Studying at Tohoku University: How to Apply from Abroad for 2027 Entry

Tohoku University takes international undergraduates through two routes that differ by language: Gateway College, taught primarily in English, and the Privately Financed International Students Entrance Examination, conducted in Japanese. For October 2027 enrollment (Gateway College Term II) applications run from 15 December to 14 January, with results on 24 March.

Tohoku University states that application procedures vary depending on the language of instruction. If you want to study in English, the route is Gateway College. If you can study and sit exams in Japanese, the route is the privately financed examination, which is open to non-Japanese nationals and not to Japanese nationals or permanent residents of Japan.

The Term I window for April 2027 enrollment ran from 13 to 16 October and closed on the last of those days in 2026. Term I is intended for domestic students, so most readers abroad should look at Term II. The Term II screening has a first stage on 5 February and a second stage on 21 and 22 February.

What each route requires

Gateway College Term II asks you to meet all three requirements: eligibility, test scores or qualifications, and English proficiency. The privately financed route asks for the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) in June or November of the year before enrollment, with minimum scores set by each faculty, plus a TOEFL iBT score of 79 or higher counted by Test Date scores only, plus an examination conducted in Japanese.

Three rules that catch applicants out

• One Gateway application per year: you choose Spring (Term I) or Fall (Term II), not both, and Tohoku states there are no exceptions.
• No combined scores: for Gateway College Fall Enrollment (Term II), a combination such as SAT plus ACT or SAT plus IB is not permitted.
• Test Date scores only: the privately financed route accepts TOEFL iBT Test Date scores only.

Science-Complex-C Building, Tohoku University School of Science

The FGL programme is closed

The Future Global Leadership (FGL) undergraduate programme is not a 2027 route. Tohoku University states that admission to the FGL Undergraduate Program for the 2026 enrollment is the last one, and that a new English-taught programme, Gateway College, launches in 2027.

Tohoku University dates its foundation to 1907, as the third national university of Japan. It is a public research university in Sendai.

Tohoku University states that it ranked Number 1 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Japan University Rankings from 2020 to 2025. That is a claim by the university about a Japan-only ranking.

Global rankings such as QS, THE World and ARWU are published by their own organisations, so when you compare universities, read the positions on each publisher's own ranking page.

What Tohoku says its reputation rests on

Tohoku University dates its foundation to 1907, as the third national university. Its history page describes the preparation for the establishment of the third imperial university. In 1913 the university admitted what it describes as Japan's first female university students.

Tohoku names three guiding ideas: a tradition of "Research First", a philosophy of "Open Door" and an ethos of "Practice-Oriented Research and Education". It also states that in November 2024 it became the first university in Japan to be designated a University for International Research Excellence.

How many students, and how many are international

The undergraduate row is the one that matters for a school leaver: Tohoku reports 205 international undergraduates among 10,733. The international share among doctoral students, 918 of 2,969, is far higher than among undergraduates.

Fields and research institutes

Tohoku's undergraduate programmes cover 10 fundamental fields of specialization, 4 in the humanities and 6 in the sciences. On the graduate side the admissions index page lists 16 graduate schools, while the Gateway College site says Tohoku has 15 graduate schools. The two counts differ.

The Facts and Figures page lists six research institutes: the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, the Institute of Fluid Science, the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials and the International Research Institute of Disaster Science. Positions in subject tables such as materials science or engineering are published by the ranking publishers.

Tohoku University admits international undergraduates by language of instruction: Gateway College, conducted primarily in English with places for 90 students in Term II (October intake), or the Privately Financed International Students Entrance Examination for courses taught in Japanese, which start in April. The Future Global Leadership (FGL) programme is closed.

The choice of route is the first decision, because the two routes differ in language, timetable, selection method and who they are designed for. Tohoku states that Gateway College offers separate admission processes for April and October intake, with different application requirements and selection methods.

Who each route is for

Gateway College Term II is geared towards international students, and applicants with Japanese citizenship may also apply. Tohoku states that there are no citizenship or Japan-education restrictions for either enrollment. Term I is intended for domestic students from the Japanese secondary school curriculum.

