IELTS, TOEFL and GRE Requirements for Japanese Universities

Dr. Jayanthy Ramakrishnan

06/11/2026

11 min read

Yes. Japanese universities accept IELTS and TOEFL for their English-taught degrees. On the official pages we read on 3 November 2026, the stated minimums mostly ran from IELTS Academic 6.0 to 7.0 and TOEFL iBT 79 to 100 on the old 0–120 scale (4.0 to 4.5 on the new 1–6 scale). The University of Tokyo’s new College of Design expects more than IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 80. Its Global Science Course asks for IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 80.

Not every university sets a number. Waseda’s School of International Liberal Studies, Keio’s PEARL programme, Kyoto University’s iUP and OIST all say they have no minimum score, but they still want a result. Universities also differ on at-home tests. Some accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Online, and others, including Waseda and Keio, refuse both.

This guide lists the minimums programme by programme, with the official page for each. It also covers which Japanese business schools ask for the GRE or GMAT, and the English test used in the MEXT scholarship. Every figure was read on the university’s own page or application guidelines on 3 November 2026. Guidelines change every year, so check the current version before you book a test.

Do Japanese universities accept IELTS and TOEFL?

Yes, for programmes taught in English. Study in Japan, the official guide run by JASSO, lists TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC and Eiken as proof of English. Its page on admission examinations says most Japanese universities ask for proof of English, and tells you to check with each university.

Programmes taught in Japanese are different. They usually rely on the EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) and the JLPT rather than an English test. The EJU has no English subject. Its science, mathematics and Japan and the World papers can be taken in English, but the test measures Japanese. Our guide to the Japanese you need for a master’s in Japan covers that side.

For Indian applicants this means one test result can open most English-taught programmes in Japan. The useful questions are which test, which score, and whether the university accepts the at-home version.

What IELTS and TOEFL scores do Japanese universities ask for?

The table gives the minimum each programme publishes. “No minimum” means the university says so in writing. TOEFL scores are shown on both scales where the university gives both.

Most of these programmes exempt applicants who studied in English for a set number of years. The rule varies: Tohoku asks for three of your last four school years in English, ICU for six continuous years, and Tokyo’s Global Science Course for eight years across school and university. A CBSE or ISC school that teaches in English may or may not count, so ask the admissions office before you skip the test. Keio PEARL exempts nobody.

Two well-known programmes have closed to new applicants. The University of Tokyo’s PEAK programme took its last students in autumn 2026, and the College of Design in the table is its successor. Tohoku University says admissions to the last intake of its Future Global Leadership programme have ended, and Gateway College replaces it in 2027. Older guides still quote scores for both.

What is the University of Tokyo IELTS and TOEFL requirement?

It depends on the programme, because the University of Tokyo has no single English requirement.

• College of Design (undergraduate, from September 2027): more than IELTS 6.0, or more than TOEFL iBT 80 (more than 4 for tests from 21 January 2026). It also takes Cambridge English, Duolingo and Eiken. The university calls these “expected scores” and says they are not cut-off scores.
• Global Science Course (transfer into the third year of a science degree): IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80 or TOEFL PBT 550. The score must be less than two years old.
• GraSPP public policy master’s: an IELTS or TOEFL score is required, with no minimum stated. The test must be taken after 1 December 2024.
• Graduate School of Medicine (doctoral): the 2027 notes name a TOEFL iBT score of 3.5 on the new scale (formerly 60). Applicants below it may still apply.

Each graduate school sets its own rule, so read the guidelines for your exact course before you choose a test. Our University of Tokyo admissions guide covers the programmes and routes for Indian students.

What do Kyoto, Waseda and Keio ask for?

Kyoto University. The iUP undergraduate programme sets no minimum, but its October 2027 guidelines say successful applicants typically score TOEFL iBT 90 (4.5 on the new scale) or IELTS 6.5. It accepts only TOEFL or IELTS. The Graduate School of Management’s i-MBA sets TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS Academic 7.0 as minimums. See our Kyoto University guide for the wider picture.

Waseda University. SILS publishes no minimum, but its 2027 guides do not accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online or IELTS Indicator. If you are applying from India, book a test centre. Our Waseda University guide covers its other English-taught schools.

Keio University. PEARL requires TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic from every applicant, native speakers included, and says there are no cut-off scores. It does not accept Home Edition or IELTS Online results, or MyBest scores.

