日本大学校历：需要注意的事项

April–March: The Standard Academic Year

Nearly all universities welcome new students in early April and hold graduation in late March the following year. Almost all universities, public or private, start in April and finish in March, so you can assume this schedule. The entrance ceremony is held when the cherry blossoms are at their best, and students are captivated by the view.

Breaks, Semesters, and Exams

The calendar splits into a Spring Semester (April – late July), a Summer Vacation (early August – mid-September), a Fall Semester (late September/early October – late January), and a short Winter Break over New Year’s. Final exams cluster in late July and late January, after which students enjoy a long Spring Vacation from February to March. 

Making the Most of the Long Vacations

During the long summer and spring breaks, students spend their time in their own ways.

• Club Activities (Circles): Summer camps and off-campus tournaments strengthen team bonds.
• Internships: August–September and February–March are peak seasons when companies actively accept interns.
• Research & Thesis Work: Graduate students and seniors use the breaks to run experiments or draft theses without classroom pressure.
• Returning Home: Many international students take advantage of the long vacations to visit family or join short language programs abroad.

In short, how you spend these breaks—whether polishing Japanese, interning, or heading home—can shape your entire university experience. Please see the following academic-calendar pages for UTokyo, Waseda和 Keio for your reference.

September Entry: A Growing Alternative

To attract more international talent, a handful of programs now open a September (or October) intake. The University of Tokyo’s all-English PEAK program, for instance, runs an October–July academic year and accepts applications the previous November–December. Certain faculties at Keio and other private universities offer similar autumn starts, though April admission still dominates nationwide.