The Privately Financed International Students Entrance Examination is for non-Japanese nationals who meet one of the listed criteria by the enrollment date and hold, or are expected to obtain, a Student residence status. Applicants with Japanese nationality, including dual nationality, and permanent residents of Japan are not eligible. Because privately financed international students take the same classes as Japanese students, Tohoku states that a high level of Japanese language proficiency is required for admission.

What happened to the FGL programme

The Future Global Leadership (FGL) programme offered three undergraduate courses taught entirely in English: Molecular Chemistry, Marine Biology, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Tohoku states that admission for the 2026 enrollment was the last intake and that Gateway College launches in 2027. The FGL application is closed, so there is no FGL deadline to plan around.

Applying to more than one route

Gateway College allows one application per year: you choose Spring (Term I) or Fall (Term II), not both, and Tohoku states there are no exceptions. Applications to other Tohoku admissions held at the same time as Gateway College are not permitted either. Admissions that do not coincide with Gateway College, such as the General Entrance Examination, AO Entrance Examination III and the Special Entrance Examination, are permitted.

Other special selections

Tohoku's admissions page for special selections lists application guidelines for the 令和9年度(2027年度) International Baccalaureate entrance examination, offered by the Faculties of Letters, Law, Economics, Science, Medicine (medical course), Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture. It lists the same Reiwa year 令和9年度(2027年度) for the privately financed international students examination covering all faculties, and a returnee examination for Science, Medicine (medical course) and Engineering.

Tohoku states that privately financed applicants take the EJU subjects designated by each faculty, and its English admissions page refers them to the official application guidelines, available only in Japanese, for the details.

Gateway College, Tohoku's English-taught route, launches in April 2027, so there is no earlier Gateway intake to take an acceptance rate from. What Tohoku publishes for it is the number of places: 88 for Gateway College Term I (April 2027 enrollment) and 90 for Term II (October 2027 enrollment). Gateway College Term II sets no minimum score, so there is no published cut-off to check.

Term II is the relevant row for most readers abroad. Tohoku's October 2025 announcement said that all classes will be conducted entirely in English and that the student body will comprise an equal mix of Japanese and international students, while its admissions page describes the programme as conducted primarily in English.

What Tohoku publishes about selectivity

For Fall Enrollment (Term II), Tohoku states that applicants must submit scores from standardized tests or international qualifications specified by the university, that there is no minimum score requirement, and that recommended scores are provided solely for reference. A recommended score is a guide, not a promise. With no earlier Gateway intake, there is no admitted-class profile to compare yourself with.

Where admission statistics are published

Tohoku's Admissions Center lists admission statistics in Japanese on its data page. For the 令和8年度（2026年度） cycle it lists an examination implementation report for April entry, and for the same cycle a selection report for the Global Examination Round II in the Faculties of Science and Engineering (令和8年度（2026年度）). Those belong to the 2026 cycle and are not figures for 2027 entry.

International undergraduates on 1 May 2025

As of 1 May 2025 Tohoku reported 205 international students among 10,733 undergraduates. For Gateway College, Tohoku's October 2025 announcement said the student body will comprise an equal mix of Japanese and international students.

Tohoku University selects Gateway College Term II applicants in two stages, document screening and then an online written exam and interview conducted entirely in English, and it evaluates them holistically. The privately financed route works differently: a comprehensive evaluation of documents, EJU scores and, where applicable, examinations and interviews, conducted in Japanese.

What Gateway College evaluates

Tohoku states that Gateway College applicants are evaluated holistically on three things: their motivation and aptitude for interdisciplinary learning in a global environment, academic excellence including English proficiency, and their ability to collaborate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Academic results are one of the three, not the whole evaluation.

Recommendation letters and minimum scores

A letter of recommendation is not required for either Spring (Term I) or Fall Enrollment (Term II). For Term II, applicants must submit scores from the standardized tests or international qualifications that Tohoku specifies. Tohoku states that there is no minimum score requirement for Term II and that recommended scores are provided solely for reference.

