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.
Please refer to 3-1. Eligibility for Application for details of eligibility. For individuals who are required the Eligibility Screening, please check the deadline of the Eligibility Screening in 1. Schedule and the application method in 3-2. Details of Eligibility Screening.
Applicants are required to consult with their prospective supervisor in advance and obtain the supervisor’s consent. For details, please check 4. Preliminary Approval for Research Supervision.
If you require special assistance due to a disability, please check the deadline of the application in 1. Schedule and the application method in 9. Applicants Who Need Assistance.
You can apply to the program through Web Entry System during the application period.
Please check 1. Schedule for each application period. For the application process, please refer to 6. Details of Web Entry.
Application is complete upon submitting the web entry and all required documents such as certificates. Please check 7. Documents to Be Submitted, Reference Card etc. for details and 1. Schedule for deadline. Necessary documents must be received no later than each deadline.
We will post “Information and Instructions for Examinees” on the G-SIGMA website (https://g-sigma.edu.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/) at least one week in advance. Applicants are required to check the website.
Please check 8. Screening Criteria for examination date etc. and 11. Testing Location, Acceptance Announcement and Admission Procedure for acceptance announcement.
The information on Admission Procedures will be sent to successful applicants to the email address registered for the application. For details, please check 11. Testing Location, Acceptance Announcement and Admission Procedure.
Successful applicants who complete the prescribed admission procedures are admitted.
| January to February Selection Process | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline for application for eligibility screening and inquiries regarding eligibility | November 24, 2026 | See “3-2. Details of Eligibility Screening.” |
| Deadline for requesting assistance due to disability | See “9. Applicants Who Need Assistance.” | |
| Payment of examination fee | November 30, 2026 – December 10, 2026 | See “5. Examination Fee.” |
| Web entry | November 30, 2026 (from noon JST) – December 10, 2026 (by 3:00 p.m. JST) | See “6. Details of Web Entry.” |
| Documents submission (The documents must arrive at our office by the last day of the submission period) | November 30, 2026 – December 11, 2026 | See “6. Details of Web Entry” and “7. Documents to Be Submitted, Reference Card etc..” |
| Planned publication date of “Information and Instructions for Examinees” | We will post “Information and Instructions for Examinees” on the G-SIGMA website (https://g-sigma.edu.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/) at least one week in advance. | See “10. Information and Instructions for Taking the Examination.” |
| Examination Dates | January 22, 2027 See “8. Screening Criteria” for details. | |
| Announcement of acceptance | February 15, 2027 (from 10:00 a.m. JST) | See “11. Testing Location, Acceptance Announcement and Admission Procedure.” |
| Sending of Admission Procedure Guide to successful applicants (by Email) | February 15, 2027 *Those who are October entrants are scheduled to be sent around late June 2027. | |
| Program | Number of Students to be Admitted |
|---|---|
| Humanics | a few |
(Note) Students are enrolled in April or October.
Applicants requiring eligibility screening need to apply to the SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba by the deadline. See “3-2. Details of Eligibility Screening.”
The eligibility screening is conducted by the University of Tsukuba to confirm that the applicant has academic ability equivalent or superior to that of university graduates prior to application. Please check the details of Eligibility for Application at the official website of University of Tsukuba. Even if you have passed the eligibility screening in the past, you will need to undergo the screening again when you wish to apply for another selection process.
If you pass the screening, you will receive a passcode to be entered into the Web Entry System.
See “1. Schedule.”
SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba (See “13. Contact Us.”)
Please submit your application by email by the application deadline.
hxp-sigma@un.tsukuba.ac.jp
Applicants are required to contact their prospective mentors in advance and obtain their approval prior to application.
When applying, applicants must select one mentor from Biomedical Sciences and one mentor from Physical Sciences / Engineering / Informatics.
For information on research fields and mentors, please refer to the “Mentor” (Faculty Listing) page on the program website.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba (see “13. Contact Us ”).
30,000 Japanese Yen (non-refundable)
The University of Tsukuba have the special measures of examination fee exemption for the victims of disasters in Japan. For details, see https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/news/20200710152909.html.
Submit your application data through Web Entry System during the designated period (See “1. Schedule”).
Please verify your email settings to ensure you can receive emails from “entry.ap-graduate.tsukuba.ac.jp”.
*We have confirmed instances emails to the “@au.com” and “@ezweb.ne.jp” domains are not being delivered. Please register a different email address or check your “Recipient List Settings” and “Spam Filter Settings” in advance.
Also, please avoid using SMS and MMS as attachments may not be delivered.
Please ensure your PC's internet connection. (Smartphones and tablets are not recommended.)
Please prepare your photo data. (only JPEG file, the file size must be 500 KB or less and less than 2,000 pixels in both width and height.)
