GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Graduate admissions

The Master's program in Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology consists of two programs. Please choose one of them for your application.
Master's Course (Integrated MS/PhD Program) has been set up for students who wish to obtain a Doctor degree after Master's program. Program students are given special opportunities to focus on cutting-edge research and they will receive preferential treatment in the process of acquiring scholarships. Program students will be required to sit a Qualifying Examination (QE) one year after admission. The QE will determine which students will be offered a place on the Integrated MS/PhD Program as doctoral students (Students need procedures to step up to the doctoral program). The applicants are advised to discuss further details, such as application timelines and require documents, with expected supervisors before applying.
Master's Course (Master's Program) is a program aimed at obtaining a Master's degree through two years of graduate study and research activities. Graduates who have completed the Master's Program go on to a doctoral course or find a job in chemical companies or government offices.

Application Procedure for Integrated MS/PhD Programs
October 2022/April 2023 Entry

Important notice

  • --
    In principle, the examination will be held at the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Those living overseas who cannot take the examination at the test site or those who have diseases with a high risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 infection may be allowed to take the examination online. If you wish to take the examination online, please indicate this on the Application Form (ChemBio). Those who are permitted to take the examination online cannot change to taking the examination at the test site. Those who have been approved to take the examination online must attend the rehearsal scheduled for Saturday, August 27. Those who do not participate may be disqualified from the examination. For the purpose of ensuring fairness and preventing cheating, the online examination will be recorded by the examiners.
  • --
  • Applicants must contact their potential supervisors before applying.
  • See also
    (1) the website of Graduate School of Engineering
    (2) the page for preparing an application form (ChemBio)

1. Timeline of Application

[Schedule A]

Applications Open June 30th, 2022

This is the day to start the acceptance of the application form, not to start contacting the professor. Please contact the potential supervisor as soon as possible if you want to apply.

Application Deadline July 6th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Entrance Examination August 29th - 31st, 2022 (Rehearsal: August 27th, only for the online exam)
Notification of Results (tentative)
September 8th, 2022 at 4:00 pm

[Schedule B]

Special Admission Examination will be held in late January, 2023.
Please ask your expected supervisor for details, including schedules and required documents.

2. Entrance Examinations and Eligibility Criteria

Entrance examination procedures vary depending on the eligibility criteria fulfilled by each applicant. Most applicants will proceed through the general examination process consisting of a written examination and an oral examination during the entrance examination period outlined in the timeline of application. Special admissions are also available for qualifying applicants in late January 2023.

  • General Examination [Schedule A]: General examination is for applicants who have an undergraduate certificate (or expect to receive it by March 31st, 2023) from a university (Japanese or overseas).
  • Special Admissions Examination [Schedule B]: Special admissions are for applicants without a Japanese citizenship. Also the applicants must have an undergraduate certificate (or expect to receive it by March 31st, 2023) from an overseas university.

3. Subjects of Entrance Examination

(1) Written Examination

Sections Additional notes
“Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology III”
Examination on specialized knowledge in chemistry and/or biotechnology
Answer time: 1 hour

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. The applicant should also prepare an environment where you can scan and send the answer sheet immediately after the exam. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

(2) Oral Examination

During the oral examination, applicants will be asked general questions in the field of chemistry and/or biotechnology. Applicants will also be asked to describe their current or past research experiences. This would normally be your bachelor’s thesis project. Applicants who received an undergraduate degree without a research component (lab-based or library-based) will also be considered.