That wording matters: a recommended score is not a pass mark. Tohoku states that applicants remain eligible to apply even if their scores fall below the recommended level, and applications will not be rejected solely based on not meeting these scores.

How the privately financed route selects

For the privately financed route Tohoku describes selection as a comprehensive evaluation of application documents, EJU scores and additional assessments such as examinations and interviews, where applicable. The examination is conducted in Japanese, and the selection methods vary by faculty and may include interviews, written examinations or both.

What the undergraduate admission policy asks for

Tohoku's undergraduate admission policy says it seeks students with intense academic curiosity and a high level of academic ability. It defines that as excellent grades in a wide range of high school subjects, logical thinking, problem-solving and analytical abilities, and abundant creativity, inventiveness, expressiveness and communication skills. It also expects students to be ethical, to show leadership in their independent academic pursuits and to be collaborative with peers.

Gateway College Term II (October 2027 enrollment) accepts scores from one test or qualification: the SAT, Digital SAT, ACT, AP or EJU, or the International Baccalaureate, International A-Level or GCE A-Level, with predicted scores accepted for those three qualifications. You cannot combine tests, and Tohoku states there is no minimum score, only recommended scores for reference.

Gateway College Term II test rules

For Term II you submit scores for all the subjects that your intended track requires, taken from one accepted test or qualification. Tohoku states that predicted scores are accepted for the International Baccalaureate, the International A-Level and the GCE A-Level.

• No combining: Tohoku states that applying with a combination of scores from several tests or qualifications, such as SAT plus ACT or SAT plus IB, is not permitted.
• No minimum score: applicants submit the specified tests or qualifications, there is no minimum score requirement, and recommended scores are provided solely for reference.
• No past papers: Tohoku states that there are no past entrance examination questions for Gateway College.

The accepted tests are listed under Appendix 1 of the Admission Requirements in the Term II application guide, so check that appendix for your test. For Term I, applicants whose academic performance meets the admission requirements may apply without standardized test scores or international qualifications, but that window for April 2027 enrollment closed in October 2026.

EJU and the privately financed examination

Privately financed applicants take the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) in either June or November of the year preceding enrollment, and must reach the minimum scores set by each faculty. Applicants are required to take the EJU subjects designated by each faculty, so the subject list depends on the faculty you choose. The same route asks for a TOEFL iBT score of 79 or higher, taken within the designated period in the application guidelines, with Test Date scores only.

Under the 令和8年度 statement, which belongs to the 2026 cycle, the privately financed examination sets one subject, mathematics. Tohoku also lists the mathematics question intent and exam paper for 令和8年度（2026年度）. Treat these as the 2026 cycle, not as a confirmed 2027 format; for the 2027 cycle Tohoku's special-selection page lists the 令和9年度(2027年度) guidelines for this examination.

ACT score-sending code for the returnee exam

Tohoku's notice for the returnee examination (帰国生徒入試) in the 令和9年度 listing, which is the 2027 cycle, states that the ACT score-sending code has changed: send ACT scores to the new code 7083, not the old code 8099.

For Gateway College Term II (October 2027 enrollment) applications run from 15 December to 14 January, the first-stage document screening is on 5 February, the second-stage screening on 21 and 22 February, and successful applicants are announced on 24 March. The Term I window for April 2027 enrollment, 13 to 16 October, has closed.

Tohoku's Gateway College news page announced in August 2026 that the Application Guidelines for Gateway College Term II (Fall 2027 Enrollment) have been released; read the guidelines themselves for the final wording.

Gateway College Term I, April 2027 enrollment

Term I applications ran from 13 to 16 October and are closed. The remaining Term I steps are the first stage on 7 November, the second stage on 28 November and the announcement on 4 December, for April 2027 enrollment. Tohoku states that an applicant whose Term I application is unsuccessful cannot apply for Term II in the same academic year.

How to apply and which documents

The Gateway College page lists these items for Term II: a photograph; a Statement of Purpose of 400 words at most, in English, typed directly into a dedicated field in TAO; an expected or actual graduation certificate in your school's original format or a Tohoku-designated format; your academic transcript; test scores or qualifications for the required subjects; a language proficiency test score or, if you qualify for the exemption, a Certificate of English as Medium of Instruction in the Tohoku-designated format; and proof of nationality.

