The University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo (UTokyo), founded in 1877, holds a significant place in Japanese history and stands as a symbol of academic excellence and progress. It upholds a vision to contribute to the advancement and happiness of future generations. As an exchange student, you'll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a vibrant academic environment and experience Japanese culture firsthand. 

The university offers a wide range of courses across various disciplines, many of which are available in English. The University of Tokyo has a vibrant student life with numerous clubs and societies covering a wide range of interests, from sports to arts and culture. Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including libraries, sports facilities, and student lounges. 

Campuses: There are two main campuses - Hongo and Komaba. It takes approximately an hour to travel between them.  

Student Population: UTokyo has approximately 29,000 students, with over 5,000 international students. Within the alumni of UTokyo stands 16 of the total 64 Japanese Prime ministers and 13 Nobel Prize winners. UTokyo by the Numbers | The University of Tokyo 

Website: The University of Tokyo 

3 places available. Please note, this opportunity is available to PPE students. It is not available to students pursuing the CIVICA Engage Track. 

Applicants must be in their second year and must return to LSE after the year abroad to complete their degree (or third year BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics students).

To be eligible for consideration, you must have an overall average of 60% or above from all of your first year courses. Applicants with individual module scores under 60% will be considered, as long as the overall average grade is 60% or above. 
As part of your application, you must provide your marks from your first year modules at LSE and the name and contact details of one academic referee. Your referee can be any academic member of staff from your department at LSE.
Host Institution Requirements: Additional academic standing requirements may apply depending on the faculty or program.

Language: Courses are available in English and Japanese. If students would like to take courses offered in Japanese then either JLPT Level N1 is necessary or to have graduated from a high school where the medium of instruction is in Japanese. 

Available Courses: A full course catalogue is avaialble here: USTEP (Type-U) Students - The University of Tokyo Online Course Catalogue. To view all those available, search with an empty query bar.  

Academic Calendar: Autumn admission starts in late-September, and ends in early-February. Spring Admission begins in early-April and runs until early-August.  

Course Load & Credits: Students are required to register for a minimum of six classes per week, equating to at least 10 hours of class time. This is a requirement under Japanese visa law. The course directory indicates how many credits each course is worth. Grades are calculated out of 100, and placed on a letter scale from A+ to F. Students must obtain a 50 in order to pass. 

Prerequisites: Some courses may require proficiency in related subjects; please consult the course descriptions for more information.

Induction & Orientation: Orientation for new international students takes place on each campus.   

Students will receive course selection advice once they are admitted to the programme and may modify their course list before registration.  

Medical Services: International students will have access to Inbound Medical Assistance Service (IMAS), within this, students can receive the services listed below. This does not substitute the need to health insurance. This is available in Japanese, English, and Chinese. 

Telephone Consultation available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Referral to an appropriate hospital. 

Interpretation service provided over the phone while in the hospital or during transfer to the hospital. 

Contacting the University if necessary 

Arrangement of transportation to a medical facility or for transfer to another medical facility in Japan or in one's home country. 

Contact to and assistance for family in one's home country, etc. 

There is a Student Counselling Centre available on each campus.  

The Office for Disability Equity is available to contact on each campus.  

Language Support: Students are able to take up to two credit-bearing classes per week, with no restricts on non-credit bearing courses. There are a number of courses availble, for more information please look to: Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education, UTokyo (Center for Japanese Language Education). 

Exchange students may apply for University Housing arranged by UTokyo subject to availability. For more information, please refer to the Housing Office webpages. In 2021, undergraduate students reported that the average rent was 72,258 yen per month. 

In 2021, students reported that average monthly expenses were 131,094 yen including rent.  

Living Costs and Expenses｜Study in Japan Official Website 

Health Insurance Requirements: Students must join the National Health Insurance (NHI) Program regardless of the kind of insurance they may already have. This is a strict legal requirement in Japan. Once they arrive in Japan, they must complete the required procedures at their local city/ward office. 

Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research "Gakkensai" and the optional "Inbound futai-gakuso". 

Student Clubs and Associations: Students can join "Circle”  on both Komaba and Hongo Campuses. The majority of circle members at UTokyo are 1st and 2nd year undergraduates. There are also inter-collegiate circles (called “Inkare” in Japanese), which includes members from other universities.

