UTokyo Global Unit Courses: Summer Program | The University of Tokyo Skip to content Contact 日本語 People Giving to UTokyo HOME Education About UTokyo Office of the President Mission and Vision History Facts and Figures Offices & Administration Publications & PR Visit UTokyo Access and Campus Maps Facilities Rules and Regulations Job Information Academics Faculties Graduate Schools Institutes and Other University Organizations Special Educational Activities Research Activities International Activities Why UTokyo? Explore Our Campuses Learn Discover Our People In Depth Why Tokyo? Why Japan? 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Owing to the high volume of inquiries, the GUC Office prioritizes responses to questions not addressed on this webpage. If you do not receive a reply, it means that the information relevant to your inquiry is already available here. We encourage you to review this page carefully. 2. To ensure fairness, the GUC Office provides all information exclusively through this website. We do not offer individual letters, confirmations, or personalized guidance regarding course selection or application materials, and no responses will be provided to such requests. This policy applies to all prospective and current applicants. UTokyo GUC 2026 has successfully concluded! Details for UTokyo GUC 2027 will be posted around the second week of January 2027. Welcome to the UTokyo GUC website! The University of Tokyo Global Unit Courses provides a great opportunity for students around the world to experience studying at one of the world's foremost universities in East Asia. UTokyo GUC offers a variety of freely selectable courses in-person and online with cutting-edge contents, taught by leading faculty members of the University of Tokyo. ▶ UTokyo GUC 2026 Brochure Click the thumbnails to watch the course introduction videos. *Additional course introduction videos will be added as they become available. Stay tuned for updates! Video Archives 　　　 UTokyo Global Unit Courses (GUC) 2026 Application Guidelines 01. Program Overview / Key Features 02. Schedule / Course Offerings 03. Instructor Messages / Syllabi 04. Eligibility / Language Requirements 05. Fees 06. Global Unit / Assessment / Certificate 07. Application 08. Staying in Japan: Campuses / Access / Accommodation / Visa 09. Student Voices 10. Contact 01. Program Overview / Key Features Expand Program Overview The UTokyo Global Unit Courses (UTokyo GUC) is a short-term, intensive summer program organized by the Center for Global Education at the University of Tokyo. Designed primarily for university students worldwide, UTokyo GUC offers a unique opportunity to study at Japan’s leading academic institution. All courses are taught by the University of Tokyo professors and are conducted entirely in English. The program spans approximately six weeks, from mid-June to late July, and is divided into three terms, each lasting two weeks. Students can directly apply for and choose one or more courses across different terms, provided the schedules do not overlap. The program's small class sizes, typically around 20 students, allow for a personalized and engaging learning experience. Enrollment in each course is selective, with participants chosen through a screening process to maintain high academic standards. Upon successful completion of their courses, students will receive a Global Unit Certificate for each course, which includes a grade and the number of Global Units earned. These units may be eligible for transfer as credits, depending on the policies of the student’s home institution. Key Features High Academic Standards All courses in the UTokyo GUC are taught by leading scholars of the University of Tokyo. Small class sizes, typically around 20 students, foster interactive discussions and provide opportunities for closer student-professor engagement. Diverse Course Offerings UTokyo GUC offers a broad range of courses across various disciplines, from the humanities to STEM. These include, depending on the course, lectures, design workshops, lab tours, research activities, campus visits, fieldwork, and more, each ensuring a rich and well-rounded academic experience. Additionally, UTokyo students will serve as teaching assistants, offering further support and engagement in class. Flexible Learning Opportunities Students have the flexibility to select multiple courses across different terms, tailoring their schedules to best fit their interests and academic goals. Experience Life in Tokyo Study at the University of Tokyo’s exciting campuses, with access to outstanding facilities such as libraries and study spaces. The two campuses—Hongo and Komaba—are centrally located, close to some of the most famous cultural and commercial districts of Tokyo. Students are required to arrange their own accommodations, allowing them to choose options that suit their individual needs. Top 02. Schedule / Course Offerings Expand UTokyo GUC 2026 Program Schedule Information Available Early January Application Period Early February – 16:00 (Japan Standard Time) on Monday, March 16, 2026 Screening Results Announcement Thursday, April 16, 2026 *For further details, please refer to the “07. Application” section. Payment Deadline 16:00 (Japan Standard Time) on Thursday, April 23, 2026 Program Period Monday, June 08 – Monday, July 27 Issuance of Global Unit Certificates Late September UTokyo