Tohoku's fee table lists an undergraduate student application fee of 17,000 yen. The table does not state a year, so check the amount in the application guide for your intake.

Privately financed route: guidelines and fees

Tohoku's English admissions page refers privately financed applicants to the official application guidelines, which are available only in Japanese. Tohoku's Japanese admissions page states that the guidelines and application documents are published on the website only. For the 令和9年度 privately financed examination it adds that applicants living overseas can pay the screening fee by credit card.

After a pass: enrolment procedures

Tohoku states that enrolment procedures for special selection admissions are carried out on its website, and the page marks the 令和9年度（2027年度） procedures as in preparation.

Gateway College Term II accepts IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 80, Duolingo English Test 110, Cambridge English 169 or EIKEN Grade Pre-1 or 1 at 2,400, or a Certificate of English as Medium of Instruction in Tohoku's format if you qualify for the exemption. The privately financed route asks instead for TOEFL iBT 79 and a high level of Japanese.

Gateway College Term II English

Tohoku's FAQ answers whether an English test is required for Term II with "in principle, yes". Applicants who qualify for the English Proficiency Test Result Exemption may submit a Certificate of English as the Medium of Instruction in the university's designated format instead. The exemption applies only to applicants who are eligible for it.

The two Tohoku pages write the TOEFL figure differently. The English Gateway College page lists TOEFL iBT 80, while the Japanese FAQ lists a minimum of TOEFL iBT 4.0 next to IELTS 6.0 and Duolingo English 110, without saying which TOEFL score scale that figure uses. Check the TOEFL minimum in the Term II application guide before you book a test.

Gateway College Term I English

For Term I (April 2027 enrollment) an English test is not required. Tohoku recommends an English proficiency level of CEFR B2 or higher, which it equates to TOEFL iBT 72, IELTS 5.5 and EIKEN Grade Pre-1. The Term I application window closed in October 2026.

Japanese for the Humanities and Social Sciences track

International and Japanese students with an educational background abroad who apply to the Humanities and Social Sciences track are expected to have Japanese language proficiency at CEFR B1 level or higher. Tohoku explains that these fields might require them to communicate and conduct research in Japanese.

Language for the privately financed route

The privately financed route asks for a TOEFL iBT score of 79 or higher, taken within the designated period in the application guidelines, with Test Date scores only. The examination is conducted in Japanese. Tohoku states that privately financed international students take the same classes as Japanese students, so a high level of Japanese language proficiency is required.

For Gateway College Term II (October 2027 enrollment) Tohoku accepts the International Baccalaureate, the International A-Level and the GCE A-Level as the qualification that meets the test requirement, and it accepts predicted scores for all three. Tohoku sets no minimum score for any of them. The Abitur and CBSE do not meet the requirement in that role.

Eligibility before the test requirement

Gateway College Term II eligibility is separate from the test requirement. An applicant must fulfil any one of the requirements A to E listed on pages 5-6 of the application guide for Gateway College Fall 2027 enrollment by 30 September 2027. Tohoku gives two examples: a completed 12-year curriculum of school education, or a General Education Development (GED) certificate from the USA together with being 18 years old. The full list of requirements A to E is in that application guide.

IB and A-level rules that catch applicants out

• Predicted scores: Tohoku accepts predicted scores or grades only for the IB, the International A-Level and the GCE A-Level. If you apply with predicted grades and meet the admission criteria, you are considered "conditionally accepted".
• Every required subject: you must submit scores for all subjects required by your intended track, and if any required IB or A-Level subjects are missing you cannot apply with an incomplete set.
• One qualification only: Tohoku does not permit combining scores from several tests or qualifications, such as SAT plus IB.

Abitur, CBSE and other national exams

Tohoku states that standardized tests not listed in the Application Guide, such as the CBSE Class XII examinations or the Abitur, may be submitted as part of the academic transcript or graduation certificate, but cannot be used to fulfil the admission requirements. The test requirement then has to be met with a listed test or qualification.

