Tohoku University

Studying at Tohoku University and living in the city of Sendai is not that expensive . In general, to start the application process and take the admission test you have to pay $154 USD . Upon being admitted, you must pay another amount of $2563 USD . On the other hand, as an annual fee it is necessary to pay $4871 USD.

If you have financial hardship paying, you may be exempt from paying half , part, or all of these amounts, depending on your application and other factors. You can look at a table with the specific costs at this link .

In addition, renting a student dormitory or a private residence can cost you between $118 USD and $308 USD per month for the first case, or between $363 USD and $545 USD for the second, respectively. Other utility related expenses are worth approximately $90 per month.

Meanwhile, the telephone service costs $18 USD and food can cost around $363 USD . As an international student at Tohoku University you will have to spend between $727 USD to 1363 USD per month .

How to study at Tohoku University? What do you need?

Tohoku University is very open to foreign students. Despite this, for being one of the most prestigious universities in Japan, its high selectivity criteria is well known. Therefore, entering to study in it is not so easy.

Please note that the requirements for studying programs taught in English (Future Global Leadership FLG) are different than those for studying programs taught in Japanese . Meanwhile, the steps to apply are also different. In the case of the former, applicants go through a selection process.

For courses available in Japanese, it is necessary to take the Japanese University Admission Test for International Students. In doing so, your language and academic skills will be evaluated to see if they are at the university level.

Requirements to study at Tohoku University as a foreign student

Please note that all documents must be translated into English or Japanese if they are in another language.

• Results of standardized tests or academic qualification exam . These must be done in the areas of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry. For some programs they ask for Biology.
• Have completed 12 educational years . In the case of only having 11 years of school studies, your academic record will be evaluated.
• Have academic abilities superior to the average high school graduate upon evaluation, and be over the age of 18.
• Minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS or equivalent.
• Clear photograph taken in a period not exceeding 3 months.
• 400-word essay where you explain your reasons for studying an FGL program.
• High school certificate . If you haven’t finished it yet, provide proof that you are in your senior year.
• academic transcript . All agendas, codes and abbreviations must be accompanied by explanations of what they mean. Graduation criteria and GPA must be included.
• Identity document .
• Certificate of payment of the admission test .
• Reference material . This is optional. If you wish, you can add recommendations or awards that you have obtained.

How to apply for Tohoku University?

1. Begin the application by filling out this online form .
2. Remember to select if you want to opt for a scholarship . This will not affect the selection process at all. You must also indicate if you want a dormitory in the university residence.
3. Pay the cost of the tests .
4. Submit the admission tests . In them your knowledge in the area of Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics will be evaluated. You will also have to take a written test. You can find sample exam questions at this link . You will find a more specific list with the tests here .
5. Participate in an interview . In it you must demonstrate your knowledge and express your motivation to study the program of your interest. In addition, your logical and communication skills will be tested.
6. Wait for the announcement of the results of the first selection process.
7. If you passed this first process, now you must wait for the second one .
8. Wait for the publication of the list of selected applicants.
9. Complete the admission procedure .

Tips for Studying at Tohoku University

1. Prepare for the academic qualification tests . Take courses in which you can update and review your knowledge of physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology.
2. Study the language . Whatever language the program you wish to study is taught in (English or Japanese), you must be able to master it perfectly.
3. Be sure to fill out the application form completely . Otherwise, your request will not be taken into account.
4. Have all your documents ready in advance . In this way you will avoid any setbacks.

What can you study at Tohoku University?

This university offers 24 undergraduate programs taught in Japanese and 3 in English. In addition, there are 20 postgraduate programs available and there is the possibility of studying a double degree if you belong to one of the partner universities.

Study at Tohoku University – What you need to know

Sendai is a city far from the city that is full of big trees. This makes it a very conducive environment for university and contemplative life.

But in general, the activities that take place on the Tohoku University campus are very varied, with which you can see first-hand the rich Japanese culture . In addition, you will meet very open and friendly people, both in the figures of students and teachers.

You will have time to study in places with an ideal environment for this purpose. But you will also have many opportunities to have fun . You will also appreciate a wide variety of groups that assist international students by offering many services. See a list here.

The best way to transport yourself is to use the subways or buses.

Riding bikes or motorcycles to college is not recommended as you risk getting into an accident, which could ruin your career. In addition, you can obtain the Gakuto Sendai City Bus/Subway Free Pass , so that the ticket is very cheap for you.

Can you work while studying?

To work as a student in Japan, it is not enough to have residence status as a student, dependent or cultural activities. On the contrary, you must acquire a permit to carry out any other activity different from the one allowed according to the state of residence granted in advance.

With this authorization you can work a maximum of 28 hours per week , with the exception of vacation periods, in which you can dedicate up to 8 hours per day to a part-time job. Also, you will not be able to obtain it if you do not really need extra income.

However, this job cannot be involved with adult entertainment businesses, including cooking or cleaning, or distributing any type of promotional material. In case you engage in any of these activities you can be sanctioned, with the possibility of being deported. However, you should know that you do not need a permit to work as a research assistant or teaching assistant at the university .