GUC 2026 Timetable UTokyo GUC 2026 | Timetable - Updated on 2026.05.01 UTokyo GUC 2026 Course Offerings Thank you for your interest in our program! We are pleased to share the latest updates on GUC 2026, featuring new and continuing academic opportunities, from which applicants may freely select their preferred course(s): • 2026 Featured Course: “Museums in Contemporary Japan” focuses on museums in Tokyo as cultural institutions in contemporary Japan. The course examines museums in Tokyo as cultural institutions in contemporary Japan, introducing key perspectives from museology and museum studies through field-based learning. • Continuing 2-Unit Courses: Beginning with the highly popular AI-related course, the program will continue to offer 2-unit courses in 2026, offering academic flexibility for students, particularly those from institutions where credit transfer is possible. Building on last year’s design-focused 2-unit course, the same faculty members will newly offer “Introduction to Changemaking” and “Design for Social Impact”, both of which emphasize problem-solving, creativity, and social engagement. • New Course Offerings: The 2026 program introduces new courses that explore themes such as natural resources and the environment, political economy, and global perspectives, as well as Japanese politics, international relations, and contemporary society, providing students with opportunities to examine pressing issues in both global and Japanese contexts. • Continuing Courses: Courses that have been well received in previous years will continue to be offered, featuring a range of learning activities such as fieldwork, workshops, hands-on projects, lab tours, and in-class discussions, depending on the course. ----- Introducing Newly Launched GUC Programs Starting from 2026: In addition to on-campus courses, starting in 2026, UTokyo GUC is expanding learning opportunities beyond campus with new experiential programs! Explore the links below for more details. For any inquiries, please contact the respective program directly. ▶ UTokyo Global Unit Courses: Field Study Program ▶ UTokyo Global Unit Courses: Internship Experience Program Term 1: Course Code Campus Course Title Instructor Number of sessions (1session=90min) Global Units GUC26S1111C Hongo Group Theory and Its Applications Yukari ITO 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S1122C Hongo International Security of the Asia-Pacific Yee Kuang HENG 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S1123C Hongo Introduction to School Education in Japan Sam BAMKIN 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S1124C Komaba Introduction to Changemaking Miles PENNINGTON 20 2 (In-person) GUC26S1131C Hongo Our Universe Jia LIU 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S1231C Hongo Culture, Media and Society in Japan Yuiko FUJITA 10 1 (In-person) Term 2: Course Code Campus Course Title Instructor Number of sessions (1session=90min) Global Units GUC26S2121C Hongo Early Language Acquisition: How Human Infants Learn Language Within Their Social Environment Sho TSUJI 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S2131C Hongo AI for Understanding Human Intelligence Yukie NAGAI 20 2 (In-person) GUC25S2132C Hongo AI and Social Justice Yuko ITATSU 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S2133C Komaba Sustainable Air Transport Systems Eri ITOH 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S2134C Komaba Design for Social Impact Yasuaki KAKEHI 20 2 (In-person) GUC25S2142C Hongo A History and Culture of the Senses Ai HISANO 10 1 (In-person) Term 3: Course Code Campus Course Title Instructor Number of sessions (1session=90min) Global Units GUC26S3111C Komaba Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Technologies for Neuroscience Yoshiho IKEUCHI 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3122C Hongo Modern Japanese History Michael FACIUS 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3123C Hongo Japanese Politics in a Changing World Kenneth Mori MCELWAIN 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3131L Online Resource Management, Efficiency and Social Justice: Both Perspectives from Economics and Sociology Hiroe ISHIHARA 5 0.5 (Online) GUC26S3133C Field Trip Museums in Contemporary Japan Ayumi TERADA 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3141C Hongo Making Robots Expressive Gentiane VENTURE 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3151C Hongo Politics of Natural Resources and Environment: The "Resource Curse" and Beyond Naosuke MUKOYAMA 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3211C Hongo An Introduction to Quantum Biology Jonathan WOODWARD 10 1 (In-person) GUC26S3242C Hongo Law in Transnational East Asia Kentaro MATSUBARA 10 1 (In-person) Japanese Language Courses: Course Code Term Course Title Instructor Number of sessions (1session=90min) Global Units GUC26S014JL Term 0 Survival Japanese (Beginner Level) [Term0] Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education (GlobE) 5 0.5 (Online) GUC26S121JL Term 1 Level 2 Further Steps (Upper Elementary Level) Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education (GlobE) 5 0.5 (Online) GUC26S124JL Term 1 Level 1 Further Steps (Lower Elementary Level) Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education (GlobE) 5 0.5 (Online) GUC26S211JL Term 2 Level 5 Further Steps (Advanced Level) Ja…