Does Tohoku publish an IB minimum?

For Gateway College Term II Tohoku states that there is no minimum score requirement and that recommended scores are provided solely for reference. Tohoku publishes no IB point minimum for Gateway College.

Eligibility for the privately financed route

Privately financed applicants must be non-Japanese nationals who meet one of the listed criteria by the enrollment date and hold, or are expected to obtain, a Student residence status. Applicants with Japanese nationality, including dual nationality, and permanent residents of Japan are not eligible.

You study at Tohoku University either in Gateway College, an English-taught programme where you receive a broad liberal arts education first and declare your major from the third year, or in one of the ten faculties that teach in Japanese. The three FGL English-taught courses took their last intake for the 2026 enrollment.

Aobayama New Campus, Tohoku University

Gateway College: broad first, major later

Tohoku describes Gateway College as an interdisciplinary programme with a flexible curriculum that allows students to explore multiple academic fields. Instead of entering a specialized field immediately, you first receive a broad liberal arts and interdisciplinary education, then declare your major from the third year onwards. Admission is organised in two tracks, Humanities and Social Sciences and STEM.

Gateway College is not an independent faculty. Tohoku states that it is a special educational programme: admitted students are affiliated with the university, then with a faculty of their choosing from the third year onward. Tohoku states that the detailed curriculum and the available specializations will be announced at a later date, so Tohoku publishes no list of majors.

Tohoku's October 2025 announcement said that all Gateway College classes will be conducted entirely in English and that the student body will comprise an equal mix of Japanese and international students. Tohoku's admissions page describes the programme as conducted primarily in English. The programme launches in April 2027 with Term I, so it is an exception to Tohoku's statement that degree courses taught in English start in October.

The ten faculties that teach in Japanese

Tohoku's undergraduate faculties and schools are Arts and Letters, Education, Law, Economics, Science, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture. Classes in these degree courses are taught in Japanese, together with Japanese students, and begin in April. Privately financed international applicants enter them through the Privately Financed International Students Entrance Examination.

What replaced the FGL courses

The Future Global Leadership (FGL) programme offered three undergraduate courses taught entirely in English: the Advanced Molecular Chemistry Course (AMC), the International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Course Undergraduate (IMAC-U) and the Applied Marine Biology Course (AMB). Tohoku states that admission for the 2026 enrollment was the last one and that Gateway College launches in 2027.

One Tohoku page reads "Tohoku University offers 3 undergraduate and about 60 graduate programs through which students can earn a degree in English". Tohoku's Courses Taught in English page says the 2026 enrollment was the last FGL intake, so that count is out of date on this point and you should not count three English undergraduate programmes for 2027 entry.

English-taught graduate programmes

Tohoku's Courses Taught in English page lists graduate programmes taught in English, with the degree and the admission month for each. Most admit in October, and a smaller group admits in April and October. A selection:

Research institutes

Tohoku lists six research institutes: the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, the Institute of Fluid Science, the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials and the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS).

Tohoku University's English pages give no graduate employment or further-study figures for undergraduates, and the rules for working in Japan after graduation are set by the Japanese immigration authorities, not by Tohoku. What Tohoku does state is a record of founding scholars, a graduate-school link in Gateway College and a doctoral support package launched in the 2026 academic year.

That matters for a family comparing universities by outcome: there is no Tohoku employment figure to set against other universities.

The scholars Tohoku names

Tohoku's history page describes the first professorial staff chosen for the third imperial university. In the autumn of 1907 the Ministry of Education sent eight of those professors, among them Kotaro Honda, Riko Majima, Matsusaburo Fujiwara and Shirota Kusakabe, to Europe to study. Tohoku states that on their return these men played a critical role in the development of the university and that, continuously presenting new research, they earned global acclaim.

From Gateway College to graduate school

Tohoku states that Gateway College enables connection to graduate school and promotes advanced research in graduate studies. For doctoral students, Tohoku launched the LEAP Comprehensive Support Package for doctoral education in the 2026 academic year.

Tohoku describes its own tradition of "Research First", "Open Door" and "Practice-Oriented Research and Education" as having produced excellent graduates. That is the university's description of itself, not a measured outcome.

