Double Degree Program
Last Updated: May 26, 2025
To provide the next generation with leading technological and international skills and enhance academic cooperation with top-class higher education institutions worldwide, Tohoku University offers three university-level Double Degree Programs for Master's course students. Furthermore, most of Tohoku University's graduate schools also offer departmental-level Master's/Doctoral Double Degree programs with overseas partners.
What is a Double Degree?
Double Degree (also known as "Dual Degree," "Combined Degree," "Simultaneous Degree," etc.) is an international joint education program carried out by two partner institutions located in different countries.
Its participants enrol as full-time students at both institutions (their home and host institutions) and study towards achieving two equivalent-level degrees. To be awarded a Double Degree, students must fulfil the requirements at both institutions.
Even though a Double-Degree Program is sometimes longer than a regular single-degree program, it takes students less time to complete it than to earn the degrees separately. In addition, in most cases, double-degree students only have to pay tuition fees at their home university. They are exempt from paying such costs to the overseas host institution.
Postgraduate-Level Double Degree Programs
Tohoku University offers three postgraduate-level Double Degree Programs with the following partner institutions:
- Ecoles Centrale Group: Lille, Centrale Lyon, Méditerranée, Nantes, Supélec; France
- INSA de Lyon, France
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Curriculum (Master)
| Partner University |
Ecole Centrale Group/INSA Lyon
|
KTH
|
|---|---|---|
| Available Graduate Schools at Tohoku |
Graduate School of Engineering Graduate School of Science Graduate School of Information Sciences Graduate School of Environmental Studies |
Graduate School of Engineering Graduate School of Agricultural Science Graduate School of Information Sciences Graduate School of Environmental Studies Graduate School of Life Sciences |
|
Completion Requirements |
*30 Tohoku University credits from coursework, research in a laboratory, and final thesis
|
|
| Degrees Awarded |
Master's
|
|
| Standard Study Period |
Two years (+ 6-month-long Japanese language course if required)
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| Language of Instruction |
English and Japanese
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| Japanese Language Program |
A 6-month-long Japanese language course (JLPK) is available before the start of the Master's course.
(Credits are not required.)
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|
* One Tohoku University credit is equivalent to 45 hours of study
Eligibility
Eligible students must have completed their undergraduate course. In addition, they will be enrolled or have been as full-time Master's course students at their home institution, majoring in one of the STEM fields.
Please confirm other eligibility requirements with the international office at your institution.
How to Apply
Each year, the information and application documents are sent to the international coordinators at our partner universities. Please refer to the Application Guidelines and the Schedule below.
Partner institutions set their schedules and deadlines for internal selection.
Application Schedule
| Partner University |
Ecole Centrale Group/INSA Lyon
|
KTH
|
|---|---|---|
| Application Period |
December 2025 to January 31st, 2026
|
June to September, 2025
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| Selection Results |
Around May 2025
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late December 2024
|
| Students come to Japan |
End of September, 2025
|
End of March, 2025
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Financial Support
Admitted students are exempt from paying tuition fees to Tohoku University. However, students must cover their expenses (such as housing, meals, and travel costs). Unfortunately, Tohoku University does not provide a scholarship for Double Degree Program participants. However, students may apply for the JASSO scholarship (please refer to the instructions below.) and fellowships from organizations like the Japanese Government (MEXT).
If you plan to apply for the MEXT scholarship with "Embassy Recommendation", please note that its application period differs from the Double Degree Program. Therefore, you may need to prepare your MEXT scholarship application well in advance.
JASSO Scholarship
| JASSO Scholarship | The application periods are in October and February. However, the JASSO Scholarship is available for a limited number of qualified international students, and it depends on whether Tohoku University can obtain it among the many domestic applicants, so you must consider applying for other scholarships. |
|---|---|
| Amount | JPY80,000 per month |
| Eligibility |
|
| Duties | JASSO Awardees must perform specific tasks, such as submitting reports and confirming attendance. If they do not perform those tasks by the deadlines, they might lose their eligibility for the scholarship. |
| Application Method | Submit the "Application Form for the JASSO Scholarship" (via Google form) with a copy of transcripts from the previous academic year (no less than two semesters). |
| Screening Results | Spring semester: Mid-March, Fall semester: Late August |
Housing
Double Master's Degree Program students from Ecole Centrale Group, INSA Lyon, and KTH are entitled to live in Tohoku University's student dormitory for the whole study period.
The students are fully responsible for paying housing fees. However, if the students decline the offer to stay at the dormitory, Tohoku University will not be held accountable for finding accommodation.
TU Support
The International Support Office facilitates a wide range of support for international students and researchers. For more information, please visit Tohoku University TU Support.
Arrival
Please refer to "Pre/After Arrival 2025 DD".
Contact
Student Exchange Division
41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8576 Japan
Contact us
Student Life: Living in Sendai, Career Paths (under renewal)
GONCALVES LEO TAISEI École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
WU ZONGLIN INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
HIRAO VERMARE LOUISE AYAKO INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
ALIA GALLET--PANDELLÉ INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Environmental Studies (GSES)
YE ZIHANG INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences (GSIS)
Anders Ågren Thuné KTH Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
PFLUMIO GILLES École centrale de Marseille Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
PAUL TRICOT École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
NEPPEL ELIAN École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
JOLIBOIS SIMON CHRISTOPHE École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
RACHIDI AMINE INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
DUMAY DYLAN CLAUDE HENRI École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
BLANCHARD CLARA ELIANE INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
GUERRAOUI CAMELIA KENZA INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
SULPICE LUCAS PIERRE GERARD École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
SECK JEAN CAMILLE BERNARD JEAN PAUL ALEXANDRE INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Information Sciences(GSIS)
RICHARD MAELLE MARION SOLENN INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Environmental Studies (GSES)
BOUTRON THOMAS PAUL INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
CHEN WEITI INSA de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
SIMARIK EVA LORELEI SASHA École centrale de Lyon Graduate School of Engineering
Other Double Degree Programs
Tohoku University's graduate schools also have postgraduate-level double Master's/Doctoral Degree Programs with partner institutions. Please contact the graduate schools below directly for more information.
■Graduate School of Arts and Letters
Cross-National Doctoral Course
■ Graduate School of Economics and Management
■ Graduate School of Dentistry
■ Graduate School of Engineering
■ Graduate School of Life Sciences
■ Graduate School of Environmental Studies