At the beginning of April, before the matriculation ceremony, “Circle Orientation” is held on Komaba Campus. About a month after the orientation during “Shinkan” (new student recruiting period), students can visit various circles for a trial period before deciding on which one they would like to join. There are also International Student Associations, and regular on-campus events.  

Students who do not have the right to study in Japan will need a student visa.  

Please refer to the FAQ's in the first instance, should you have further queries, please use the UTokyo contact form. 

• Type U (For Undergraduates) | The University of Tokyo 
• Study in Japan Official Website 
• UTokyo Website for International Students | Website for International Students 

It is overall a very nice experience to live in Japan for one year. I got the opportunity to know more about the local culture and learn about their language both on campus and outside. Because I am actually living here and need to speak Japanese on a daily basis, my Japanese has improved significantly. I also had the opportunity to improve academically. Here in Japan, I am able to take many courses that are more focused on East-Asian societies, history and politics which are not that available in lse. I got to learn with many excellent scholars who specialise in East Asia and it helps me a lot with my future study. 

By Lin Zeng, BSc Social Anthropology (2022/23)

The one year that I spent in Japan is such an amazing experience for me. It gives me an opportunity to have wider perspectives to see the world. The experience that I had in Japan is different from the one I had in the UK. In the UK, I fully embraced a drastically different culture from my own. In Japan, it was more about enabling me to appreciate the subtle differences between different Asian cultures. On top of that, I am especially satisfied with the support that I had from both the LSE team in charge of the exchange programme and the host institutions department in charge of the exchange students. I was being taken with such great care that I had no need to care about other things but totally immerse myself in the exchange experience and enjoy this precious opportunity to its best.

As the host institution often hosts events for exchange students, it actually allowed me to make friends with many students from all over the world, this, in turn, gave me the opportunity to know more things other than Japan. This, however, does not mean the chance for me to interact with the local Japanese students was limited. There were also a lot of occasions provided for exchange students to meet and study with the local Japanese students and gain a deeper insight into Japanese society. I gained more insights into Japanese society and culture as well academically speaking, thanks to the various courses available for the exchange students provided by the host institution.

Overall, I have had an incredible journey in Japan, and have more perspectives about not only Japan but also the whole world as well. And I am grateful to LSE and the host institution, the University of Tokyo, and the people in the two institutions that made this happen.

By Fohua Pan, BSc Social Anthropology

My study abroad had changed my life in multiple ways. Firstly,  I studied things I have never had a chance or opportunity to not only in LSE but at the institutions back in the UK. The insights I gained were unparalleled - about global politics, economics, social studies, language learning and also about myself and my own interests. The best thing about my study abroad year was joining a local society and meeting so many local students with whom I could bond with over our mutual hobbies.

I was particularly satisfied with the academic teaching and opportunities I could undertake, as I could take far more subjects than possible at LSE in my degree. It has impacted me in countless ways. I have gained a sense of self-confidence and self-knowledge that I have never had before. I have become far more independent and self-aware, as well as more professional skilled. I have met so many amazing people, travelled so much and had some of the best, most beautiful experiences of my life. I feel like I have had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really try new things and think about myself and my career at such a crucial moment before my graduation, and this will help me endlessly in my career and prospects beyond LSE.

I would say that it has changed my perspective on life as I got to experience so many facets of another culture, learn another language and also be so far out of my comfort zone. It has changed my approach to learning and re-ignited an interest in academia, language studies and also shown me more of the career I would be interested in! I got to take courses that are specific to the country I was in and that allowed for a deeper appreciation of my surroundings and the culture.

I will miss it all so much and miss all the friends I have made but I am so grateful for this opportunity that has truly changed my life. I feel as if being out of my comfort zone, I really got the time and space to explore whatI wanted in all aspects of my life and this exchange; the experiences, travels, studies and friends, have shown me exactly what I want for my next step. The experience will never leave me and I will be eternally grateful and connected to this country and have life-long friendships both in the UK and abroad as a result. 

By Arden Farrow, BSc Social Anthropology