Scholarships are now open for the Graduate Program for International Students in Urban and Environmental Studies (UBE-UPN/ENV) for 2026. UBE-UPN/ENV is the Special English Graduate Program from the Department of Urban Engineering at the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo for international students.

By applying for these scholarships, students will pursue master’s or Ph.D. degrees through lectures and research supervision conducted in English. Applicants can find more information on campus life and academics here.

To apply for the UBE-UPN/ENV, candidates must submit a complete application through the online application system, T-Cens. All applicants should pass a preliminary evaluation based on their academic qualifications. If you do not meet the eligibility requirements of the programs, applicants should apply through regular admission and sit for the normal entrance examination of the Graduate School of Engineering.

The Department of Urban Engineering and the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) offer a double master’s degree program. Graduates from this department can transfer their credits and earn a Master of Science in Sustainability from UNU-IAS in just one year, instead of the usual two years. The entire double degree program takes three years.

This program is optional and is available for applicants interested in UN-related subjects. Those interested in enrolling in the double degree program must submit the “Double Degree Check Sheet” on T-cens. For more information on the selection process and the requirements for enrolling in the double degree program, please visit UNU-IAS’s website (https://ias.unu.edu/en/admissions/degrees). Please note that recipients of certain scholarships may not be eligible to apply for the double degree program.

Details of the UBE-UPN/ENV

• Fields of study: Urban Engineering
• Instruction Language: English
• Level of study: Master’s and PhD
• Duration: Master’s degree: two years, PhD: 3 years
• Number of Scholarships: Limited

Key dates:

• Online Application Opens: September 1, 2025 (15:00 JST)
• T-cens Account Creation Deadline: November 4, 2025 (15:00 JST)
• Online Application Submission Deadline: November 6, 2025 (15:00 JST)
• First Screening Results Announcement: Late November 2025
• Deadline for Submission of Original Documents (for shortlisted candidates): December 19, 2025
• Second Screening (Interview): January 2026
• Final Results Announcement: March 2026
• Enrollment and Arrival in Japan: September 2026

Master degree:

• International Graduate Program in the Field of Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Studies
• Graduate Program for International Students in Urban and Environmental Studies (UBEUPN/ENV)
• International Bioengineering English Course
• International Technology Management English Course
• The International Multidisciplinary Engineering (IME) Graduate Program
  • Mechanical Engineering Course
  • Precision Engineering Course
  • Aeronautics and Astronautics Course
  • Electrical Engineering and Information Systems Course
  • Materials Engineering Course
  • Chemical System Engineering Course
  • Bioengineering Course
• Special Graduate Program in Resilience Engineering
  • Systems Innovation Course
  • Nuclear Engineering and Management Course
• International Graduate Program in Chemistry and Biotechnology

Scholarships and Available Financial Support Programs

Various types of scholarships are available for the Department of Urban Engineering program, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB)/ Japan Scholarship Program (JSP) and MEXT Scholarships:

1. Asian Development Bank scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship that covers the following expenses for master’s degree programs:

• full tuition fees
• monthly subsistence allowance (including housing)
• books and instructional materials
• medical insurance
• travel expenses

Please find the detailed information about the ADB/JSP Program here.

2. MEXT Scholarships: If you have applied to the embassy track process of Application, you may read this scholarship’s details here.

Eligibility and Requirements

Please see the following requirements for Master’s and Ph.D. programs:

Course Eligibility for the Master’s Degree:

• Not be Japanese or reside in Japan
• Applicant must meet the linguistic skill level necessary to take classes and receive research guidance in English
• Meet one of the following:
  • Received or expected to obtain a bachelor’s degree from a country other than Japan before the admission date (in April or October 2024) with 16 years of education
  • Have or going to get conferred an equivalent bachelor’s from a foreign university with completion in three years or more.
  • Be recognized as equivalent to Japanese university graduates by individual screening, and they are 22 years old or older.

Course Eligibility for the Ph.D. Degree:

• Not be Japanese or reside in Japan
• Applicant must meet the linguistic skill level necessary to take classes and receive research guidance in English
• Meet one of the following:
  • Received or expected to obtain the equivalent of a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree from outside of Japan before the admission date (in April or October 2024)
  • Have or expected to get a conferred equivalent master’s degree from a foreign university with completion in three years or more.
  • Be recognized as equivalent to Japanese university graduates from United Nations University.
  • Be involved in two years of research that will end before the admission date.
  • Be 24 years or older, and their qualification is equivalent to a master’s degree from this university.
  • If you are unsure whether you are eligible, apply for individual entrance qualification screening.

How to Apply?

To apply for the Graduate Program for International Students in Urban and Environmental Studies (UBE-UPN/ENV), applicants should follow these steps:

• Download and read the application guidelines in the Department of Urban Engineering and Graduate School of Engineering (Download Guidelines).
•  Check the faculty members and research units to select the desired laboratory you like to work
• Check the important dates and application process listed in the ‘Details of the UBE-UPN/ENV’ section above.
• Before starting your registration, you must read the Guidance Information carefully to find all the necessary instructions and information to complete your Special English Graduate Programs application process.

Apply Online

Required Documents

T-Cens Application consists of two parts: an online application and a postal submission. Please confirm the Application Procedure from the Course Summary of your chosen Course. Applicants should prepare two types of documents as follows:

General documents:

• Application Form for the International Graduate Program
• Statement of Study Plans
• Title of Your Graduation Thesis and Its Abstract
• T-Cens Enquiries on Educational and Occupational Background
• List of Recognitions, Memberships, and Titles of Conference Papers for T-Cens
• History of your visits to Japan
• Recommendation Letters
• Academic Transcript and Grade Scales
• Certificate of Graduation and Certificate of Degree
• Diploma
• Letter or Certificate of Expected Graduation (if applicable)
• Submission rules on Academic Transcripts, Certificates of Graduation, Certificate of Degree, and Diploma
• Personal Identification
• Photo

Requirements from the department you are applying for:

• English Language Proficiency
• GRE Score Record: (strongly recommended)
• Additional Requirements from the Course you are applying for

Please review the University of Tokyo website for further details on scholarships for UBE-UPN/ENV.

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