The University of Tokyo (UTokyo, or Todai for short) is set to launch the new College of Design (UTokyo Design) in September 2027, with applications expected to open in October 2026.
Because of Japan’s number-one university’s worldwide recognition, along with remarkably low tuition — ¥642,960 (approximately $4,000–$4,500 per year depending on the exchange rate, not including a one-time admission fee) — the program is expected to attract a strong pool of applicants from around the world.
“That’s not for me because I don’t want to study design.” You might be tempted to leave UTokyo Design off your college list based on its name alone. But what UTokyo envisions for this college may surprise you. UTokyo Design’s education is far more focused on solving social issues than on material or graphic design. Graduates will be equipped to tackle complex challenges across AI, climate change, and social systems — with flexibility and innovation.
It sounds similar to a liberal arts education in the US, where academic curiosity and critical thinking defy the ordinary boundaries between disciplines. What sets UTokyo Design apart from the liberal arts college model, however, is that it is a five-year program combining a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. By the master’s level, students move from broad interdisciplinary learning into a substantial individual project with direct real-world application.
This is not the first time UTokyo has offered an English-taught undergraduate program. PEAK (Programs in English at Komaba), housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, pioneered English-language study at UTokyo and quickly became a recognized target school among internationally competitive applicants. Over time, however, the program drew criticism: students reported that the English proficiency of some faculty made for an uneven academic experience, and that international students were not well integrated into the broader campus community. PEAK will stop admitting new students after its 2026 cohort, with UTokyo Design taking on an expanded version of its mission.
It remains to be seen how fully UTokyo has absorbed those lessons. What is clear is that UTokyo Design has made deliberate structural choices to address them: the core design faculty are being recruited internationally, many with graduate degrees from US and UK institutions, and the first-year dormitory requirement is designed to build exactly the kind of cohesive community that PEAK was criticized for lacking.
For students who want to combine the breadth of a liberal arts education with a master’s degree and hands-on, real-world experience — all in English, at one of the world’s most recognizable universities, and at a fraction of the cost of a comparable US program — UTokyo Design is worth serious consideration. Stay tuned for a follow-up article on what the admissions process actually looks like and how to prepare.