Tohoku University's fee table lists an undergraduate application fee of 17,000 yen, an admission fee of 282,000 yen and tuition of 535,800 yen per year. The table carries no year, so confirm the amounts in the application guide for your intake. Tohoku estimates living costs for international students at 80,000 yen to 150,000 yen a month.

The table lists one undergraduate rate for each fee. The amounts are in Japanese yen, so convert them at the exchange rate on the day you pay.

Insurance you must have

Tohoku requires all students to enroll in both types of student insurance, the personal accident insurance (Gakkensai) and the liability insurance (Gakkenbai). Tohoku also states a university-funded Gakkensai/Gakkenbai insurance for all new students starting from FY 2026. The International Support Center adds that students must enroll in National Health Insurance, and in the National Pension System if they are 20 or older.

Monthly living costs

Two Tohoku pages give two figures. The expenses page lists living expenses of 80,000 yen a month, while the cost-of-living page gives a monthly range of 80,000 yen to 150,000 yen for international students, with monthly rent excluding utilities of 40,000 yen to 60,000 yen. The two figures differ, and neither is a budget guarantee.

Tohoku puts no percentage on the difference with Tokyo. Its support centre writes that, well removed from the Tokyo metropolitan area, rent and other costs are relatively low, and its Japanese-language Pocket Guide says that living costs are lower than in Tokyo and Osaka.

Tohoku's expenses page also lists undergraduate and graduate tuition as 44,650 yen－67,000 yen a month. For the amounts you pay Tohoku, use the fee table above.

Fee waivers and MEXT

The fees page states that students who find it difficult to pay entrance or tuition fees for economic reasons may be granted a waiver for one half or the entire entrance fee and/or one third, one half or the entire tuition fee, pending an application and screening. The MEXT scholarship, described in the scholarships chapter, covers the application fee, admission fee and tuition fee.

To estimate a year, add your own housing choice to the fee table and the monthly figures above.

Tohoku University's new International Excellence Scholarship begins with students enrolling in the 2027 academic year and pays selected Gateway College students JPY 900,000 or JPY 450,000 per year. The MEXT scholarship pays a monthly stipend of 119,000 yen to undergraduates in Sendai and also covers fees and travel.

MEXT scholarship for undergraduates

For undergraduates the MEXT route is the Embassy Recommendation, where the Japanese diplomatic missions in each country and MEXT conduct the selection. Tohoku states that deadlines vary by embassy, typically around April, so check the next round with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country. The university-side route is narrower: the University Recommendation is for October enrollment only, and the MEXT scholarship via University Recommendation (General selection) has been discontinued.

For the English-taught undergraduate programmes, Tohoku's table lists a successor to the Future Global Leadership programme as under review by MEXT and marks the Gateway slot as to be determined. Do not plan around a MEXT place reserved for Gateway College until Tohoku states one.

Tohoku University International Excellence Scholarship

Tohoku will establish this scholarship beginning with students enrolling in the 2027 academic year, for outstanding international students in undergraduate, master's and professional degree programmes. At the undergraduate level, international students admitted to Gateway College are also eligible. Tohoku states that recipients will be selected based on entrance examination results or academic performance after enrollment, together with other relevant criteria, and it expects to support approximately the top one-third of eligible students in each programme. Candidates are selected primarily on the basis of academic performance, with consideration also given to financial need.

The Gateway College amount is JPY 900,000 or JPY 450,000 per year. Tohoku lists it as an amount of support; fee waivers are a separate scheme, described below.

JASSO Honors Scholarship

Tohoku lists a JASSO scholarship of 48,000 yen a month for undergraduate and graduate students, paid for 12 months (April to March) or 6 months (October to March). Tohoku also lists a Reservation Program (EJU) for privately financed international students who have achieved excellent results on the EJU.

Admission and tuition fee waivers

Tohoku's two pages describe fee waivers in different words. The fees page says students who find it difficult to pay entrance or tuition fees for economic reasons may be granted a waiver for one half or the entire entrance fee and/or one third, one half or the entire tuition fee, pending an application and screening. The scholarship page says students enrolled in degree programmes with outstanding academic records may be eligible to apply for exemption from the admission fee and tuition.

