How to Pass the Master’s Entrance Exam at University of Tsukuba – Applied Physics

Sitting a Japanese university entrance exam sounds intimidating — especially when you don’t know what format to expect. I was in that exact position: no idea what was coming, flew to Japan on modest preparation, and walked into the exam hall hoping for the best.

Turns out? It wasn’t as scary as I imagined.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Master’s entrance exam for Applied Physics at University of Tsukuba — the exam structure, subject selection strategy, and the moment I walked into a room with 20 professors waiting for me.

Exam Structure: 1000 Points Total

The exam is divided into three components:

Good news: there’s no separate English test on exam day. The 200-point English score comes directly from the certificate you submitted during application. So if your TOEIC/TOEFL/IELTS already meets the threshold, you walk in with 200 points already secured.

Part 1 — Written Exam (500 Points)

Subject Categories

There are 6 subject categories split into two groups:

Basic:

• Mathematics
• Mechanics
• Electromagnetism

Advanced:

• Quantum Mechanics
• Optics
• Semiconductors

Selection Rules

You must answer 4 out of 6 categories, with these conditions:

• ✅ Mathematics is mandatory
• ✅ Choose any 3 others, but at least one must be Mechanics or Electromagnetism

This gives you flexibility — pick based on your strengths.

My Strategy & Experience

My choices on exam day:

1. Mathematics (mandatory)
2. Mechanics
3. Electromagnetism
4. Quantum Mechanics

I had originally planned to choose Optics as my fourth subject. But when I saw the actual Optics questions during the exam, I immediately knew it wasn’t the right call. I switched to Quantum Mechanics — and fortunately, the questions were similar to material I’d covered in undergraduate quantum physics.

Tip from this experience: Don’t lock yourself into a plan before seeing the actual questions. Spend 2–3 minutes quickly scanning all categories before you start — then pick what you’re most confident in at that moment.

For Mathematics, topics vary from year to year with no fixed pattern. The best you can do is review whatever areas you feel weakest in well ahead of the exam.

Part 2 — English Proficiency (200 Points)

No exam on the day — just your submitted certificate.

To get the full 200 points:

Score above these thresholds and your English component is automatically maxed out.

I took TOEIC for the first time in 2019 with about two weeks of preparation and scored 940/990 — enough for the full 200 points. Full story in the previous article.

Part 3 — Interview (300 Points)

This was the part I was most nervous about — and the one that surprised me most.

What to Expect

The interview is very short — usually under 5 minutes including self-introduction. My read on it: by the time the interview starts, the university already has a fairly clear picture of whether you’ll be accepted, based on your written exam and English scores. The interview is more of a final confirmation that you’re ready to be admitted.

So: stay calm.

Questions Asked

Based on my experience, the questions were straightforward:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Have you already identified a potential supervisor? Who?
3. Who will be covering your tuition and living expenses?

No technical research questions. No surprise physics problems. Just a conversation.

The Part Nobody Warned Me About: 20 Professors

I walked in expecting 3–5 interviewers.

What I found was approximately 20 professors seated in a row, all looking at me.

First reaction: genuine shock. But I took a breath, kept smiling, and sat down where the host directed me.

The process was actually smooth:

• First question: Self-introduction — name, exam number, country of origin, brief academic background
• Second question: Supervisor — since I’d already contacted my potential supervisor beforehand, I named them immediately, and they raised their hand confirming we’d been in touch
• Third question: Funding — I explained that if accepted, NIMS-GRA would cover my costs; if not, I would withdraw

Done. Around 3 minutes total.

Takeaway: More Manageable Than You Think

If you’ve prepared well — especially getting your English certificate sorted early and choosing exam subjects strategically — the Master’s entrance exam at University of Tsukuba is far more manageable than it sounds.

Three things to walk in with:

1. English score already above threshold — that’s 200 free points
2. Calm mindset for the interview — they just want to confirm you’re ready
3. Flexibility in subject selection — scan all questions before committing

Questions? Feel free to contact me.