The university of Tokyo is well known as the smartest university in Japan where raise future leaders for marketing direction. If you got chance to study here, you’re so lucky. You’ll have wonderful experience to improve your skills and knowledge.
How to choose your faculty.
Normally, Japanese student choose which faculty they are gonna learn for 4 years when they take an entrance exams. So the contents of the exam and how many students are taken varies among faculties. Contrary to this system, The university of Tokyo is using the specific system called “Advancement Allocation System”.
The “Advancement Allocation System” is a system that determines the academic path for students from their first year to the middle of their second year based on their performance. This system is part of the prestigious “Liberal Arts Education” at the University of Tokyo, allowing students to explore a wide range of interests without being immediately confined to a specialized field (Late Specialization).
On the other hand, historically rooted in the transition from the First Higher School (former First Higher School) to the University of Tokyo, the competition for this advancement system is intense. However, thanks to the Advancement Allocation System, after successfully entering the University of Tokyo, students continue to challenge and inspire each other, allowing for self-improvement and scholarly pursuits. The selection process for advancement typically begins around the summer of the second year, going through the first, second, and third rounds of evaluations, with final decisions made as early as early July.
List of faculty
The university of Tokyo has 6 different faculties and here is the list of it.
| Faculty | Subjects to learn |
| Human Sciences Ⅰ（文化１類） | Mostly for law |
| Human Sciences II （文科２類） | Mostly for economics |
| Human Sciences III （文科３類） | Mostly for literature or education |
| Natural Sciences I （理科1類） | Mostly for engineering |
| Natural Sciences II （理科２類） | Mostly for farmacy and agriculture |
| Natural Sciences III （理科３類） | Mostly for medicine (Hardest to enroll) |
So, let’s see characteristics of each faculties.
Characteristics of each faculties.
As you could see above, there are 6 faculties in The university of Tokyo. Largely it is devided into 2 kinds of faculties, one group is aimed to learn mostly leveral arts and another to learn mostly sciences and mathmatics. Generally speaking, the former one is eaiser to get units and spend your free time in terms of required units and what to learn. On this page, I added characteristics of students on each faculty, but take it as just a personal opinion.
Human Sciences I （文科1類）
The curriculum centers around studying the fundamentals of social sciences with a focus on law and politics, fostering a comprehensive understanding across various fields of related humanities and natural sciences. Emphasizing law and politics, it aims to deepen insights into human and societal matters, attracting many students who go on to pursue studies in the Faculty of Law.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
Due to the nature of the academic cluster, there are a few students who start attending preparatory schools from their first year, aiming to pass exams such as the judicial examination or the national civil service examination. The student body consists largely of diligent individuals. As it is said that admission to the Faculty of Law is possible as long as you earn enough credits, some students prioritize extracurricular activities and part-time jobs over classes and studies.
Human Sciences II （文科２類）
The curriculum is centered around studying the fundamentals of social sciences with an emphasis on economics, fostering a comprehensive understanding across various fields of related humanities and natural sciences. Prioritizing economics, it aims to deepen insights into human and organizational matters, attracting many students who go on to pursue studies in the Faculty of Economics.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
Compared to Humanities Sciences I, there is a higher proportion of students in this cluster who prioritize long-term internships, club activities, and part-time work over qualifying exams and academic pursuits. For those entering the Faculty of Economics, once a student completes the required credits for advancement to the latter term in their first year, there is no obligation to take classes in the first term of the second year. How students choose to make the most of this period is up to them. Some engage in long-term internships, participate in clubs, and work part-time, while others embark on several weeks of overseas travel or take a leisurely break at home, away from Tokyo.
Human Sciences III （文科３類）
The curriculum is centered around studying the fundamentals of humanities, with a focus on language, philosophy, and history. It aims to foster a comprehensive understanding across various fields of related social sciences and natural sciences, cultivating broad insights into human and culturally/socially oriented activities. The curriculum emphasizes disciplines such as linguistics, philosophy, and history, attracting many students who go on to pursue studies in the Faculty of Letters and the Faculty of Education.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
To advance to the desired faculty and department through the advancement allocation system, it is often necessary to achieve higher scores compared to other academic clusters. Consequently, many students work hard to achieve excellent grades. Additionally, there is a higher proportion of female students in this cluster compared to Humanities 1st Cluster and Humanities 2nd Cluster.
