Studying Natural Sciences in Japan: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth Sciences

The field: the basic (natural) sciences

The natural or basic sciences in Japan — physics, chemistry, biology, and the earth and planetary sciences — sit in Faculties and Graduate Schools of Science, distinct from applied engineering or medicine. This is the pure-sciences field: understanding how the world works and doing original research, rather than professional or clinical training.

This guide is deliberately separate from the engineering, medicine and graduate-route overviews. If your interest is the science itself — a physics or chemistry or biology degree, or research toward a PhD — this page explains where English-medium study exists and how entry differs by level.

Where English-medium science study exists

At undergraduate level, one established English-medium route is the University of Tokyo's Global Science Course (GSC), a transfer program in the Faculty of Science for students who have completed at least two years of undergraduate study abroad and enter as third-year students to earn a Bachelor of Science. Fully English-taught first-year-entry science degrees are fewer and more selective, so check what is available for your intake.

At graduate level, English-medium and research-supervised master's and doctoral study is widely available across national research universities, since much cutting-edge research is published and supervised in English. Confirm the current program, entry point and language on each university's official science-faculty page.

• Undergraduate: e.g. University of Tokyo Global Science Course (transfer into Faculty of Science)
• Graduate: broad English-medium, research-supervised science study
• First-year-entry English science degrees are fewer — verify per university

A research-and-lab-heavy education

Japanese science education is strongly research- and laboratory-centred. Undergraduate years build core theory and experimental skills, and students typically join a research lab (kenkyushitsu) under a professor for their final-year project; graduate study is intensively research-based, built around a thesis and the lab's ongoing work.

Because so much depends on the lab, the supervisor and research group you join matter as much as the institution's name. Read faculty pages, recent publications and lab sites to judge fit, and confirm current supervisors and available places on the official pages before applying.

Entry: EJU science subjects and the research-plan route

For undergraduate science, universities may use the EJU, which offers Science (physics, chemistry, biology) and Mathematics subjects that can be sat in English, alongside their own documents and sometimes an additional exam or interview. The exact science subjects required depend on your intended major, so read the university's requirements.

For graduate science, the research-supervisor route dominates: contact a prospective supervisor, prepare a research plan, and apply with transcripts and an accepted English test such as IELTS or TOEFL; some programs consider GRE. Requirements differ by program — verify each official admissions page.

• Undergraduate: EJU Science + Maths (available in English) + university documents
• Graduate: supervisor contact + research plan + English test; some accept GRE
• Required EJU science subjects depend on your major — verify per university

Cost, scholarships and verifying details

Tuition differs between national and private universities and changes yearly, so this guide does not quote figures — read current fees on the official university page. Funding routes include MEXT, JASSO and university scholarships and tuition reductions, each with its own official eligibility and deadlines.

Verify amounts and deadlines on the official scholarship pages and the Study in Japan portal. As always, treat any "guaranteed" scholarship or admission that asks for payment as a scam.

• Verify tuition on the official university page (national vs private differ)
• MEXT / JASSO / university scholarships — check official rules and deadlines
• No legitimate award or seat is sold for a fee

Direction: research and further study (neutral)

A natural-sciences degree in Japan points toward research, graduate study and a possible PhD, as well as science-adjacent roles in industry, education and the public sector. Many students continue from bachelor's to master's to doctoral study within a lab.

Working or continuing in Japan after study depends on the country's official rules for the relevant status, which are separate from student status and change over time. This is general information, not immigration advice — verify the current rules on the official government source. This guide makes no outcome or salary promises; paths depend on your field, research record and skills.