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Admission

Examination Schedule and Application Guidelines

October 2025 / April 2026 Admission

May 2025 We have posted the application guidelines for the October 2025 Master’s Degree Program (2-year course), as well as for the April 2026 (First and Second Term Entrance Examination).

April 2025 We have posted the application guidelines for the October 2025 Doctoral Degree Program (3-year course), as well as for the April 2026 Self-Recommendation Entrance Examination for the Master’s Degree Program (2-year course).

April 2025 Associate Professor Shinsuke Niwa (Laboratory of Neuronal Cell Biology) has become a cooperating faculty member. This laboratory is also accepting student applications. You can find the homepage here (the laboratory names may differ between the Graduate School of Life Sciences and Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences).

March 2025 Examination schedule has been updated.
 
December 2024 The application method (TAO) for the entrance examination for the Doctoral Degree Program (3-year course) for April 2025 has been posted.
 
November 2024 The student application guidelines for the Doctoral Degree Program (3-year course) for April 2025 admission have been posted.
 
November 2024 Professor Yasuyoshi Ogasawara (Laboratory of Immunobiology) from the Department of Integrative Life Sciences has become a cooperating faculty member. This laboratory is also accepting student applications. You can find the homepage here (the laboratory names may differ between the Graduate School of Life Sciences and the Department of Immunobiology.)
 
November 2024 Professor Katsuhiro Sano (Laboratory of Human Evolution) from the Department of Ecological Developmental Adaptability Life Sciences has become a cooperating faculty member.
This laboratory is also accepting student applications. You can find the homepage here  (the laboratory names may differ between the Graduate School of Life Sciences and the Center for Northeast Asian Studies.)

Applications will be accepted through TAO (electronic application system).

Application information can be completed on TAO only during the application period for each entrance examination. Application information can only be completed on TAO during the application period for each entrance examination.
Please prepare your English scores and any certificates, etc. by referring to the Application Guide before the application period.
The Application Confirmation Form is available one week before the application deadline for each entrance exam.
 
*For those who wish to pay the examination fee from overseas
If you do not have a bank account in Japan and wish to pay the examination fee from overseas, please be sure to contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences in advance for payment instructions.
 
*Regarding Required English Test Scores:
  • Please upload the TOEIC L&R "Digital Official Certificate" (PDF) to TAO.
  • The designated score for the Duolingo English Test requires an issuance process after the exam. Additionally, please upload your personal score report to TAO.
  • For the designated TOEFL score, you need to arrange in advance with the administering organization ETS to have it sent directly to the university. Additionally, please upload your score report to TAO.
  • If you have uploaded (or will upload) your IELTS score to TAO, you must also send the original paper-based certificate by mail.
TAO Application URL and [GSLS] Application Confirmation Form URL
2026 AY First Term Entrance ExaminationScheduled for mid-June
2026 AY Second Term Entrance ExaminationScheduled for early October
 For the list of fields of application for the second term, see here (JP only).
2026 AY Entrance Examination (DC Admission)Scheduled for early December
 
TOEIC® L&R, TOEFL iBT®︎, IELTS or Duolingo English Test scores are required as part of the application. Please take the test and prepare your score well in advance, as it takes time for scores to arrive. 

A copy of an email or other document confirming that you have the permission of the faculty member whose laboratory you wish to join is required as part of the application materials. Please contact the faculty member as soon as possible and be sure to ask for details about the research in that lab to avoid future research conflicts.


Frequently asked questions about entrance examination, application guidelines and application notes are available here.

April 2026 Admission 

Self-recommendation Entrance Examination (MC) April 11 Up

Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
dates
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection Application documents screening and interview About 43 students
May 19 (Mon)〜
May 29 (Thu)
Pre-connection test 6/14 (Sat)
 
June 21 (Sat),
June 22  (Sun)
July 2 (Wed)
around 17:00
*Announcement may be delayed due to unavoidable circumstances.

First Term Entrance Examination (MC) April 28 Up

Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
dates
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection
 
Special selection
- for working students;
- for returnee students;
- for international students
Application documents screening and interview
About 100 students
June 23 (Mon) -
July 3 (Thu)
Pre-connection test 7/19 (Sat)
 
 
July 28 (Mon) - 
July 30 (Wed)
August 7 (Thu)
around 10:00
*Announcement may be delayed due to unavoidable circumstances.
 - The number of applicants includes applicants for the self-recommendation entrance examination.
 - Those who fall under the application qualifications (6), please contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences by May 30 (Fri).
 - Those who have questions about application qualifications should contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences as soon as possible.

Second Term Entrance Examination (MC)  April 28 Up

Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
dates
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection
 
Special selection
- for working students;
- for returnee students;
- for international students
Application documents screening and interview Few students for each field
October 6 (Mon) -
October 16 (Thu)
Pre-connection test 10/25 (Sat)
 
 
November 3 (Mon, national holiday) -
November 4 (Tue)
November 13 (Thu)
around 10:00
*Announcement may be delayed due to unavoidable circumstances.
September 20 (Sat)
Information will  be posted on the homepage as soon as possible.
 - Those who fall under the application qualifications (6), please contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences by September 12 (Fri).
 - Those who have questions about application qualifications should contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences as soon as possible.
 

Doctoral Degree Program (3-year course) (TBA: Early November)

New enrollment from other University/Graduate School   
Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
date
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection Application documents screening and interview About 30 students
January 5 (Mon) - 
January 16 (Fri), 2026
Pre-connection test 1/31 (Sat),
2026
 
 
February 16 (Mon), 2026
March 5 (Thu), 2026, around 10:00
 
*Announcement may be delayed due to unavoidable circumstances.
May 10 (Sat)
May 17 (Sat), 2025
September 20 (Sat)
Information will  be posted on the homepage as soon as possible.
Special selection for working students
Special selection for international students
 - Those who fall under the application qualifications (6), please contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences by December 5 (Fri). Even if the deadline has passed, we will accept your email.
 - Those who have questions about application qualifications should contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences as soon as possible.  

October 2025 Admission

Master’s Degree Program (2-year course) (MC)  April 28 Up

Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
dates
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection
 
Special selection
- for working students;
- for returnee students;
- for international students
Application documents screening and interview 
Few students for each field
June 23 (Mon) - 
July 3 (Thu)
Pre-connection test 7/19 (Sat)
 
 
July 28 (Mon) - 
July 30 (Wed)
August 7 (Thu)
around 10:00
 - Those who fall under the application qualifications (6), please contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences by May 30  (Fri).
 - Those who have questions about application qualifications should contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences as soon as possible.   

Doctoral Degree Program (3-year course) (DC) April 11 Up

New enrollment from other University/Graduate School   
Type of
selection
Selection
process
Number of
applicants
Application
period
Examination
date
Announcement
of results
Explanation
session
General selection
 
Special selection
- for working students;
- for international students
Application documents screening and interview  Few students for each field
May 19 (Mon) - 
May 29 (Thu)
Pre-connection test 6/14 (Sat)
 
 
June 21 (Sat)
July 2 (Wed)
around 17:00
May 10 (Sat)
May 17 (Sat)
 - Those who fall under the application qualifications (6), please contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences by April 24  (Wed).
 - Those who have questions about application qualifications should contact the Academic Affairs Section of the Graduate School of Life Sciences as soon as possible.   
* Interview: Presentation and question-and-answer session to test specialized knowledge, etc.