Degree Programs in Comprehensive Human Sciences

Five-year Doctoral Program (Doctoral Program in Human Biology)

Click here for more details about the program.

Doctoral Program in Human Biology

August Selection Process (General Selection Process) April 2026 Entry
January to February Selection Process (General Selection Process) April 2026 or October 2026 Entry

Government-sponsored international students should contact the office of Doctoral Program in Human Biology before applying.
Contact: hbp-ad#@#un.tsukuba.ac.jp (Please remove “#” before sending an email.)

Security Export Control

The University of Tsukuba has established the University of Tsukuba Rules on Security Export Control in accordance with the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA), and conducts strict examinations for acceptance of international students etc. International applicants who fall under any of the conditions set out in said regulations may be unable to enter their desired program.

[IMPORTANT] Procedures for “Deemed Export” for Security Export Control

In order to strengthen the prevention of leakage of sensitive technology related to security, “deemed export control” was clarified and related laws and regulations were revised (effective May 1, 2022).
As a result, our university has decided to require all applicants to our graduate school to confirm the applicability of Specific Categories.
Please review the link below and check the corresponding items on the web application system.

・Procedures for “Deemed Export” for Security Export Control

Application Process Overview Chart

Check your qualifications!

(A) No Eligibility Screening is required for the following individuals: (General Selection Process)

Individuals who have graduated from, or who are expecting to graduate from, a Japanese four-year university
Individuals who have graduated from a university outside Japan that implements 16 or more years of a school curriculum up to university graduation, and earned a bachelor’s degree, or individuals who are expecting to graduate from such a university and earn a bachelor’s degree
Others
(If you have any questions about your eligibility, send us an email.)

(B) Eligibility Screening is required for the following individuals:

Individuals who have graduated from, or are expecting to graduate from, a junior college or upper secondary school as latest academic background
Individuals who have graduated from, or are expecting to graduate from, a vocational school or a similar school as latest academic background
Individuals who have graduated from, or are expecting to graduate from, a university of a foreign country that implements less than 16-year school curriculum
Other
(If you have any questions about your eligibility, send us an email.)

Please contact a faculty member from whom you wish to receive academic instruction.

Assessment of Eligibility for Application

Email us to obtain necessary documents by the schedule below. If you are deemed eligible for admission, you will be given a passcode needed on the Web Entry System.

【Due Dates】

August Selection Process: July 2, 2025
January to February Selection Process: November 25, 2025

Applicants Who Need Assistance

If you need assistance due to disability, contact us by the following dates.
＊We may not be able to accommodate your request for consideration.

【Due Dates】

August Selection Process: July 2, 2025
January to February Selection Process: November 25, 2025

Web Entry

Before submitting the required documents, the application must be submitted online by our Web Entry System.
Read the guidelines carefully before applying.
Required documents must be posted by registered mail, or submitted to the Office of Doctoral Program in Human Biology in person, after completing the online application.
Please complete the online application as soon as possible, considering the delivery days.

【Application Period】

August Selection Process: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 (from 12 p.m. JST) – Tuesday, July 22, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST)
January to February Selection Process: Monday, December 1, 2025 (from 12 p.m. JST) – Thursday, December 11, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST)

Required documents must be posted by registered mail, or submitted to the Office of Doctoral Program in Human Biology in person.
If the documents have not arrived by the end of the application period, or required documents have been missing, your application will not be accepted.

Sign Up

First, you will need your own account to login. Once you make an account, you may save the data you entered and log back in later to continue.

Activation

When you sign up, activation email will be sent to your email address registered. Click the activation URL on the email to activate your account.

Login

For the first time after the activation, you’re already logged in. Just click on “Login” button to begin. When you visit our Login page the second time or later, enter your email address and password to login.

My Page

At the “My Page”, you need to click on the “Application Form” button. On that page, you can edit your login information or reset password.

Application Form

There are four sections in the Application Form:

Applicant’s Information
Course Information/ Preferences
Eligibility
Educational Background

Fields marked with “Required” in each section are required. It will be saved when you click on “Proceed” button on each confirmation page. After saving, you can continue from where you left off when you login again.

On “1. Applicant’s Information,” upload your photo in JPEG format (the file size must be less than 500KB, 2,000pixel). On “3. Eligibility,” describe your motivations for the application, academic/non-academic background, study plan(s), and future career plan(s) with about 1,000 words in English. On “4. Educational Background,” applicants who have graduated from a university outside of Japan are required to upload their degree certificate in JPEG format, which is one of the documents to be submitted. (Since each country has different education systems, we need to confirm their eligibility for application.) Click here for details on information, certificates and supporting documents required for application.

Payment

You must pay the examination fee to complete your application. The University can accept:

–Online credit card payments for both domestic and overseas applicants
–Convenience store payments for domestic applicants only

Click here for details.

*The applicants who have received or will receive MEXT scholarship are exempted from paying the fees.

The applicants who hold MEXT scholarship should contact us before you enter to the web entry system.

Submission

You can submit your application by clicking “Submit to Apply” button. Once you click on the button, the information you have entered will be sent to the University, and you will not be able to go back to edit. Make sure to double-check before proceeding.

After you submit your application, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the registered e-mail address. Be sure to check it.