Tohoku's student support office states that the admission and tuition fee waiver system for international students changed starting in the 2026 academic year. Check which wording applies in the year you enroll before you count on a waiver.

Tohoku University offers international undergraduates University House rooms where international students live with Japanese students, with monthly rents from 24,400 yen at University House Sanjo to 31,600 yen at University House Aobayama, plus a monthly maintenance fee. Tohoku does not state that a room is guaranteed to first-year international students, so apply in the stated windows.

University House

Tohoku provides University Houses for both international and Japanese students. University House Nagamachi is for international students only. Tohoku describes University House as one of the largest international mixed residence dormitories in Japan. The Sanjo A-Type rooms are mainly for undergraduate students and the B-Type rooms are mainly for graduate students, which is why Type A is the row to read if you are an undergraduate.

The Aobayama and Sanjo entries each list a deposit of 30,000 yen. Sanjo rents do not include electricity, water or gas bills, and the Aobayama entry lists further charges you are responsible for, so read the full fee table for your house before you apply.

When to apply for a room

You submit the application to your department's Educational Affairs Section. The application period for an October move-in is June to July, and the period for an April move-in is December to January. If you miss the window, Tohoku states that a private apartment may be an option if you cannot move into a student dormitory because you could not apply in time.

Dormitory types and private apartments

Tohoku offers two types of dormitories for international students: University House, where international students live with Japanese students, and International House, which is exclusively for international students and researchers. The expenses page lists single dormitory rooms at 13,000 yen to 33,900 yen a month and a one-bedroom apartment at 40,000 yen and over a month, and it notes that a maintenance fee is paid on top of dormitory rent.

Tohoku does not state whether first-year international undergraduates are guaranteed a room. Treat a dormitory place as something you apply for in the stated window, and keep a private apartment in Sendai as your plan B.

Tohoku University is in Sendai, which Tohoku's International Support Center describes as a city with a population of about 1,000,000, the largest in the Tohoku Region and known as a "City of Trees" for its lush greenery. Tohoku reports 1,806 international degree students among 17,975, as of 1 May 2025.

School of Chemistry, former Tohoku Imperial University

Sendai and the campuses

Tohoku's history page describes most of the university's facilities as standing on the former castle site of Lord Date, with five main campuses and, in addition, the new Aobayama campus on Aobayama mountain, surrounded by fir forests native to the region's hilly terrain.

Support for international students

The International Support Center, known as TU Support, provides comprehensive support to international students, international researchers and faculty members of Tohoku University. The International Student Help Desk is on the second floor of the Education and Student Support Center on the Kawauchi Kita Campus. It is open on weekdays from 10:30am to 5pm, no appointment is necessary and it is free.

For Gateway College, Tohoku's October 2025 announcement described Intercultural Collaborative Learning (ICL), in which participants learn from one another, and a student body of an equal mix of Japanese and international students.

How international the campus is

Tohoku reports 205 international students among 10,733 undergraduates and 1,806 among 17,975 degree students in total. Tohoku has agreements at university level with 242 institutions in 37 countries and regions.

For housing, see the housing chapter; for monthly costs, see the cost chapter.

To study at Tohoku University from abroad you need a Student status of residence, and to obtain it you need a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which Tohoku submits for you after you complete its dedicated web application and emails to you as an e-COE. The COE is valid for three months after issuance, so time your visa application to the COE date.

Residence status and the COE

A visa is issued to a passport at an embassy or consulate of Japan before departure and, as Tohoku points out, does not guarantee your entrance. The status of residence is the permit to stay, and Tohoku states that you need appropriate status if you intend to study there. A Certificate of Eligibility is necessary if you stay in Japan for longer than 90 days.

Tohoku University uses a dedicated web application system for COE requests, and COEs applied for through Tohoku are issued digitally. The COE is valid for three months after issuance.

Insurance when you arrive

All Tohoku University international students are required to enroll in both types of student insurance, and Tohoku's expenses page adds that students must enroll in National Health Insurance and, if they are 20 or older, in the National Pension System.

