Integrated Science Program

Tuition costs 535,800 JPY per year.

This master's degree program at Hokkaido University, located in Hokkaido, Japan, runs for two years with intakes in April and October, taught in English. Hokkaido University was established in 1876 as Sapporo Agricultural College, the first institution in Japan authorized to award a bachelor's degree, and it has since developed into a research university organized around 12 undergraduate schools and 21 graduate schools covering most areas of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. At the graduate level, this English-taught master's track allows international students to pursue advanced coursework and research supervised by faculty without needing prior Japanese-language study for admission. Master's programs at research-intensive universities in Japan typically combine seminar-based coursework in the first year with a research thesis or project developed under an assigned advisor in the second, culminating in a written thesis and, in many departments, a public defense. Graduates of two-year master's programs in this kind of setting commonly go on to doctoral study, research roles in industry or the public sector, or professional positions that value advanced analytical and research skills built through independent project work. Because the program is delivered in English, it also gives international students the chance to build a research record and academic network in Japan while working alongside Japanese and international peers on a bilingual campus. Prospective applicants should confirm departmental specialization areas and thesis requirements directly with the graduate school responsible for the April or October intake, since research focus can vary between laboratories and supervisors within the graduate schools.