Peer Study Abroad Advisors

About Peer Study Abroad Advisors

The Study Abroad Advising Program is a service where students can consult regarding short-term overseas programs and exchange programs offered by the University of Tokyo. All advisors are former exchange students, and many have also participated in short-term overseas programs.

Whether you are vaguely considering studying abroad, struggling to choose a destination or timing, looking for study tips for language proficiency exams, or simply want to know more about a specific university, our advisors are here to provide detailed and helpful guidance.

Note: For inquiries regarding program applications, scholarship information, or other administrative procedures, please inquire directly at the International Student Section.

Advising Sessions during the Semesters

Study Abroad Advising

Our advising sessions are available on weekdays during the semester, both in person and online. Advisors’ schedules are updated each semester, and last-minute changes may also occur. Please check our X (formerly Twitter)（＠gokomabaryugaku） account before visiting.

In-person: In front of the Globalization Office, 21 KOMCEE WEST B1.
Online: Please join via this [Zoom Link].

Note: You must sign in to Zoom with your university account (g.ecc) . You are welcome to keep your camera ON or OFF.

Language Speaking Practice

In addition to study abroad advising, advisors are available for speaking practice in various languages during their shifts. You may bring your own materials or ask the advisor to provide some. Please consult with the advisor on duty.

No reservation is required for either study abroad advising or speaking practice. We look forward to seeing you!

Timetable

Advising for the 2026 A Semester began on October 9.

2026A Semester Timetable
月 Mon) 12:00～13:00	【In-person】Sakai, Hara 【Online】Sato
月 Mon) 13:00～14:00	【In-person】Sakai, Akita 【Online】Sato
月 Mon) 14:00～15:00	【In-person】Akita 【Online】Yamamoto
火 Tue) 12:00～13:00	【Online】Eriguchi, Okida
火 Tue) 13:00～14:00	【In-person】Itabashi, Nakayama
火 Tue) 14:00～15:00	【In-person】Itabashi, Nakayama
水 Wed) 12:00～13:00	【In-person】Koizumi 【Online】Urai, Okida
水 Wed) 13:00～14:00	【In-person】Shintaku 【Online】Omori, Yamashita
水 Wed) 14:00～15:00	【In-person】Shintaku 【Online】Yamashita
木 Thu) 12:00～13:00	【In-person】Koizumi, Hara 【Online】Urai
木 Thu) 13:00～14:00	【In-person】Hu 【Online】Eriguchi
木 Thu) 14:00～15:00	【In-person】Hu 【Online】Omori
金 Fri) 12:00～13:00	【In-person】Sugimoto, Wang, Yamamoto
金 Fri) 13:00～14:00	【In-person】Sugimoto, Wang
金 Fri) 14:00～15:00	N/A

Advisors	Studied in	Programs
新宅悠生 Yui Shintaku	シンガポール国立大学/Singapore NUS/Singapore	KOMSTEP
江里口愛那 Aina Eriguchi	ウプサラ大学/スウェーデン Uppsala University/Sweden	USTEP
沖田侑子 Yuko Okida	グラスゴー大学/英国 Glasgow University/UK	USTEP
佐藤栄介 Eisuke Sato	マンチェスター大学/英国 University of Manchester/UK	USTEP
中山恭吾 Kyogo Nakayama	ブリティッシュ・コロンビア大学/カナダ UBC/Canada	USTEP
山下暁子 Satoko Yamashita	ソウル大学校/韓国 Seoul National University/Republic of Korea	USTEP
板橋京香 Kyoka Itabashi	ユストゥス・リービッヒ大学ギーセン/ドイツ Justus-Liebig-University Giessen/Germany	KOMSTEP
小泉祥太郎 Shotaro Koizumi	ケルン大学/ドイツ University of Cologne/Germany	USTEP
王韻揚 Yunyang Wang	ジュネーブ大学/スイス University of Geneva/Switzerland	USTEP
浦井萌香 Moeka Urai	ストックホルム大学/スウェーデン Stockholm University/Sweden	USTEP
秋田倫太朗 Rintaro Akita	ダラム大学/英国 Durham University/UK	USTEP
酒井基寛 Motohiro Sakai	ニューサウスウェールズ大学/オーストラリア UNSW/Australia	USTEP
大森菜月 Natsuki Omori	ノースウェスタン大学/米国 Northwestern University/USA	USTEP
原泰也 Hara Taiya	ケルン大学/ドイツ University of Cologne/Germany	USTEP
杉本証 Sho Sugimoto	スイス連邦工科大学チューリッヒ校/スイス ETH Zurich/Switzerland	USTEP
山本橋介 Kyosuke Yamamoto	イリノイ大学アーバナ・シャンペーン校/米国 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign/USA	USTEP
胡睿 Rui Hu	ベルリン自由大学/ドイツ Free University of Berlin/Germany	USTEP

We have a X(Twitter) account (@gokomabaryugaku) and Instagram account ( @gokomabaryugaku)
Schedule is subject to change. Please refer to our X for the schedule of the day.