Learn Japanese at Tohoku University

Tohoku University has a wide variety of Japanese study programs, which are offered according to the needs and interests of the students.

Thus, there is the Japanese Language Education Program aimed at international students of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and even for those students who do not belong to any particular program, such as exchange students or who are taking the Japanese language program in intensive mode.

The intention of this course is to improve communication skills in this language and improve adaptability to Japanese culture. In this regard, a wide variety of classes are offered including grammar, listening, speaking, writing and Kanji. All this will depend directly on the initial knowledge.

Likewise, those who plan to complete a degree in Japanese at the institution can also study the Japanese Program for University Undergraduates , with which they will receive high-level classes.

On the other hand, if the career they study is in English, they can still participate in this program but receiving beginner or intermediate level classes.

How to go on an academic exchange to Tohoku University?

There are two periods to apply to the exchange program of this university. For spring, the months in which you can apply are October and November, and for autumn, in January and February. The procedure is carried out through this online system.

You must bear in mind that all the information corresponding to the exchange is sent directly to the associated universities . To find out if yours is on the list, click here . In this sense, to start the application your university must nominate you, since direct applications from students are not accepted.

If you are nominated, then the application process is up to you. You can look at the detailed instructions at this link . Fill in the form that we mentioned above very carefully, since those that are incomplete will not be processed. Programs available for undergraduate students include the Junior Year Program in English which can span one or two semesters . The same is true of the International Program in Liberal Arts and the Direct Enrollment Education Program for Natural Science Students. Only the latter are only available in Japanese.

Similarly, you can also study one of the short programs , such as the Tohoku University Japanese Program or the Tohoku University STEM Summer Program, which last a few weeks .

Requirements

• Study at one of the partner universities.
• Official copy of academic transcript in English.
• Letter of recommendation from your advisor as an applicant.
• Certificate of enrollment from the university of origin.
• Copy of certificate of proficiency in the language (79 in TOELF iBT as a minimum).
• Photocopy of the passport.
• Photo size 3×4.

Scholarships and Grants offered by Tohoku University

• Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship . A total of 350 of these scholarships are available. With it, the annual cost of the degree is covered and, in addition, $1,082 USD per month is awarded. You can apply for this aid in three ways: by recommendation from the embassy, from the university or by domestic selection.
• President Fellowship . It consists of covering a part of the annual cost of the degree for students who have a high academic level and excellent personal character. To apply for this scholarship it is necessary to go to the faculty where you want to study.
• Monbukagakusho Honors Scholarship . Students receive a stipend of $436 USD for 12 months. Those who self-finance their studies at Tohoku University can apply for this scholarship. It should be noted that it is financed by the Japan Studies Services Organization.

Campus

Tohoku University has 9 campuses in Japan , 1 in Taiwan, and one in Korea. The top 4 are:

Facilities and Extra Academic Offer

Within the extra academic offer, it is important to highlight the different student organizations that are dedicated to developing activities for foreign students. During your stay at the university you can join one of them.

One of them is the Student Friendship Association , which is an organization that offers the opportunity to choose to practice one of the 47 sports and to participate in one of the 24 cultural clubs . To dedicate yourself to it you will find all the appropriate facilities.

Likewise, as an international student you will be able to access the tutor system , with which you will be assigned an advisor who will guide you in everything related to university life and in the city.

Similarly, there is a Learning Center that provides various types of support, including Japanese conversation practice and assistance in writing reports and summaries in this language.

For its part, the Career Support Center will provide you with guidelines and guidance on everything that will help you build your professional life after completing your university degree.

In addition to the services mentioned, you can also count on the following:

• Help desk for international students.
• Health Center for students.
• Counseling and disability services.

Library and digital classrooms

• Medicine.
• Engineering.
• Kita-Aobayama (Science, Pharmacy).
• Agriculture.
• Tohoku University Library.

Laboratories

• Mathematical Structure.
• Computer Structures.
• Image Analysis.
• Applied Intelligence Software.
• Joint Research Group for Quantum Computing.
• Health Informatics.
• Brain-Function Integrated System.
• Systems Bioinformatics.
• Human-Robot Informatics.
• Visual Cognition and Systems.

Sports facilities

• Kawauchi Sub Arena.
• Kawauchi Gymnasium.
• Volleyball Court.
• Kawuchi Tennis Court.
• Multipurpose Court.
• Kawauchi Baseball Field.
• Kawauchi Field.

Cafes and other recreation centers

• Tohoku University Centennial Hall.
• Tohoky University Museum.
• Automobile Museum.
• Nishizawa Memorial Room.
• Cyber Science Center Exhibition.
• Honda Memorial Room.
• Botanical Garden.
• Sakura Kitchen.
• Restaurant Hagi.
• Sakua Shop.

Would you like to study at this university? Then let yourself be guided by experts. Fill out the form below and you will soon be contacted by an advisor who will help you in the application process.

Tohoku University Photos