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. For the online oral exam, prepare a few blank sheets of paper and a bold pen. The applicant must connect to the designated website at least 15 minutes before the examination start time. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

Application Procedure for Master’s Program
October 2022/April 2023 Entry

Important notice

  • --
    In principle, the examination will be held at the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Those living overseas who cannot take the examination at the test site or those who have diseases with a high risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 infection may be allowed to take the examination online. If you wish to take the examination online, please indicate this on the Application Form (ChemBio). Those who are permitted to take the examination online cannot change to taking the examination at the test site. Those who have been approved to take the examination online must attend the rehearsal scheduled for Saturday, August 27. Those who do not participate may be disqualified from the examination. For the purpose of ensuring fairness and preventing cheating, the online examination will be recorded by the examiners.
  • --
  • Applicants must contact their potential supervisors before applying.
  • See also
    (1) the website of Graduate School of Engineering
    (2) the page for preparing an application form (ChemBio)

1. Timeline of Application

[Schedule A]

Applications Open June 30th, 2022
Application Deadline July 6th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Entrance Examination August 29th - 31st, 2022 (Rehearsal: August 27th, only for the online exam)
Notification of Results (tentative)
September 8th, 2022 at 4:00 pm

2. Entrance Examination and Eligibility Criteria

General Examination: General examination is for applicants who have an undergraduate certificate (or expect to receive it by March 31st, 2023) from a university (Japanese or overseas).

3. Entrance Examination Structure

(1) Written Examination

The written examination will test:

  • Proficiency in the English language
  • Proficiency in scientific academic writing
  • Knowledge of basic chemistry and/or biotechnology

The written examination consists of 2 sections as outlined below:

Sections Additional notes
“Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology I” Scientific English test
Answer time: 30 minutes
“Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology II” Applicants must select 2 subjects from the following 5 subjects:

  • Physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and analytical chemistry
  • Organic chemistry
  • Polymer chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Biotechnology
Answer time: 1 hour

Keywords

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. The applicant should also prepare an environment where you can scan and send the answer sheet immediately after the exam. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

Past written examination papers are available here.

(2) Oral Examination

During the oral examination, applicants will be asked general questions in the field of chemistry and/or biotechnology. Applicants will also be asked to describe their current or past research experiences. This would normally be your bachelor’s thesis topic. Applicants who received an undergraduate degree without a research component will also be considered.

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. For the online oral exam, prepare a few blank sheets of paper and a bold pen. The applicant must connect to the designated website at least 15 minutes before the examination start time. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

Application Procedure for Doctoral (PhD) Program
October 2022/April 2023 Entry

Important notice

  • --
    In principle, the examination will be held at the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Those living overseas who cannot take the examination at the test site or those who have diseases with a high risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 infection may be allowed to take the examination online. If you wish to take the examination online, please indicate this on the Application Form (ChemBio). Those who are permitted to take the examination online cannot change to taking the examination at the test site. Those who have been approved to take the examination online must attend the rehearsal scheduled for Saturday, August 27. Those who do not participate may be disqualified from the examination. For the purpose of ensuring fairness and preventing cheating, the online examination will be recorded by the examiners.
  • --
  • Applicants must contact their potential supervisors before applying.
  • See also
    (1) the website of Graduate School of Engineering
    (2) the page for preparing an application form (ChemBio)

1. Timeline of Application

Applications Open June 30th, 2022

This is the day to start the acceptance of the application form, not to start contacting the professor. Please contact the potential supervisor as soon as possible if you want to apply.

Application Deadline July 6th, 2022
Entrance Examination August 29th - 31st, 2022 (Rehearsal: August 27th, only for the online exam)
Notification of Results (tentative)
September 8th, 2022

2. Entrance Examinations and Eligibility Criteria

  • General Examination [Schedule A]: for all students who received (or expect to receive it by March 31, 2023) a master's or professional degree in any country including Japan.
  • Special Admission Examination[Schedule B]: for non-Japanese students who received (or expect to receive it by March 31, 2023) a master's or professional degree from a university outside of Japan.

3. Schedules

[Schedule A]

Entrance October 2022 April 2023
Application Period June 30th - July 6th, 2022
Examination
Date(s)
Stage one August 29th - 31st, 2022
Stage two Will be conducted
with Stage one
February, 2023 [1]
Application
Notifications
Stage one (tentative)
September 8th, 2022, 4:00 pm
(tentative)
September 8th, 2022, 4:00 pm
Stage two February, 2023, [1]

[1] Details to be determined.

[Schedule B]

Special Admission Examination will be held in late January 2023 for entrance in April 2023.
Please ask your expected supervisor for details, including schedule and prerequisites.