Information on studying abroad from advisors

This site is made by the advisors to provide useful information and FAQs about things to prepare before studying abroad.
NOTE：Please login with your school ECCS account.

Advisor Profiles

Asia

Yui Shintaku
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
National University of Singapore
Singapore

Hello everyone! I’m Yui, a Life Sciences major student at the Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo. I’m thinking of my career in academia right now and that’s why I studied as exchange at National University of Singapore(NUS) from Aug 2024 to May 2025, and worked as research internship student at the University of Lausanne(Unil), Switzerland for 2 months after the exchange. My interest is in plant science and I had opportunity to work on various projects at both NUS and Unil, and I’m happy to share my experiences and provide information regarding research environment there and studying abroad as a science major. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have, I am looking forward to talking with you!

Satoko Yamashita
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Seoul National University
Republic of Korea

Hello! My name is Satoko Yamashita, and I am a student in the Department of Area Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. From 2024 to 2025, I studied abroad for one year at Seoul National University in South Korea through the USTEP program. As I specialize in Asian area studies—particularly the modern history of Korea—I was affiliated with the Department of History at Seoul National University, where I took various classes. Through this study abroad experience, I was able to broaden both my network and my perspective, and I gained insights into aspects of Korea that cannot be understood from the outside. It was truly an invaluable experience. Whether you are interested in Korea or not, please feel free to come and talk with us!

Europe

Yuko Okida
International Public Policy
University of Glasgow
UK

Hello, my name is Yuko Okida. I am an international public policy 1st-year student in Graduate School of Public Policy. I’ve been to the University of Glasgow in Scotland for a year. It was really precious experience that I could stay in Scotland and breathe the atmosphere of freedom and diversity, having gotten out from Japanese standards, which tend to demand cultural homogeneity and uniformity. On the other hand, I have struggled with my disastrous problems in terms of not only academic problems but also culture shocks, etc... I developed my humanity by tackling these problems.
I hope to encourage your interest in international exchange as much as possible, staying close to your feelings! Please feel free to visit us.

Eisuke Sato
Faculty of Law
University of Manchester
UK

Hi! I’m Eisuke Sato, majoring in politics in the Faculty of Law. From September 2024 to June 2025, I studied at the University of Manchester through USTEP. British and European politics and environmental policy was the area I concentrated on. Discussions and essays helped me explore a variety of perspectives quite different from those in Japan. Outside the classroom, I visited 31 countries across Europe (Eastern Europe is especially underrated — highly recommended!). Whether you’re interested in studying abroad or not quite sure yet, feel free to come and chat!

Rintaro Akita
Faculty of Law
Durham University
UK

Hi! I’m Rintaro Akita, a fourth-year student studying Law and Politics. I spent nearly a year at Durham University as an exchange student. Durham is a historic city located in the northeast of England, and it offers a vibrant student life in a calm, peaceful environment. Fortunately, USTEP students can join colleges just like freshers, so it’s easy to make friends and there are plenty of college events. I took courses in British politics and European history. Also, I joined the university’s cycling club, a college football team, and a hiking society. Every day was exciting and fulfilling, and it was an experience I will never forget. If you’re interested in studying abroad, feel free to reach out!

Aina Eriguchi
Graduate school of Education
Uppsala University
Sweden

Hello, I used the University-wide Student Exchange Program to study at Uppsala University in Sweden from September 2023 to June 2024. My major is education. During my stay in Sweden, I conducted fieldwork related to my research, but I also joined a student orchestra and student organizations, valuing connections with diverse people. There are many motivations for studying abroad, but I believe there are also worries and concerns. If you have any questions and such about studying abroad, I would love for you to stop by and share them. Let's think about it together!

Moeka Urai
Faculty of Economics
Stockholm University
Sweden

I’m Moeka Urai, a third year student in economics. I studied at Stockholm University in Sweden for half a year using USTEP. I took classes about social welfare with students in their master’s degrees or have been working in that field, while it wasn’t my major. If you are interested in studying abroad where English is not the first language, life in Scandinavia, or cold weather, feel free to talk to me!

Kyoka Itabashi
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Justus-Liebig University Giessen
Germany

Hello ! I’m Kyoka Itabashi, majoring in German modern history at the Department of Cultural Studies, Faculty of Sciences and Arts at U-Tokyo.
I studied in Giessen (a university town just north of Frankfurt) in Germany for about a year in 2025 through KOMSTEP! Studying abroad is a great opportunity to fully immerse yourself in what you love, in a completely different cultural and academic environment. While Giessen may not be one of the most famous cities in Germany, it has a warm, student-friendly atmosphere and is very affordable, making it a comfortable place to live. At the same time, it offers easy access to major cities like Frankfurt, which makes it even more appealing.
University Giessen also offers not only “classic” fields like sociology and literature, but also courses in areas such as music and theater, which are not always easily accessible at the University of Tokyo. If you are interested in studying abroad, why not consider Germany—and Giessen in particular?

