Schedule

Preparation for the Selection Examination: The first and second year of undergraduate study

During their first and second year of studies at Tsukuba, students will acquire a high level of global knowledge as well as communication skills, especially in English, in addition to acquire basic proficiency in local languages. Based on the assessment results, about 10 students will be selected for the program. The selection examination is held in February each year.

Program Students (The second to fourth year of undergraduate study)

Early in the third year, students are required to select advisors. During their third year, students intensively study the local language and subjects related to their region. During the fourth year, students also begin taking master's course classes for ten credits. Students should aim to finish the course early. In July of the fourth year, students take the recommendation entrance assessment examination for the master’s program in International Area Studies at the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Successful candidates who completed the course earlier will enter the master's program in the following October; the other candidates will enter the program in the following April.

Master’s Program Students: The first and second year of graduate study

The early-bird students will possibly take part in study abroad immediately after entering the graduate course. During the one-year study-abroad period, students are required to attend lectures and can receive a maximum of ten credits. Research and fieldwork will be conducted under the support of academic advisors together with local advisors at partner universities. Additionally, students are expected to work as interns at either local Japanese companies or government-affiliated organizations in order to gain real work experiences. Later, students will return home to finish and submit their master’s theses so that they can leave school as high-level regional experts ready to go out into the real world.