Please do not change the image of the person by editing or processing the image to make the eyes look larger, whitening the skin, or modifying facial features, moles, wrinkles, etc. Such modifications may prevent us from verifying the applicant’s identity using the photo on the reference card on the examination day.
If any image editing or manipulation is detected, it may be treated as misconduct.
Please have a printer ready as there are documents that need to be printed.
Create your own account on the Web Entry System. When you sign up, activation email will be sent to your registered email address. Click the activation URL on the email to activate your account.
Click the “Application Form” button on “My Page” to start web entry. You can edit your login information or reset password on “My Page.”
Please enter the required information (See “6-2. Details of Information You Need for Web Entry”).
Complete payment of the examination fee before submitting your application. The examination fee can be paid by either credit card or convenience store. For details, please check 5. Examination Fee.
*The examination fee already paid is non-refundable.
Once you click on the “Submit to Apply” button, the information you have entered will be sent to the university, and you will not be able to go back to edit. Please check carefully before proceeding. After submission, please make sure to check the confirmation email that will be sent to your registered email address.
After submitting the application data, you will be able to download the documents such as “Reference Card” and “Address Sheet” until the end of the application period. These files must be brought to the venue or mailed to the university. You must print your Reference card and bring it on the day of the examination. Please note that the files no longer be available for download after the end of the application period.
Applicants’ personal information obtained from the application documents and the results of the entrance examination will be used for the affairs concerning admission and screening. The university may also process the information so that it is not personally identifiable and use it for research and study aimed at improvement of the admission procedure and the university education. If a successful applicant who has completed the admission procedures has applied for a JASSO scholarship, the information will be used as screening material in the scholarship selection process.
With our Web Entry system, you can submit your application online. Read this section carefully before applying online.
| Information | Required for | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Applicant’s Information | All applicants | Follow the instruction on the Web Entry system. You are requested to upload the JPEG data of your ID photo for the Reference Card. The ID photo must be taken within three months with no hats or other head adornments. | |
| 2. English Proficiency | All applicants | Follow the instructions on the Web Entry system. | |
TOEIC/ TOEFL Score/ IELTS (Academic Module) Score
| All applicants except those whose native language is English or whose medium of instruction in higher education was English. | Please confirm the “English Proficiency Test Scores for the University of Tsukuba Graduate School Entrance Examination” and check the appropriate box indicated on the Web Entry system. Important Notice: | |
| 3. Eligibility | All applicants | Follow the instructions on the Web Entry system. | |
| Research Proposal | All applicants | Write a proposal with about 1,000 English words for interdisciplinary research with another field of study under this Program. Oral Examination 2 will be based on this proposal. | |
| Fields of Interest and Mentors (a main-mentor and a sub-mentor) | Please state two fields and two mentors (a main-mentor and a sub-mentor) you are interested in. You should choose a field and a mentor from each of the following areas: (1) Biomedical Sciences and (2) Physical Sciences / Engineering / Informatics. You should make preliminary contact with the mentors and obtain their approval in advance. Research fields available in the program are listed on the “Mentor” (Faculty Listing) page on the website. | ||
| Request for Certificate Delivery by Email | Applicants who have graduated or are expected to graduate from an overseas university and wish to submit certificates by email | After reviewing the information under “2.) Documents to be submitted from the applicant” for【Applicants Who Have Graduated or Are Expected to Graduate from an Overseas University or Equivalent Institution】check this box if you wish to submit certificates by email. | |
| 4. Educational Background | All applicants | Follow the instructions on the Web Entry system. | |
| Research Activities | All applicants who have research history | ||
| Employment Records | All applicants who have present and history of employment | ||
| Examination Fees | All applicants (*Refer to “5. Examination Fee.”) | Follow the instructions on the last page of the Web Entry system and pay your fees. The following payment methods are available. Credit Card (for all applicants): Pay your fees online. After payment, enter the receipt number into the box on the Web Entry system. Convenience Store (for domestic applicants only): Pay your fees at a convenience store in Japan. After payment, enter the name of the convenience store, the date of payment, and the number given by the store into the boxes on the Web Entry system. | |
* The letter of recommendation must be submitted directly by the dean of the applicant’s faculty or the applicant’s academic supervisor, either by postal mail or as an email attachment.
* If a considerable period of time has passed since the applicant graduated from university and it is difficult to obtain a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s alma mater, the letter may be prepared by the applicant’s current academic supervisor, workplace supervisor, or another appropriate person.