Shotaro Koizumi
Faculty of Arts and Sciences (PEAK)
University of Cologne
Germany

Hello, I’m Shotaro Koizumi, and I’m a third year student from PEAK, Japan in East Asia. The city you see behind me is Cologne, where I studied during the 2025 A semester in the USTEP programme. My main interests are in philosophy and European history. Germany of course, was a perfect destination to experience both! I also grew up in New Zealand, so please feel free to ask me about it as well!

Taiya Hara
Faculty of Art and Science・Department of Language and Information Sciences
University of Cologne
Germany

Hi I’m Taiya, a third year bachelor’s student in the faculty of Art and Science. My major is general linguistics. I studied abroad at the University of Cologne in Germany for one year. Germany is a country which is systematically very kind to students, so I can definitely recommend Germany as a place to study abroad. Programs of USTEP or other foreign programs are complicated, and it might be difficult to do its procedure by yourself, so we always welcome you and can happily help you.

Rui Hu
Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology
Freie Universität Berlin
Germany

Hi! My name is Rui Hu (you can call me Rui). I spent one year on exchange at Freie Universität Berlin through USTEP.
Berlin is a city that feels “opposite” to Tokyo in many ways—for example, in the tidiness level of its streets, the distance between people, everyday lifestyles and aesthetics, and, most importantly, its cultural diversity. Adjusting to a new place like Berlin was not easy, but looking back, I feel that my time there along with the connections I built both on and off campus has given me many new perspectives on my studies and my future life. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I believe I’ll be inspired and enriched by it for a very long time.
If you are still hesitating about studying abroad, come and talk to us! I also did my exchange as a PhD student and an international student in Japan. If you are a master’s or PhD student, or if you have concerns about visa procedures, I may be able to offer some advice based on my own experience.

Yunyang Wang
Faculty of Art and Science・Studies of Culture and Representation
University of Geneva
Switzerland

Hi, my name is Yunyang and people usually call me Violet. I am a third year student majoring in studies of culture and representation. Last year, I was on the USTEP program and conducted a year of academic exchange at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Geneva is a very international city, with headquarters of the UN and over 60% of immigrants or foreign citizens. During my exchange program, besides studying inside the university, I took advantage of the city, completed an internship in an international human rights NGO, and travelled around in many European cities. So please feel free to talk to me if you are interested in studying abroad!

Sho Sugimoto
Graduate School of Information Science and Technology
ETH Zurich
Switzerland

Hello! My name is Sho Sugimoto, and I am a first-year master’s student in the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology. I studied abroad at ETH Zurich for about a year. While there, I took courses, participated in hackathons, and conducted research. I was also fortunate to receive a scholarship from the Tobitate Young Ambassador Program, which made it possible for me to study abroad. Please feel free to ask me anything about studying abroad, including costs, scholarships, life in Switzerland, coursework, and research!

North America

Kyogo Nakayama
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
University of British Columbia
Canada

Member of the Study Abroad Student Advisers, Kyogo here! I am a third-year student in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, studying international relations and molecular biology. From August 2024 to May 2025, I studied at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver through USTEP. There, I took courses in international law and actively participated in Model UN activities.Having visited UBC when I was a junior high school student, I had always wanted to study there again.
Honestly, one of my biggest motivations to learn English has been Pokémon. Through Pokémon GO, I made many friends from all over the world.Through these experiences, I came to realize the power of Pokémon—not just as a game, but as a bridge that connects people across cultures. In fact, Pokémon even influenced my choice of major…

Natsuki Omori
Faculty of Law
Northwestern University
USA

Hi everyone! I'm Natsuki. I'm a third-year student in the Faculty of Law. I studied at Northwestern University in the United States for one year. It was definitely one of the best experiences of my life, and I am truly grateful that I decided to study abroad. So, I would like to help others start their own journeys, clear up their concerns beforehand, and make the most of their experiences! Also, I was a second-year student when I went to the States, and I came back as a third-year, which means I haven’t repeated a year (yet). If you are interested in doing this, I’m more than happy to share my experience!!

Kyosuke Yamamoto
Faculty of Arts and Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
USA

Hi, I’m Kyosuke, and a senior student in the Faculty of Arts and Science. I was studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for two semesters. At the University of Illinois, I took classes and had many experiences that are unique to studying abroad, such as interacting with local and international students, playing sports, and traveling.
Since I studied abroad during my senior year, I may be able to offer helpful advice to those considering studying abroad in the fourth year. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions! I’m also happy to answer questions about life in the U.S. and application process!

Oceania

Motohiro Sakai
Faculty of Engineering
University of New South Wales
Australia

Hello! My name is Motohiro Sakai, and I am a third-year student majoring in Aerospace Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering. From September 2025 to September 2026, I studied abroad at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia through the university-wide exchange program. During my time there, I deepened my studies while interacting with students from various backgrounds. Studying abroad drastically broadened my perspective, and it was truly an invaluable experience. Whether you are interested in studying abroad, learning English, or living overseas, please feel free to come and chat with me!