Updated: May 19,2022. 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 and 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 after earning the required course credits under the guidance of the supervisor.
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 early June.
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 the middle of 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 October 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.

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.

For further information, please click here (in Japanese).

4.2 Selection by Documents

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 and mathematical articles written by the applicant.
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
• two or more recommendation letters written by persons who know the applicant very well (including thier supervisor)
• academic record and a graduation certificate of their university
• 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)
• any other document which supports the applicant

The application form is available at the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences.
Applications are received all year around but, as the selection procedure can take between three and four months, applicants must submit their application documents not later than five months before the desired entrance date.

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

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 (MEXT) Scholarships , sometimes called the Monbukagakusho Scholarships.
In addition, there are a few private scholarships which provide a lesser amount of support.
In order to get 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 application period differs depending on the types of application : for those residing overseas or those already in a Japanese graduate school.

When an overseas applicant applies for a scholarship with the recommendation from a Japanese university, the application deadline is set in December .
In principle, the students eligible of MEXT Scholarship are restricted to those from universities participating in the University Exchange Agreement with the University of Tokyo or from a University with a record of exchange between the University of Tokyo.
Each year the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences recommends several students who have excelled in the selection by documents as MEXT Scholarship candidates.

When a self-supporting international student, already enrolled in a Japanese university, applies for the MEXT Scholarship, the deadline is in October.

Because of the growing number of applicants, the chances of getting this scholarship are not necessarily high, even with a recommendation by 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 selection by documents.
In order to be able to meet the various applicable deadlines, applicants are requested to submit their application to the Graduate School before the 15th of August.
We do accept early applications, i.e. candidates can 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 Private scholarships

There are several private scholarships but their conditions vary from year to year.
Only a limited number of applications will be approved, and the chances of getting private scholarships are not necessarily higher compared to the government scholarship.

7. Language

The students need not speak Japanese at the beginning when they enter the graduate school.
But it will be necessary to speak Japanese in order to join the discussions in the seminar, and some knowledge of the Japanese language will greatly help them in enjoying life in Japan.

There are Japanese language courses provided by the Center for Japanese Language Education.
(see http://www.nkc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index_e.html)

On the other hand, English skill 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
FAX : (+81) 3-5465-7012

*Telephone inquiries will not be received.