* If the recommendation letter is not received by the deadline, we cannot accept the application.
| Documents | Required for | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Letter of Recommendation | All applicants | A letter of recommendation must be prepared by the dean of the faculty or the academic supervisor at the university from which the applicant graduated or is expected to graduate, workplace supervisor, or another appropriate person. The recommendation letter must be written on A4/letter-size paper with the department-letter-head printed and with the signature of the recommender. The letter must be posted by the recommender directly to the SIGMA office by registered mail or email. Important Notice: If the applicant does not have TOEFL, TOEIC, or IELTS scores, the recommender must include an evaluation of the applicant’s English proficiency in the recommendation letter. |
(The original copies need to be posted by registered mail or submitted to SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba in person.)
*Some applicants may submit the documents by email.
* No photocopied / scanned documents accepted
* If the required documents are not received by the deadline, we cannot accept the application.
* In principle, all documents submitted will not be returned to you. If you want to have them returned due to unavoidable circumstances, be sure to contact the SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba by the application deadline.
Paper certificates and other application documents listed below must be sent by registered mail or submitted in person. All required documents must be put in an envelope which fits unfolded A4 size paper with an Address Sheet attached. You can download your Address Sheet in PDF from the Web Entry System.
The documents must arrive to our office by the deadline (See “1. Schedule”). If your documents fail to arrive by the deadline or any of the required documents is incomplete, invalid or missing, you will not be allowed to take the exam. Documents brought in after 5:00 p.m. JST on the last day of the submission period will not be accepted. The deadlines are strictly observed.
In case of delays caused by the carrier, submit a written notice from the carrier indicating the situation.
Note: If it is difficult to submit the original certificate(s) within the application period due to circumstances such as being overseas, please contact the office below in advance for consultation.
SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba (See “13. Contact Us.”)
Applicants who have graduated or are expected to graduate from an overseas university or equivalent institution and who have difficulty submitting the required documents by mail may be permitted to take the entrance examination by submitting PDF files of the following documents by email: transcripts, certificates of graduation, certificates of degree completion including expected degree completion certificates, TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS or other official score reports, and proof of payment of the examination fee.
Applicants who wish to submit certificates and other documents by email must check the designated box in the Web Application System and send the PDF files of the required documents to the following contact address.
Submission Address: hxp-sigma@un.tsukuba.ac.jp (SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba)
Note: The original copies of the transcripts, certificates of graduation, and certificates of degree completion must be submitted. Please submit the original documents by mail or in person to the office below before completing the enrollment procedures. Applicants whose original documents cannot be verified before the enrollment procedures cannot be admitted as enrolled students.
Mailing Address:
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
Contact: SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba
Location: 7th Floor, General Research Building A, Area 2, Central Area
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
(Excluding national holidays, substitute holidays, and the year-end/New Year holiday period.)
In principle, all documents submitted will not be returned to you. For certificates that cannot be reissued, please submit a copy certified by the issuer or an official institution (See below).
If you are unable to obtain a photocopy that meets our requirement, please submit the original document with a return request.
| Documents | Required for | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| A Certificate of Graduation or Expected Graduation | All applicants | Submit a certificate of graduation or expected graduation from the university at which you obtained or expect to obtain the qualification required for admission to the University of Tsukuba. This is generally the university at which you earned or expect to earn your bachelor’s degree. (Note) ・If an original certificate is issued online by an overseas university, a ‘copy of the page and the URL’ of the official website of the issuing university must be attached to the certificate to confirm that the certificate is an ‘online certificate = original’. ・For graduates of Chinese universities, see ‘*3 and *4 below’. |
| Degree Certificate | Those who graduated from a university or other educational institution outside Japan | If you graduated from a university or another educational institution outside Japan, submit a degree certificate for your bachelor’s. The document(s) must; – be issued by university or the institution. – include the name of the degree(s) conferred. (Note) ・Upload a JPEG file(the file size must be less than 3MB) to the Web Entry system and then post original copy(ies) to us by registered mail, or submit in person to SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba. ・If an original certificate is issued online by an overseas university, a ‘copy of the page and the URL’ of the official website of the issuing university must be attached to the certificate to confirm that the certificate is an ‘online certificate = original’. ・For graduates of Chinese universities, see’*3 and *4 below’. |
| Academic Transcript | All applicants | Submit an official academic transcript issued by universities or other educational institutions where you have earned/are expected to earn your bachelor’s degree. Post an original copy to us by registered mail, or submit in person to the SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba. (Note) ・If an original certificate is issued online by an overseas university, a ‘copy of the page and the URL’ of the official website of the issuing university must be attached to the certificate to confirm that the certificate is an ‘online certificate = original’. ・For graduates of Chinese universities, see ‘*3 and *4 below’. |
