You don't need to speak Japanese to do a Master's in Japan. As of the 2027 application cycle, more than 80 graduate programs at top Japanese universities are taught entirely in English — admissions, coursework, and thesis defense all in English. This is the current list, the realistic admissions requirements, and how to choose between them.
The five categories of English-taught Master's in Japan
English-taught graduate programs in Japan cluster into five quite different institutional models. Picking the right category matters more than picking the right university — the application processes, costs, and student experience differ dramatically between them.
1. National university G30 / global programs
The big-six imperial universities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Tohoku, Nagoya, Hokkaido) plus Tsukuba and Kyushu run a small set of fully English-taught graduate programs in strategic fields, primarily STEM, public policy, and global studies. These are the most academically prestigious English-taught programs but also the smallest cohorts — typically 10–25 students per program per year, often with 5–12 international students.
Highlights:
- The University of Tokyo: Global Science Course, GPSS-GLI (sustainability), GMSI (mathematical sciences for industry), International Program in Engineering at Engineering, several at GSALS (life sciences).
- Kyoto University: International Course Program in Civil Engineering, in Mechanical Engineering, in Earth Resources Engineering; GSGES (global environmental); Asian Architecture.
- Osaka University: International Physics Course, International Physical Sciences and Engineering Course, International Liberal Arts Studies.
- Tohoku University: International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Course, International Materials Science Course, IGPAS (advanced sciences).
- Nagoya University: G30 fully English-taught Master's in Automotive Engineering, Bioagricultural Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, etc.
- Hokkaido University: SGU programs in Modern Japanese Studies, Engineering, Agriculture.
- Tsukuba University: Empowerment Informatics, Life Science Innovation, International Materials Science.
2. OIST: graduate-only, English-only research university
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is the most unusual graduate school in Japan. It is graduate-only (no undergraduates), English-only (Japanese is not used in instruction), small (~250 graduate students total), interdisciplinary (no departments — students rotate through three different labs in their first year), and exceptionally well-funded. OIST charges no tuition and provides every accepted PhD student a stipend of ¥2.4 million per year for five years. There is no Master's program — only an integrated PhD covering all sciences.
OIST acceptance is highly selective (under 10% of applicants in recent years) but the package and academic environment is unparalleled outside of top-five US programs. If your research interest is in interdisciplinary science (computational neuroscience, marine biology, quantum systems, etc.), OIST should be on your shortlist.
3. Tech-focused institutes: Institute of Science Tokyo, NAIST, JAIST
Three Japanese institutes specialize in science and engineering and have strong English-program offerings:
- Institute of Science Tokyo (formed in 2024 by merging Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University): IGP-A and IGP-C international graduate programs, fully English-taught Master's and PhD in engineering, materials, and life sciences.
- NAIST (Nara Institute of Science and Technology): one of Japan's most international universities by ratio. About 20% of students are international. English-taught Master's and PhD in Information Science, Biological Sciences, and Materials Science.
- JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology): English-taught programs in Information Science, Materials Science, Knowledge Science.
These institutes are research-heavy from day one, accept a higher proportion of international students than national universities, and have strong industry ties (especially Institute of Science Tokyo with Japanese tech companies).
4. Private universities with strong international tracks
Several private universities have built their international Master's programs into substantial product offerings:
- Waseda University: ~30 English-taught graduate programs across business, social sciences, engineering, and international relations. Largest international graduate cohort in Japan.
- Keio University: KMBS (Master of Business Administration), Graduate School of Media Design (KMD), Graduate Schools of Economics, Letters, and Science and Technology.
- Sophia University: Master's in Global Studies, in International Business and Development Studies, in Green Science and Engineering.
- International Christian University (ICU): Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with English-taught Master's tracks in Education, Psychology, Public Policy.
- Ritsumeikan APU (Asia Pacific University, Beppu): MBA, Master of International Cooperation Policy, ~50% international students.
5. Specialized graduate schools
A handful of smaller, more recently founded graduate schools focus on specific international markets and run mostly in English:
- GRIPS (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo): policy-focused, almost entirely English-taught, geared toward mid-career international professionals.
- UNU-IAS (United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Tokyo): MSc in Sustainability, jointly degree-granting with the UN.
- IUJ (International University of Japan, Niigata): English-only since founding (1982), MBA + International Relations + International Development.
What admissions actually require
Across all five categories, English-taught Master's admissions in Japan share a common structure that differs from undergraduate admissions:
- Bachelor's degree (or expected by enrollment) in a related field.
- English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 80+ or IELTS 6.5+ at most schools; 90+/7.0+ at top tracks (UTokyo, Kyoto, Osaka). Native speakers and applicants from English-medium universities exempt.
- Statement of purpose / research plan: 1–2 pages. The most important document. See our annotated research plan sample.
- Two academic recommendations: from professors who know your research potential. Lean on your recommendation letter template.
- Transcripts and degree certificate: official, sealed, sometimes apostilled.
- Optional: GRE: a handful of top STEM programs (some at UTokyo, OIST) like to see GRE General. Not required at most.
- Interview: most programs interview shortlisted applicants by Zoom in late winter / early spring.
Most English-taught programs do not require JLPT. If you do speak Japanese and have a JLPT certificate, mention it — admissions panels view it positively, but it isn't a gate. See EJU vs JLPT vs TOEFL for the full requirements decision tree.
Realistic costs (2027)
| University type | Tuition / year | Living costs / year (Tokyo) | Total / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National (UTokyo, Kyoto, etc.) | ¥535,800 | ¥1,500,000–2,000,000 | ¥2,000,000–2,500,000 |
| Private (Waseda, Keio) | ¥1,000,000–1,800,000 | ¥1,500,000–2,000,000 | ¥2,500,000–3,800,000 |
| OIST | ¥0 (covered) | ¥1,500,000 (Okinawa) | ¥0 + stipend ¥2,400,000 |
| Specialized (GRIPS, IUJ) | ¥820,000–1,200,000 | ¥1,500,000–2,000,000 | ¥2,300,000–3,200,000 |
Real costs in cities outside Tokyo (Osaka, Sendai, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Okinawa) run 30–40% lower for living expenses. See living costs comparison for a per-city breakdown.
Funding options for English-taught Master's
Don't pay full tuition out of pocket if you can avoid it. Realistic funding paths:
- MEXT Scholarship — fully funds tuition + monthly stipend + airfare. See our MEXT 2027 Complete Guide. Both Embassy and University Recommendation tracks place students into English-taught programs.
- OIST — full tuition coverage + stipend automatic for all admitted PhD students (no separate application).
- JASSO Honors Scholarship — ¥48,000–80,000/month for international students at participating universities; awarded competitively after enrollment.
- University-specific scholarships — Waseda, Keio, Sophia, ICU, Sophia, and several national universities offer their own merit-based tuition reductions of 30–100%.
- Foundation scholarships — Honjo International Scholarship Foundation, Heiwa Nakajima Foundation, Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation, Inpex Scholarship Foundation. These add ¥80,000–150,000/month on top of MEXT or partial scholarships.
- Country-specific bilateral programs — JET Programme spinoffs, Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship (for select Asian countries), etc.
The combination most successful applicants use: MEXT University Recommendation + university tuition waiver + a foundation scholarship as a top-up. See all Japan scholarships.
Application timelines (2027 entry)
English-taught Master's programs in Japan run on different cycles:
- April 2027 entry (the common Japanese academic year start): applications typically open July–September 2026, deadlines November 2026 – January 2027, results February–March 2027.
- October 2026 entry (the international/global cycle): applications typically open January–March 2026, deadlines May–June 2026, results July–August 2026.
- OIST: rolling admissions with three application windows; for September/January 2027 entry, deadlines fall June 2026 (round 1), October 2026 (round 2), February 2027 (round 3).
See application timeline for university-by-university deadlines.
How to actually get accepted
The single biggest thing you can do for an English-taught Master's application is contact a faculty member at your target program before you apply. Email a professor whose research aligns with your research plan, attach your CV and a short paragraph about your interests, and ask whether their lab is accepting students for the upcoming cycle. See our dedicated guide on how to email a Japanese professor.
Even when admissions decisions are formally made by an admissions committee, in practice the named faculty member's recommendation is decisive. An applicant whose target professor knows them and supports the application is dramatically more likely to be accepted than a stronger applicant who applied cold.
Bottom line
English-taught Master's programs in Japan are a real path. If you have a strong research interest in a specific lab, contact that professor first. If you're flexible on field, OIST and the G30 universities are the highest-value targets. Combine MEXT or another scholarship with a tuition waiver and you can finish your Master's with no debt and a Japanese-network you can leverage anywhere in the world.