Long-term Study System Overview
The long-term study system allows the systematic study of curricula for periods thatexceed the standard enrollment terms—i.e., two years to complete a master’s degree andthree years to finish a doctoral degree—due to circumstances related to such things as
employment, childbirth, childcare, or nursing care. When long-term study is authorized,
the tuition from the day the long-term study system begins is the total amount of tuition tobe paid for the standard length of time to complete studies, calculated in installments overthe duration of the extended enrollment period.
Here is how this graduate school handles the long-term study system.
1. Duration of enrollment for extended studies
Units of one year are used for the duration of enrollment for periods of study thatexceed standard enrollment terms. The maximum number of one-year terms that students
can stay enrolled is four for master’s degree programs and six for doctoral degree
programs. In other words, three or four years from the date of admission for a master’sdegree program and four, five or six years from the date of admission for a doctoraldegree program. Enrollment terms do not include periods of temporary leaves of absence.
In addition, the maximum applicable enrollment term remains unchanged even in the caseof long-term studies. Note that after long-term study has been authorized, the duration canbe shortened only once.
2. Application criteria
Students eligible to apply for long-term study include those who are newly enrolled—
including those entering from an undergraduate program—in this graduate school, or areenrolled in this graduate school and whose enrollment term (not including time taken off)has been, as a rule, under one year for master’s degree programs and fewer than twoyears for doctoral degree programs and will have difficulty completing studies within thestandard length of time because any of the following apply:(1) Their occupational commitments(2) Childbirth, childcare, or nursing care needs(3) Other reasons the graduate school deems appropriate
3. Long-term studies tuition
The method for calculating tuition for the long-term study system is shown in theattachment. Basically, the per-semester installments are derived by dividing the tuition
amount for the standard number of years by the number of years required for extended
studies. Note that when a student is enrolled without completing a program even after thelong-term study period has finished, tuition reverts to the usual amount.

4. Application period(1) Students newly enrolling in this graduate school who wish to use this system should
apply the application procedures by the date the graduate school specifies.
(2) Students whose enrollment period (not including time taken off) has been as a rule
under one year for a master’s degree program and fewer than two years for a doctoral
degree program that wish to take advantage of this system should apply the application
procedures at least two months before the month the academic year ends. (This meansby the last day of February for students admitted in April and the last day of August for
students admitted in October.)Note: Please be aware that you will be ineligible for this system if you fail to apply during
the periods specified above.
5. Application documents(1) Long-term study application (form 1)(2) Self-addressed envelope no smaller than 120 X 235 mm (nagasan 長 3 in Japan) for
the notification regarding permission(3) Other documentation deemed necessary to verify the reasons for applying
Examples: Employment certificate if you are working; a copy of your Maternal and Child
Health Handbook (Boshi-Techo in Japanese) in the case of childbirth or childcare.
6. Application method
Submit the long-term study application (form 1) to your current or prospective faculty
advisor in advance to have them sign/stamp it in the designated space and submit ittogether with the application documents to the location provided below.
7. Where to submit your application
Academic Affairs Office of Urban Environmental Sciences (second floor of Building No. 9)
Please submit these documents together with your application forms for this graduate
school if applying at the time of admission.
8. Permission (or denial)
You will be notified about whether you have been accepted into the long-term study
system after a review of your employment, childbirth, childcare, or nursing care situationand your study plans at the departmental conferences, Graduate School Admissions
Committee and/or Academic Affairs Committee conferences, and then faculty heads’
reviews.

9. Changing the duration of long-term study(1) If you were granted permission for long-term study at the time you enrolled but would
like to shorten the duration of your program, submit form 2 by a separately specified date.
However, please remember that you can only shorten the duration of long-term study
once, and the minimum duration allowed is the standard amount of time to complete
studies (i.e., two years for a master’s degree program and three years for a doctoral
degree program). Additionally, you cannot apply for a degree and curtailment during thesame academic year.
(2) Students who gain permission for long-term study after admission (while enrolled) canshorten the duration by a one-year increment to the length of the standard amount of timerequired to complete studies, one time only. The duration of long-term study cannot beextended.
10. Other
Long-term study students should be aware that permission for long-term study will berevoked if they are found to have engaged in conduct that violates their responsibilities as
students or have applied for long-term study fraudulently.
For more information:
Academic Affairs Office of Urban Environmental Sciences
Tokyo Metropolitan University
1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397
042-677-2694 (direct line)