4. Subjects of Entrance Examination

I. Stage One

(1) Written Examination

Sections Additional notes
“Specialized subjects”
Examination on specialized subjects
Answer time: 1 hour

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. The applicant should also prepare an environment where you can scan and send the answer sheet immediately after the exam. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

(2) Oral Examination

During the oral examination, applicants will be asked to present and discuss master's thesis research with examiners.

For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. The applicant must connect to the designated website at least 15 minutes before the examination start time. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

II. Stage Two

Successful candidates from Stage One are to take an examination on topics related to their master's thesis. The time and place will be announced at a later date.

Exam Dates and Notes

1. Test venue and date

The test room will be notified later. It will also be posted on the Department website (https://www.chembio.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/) around August 20.
The date and time of the oral examination for the master's program will be posted on the website of the Department after the written examination.

Date Gathering time Test time Subjects of examination etc.
Integrated MS/PhD program
Aug. 27 (Sat) To be announced in advance Rehearsal
Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
Aug. 29 (Mon) 13:00 (Rooms open) about 30 minutes Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
1 hour Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology III
Aug. 30 (Tue)
or
Aug. 31 (Wed)
To be announced in advance To be announced in advance Oral examination
Master's program
Aug. 27 (Sat) To be announced in advance Rehearsal
Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
Aug. 29 (Mon) 13:00 (Rooms open) About 30 minutes Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
30 minutes Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology I
1 hour Basic problems on Chemistry and Biotechnology II
Aug. 30 (Tue)
or
Aug. 31 (Wed)
To be announced in advance To be announced in advance Oral examination
Doctoral (PhD) Program
Aug. 27 (Sat) To be announced in advance Rehearsal
Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
Aug. 29 (Mon) 13:00 (Rooms open) About 30 minutes Inspection of examination environment
This will only be done if the written test is conducted via the web.
1 hour Specialized subjects
Aug. 30 (Tue)
or
Aug. 31 (Wed)
To be announced in advance To be announced in advance Oral examination
(Bring materials required for presentation and discussion e.g. master's thesis etc.)

Japan Standard Time (JST), UTC +9; No daylight saving time, same UTC offset all year.

2. Notes on personal items

(1) What to bring: Examination ticket, black pencils (or mechanical pencils), erasers, pencil sharpener (desktop type is not allowed), watch (with only timekeeping functionality)
(2) Turn off your mobile phone and communication equipment and put them in your bag before entering the examination room. You are not allowed to use these as a clock.
(3) During the exam, use of calculators is not permitted.
(4) For the online exams, the applicant must have a quiet examination environment, PC, webcam and microphone. The applicant should also prepare an environment where you can scan and send the answer sheet immediately after the exam. For the online oral exam for Integrated MS/PhD Program and Master’s Program, prepare a few blank sheets of paper and a bold pen. If the applicant is unable to connect to the website, he/she should contact the Examination Headquarter. The examination environment will be inspected by the reviewers prior to the presentation.

3. Notes during examination

(1) Candidates who are late for the gathering time may lose their qualifications. In case of emergency during the examination (from Aug. 29 to Aug. 31), please call 03-5841-7370.
(2) Once the exam has started, you are not allowed to leave the room, even if you finished answering, or if you give up the exam.
(3) Always keep the exam ticket on your desk during the exam time.

4. Oral examination for Doctoral (PhD) Program (Stage one)

(1) Candidates present their master's thesis (20 minutes), followed by discussion (20 minutes). For presentation, use a projector prepared in the exam room. Bring your own laptop. The connection between the projector and your laptop computer is D-sub 15 pin. Some laptops may require an adapter, so be sure to bring it with you. For those who wish to enter the school in October, the oral exam will be also counted as the Stage two exam.
(2) Those who intend to complete their master's degree in the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo will use (intermediate or final) examination of their master's thesis for oral examination.

Contact

Any questions regarding application procedures should be addressed to Prof. Yohie (e-mail: ).



Go to the page for preparing your application form