Work rights

Rules for working in Japan, during and after your studies, are set by the Japanese immigration authorities; check them before you count on part-time or post-study work.

Apply to Tohoku University from abroad if you can enter through Gateway College Term II, which takes applications from 15 December to 14 January for October 2027 enrollment, or if you study in Japanese and can sit the privately financed examination. The FGL English programme is closed.

Who Tohoku suits

Tohoku suits an applicant who wants a national research university where the undergraduate fee table lists tuition of 535,800 yen per year and who is ready for either a late-specialization English programme or a Japanese-taught faculty. Tohoku estimates monthly living costs for international students at 80,000 yen to 150,000 yen.

It suits you less if you need an English-taught route that already has a track record. Gateway College launches in April 2027, and Tohoku states that its detailed curriculum and available specializations will be announced later. It also suits you less if you need funding settled before you apply: the International Excellence Scholarship begins with students enrolling in the 2027 academic year, and Tohoku expects it to support approximately the top one-third of eligible students in each program.

Next steps by route

• Gateway College Term II, October 2027 enrollment: prepare your one accepted test or qualification and your English proficiency score, then apply from 15 December to 14 January. Screening runs on 5 February and 21 and 22 February, and results come on 24 March.
• Gateway College Term I, April 2027 enrollment: the application window has closed.
• Privately financed examination: read Tohoku's official application guidelines, available only in Japanese (the special-selection page lists the 令和9年度(2027年度) edition) for the EJU subjects designated by each faculty and the minimum scores.
• FGL: not a 2027 route, because admission for the 2026 enrollment was the last one.

Comparing Tohoku with other Japanese universities

Tohoku's pages set out no comparison with the University of Tokyo or Kyoto University. Compare the routes, language of instruction, fees and scholarships stated by each university, and read each ranking on its publisher's page.

Official pages of Tohoku University, all on tohoku.ac.jp: the main site, the Admissions Center, the Gateway College site and the international student support pages.

Tohoku University Gateway College · Facts & Figures | Tohoku University · Gateway College | Tohoku University Admissions Center · Frequently Asked Questions | Tohoku University Admissions Center · Fees & Expenses | Tohoku University · Living cost｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center – · Undergraduate Admission | Tohoku University · Courses Taught in English | Tohoku University · Privately Financed International Student Admission | Tohoku University Admissions Center · History | Tohoku University · Admission | Tohoku University · Undergraduate (English) | Tohoku University · 特別選抜入学試験（特別選抜）｜東北大学アドミッション機構 · News - Tohoku University to Launch Innovative Gateway College in 2027 | Tohoku University · 入学試験実施状況｜東北大学アドミッション機構 · Undergraduate | Tohoku University Admissions Center · 出題意図・試験問題｜東北大学アドミッション機構 · Application Guidelines for Gateway College Term II (Fall 2027 Enrollment) Released | Tohoku University Gateway College · よくある質問｜東北大学アドミッション機構 · Undergraduate | Tohoku University · Scholarships for International Students Tohoku University International Excellence Scholarship | Tohoku University · Expenses｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center – · Living cost | TU Support - Tohoku University International Support Center · Tohoku University Pocket Guide (International Support Center) · Scholarships for International Students　 | Tohoku University · Establishment of the Tohoku University International Excellence Scholarship · 入学料・授業料免除 – 東北大学 本部事務機構 · Finding Accommodation｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center – · University House for International Students｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center – · International Living Environment ｜Learning in Diversity ｜Global Learning Center, Tohoku University · Academic Calendar 2026-2027 | Tohoku University · Visa and Status of Residence｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center – · Student Insurance｜TU Support – TOHOKU UNIVERSITY International Support Center –

Photos: Kawauchi campus of Tohoku University: photo 掬茶, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Science-Complex-C Building, Tohoku University School of Science: photo 石巻敎祖, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Aobayama New Campus, Tohoku University: photo 石巻敎祖, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · School of Chemistry, former Tohoku Imperial University: photo Joseph Gilly, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons