Master's in International Health at The University of Tokyo

The School of International Health in the Graduate School of medicine at the University of Tokyo is offering a Master’s Program in International Health for 2 academic years.

Program Overview

The Global Health Sciences/International Health program is an English course that is part of the Global 30 Project at the University of Tokyo. 

Since its 1992 inception in the Graduate School of Medicine as the first graduate school specializing in international health in Japan, many foreign students from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe have studied with Japanese students and graduated from the School, as the total number of graduates exceeds 300.

The course comprises cutting-edge life sciences and global-oriented social medicine, both of which are indispensable for tackling complex and urgent health issues, including tropical diseases, genetic susceptibility, child development, environmental health, and health policy and service systems, in various parts of the world. 

The goal of the research conducted at the School is to understand the basic molecular and/or social mechanisms underlying these problems and to discover the most efficient, feasible, and culturally sound solutions for these issues for every sector of the global community.

Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

• Those who wish to enroll in the Master's program are required to take an entrance examination conducted by The University of Tokyo.
• a Master's degree will be granted to those who have attended the school for at least 2 years, studied the subjects and earned the credits specified by each Graduate School, and passed the thesis review and final examinations after the requisite academic guidance.
• Qualified applicants are non-Japanese nationals who have academic abilities equal to those of qualified applicants for regular Master's programs at the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools. However, qualifications may vary depending on the Graduate School.

Specific Admission Requirements

• Persons who have graduated or are expected to graduate from a Japanese university by 31 March of the program’s academic year.
• Persons who have completed, or are expected to complete sixteen years of school education abroad by 31 March of the program’s academic year. 
• Persons who have been conferred a degree equivalent to that of a bachelor's degree or are expected to be conferred on or before March 31, from a foreign university or other foreign institution (limited to those whose comprehensive status of education and research activities have been assessed by the government of the said foreign country or a related organization), having completed a program with a completion period of 3 years or more. 
• Persons who are designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology or persons who have graduated or are expected to graduate by March 31, from an educational institution designated by the Minister. 
• Persons who have been conferred a bachelor's degree or are expected to have conferred on or before March 31, by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD).
• Persons who are 22 years or older on March 31, whom this graduate school has recognized through individual screening of entrance qualifications, as having abilities that are at least equivalent to those who have graduated from a Japanese university.

Course Structure

The Master’s of Global Health Sciences program begins on the 1st of April and lasts for a standard duration of 2 years according to the university's academic calendar. 

In the Graduate School of International Health, lectures and seminars are made, as a rule, in English. Thus, both Japanese and foreign students are required to be acquainted with English; for easiness of daily communication. However, foreign students are encouraged to learn Japanese, and Japanese language courses are available in the University's International Center.

For completion of the Master Course, the student is required to take 30 credits from lectures, practices, and exercises offered by the departments/programs of the School; depending on the study experiences of each student. However, some of the credits can be substituted by those of lectures, practices, and exercises in other graduate schools (or, in some cases, those in undergraduate courses of the university). 

In addition to these course works, each student is required to submit Master Thesis and pass the examination of the School's Committee. 

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for international students registered at the Master’s in International Health are as follow:

• Admission fee: USD $2,448
• Tuition fee (annual): USD $4,649
• Examination fee (1st stage): USD $260

Scholarships

There are some scholarships awarded directly by the University of Tokyo to support the study of international students in Japan.

University of Tokyo Fellowship

The University of Tokyo Special Scholarship for International Students or the University of Tokyo Fellowship was established in 2004 aiming at "providing a research grant to high-achieving, postgraduate international students who are privately-funded to assist their academic pursuits at the university and at promoting a greater acceptance of excellent students from overseas."

Recipients will receive a monthly research grant of USD $1,735 or $1,302 during the standard period of their program (up to one year for research students).