Japan Makes Interviews Mandatory for Year‑End University Admissions

Overview

• MEXT published implementation guidelines on May 27 that for 2027 entrants require interviews in year‑end selection routes known as 総合型選抜 and 学校推薦型選抜.
• The change responds to cases where universities gave very low weight to essays and interviews so that academic tests (学力検査) effectively decided admissions, which regulators say amounted to an early version of the general exam.
• The guidelines add continuous identity verification from testing through enrollment, including for online exams, as a defense against proxy test‑taking and other integrity breaches.
• Universities may use group or online interview formats, the rules allow a two‑year transition period for implementation, and decisions on interviews for affiliated‑school or specified‑school recommendations remain at each university’s discretion.
• Officials and the university selection council urged the move to protect applicants from extra costs and schedule disruption and to stop high schools from having to accelerate curricula to match earlier, exam‑dominated selection.