Natural Sciences I （理科1類）
Emphasizing mathematics and physics as core subjects, the curriculum focuses on foundational studies in mathematical and physical sciences, material sciences, and life sciences. Students cultivate an inquisitive spirit towards natural laws, gaining a deeper understanding of the intersection between science, technology, and society. Many students who pursue this curriculum often go on to enroll in engineering faculties.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
Many students, driven by a genuine love for learning rather than a conscious focus on exams, consistently achieve high scores. There is a notable presence of individuals engaged in programming, and some have participated in physics or chemistry Olympiads. Among the University of Tokyo’s student body, the representation of female students is relatively low. At Tokyo University, classes are divided by language proficiency, and in some language classes, there might not be a single female student present.
Natural Sciences II （理科２類）
Focusing on biology and physics as key subjects, the curriculum centers around foundational studies in life sciences, material sciences, and mathematical sciences. Students cultivate a curiosity towards natural laws, deepening their understanding of the interplay between chemistry, technology, and society. Many students who pursue this curriculum often go on to enroll in faculties of agriculture, pharmacy, and engineering.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
In the case of the Natural Sciences Program, achieving a significantly high score is necessary for admission to faculties other than the Faculty of Agriculture. Consequently, many students in this program dedicate themselves to their studies to attain excellent academic results.
The choices for further education are diverse, with students entering various fields such as agricultural science, pharmacy, as well as departments in natural sciences and engineering. Additionally, there are cases where students transfer to faculties like economics or pursue a path in medicine.Within the Natural Sciences Program, the proportion of female students is relatively high.
Natural Sciences III （理科３類）
Focusing on biology and physics as primary subjects, the curriculum centers around foundational studies in life sciences, material sciences, and mathematical sciences. Students cultivate a curiosity towards natural laws, deepening their understanding of the interplay between chemistry, technology, and society. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on biology and physics, and a majority of students who pursue this program typically go on to enroll in medical faculties.
The charateristics of students and atmosphere.
Students in the Natural Sciences Program, third division, are largely guaranteed admission to medical school, allowing them to utilize the first term as a complete moratorium. As a result, many students focus more on extracurricular activities than on classes. However, this comes with the trade-off that after entering medical school, they must complete the curriculum that other universities take six years to cover in just four years, leading to quite challenging days ahead.
Having successfully navigated through demanding entrance exams, these students exhibit quick thinking and are often perceived as genuinely ‘smart’ due to their straightforward approach.”
Recommended for…
Human Sciences I （文科1類）
If your desired faculty is the Faculty of Law, the Humanities Program, first division, is the most accessible for further education. Additionally, if you plan to take the bar exam or national civil service exams, you can relatively easily find fellow exam takers within your class
Human Sciences II （文科２類）
If your desired faculty is the Faculty of Economics, the Humanities Program, second division, is the most accessible for further education. Since you share classes with students from the Humanities Program, first division, there is a higher likelihood of encountering classmates interested not only in economics but also in law and politics. Consequently, if you plan to take exams such as the certified public accountant exam, bar exam, or national civil service exams, it is relatively easy to find fellow exam takers within your class.
Human Sciences III （文科３類）
For those proficient in languages, there is the opportunity to take a wide range of language courses, making it easier to achieve a higher overall average. Additionally, it is recommended for individuals who thrive in competitive environments and wish to dedicate themselves to their studies amidst a competitive atmosphere.
Natural Sciences I （理科1類）
For individuals in the science field who do not necessarily have a strict preference for entering the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Pharmacy, or Medical School. Ideal for students proficient in mathematics and physics.
Natural Sciences II （理科２類）
Recommended for students choosing between biology and physics.
Despite the emphasis on chemistry, the curriculum in the Natural Sciences Program includes a greater number of subjects related to physics and biology. Therefore, students who opt for biology and physics in their entrance exams are considered to have the most advantageous position.
Natural Sciences III （理科３類）
For students aspiring to enter the Faculty of Medicine.
If your goal is to pursue medical studies, it is highly recommended to choose the Natural Sciences Program, third division. While it is not impossible to enter the Faculty of Medicine from other academic programs, it is a requirement to maintain an overall average of 90 points or above (achieving ‘excellent’ grades in almost all subjects). Therefore, it is often said that it is easier to reapply for admission through the Natural Sciences Program, third division, than to try entering the Faculty of Medicine from other academic programs.
Done! Hope your student life be wonderful.
If you can read Japanese, this website introduce deeper information.
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