(*Check and adjust the spam filter settings in your e-mail account beforehand so that you can receive an e-mail from the “webentry.ap-graduate.tsukuba.ac.jp” domain.)

Create PDF

After you submit your application, follow the instructions given at the last stage of the Web Entry and be sure to print the PDF documents. You can download them from the Web Entry system only while the system is open.

【Application Period】

August Selection Process: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 (from 12 p.m. JST) – Tuesday, July 22, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST)
January to February Selection Process: Monday, December 1, 2025 (from 12 p.m. JST) – Thursday, December 11, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST)

Web Entry

Submission of Certificates and Supporting Documents

Submit originals of all required certificates and supporting documents to University of Tsukuba by registered mail, or to the Office of Doctoral Program in Human Biology in person.

【Due Dates】

August Selection Process: July 23, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST if you submit them in person)
January to February Selection Process: December 12, 2025 (by 3 p.m. JST if you submit them in person)

Click here for details.
※YOUR APPLICATION IS NOT ACCEPTED UNLESS ALL THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS ARE ARRIVED TO THE OFFICE BY THE DEADLINE.

Information and Instructions for Examinees

Information and Instructions for Examinees will be posted on the program website.

【Expected Release Dates】

August Selection Process: August 1 2025
January to February Selection Process: January 8, 2026

Examination Dates

August Selection Process: August 26(Tue), 27(Wed) (extra day), 2025
January to February Selection Process: January, 27(Tue), 28(Wed) (extra day), 2026

*Please check the program website for the latest information on the admissions process, as it is issue to change.
For availability of previous examinations, refer here.

Announcement of Admission Results

August Selection Process: September 11 (Thu), 2025
January to February Selection Process: February 13 (Fri), 2026

The examinee number of the successful applicants will be posted on the website (https://webentry.ap-graduate.tsukuba.ac.jp/).
Letter of Acceptance will be issued online.
An email will be sent to the email address registered for the application from 10:00 a.m. (JST) on the day of acceptance announcement sequentially.
Please follow the instructions in that email to download Letter of Acceptance.
In some cases, additional admissions will be offered to applicants who took the entrance examination administered in January to February Selection Process. Applicants will be notified by phone (or e-mail in exceptional cases) by mid-March 2026 for April 2026 admissions and by early September 2026 for October 2026 admissions.

Documents for Enrollment

The information on Admission Procedures will be sent to successful applicants to the email address registered for the application.
Please follow the instructions in that email to conduct the admission procedures.

Mid-January to Mid-February 2026 (scheduled)
(Successful applicants for the August Selection Process)
February 13 (Fri.) 2026
(Successful applicants for the January-February Selection Process)

Late June 2026

All applicants with a full-time job (except part-time) need a document or a letter (ex; an order for a training course, a letter of leave of absence or an approval letter) from the employer to prove that you are available to complete the program.

Procedure for Enrollment

Please complete the application procedures by early March for applicants who will enroll in April 2026, and by late August for applicants who will enroll in October 2026. Please refer to the Enrollment Procedure Guidelines for submission deadlines.

Entrance

April Entry: On April 1, 2026
October Entry: On October 1, 2026

List of Programs Web Entry System

Click here for more details about the program.

4. Examination Fee

Applicants must pay the examination fee.
30,000 Japanese Yen (nonrefundable)

Those applicants are required to contact to the Office of Doctoral Program in Human Biology before applying:

* The examination fees are exempted for the Government-Sponsored (Japanese Government Monbukagakusho scholarship) international students.

* University of Tsukuba have the special measures of examination fee exemption for the victims of disasters in Japan. For more details, please confirm this website.
This applies only to the victims of disasters in Japan.

Don’t forget to pay the examination fees during the following term.

August Selection Process: July 9, 2025 – July 22, 2025
January to February Selection Process: December 1, 2025 – December 11, 2025

Credit Card Payment: Visa, MasterCard, JCB, AMERICAN EXPRESS can be accepted.

You can make a payment by using your credit card at the last stage of the Web Entry system or at the following website:
https://e-shiharai.net/english/ (available in English only)
After the payment, you will be provided with the receipt number so enter the number into the box on the Web Entry system.
Also, click the “Application Results” button on the E-payment site (URL above), print out the inquiry result screen that appears, and submit it to the university together with the required documents.
Administration fees need to be covered by the applicant.

Convenience Store Payment: Payment can be made at LAWSON, Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, or MINISTOP. (for domestic applicants only)

To pay your fees at a convenience store, follow the instructions given at the last stage of the Web Entry system or at the following website:
https://e-shiharai.net/ (available in Japanese only)
At the time you apply for Convenience Store Payment online, you will be given an 11-digit or a 13-digit application number. The number is required when you make the payment at the convenience store.

After the payment, enter the name of the convenience store where you made the payment, the date of payment, and the application number into the boxes on the Web Entry system.

Seven-Eleven: 13 digits
LAWSON, FamilyMart, MINISTOP: 11 digits

For details, see the payment instructions.

Detach the Receipt Portion (Certificate of Payment) from your Examination Fee Statement given to you at the convenience store and affix it to the “Form for Submission of the Certificate of Payment of Application Fee”. You can create the form in PDF format and print it out from the Web Entry system. Submit it together with other required documents.
Administration fees need to be covered by the applicant.