Does the new TOEFL score scale change anything?

Yes, and it matters for Japanese applications. ETS says on its score guide that TOEFL iBT score reports have used a 1–6 scale, in half-point steps, since 21 January 2026. For a two-year transition you also receive a comparable score on the old 0–120 scale. Our post on TOEFL results explains how the new report reads.

Japanese universities have handled the change in two ways:

• Both scales: Tokyo’s College of Design, Kyoto iUP, Tohoku, Nagoya, ICU, Osaka HUS and Hokkaido MJSP give a 1–6 figure for tests taken after the change and a 0–120 figure for older tests.
• Old scale only: Tokyo’s Global Science Course, Kyoto’s i-MBA and Hitotsubashi ICS still quote 0–120 numbers. If you sat the test after 21 January 2026, use the comparable 0–120 score on your report and confirm with the office that it is acceptable.

The two scales do not line up the same way everywhere. For tests from 21 January 2026, Nagoya and Tohoku accept 4.0 where they accept 80 on the old scale. ICU and Hokkaido ask for 4.5 where the old minimum was 79. Osaka asks for 4.5 where it was 85. Read the number for the scale your test was scored on.

Which Japanese universities accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Online?

From the table, TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted by Tokyo’s College of Design and GraSPP, Kyoto iUP and i-MBA, Tohoku Gateway College, Nagoya G30, ICU and Hokkaido MJSP. Osaka HUS accepts the Special Home Edition with an extra interview. Waseda SILS and Keio PEARL accept neither Home Edition nor IELTS Online.

A test-centre score is accepted everywhere, so it is the safer choice if you are applying to several universities. Our IELTS preparation and TOEFL preparation pages cover both tests, and our guide to IELTS band scores explains how the IELTS overall is worked out.

Do Japanese MBA and master’s programmes need the GRE or GMAT?

A few do, and most treat it as optional or recommended. These are the positions stated on official pages on 3 November 2026:

So you can do an MBA in Japan without the GMAT. Hitotsubashi and Kyoto do not require it, and Waseda offers one track without it. But two of the three name target scores, and Kyoto scores a missing result as zero, so a good result still helps. Keio Business School’s MBA is taught in Japanese, and its application page does not mention the GMAT or GRE.

Our guide to business schools in Japan compares the programmes, and our GRE preparation page covers the test itself.

Do you need IELTS for the MEXT scholarship?

No. On the Embassy route from India, MEXT applicants sit the Embassy’s own written tests, and no IELTS or TOEFL score is required. The Embassy of Japan in India’s Research Student page does not mention IELTS or TOEFL. For the 2027 intake, applications closed on 15 May 2026 and the written exam was on 5 July 2026.

• Research students (master’s and PhD): the 2027 MEXT guidelines say all applicants take written tests in Japanese and English. The English test may be waived in countries where English is an official language. You may attach a test certificate if you have one, issued within two years of applying, but no minimum score is set.
• Undergraduate students: the 2027 undergraduate guidelines set written exams in Japanese, English and mathematics, plus physics, chemistry or biology for science applicants. The Embassy gives preference to candidates with Japanese.

An IELTS or TOEFL score still helps if you win the scholarship. The university you are placed at may ask for one for an English-taught course. Our MEXT scholarship application guide walks through the Embassy route step by step.

Which test should an Indian student take for Japan?

• If your list includes Waseda or Keio, take IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT at a test centre. Neither accepts the at-home versions.
• If you are aiming for an MBA, check the business school’s English minimum first. Hitotsubashi expects TOEFL iBT 100 or IELTS 7.0, and Kyoto’s i-MBA asks for TOEFL iBT 90 or IELTS 7.0. Those are higher than most undergraduate programmes ask.
• If a university quotes “no minimum”, treat the typical admitted score as the real bar. Kyoto iUP’s typical admitted scores are IELTS 6.5 and TOEFL 90.
• Watch the test date. Kyoto iUP wants a test taken after 1 November 2024, GraSPP after 1 December 2024, and Tohoku on or after 1 October 2025. ICU says its minimums rise from the 2028 admissions cycle; its linked notice gives IELTS 7.0 and TOEFL iBT 95 (5.0).

If you are still choosing between universities, our ICU admissions guide shows what one English-taught programme asks for beyond the test. For help with applications, scholarships and the test you need, talk to our Japan admissions team.