Frequently Asked Questions

Only students enrolled in a master’s program are eligible to apply.

Master’s students are allowed to register in ToTAL. You may take ToTAL courses (except for some courses such as the Off-campus Project) without registering in ToTAL.

The curriculum is designed so that students can acquire the fundamentals of leadership by earning 5 credits in addition to the core courses (Fundamentals of Leadership and Group Work I) during the master’s program (7 credits in total).
Even if you decide not to enter the doctoral program at that stage, you can still acquire the essence of leadership skills, so we encourage you to register. Please note that ToTAL will issue a “Certificate of Leadership Focus” to students who meet the above criteria at the master’s completion stage.

Yes, you can. Even if you do not register for ToTAL, you can still attend out classes. Many of the classes can also be used as Career Development Courses. Check the separate page for courses eligible for Career Development Courses.

Completion of the ToTAL program will be stated on your PhD diploma. (It is not a double degree program.)

In ToTAL, there are many opportunities for students to listen to each other’s ideas and values and to present their own ideas about leadership. You can use these opportunities to gradually develop a deeper understanding of what leadership means to you.

Yes! Please attend the briefing sessions every semester. For personal consultation, please check Office hours.

(under development)

It is possible. You can take a class first, and if you feel it is right for you, you can consider registering for the next semester.
Many of the classes can also be used as Career Development Courses. Check the separate page for courses eligible for Career Development Courses.

Our classes are designed to help all students participate in group discussions, even if they are unfamiliar with group work. We use tasks and questions to structure the discussions and organize groups to create a supportive environment. You can gradually become more comfortable with human relations and group work through this approach.

In group work classes, discussions are conducted in both Japanese and English, depending on the composition of the participants. English is a second language for most students, including international students. It is safe to assume that no one speaks perfect English.

ToTAL courses are “major courses” (with some exceptions). They can be recognized as “major courses outside the standard curriculum” and counted toward the completion requirements of Graduate Majors. However, Cultural Skills Courses (Graduate Seminar in Liberal Arts – TAL.L442 and Mindfulness for Leadership – TAL.L443) cannot be included in the course completion requirements.

In addition, some courses can be selected either as “major courses outside the standard curriculum” or “Career Development Courses” or “Entrepreneurship Courses”. You can see details here.

Please check the study guide or the table on the “Study Guide & Curriculum” page. If you count a subject as an entrepreneurship course, that course cannot be double-counted as the “major courses outside the standard curriculum” and vice versa.

Yes, even if a ToTAL course is identified as a Career Development Course in the course, it can still be counted for the ToTAL completion requirements.

This depends on each scholarship’s regulations, so please contact the scholarship office you are considering and/or the ToTAL office for further information. JSPS Research Fellowship recipients and recipients of the “Cross the Boarder! Tokyo Tech Pioneering Research Project”  can use the tuition fee waiver by ToTAL.

Tuition waivers processed by ToTAL are only available up to the standard year of study (3 years of PhD course). If you postpone completion of the program, you will not be eligible and will not receive a waiver. If you will likely postpone your program completion, please prepare for financial means to support yourself for that period of time. Faculty members will be happy to talk with you about your case and organize measures together, so please contact us individually.

No. Although students cannot receive a tuition waiver for the portion of tuition that exceeds the standard completion period (after 3 years of doctoral course), they will not be required to return the tuition that has already been waived.

Past reports can be found here.

The following expenses are covered. Students enrolled in the course must submit an estimate of the costs and the basis for calculation to the office at the time of application. The faculty will check and approve the amount of money. There are a variety of cases, so please consult the ToTAL office when you have any questions.

• Travel expenses to and from the destination
• Accomodation expenses
• Subsidies for living expenses
• Insurance (mandatory one only)
• Vaccination costs (mandatory and recommended ones only)
• Visa application fees
• Facility use fees and other expenses necessary to implement the training
• Loca transportation expenses (not applicable for training sites near Tokyo)

If your stay is longer than three months, ToTAL will support your round-trip travel and accommodation costs for 3 months. The remaining days of your stay should be paid for by other means. Scholarships for study abroad and other programs offered by Tokyo Tech are available in various cases, so please consult with faculty members individually.

You can complete an Off-Campus Project after the standard term of study has passed, as long as you are still enrolled at the University and eligible to take courses. You will receive financial support for the travel. However, if you withdraw from the University, you will not be able to participate in the Off-Campus Project because you will not be able to take courses.

You may take the ToTAL final assessment in the semester in which your application for degree defense has been submitted. If you need to defer the completion of your doctoral program, you also need to postpone the ToTAL final assessment. Please apply for the assessment when you apply for the completion of the doctoral program.

You may take the ToTAL final assessment in the semester in which you apply for your degree defense. If you do not apply for a degree after withdrawing from school, you will not be eligible to take the ToTAL final assessment. If you apply for a degree, the ToTAL final assessment will be scheduled to coincide with the timing of your degree defense. Please be sure to contact the ToTAL office when you know when you plan to apply.