Science Tokyo Study Abroad Fair 2026 “Beyond Borders, Beyond Limits” Held at Taki Plaza

The Science Tokyo Study Abroad Fair 2026, “Beyond Borders, Beyond Limits,” was held at Taki Plaza on April 22, 2026. In addition to study abroad programs offered by Science Tokyo and external organizations, a student organization promoting study abroad and international exchange as well as many exchange students from partner universities around the world participated in the event.

Approximately 300 people attended the event, where many visitors enthusiastically consulted with program coordinators and students who had previously participated in the study abroad programs at each booth. It was particularly impressive to see many first-year students, who had only recently begun their studies at the Institute, lining up at the study abroad program booths they were interested in while looking through the Guide to Study Abroad brochure and brochures provided by partner universities.

When the venue opened at 12:30, many students who had received the brochures and the questionnaires at the reception on the first basement floor of Taki Plaza proceeded to the second basement floor. There, they used an online Study Abroad Program Matching Tooland consulted with members of FLAP, a student organization promoting study abroad, in order to find and explore potential study abroad program booths.

Short-term study abroad programs, which can be taken from two weeks and up to three months during the spring, summer, and winter vacations, were highly popular as a first step toward studying abroad. Among them, many first-year students lined up for the “Entrepreneurship Global Study Abroad Program”, the short-term programs including "TASTE (language program)", "seasonal programs offered by partner universities", "AYSEAS", and “Taiwan Tech 2TOP-CDPC Program”.

Booths for the “TAIST-Science Tokyo Student Exchange Program”, a research internship program at the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) in Thailand, and the “ASPIRE League/AEARU”, a short-term exchange program with top universities in Asia including Tsinghua University in China, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

At the booths for long-term study abroad programs lasting more than three months, many senior students were seen consulting with staff, hoping to further broaden their research after experiencing short-term study abroad programs.

These programs included:

・　the “International Exchange Program for the Engineering Schools”, a joint international exchange program for students in the School of Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, and School of Environment and Society.

・　the “Science Tokyo–MIT Student Exchange Program”, a study abroad program for fourth-year undergraduate students in specific departments (middle);

・　the “Student Exchange Program for the School of Materials and Chemical Technology”, a research study abroad program for graduate students in the School of Materials and Chemical Technology

・　the “International Exchange Program Under Tuition Waiver Agreement”, in which students study at partner universities for six months or one year.

In recent years, an increasing number of students have expressed interest in gaining internship experience overseas before beginning their careers. At the “Internships at EU Companies” booth, many students were seen receiving one-on-one consultations from program coordinators and students who had participated in internship programs in Europe. At the Study Abroad and Job Huntting booth, career advisors carefully responded to students’ concerns and questions regarding job hunting while studying abroad. At the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) booth, the members of a student organization supporting international students dispatched to Japan through IAESTE programs around the world introduced the program and their activities.

At each booth, students who had actually participated in the programs joined program coordinators in answering questions and speaking with visitors. From short-term and long-term study abroad programs to job hunting and overseas internships, visitors were able to consult directly with experienced students and program staff about their concerns and questions related to studying abroad. The event provided an opportunity for participants to set new goals toward realizing the study abroad experiences they envision at Science Tokyo.

“It was a lot of fun and very inspiring to talk with students who are interested in studying abroad.”
”I enjoyed talking with first-year students”.
 “I personally learned a great deal and gained invaluable experience through the study abroad program. Based on my own experience, I was very happy to share what the program was really like and the kinds of things you can only understand after actually participating — things that are difficult to convey through brochures and presentation materials alone. It was a truly rewarding experience, and I would be honored if I could help even one more student take the first step toward studying abroad.”

At this year’s Study Abroad Fair, FLAP, a student organization promoting study abroad, organized international exchange activities with the cooperation of exchange students currently studying at Science Tokyo. The exchange students introduced their home countries, universities, and what they enjoy about life in Japan, while also interacting through games and conversations. Comments from Science Tokyo students attending the event included: “It was very helpful to talk with exchange students from a European university that I am interested in studying abroad at. Studying abroad has become much more concrete and realistic for me.”

"I don't usually have many opportunities to interact with Japanese students, but through this event, I was glad to be able to talk with the about various topics."

"I was also able to meet Japanese students who are actually considering studyin abroad at my home university in the future. It was a great opportunity to introduce my university and country to them."

"Many Science Tokyo students visited the FLAP consulation booth, and FLAP members were able to directly provide advice and support. There was a large number of the first-year students in particular, and it was encouraging to see so many students interested in studying abroad. FLAP will continue its activities to futher support more students in pursuing study abroad opportunities."

Four information sessions were held in the workshop room on the second basement floor of Taki Plaza.

１.　Study Abroad Programs at Science Tokyo

Staff members from the Global Education Division explained how to explore the Study Abroad Fair and provided an overview of the various study abroad programs offered by Science Tokyo. Following this, coordinators from each program participating in the fair introduced the features of their respective study abroad programs.

2.　IELTS Seminar

At the “IELTS Seminar” offered by the Japan Study Abroad Foundation (JSAF), participants were given an overview of the IELTS exam, one of the essential English proficiency tests required for study abroad applications, as well as strategies for improving their scores. The students who attended the session were seen enthusiastically taking notes.

3.　Degree-Seeking Study Abroad

Following last year’s Study Abroad Fair, a session for degree-seeking study abroad was held again this year with Professor Hiraku Sakamoto from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the School of Engineering, who serves as a selection committee member for the scholarship programs of the Funai Foundation for Information Technology. This year, Mr. Yusuke Kubota, an alumnus of our university who is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Pennsylvania State University, also joined the session online. The session introduced not only Professor Sakamoto’s own experiences studying abroad, but also insights from Mr. Kubota, who shared his current experiences at Pennsylvania State University.

The session was highly interactive; rather than simply listening to the speakers, participants actively asked practical questions about applying to overseas graduate schools, the relationship between graduate study and their research fields, and career paths after graduation, including perspectives beyond obtaining a degree. The session reflected the participants’ strong enthusiasm for their future academic and professional goals.

Many students who experience study abroad during their time at Science Tokyo, whether through short-term or long-term programs, become interested in pursuing graduate studies or research opportunities overseas. However, we often hear that it is difficult to find sufficient information on the topic. For this reason, we organized this session.

Study abroad as a graduate student tends to be seen as something difficult and challenging. However, with sufficient preparation, students can overcome those challenges, and there is no doubt that valuable new experiences await them beyond that. We hope that studying at a graduate school overseas will become a natural option for students when considering their future paths.

４．Information Session for “Science Tokyo - Ecole des Ponts Paris Tech Dual Degree Program”

Science Tokyo offers three double degree programs through which students can earn degrees from partner universities. At this year’s Study Abroad Fair, Professor Nobuyuki Chijiwa from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering introduced the Science Tokyo – École des Ponts ParisTech Dual Degree Program, explaining its features, schedule, and application process.

In addition, a student who had recently returned from France this spring shared his experiences in the program and carefully answered numerous questions from attending students.

The Global Education Division will continue to promote the appeal of the study abroad programs offered by Institute of Science Tokyo and organize study abroad events on a variety of themes in order to support even more students in pursuing study abroad opportunities.

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