Graduate
Table of Contents
Admission Policy
Tohoku University Graduate School of Arts and Letters aims to cultivate people capable of enriching the intellectual heritage of humanity and making creative contributions to the development of society through cutting-edge research in various fields of the humanities and social sciences. Our graduates become researchers prepared to master and further develop advanced academic knowledge in their specialty fields; professionals who can play active roles in various areas of society by utilizing specialized knowledge and interdisciplinary outlooks; and above all, they become intellectuals ready to employ their expertise and creative problem-solving abilities to raise the cultural standards of the entire society. We therefore look for Japanese and non-Japanese applicants who demonstrate the following qualities:
- The applicant must possess the advanced knowledge and academic ability necessary to successfully pursue studies in his or her specialty field, as well as outstanding logical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
- The applicant must have an inquisitive mind and wide range of interests concerning humanity, culture, and society; the applicant must also have sufficient fundamental knowledge and academic ability to complete professional education.
- The applicant must be a full-fledged member of society wishing to gain a deeper academic understanding of the issues he or she has initially encountered through life experience by means of the specialized education provided by our Graduate School and the completion of a master's thesis or master's research.
Entrance Examination Schedule
| Summer 2025 Examination Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| Application period | Jun. 24 (Mon.) - Jun. 28 (Fri.) | |
| Examination dates | Master's Program (General Admission) | Aug. 2 (Fri.) - Aug. 3 (Sat.) |
| Master's Program (Special Admission for Working Adults) | Aug. 3 (Sat.) | |
| Doctoral Program (Special Admission for Working Adults) | Aug. 2 (Fri.) | |
| Results Announcement | Aug. 23 (Fri.) | |
| Winter 2025 Examination Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| Application period | Jan. 7 (Tue.) - Jan. 14 (Tue.) | |
| Examination dates | Master's Program (General Admission) | Feb. 4 (Tue.) - Feb. 5 (Wed.) |
| Master's Program (Special Admission for Working Adults) | Feb. 5 (Wed.) | |
| Doctoral Program (General Admission) | Feb. 6 (Thu.) | |
| Doctoral Program (Special Admission for Working Adults) | Feb. 6 (Thu.) | |
| Doctoral Program (IGSAL:Special Admission for International Students) | Feb. 6 (Thu.) | |
| Results Announcement | Feb. 21 (Fri.) | |
Admission Guidelines; Application Form
When applying, please read the application guidelines carefully, complete and prepare your application documents, and submit your application by the deadline.
The application is an online application.
Applicants should complete the application procedures within the application period using the Internet application system.
Please refer to the recruitment guidelines for details.
- Master's Program 2024 (general admission; summer examination)
- Master's Program 2024 (special admission for working adults; summer examination)
- Doctoral Program 2024 (special admission for working adults; summer examination)
- Master's Program 2024 (general admission; winter examination)
- Master's Program 2024 (special admission for working adults; winter examination)
- Doctoral Program 2024 (general admission, special admission for working adults; winter examination
- Doctoral Program 2024 (special admission for international students; spring examination)
Results Announcement
Identification numbers of applicants who have passed the entrance examination will be uploaded on the Graduate School/Faculty of Arts and Letters website at 10 AM on the date indicated in the Application Guidelines. Additionally, applicants who have passed will be sent a printed notice of results. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.
Past Exam Papers
Past exam papers can always be accessed using the following methods (barring technical difficulties).
Applicants who wish to study past exam papers directly at the Tohoku University Academic Affairs Department must bring a student ID, a driver's license, or some other type of ID. The Academic Affairs Department keeps papers from the previous three years. Past exam paper copies cannot be distributed by mail.
For the convenience of people applying to the Graduate School of Arts and Letters, past exam papers have been made available for private online viewing. Some of the questions are subject to copyright protection and cannot be used for purposes other than Graduate School of Arts and Letters entrance exam preparation. For instance, it is prohibited to download, print or otherwise reproduce the files for the benefit of other people. It is also prohibited to use the materials for any public or commercial purposes.
Please refrain from downloading large amounts of data.
Types of Exam Papers Available
Past exam papers available through the Academic Affairs Department and online are the following.
- Master's Program (general admission): "Major Subjects I", "English"
- Master's Program (special admission for working adults): written examination ("Major Subjects", "English for Specialized Subjects", "Reading Comprehension")
- Doctoral Program (general admission): "Major Subjects"
Applicants wishing to access past exam questions for some other subject must directly contact the corresponding department.