| Letter of Approval for Entrance Examination and Enrollment (Format of your choice) | If applicable | 1. Individuals who are currently enrolled in a university or graduate school, except those who are expected to graduate or complete their program before enrolling at the University, must submit one of the following: 1) A letter of approval for taking the entrance examination and enrolling in the University, issued by the president of their university or the head of their department; The documents may be in any format and must be on A4-size paper. 2. Individuals who are currently employed in full-time positions are required to submit |
| Certificate of Government-Sponsored (Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Scholarship) Foreign Student | If applicable | The certificate must be submitted by airmail or hand. If you are enrolled in another university at the time of application, submit the certificate of government-sponsored (Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Scholarship) foreign student issued by the university. |
TOEIC/ TOEFL Score/ IELTS (Academic Module) Score
| All applicants except those whose native language is English or whose medium of instruction in higher education was English | Please refer to “Handling of External English Test Scores” and submit a valid score report. It is not necessary to attach the document to a mounting sheet when submitting it. *Among applicants who have graduated from an overseas university or equivalent institution, those who wish to submit certificates by email in PDF format may also submit their English test score reports by email. Important Notice: |
| Documents | Created for | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Examination ID Card | All applicants | Print out the Examination ID Card with your ID photo and bring it to the venue with you on your examination day. |
| Address Sheet | All applicants | Attach the sheet to your envelope Kakugata No. 2 envelope (240 mm × 332 mm) when you submit the required documents to SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba. |
| Form for Submission of the Certificate of Payment of Application Fee | Applicants who made a convenience store payment | Attach the Receipt Portion of the Examination Fee Statement, which serves as the Certificate of Payment, to the form and submit it to the SIGMA Office, University of Tsukuba. |
*Applicants are allowed to send out the required documents without Reference Card and Address Sheet to meet the deadline. In that case, the applicants must contact us by email.
*If the required documents are not received by the office before the deadline or they are incomplete, we cannot accept the application.
Results from the entrance examination, as well as personal information obtained by the University of Tsukuba from the applicants’ documents, will be used for affairs concerning admission and screening, or may be used to improve the way of admission and university education keeping each identity confidential. Also, they will be used as part of the materials for screening students for tuition exemption or scholarships from the Japan Student Services Organization, which are offered to individuals who have completed the enrollment procedures.
*Applicants who have any questions regarding the application process should contact the office indicated in “13. Contact Us.”
*If any false information or falsification is discovered in the application documents, or if there is clear evidence of misconduct during the examination, the applicant’s acceptance may be revoked and admission may be cancelled.
Candidates for admission will be selected on the basis of comprehensive assessment of the documents submitted and the examination results.
Refer to the schedule below.
Entrance examinations will be held at the university’s examination venues.
However, the entrance exam will be conducted online for those who live overseas and wish to do so. Those who wish to take the exam online must submit the “Application form to take exam online” by the application deadline.
If you live in Japan and wish to take the exam online for some reasons like you are unable to come to the examination venues, please contact us by the application deadline.
Finally, if it turns difficult to come to the university due to unavoidable reasons after the application deadline, please contact us as soon as possible.
The schedule for the online examination will be announced to eligible applicants after the application deadline.
| Date | January 22, 2027 (Friday) | January 25, 2027 (Monday) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Extra day | ||
| Subject | Oral Examination 1 (100 points) | Oral Examination 2 (200 points) | |
| Time | 9:00 – 17:00 | ||
| Content | Oral Examination of knowledge in the field in Biomedical Sciences and Physical sciences / Engineering / Informatics | Individual Interview Presentation on the research proposal and career plans after enrollment, followed by an interview. The research proposal must integrate Biomedical Sciences and Physical Sciences / Engineering / Informatics. The presentation and interview will be conducted in English or Japanese. Bring your own computer for the presentation. Projector will be available for use. See (Note.) | |
| Language | English (Japanese acceptable only in Q&A) | English or Japanese | |
*The applicants are required to pay for their own transportation and accommodation fees.
*Please keep checking our website for the latest news.
(Note) Make sure to have your presentation data ready in your computer and print them out in A4 paper in case of any troubles. The input/output of the projector is HDMI only so bring the proper adapter if needed.
Read through and follow the instructions in the “Information and Instructions for Examinees” to take the examination.
“Information and Instructions for Examinees” will be posted on the Graduate School of Integrative and Global Multidisciplinary Arena (G-SIGMA) website no later than one week before the examination.
University of Tsukuba (1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken)
[Refer to the “Information and Instructions for Examinees” in “10. Information and Instructions for Taking the Examination” for details.]
See “1. Schedule.”
The examinee numbers of the successful applicants will be posted on the website .
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. on the day of acceptance announcement sequentially. Please follow the instructions in that email to download Letter of Acceptance.
*It may take up to an hour from the announcement to receive the email.
Regarding student support system, see the Humanics website.
https://www.phd-humanics.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/support/
If you have any questions about the application procedure, contact us at:
The following disclosure is made in relation to the performance of a candidate who was unsuccessful in the entrance examination for the Doctoral Program in Humanics.