University of Tokyo
Admissions

The University of Tokyo's admission process (東大入試, todai nyushi) is regarded as the most selective in Japan and is almost synonymous with something that is difficult to achieve. To apply, candidates must achieve high scores in the Common Test for University Admissions, a standardised multiple-choice examination. UTokyo applicants are required to take at least seven subjects in this exam. Applicants for natural sciences take two mathematics tests, Japanese (which includes modern language, classics, and Chinese classics), a foreign language, sciences (two from physics, chemistry, biology, and geology), and one social study subject chosen from geography, Japanese history, or world history. Humanities candidates take two social studies subjects and one science subject instead.

Based on the scores from the Common Test, approximately three times the number of the final admission slots are invited to take the main examination in late February. Based on the idea that regardless of the field of specialisation, all students should have a solid understanding of mathematics and a good command of languages, mathematics, Japanese and one foreign language are compulsory for all applicants. For this exam, science candidates are tested in Advanced Mathematics, English, Japanese, and two science subjects. Humanities candidates take Mathematics, a foreign language, Advanced Japanese, and two social studies subjects (options are geography, Japanese history and world history). UTokyo is also known to be the only university that requires all applicants, including those who wish to study natural sciences, to take a non-mulltiple-choice Japanese and Chinese classics exam. Some applicants are called upon to take an interview.

Successful candidates are notified in March of the same year and are matriculated in April. The official acceptance rates for undergraduate degrees are relatively high, at around 30 per cent, which is due to the policy of restricting the number of students who can sit for the exam based on the scores from the Common Test. Additionally, Japan's university admission policy does not allow applicants to apply to multiple prestigious national universities, hence non-prospective students tend to switch to other national universities where they are more likely to secure admission.
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