Most scholarships fund a degree. This one funds a journey. The Gotoh Tokyu Group Scholarship at Tokyo City University covers the complete academic pathway from Master’s to PhD. Up to five years of fully funded study at a private research university in Tokyo, Japan. Tuition waived. Annual stipend included. Campus accommodation provided from day one.
For international students aiming at doctoral research in engineering, environmental science, or information studies, this is one of the more complete private scholarship packages available in Japan right now.
The deadline is September 25, 2026. But there’s a step most applicants miss — and if you miss it, the application closes before it starts.
Gotoh Tokyu Group Scholarship Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Gotoh Tokyu Group Scholarship |
| University | Tokyo City University (TCU), Tokyo, Japan |
| Degree Level | Master’s and PhD |
| Duration | Up to 5 years |
| Coverage | Fully Funded |
| Eligible Nationalities | All international students |
| Deadline | 25 September 2026 |
What the Scholarship Actually Covers
The funding package has three components. Each one matters.
Annual stipend of ¥1,000,000. Paid once in Japan, this covers living expenses throughout the academic year. At current exchange rates, that’s a meaningful amount for student life in Tokyo — though Japan’s capital is not a cheap city, and budgeting carefully will matter.
Full tuition waiver. Entrance fees and tuition fees are covered entirely for the duration of the scholarship. One important detail the fine print contains: the application fee is not waived. Budget for that separately before you start the process.
Campus accommodation. TCU arranges dorm placement for scholarship recipients and covers the first and ongoing rent. Utilities, cleaning, and potential repair costs remain the student’s responsibility.
The Five-Year Pathway
This isn’t structured as a one-time Master’s award with a separate PhD application afterward.
The Gotoh Tokyu Group Scholarship is designed as a multi-year assistance system covering the standard Master’s enrollment period followed by doctoral study at TCU. The maximum duration is five years — reflecting a typical two-year Master’s program followed by a three-year PhD.
For students who know they want to pursue doctoral research, that continuity matters. There’s no funding gap between degrees, no separate competition to re-enter, no uncertainty about whether PhD support will materialize after Master’s completion.
The scholarship funds the arc, not just the starting point.
Available Programs
The scholarship applies to two graduate schools at Tokyo City University:
- Integrative Science and Engineering Graduate School
- Environmental and Information Studies Graduate School
Both schools focus on research-intensive study. TCU’s strengths sit in engineering, environmental science, and information technology — fields with growing global demand and strong research infrastructure in Japan.
Students applying outside these two graduate schools are not eligible for this scholarship. Check that your intended field of study maps onto one of these programs before beginning the application process.
Who Qualifies — The Requirements Are Specific
The eligibility criteria here are more selective than most scholarship programs state upfront. Read these carefully.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Have completed 16 years of prior schooling
- Have completed their bachelor’s degree within the last two years
- Rank in the top 10% of their university in both academic performance and institutional ranking within their country
- Hold a letter of recommendation from their university president
- Not currently be receiving any other scholarship
- Be willing to enroll in TCU’s Master’s and doctoral programs
Two of these deserve particular attention.
The top 10% requirement is not a soft guideline. It refers to academic standing relative to your institution nationally — meaning your university itself needs to be among the stronger institutions in your country, and your performance within it must place you at the top. This is a dual filter.
The university president’s recommendation letter is also genuinely required, not optional. Obtaining this takes time and institutional coordination. Factor this into your timeline well before the September deadline.
Students currently receiving another scholarship are not eligible. This applies at the time of application.
The Step Most Applicants Miss
Here is where many applications fail before they formally begin.
You cannot submit a scholarship application directly to TCU. The process requires a prior consultation step first.
The correct sequence:
- Complete a Prior Consultation Form (Forms B and D), indicating your preferred field of study
- Submit this to TCU, who will assist in identifying a potential supervisor
- Receive supervisor approval
- Only after supervisor approval can you proceed with the formal scholarship application
An application submitted without supervisor approval will not move forward. This preliminary step exists because the scholarship is tied to active research supervision — TCU needs to confirm that a faculty member can support your proposed work before committing scholarship funding.
Start this process as early as possible. September 25 is the final deadline, but supervisor matching takes time, and faculty members have limited availability in the weeks leading up to major admission deadlines.
Before You Apply — Practical Checklist
Given the multi-step nature of this application, preparation needs to start earlier than the deadline suggests.
Start immediately:
- Confirm your field aligns with TCU’s two eligible graduate schools
- Download and complete Prior Consultation Forms B and D
- Submit to TCU to begin supervisor matching
Prepare in parallel:
- Request the university president’s recommendation letter (allow several weeks)
- Gather academic transcripts proving top 10% standing
- Confirm you have not received and will not receive another scholarship concurrently
- Verify your bachelor’s degree falls within the two-year completion window
- Set aside funds for the application fee (not covered by the scholarship)
Before the September 25 deadline:
- Complete the formal scholarship application only after supervisor approval is confirmed
- Review all submission requirements on the official TCU portal