In order to enter the graduate school, Japanese residents need to pass the entrance examination.
The entrance examination is held once a year in each course.

The examination for the the Master's program usually takes place in the week including September 1.
The first screening consists of a two day written examination. For those who have passed the first screening there is an oral examination.
The subjects of the written examination are mathematics and English.

Application forms are distributed from late May.The deadline for the application is at the end of July.
Aplicants may write their answers to the problems in English but with prior approval. In this case, an English translation of the problems are provided to the students.

The entrance examination for the Ph.D. program is held in early February every year. The examination is mainly oral, and questions are asked on the content of the applicant's Master's thesis and in related fields whereby the preparedness and ability of the applicant for research in a specialized area is examined.

Application forms are distributed around June of the previous year. The deadline for the application is in early January. Applicants need to submit a photocopy of their Master's thesis and of its abstract or of equivalent mathematical papers written by the applicant.

For further information, please click here (in Japanese).
Selection in our entrance examinations is based on a rigorous review of written and oral exams, and no special favors are given to any party whatsoever.

4.2 Special Selection for Overseas Residents

For the convenience of those applicants who are overseas residents, we provide an opportunity for a document-based selection procedure.
The selection is conducted based on the applicants' accomplishments at university, their future research programs, mathematical articles written by the applicants and online examination.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• completed applicaton
  (including; curriculum vitae, details of the desired field of research with the proposed research program, the names of the possible supervisors, pledge)
• graduation ceritifcate of their university（the original issued by an authorized institution）
• academic record（the original issued by an authorized institution）
• two or more recommendation letters written by persons who know the applicant very well including their supervisor (sealed by the recommenders themselves)
• a list of the articles written by the applicant with a photocopy of the articles (optional)
• a certificate which proves the applicant's language skills (English or Japanese, if any) and any other document which supports the applicant.

The application form is available at the International Liaison Office of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences. Applications are received all year round but, as the selection procedure can take between three and four months, applications must be submitted by post no later than October 31 of the year preceding the year of enrollment.

Note: the application deadline for the applicants for the MEXT scholarship by the Japanese Embassy recommendation is set separately. (See 6.2)

Only excellent students are eligible for this procedure, and in general they are asked to enter the Master's course before proceeding to the Ph.D. course.

It is not permitted to apply for both of the Special Selection (4.2) and the Entrance Examination (4.1) in the same academic year (April 1 to March 31) of the following yea

5. Fees

This rule has been set in accordance with the national rules.
There are three kinds of fees: (1) application charge, (2) admission fee, and (3) tuition.
The application fee is paid in advance by those who take the entrance examination regardless of the results. There is a possibility of a waiver of tuition fees for a student with financial difficulties. There is screening for the waiver each semester.

6. Financial Supports

Overseas applicants are eligible for the Japanese Government Scholarships, sometimes called the Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarships.
In addition, there are the University of Tokyo Fellowship and a few private scholarships that provide a lesser amount of support.
In order to receive a recommendation for such scholarships from our graduate school, one has to pass the entrance examination described in Section 4.

6.1 Japanese Government(MEXT) Scholarship --- Application through Japanese Universities

The Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences selects candidates from among those who have passed the Special Selection process, mainly students who are planning to study under an academic exchange agreement with the University of Tokyo and meet the requirements.
The candidates are required to submit a letter of recommendation addressed to the President of the University of Tokyo from the Dean or above at their current university, along with documents proving that they meet the language proficiency requirements (language test results, etc.)

Those who want to apply for the MEXT scholarship through university recommendation should submit an application for admission to the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences by the end of October.
Because of the limited number of applicants that universities can recommend to the MEXT, the chances of getting this scholarship are not necessarily high, even with a recommendation from our graduate school.

6.2 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship -- Application through Japanese Embassies

The Japanese embassies or consulates overseas make announcements soliciting applications and conduct preliminary screening in cooperation with the central government of the applicant's home country. For details, applicants should contact the Japanese Embassy located in the applicants' own country or region.

The Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences issues the Agreement of Admission after the applicant passes the Special Selection.
In order to be able to meet the various applicable deadlines, applicants are requested to submit their application to the Graduate School by early August.

The Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences has strict deadlines for the submission of applications and we urge all candidates to send us all required documents well before the deadline. However, we do accept early applications, i.e., candidates may apply for admission to the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences before applying at the Embassy or before the results of the primary selection at the Embassy have been announced.

6.3 The University of Tokyo Fellowship

The University of Tokyo provides research grant-in-aid to outstanding privately financed international students who aim to obtain a degree. Our school selects one outstanding student from among the new students as a candidate.

6.4 Private scholarships

There are two methods of application for the scholarships for privately financed international students: University Recommendation and Direct Application.
There are very few scholarships that students can apply for prior to arrival in Japan. Many students apply for scholarships after enrolling in a university.

7.Language

Students need not speak Japanese upon entering the graduate school.
However, speaking Japanese is necessary for joining seminar discussions, and some knowledge of the Japanese language will greatly enhance their enjoyment of life in Japan.

There are Japanese language courses provided by the Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education, UTokyo  (see https://globe.u-tokyo.ac.jp/nkc/en/index.html)

On the other hand, English proficiency is indispensable, because most research articles are written in English.

Address for inquiries and requests for application forms

International Liaison Office
Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences
The University of Tokyo
3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8914
JAPAN
E-mail : liaison[at]ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp

*Telephone inquiries will not be received.