Approximately 1 in 6 University of Tokyo Freshmen Register on Long-Term Internship Platform 'UT-Board' — Reaching a New Record High

Brotial Inc., operator of the long-term internship platform for elite university students 'UT-Board', announced that 487 University of Tokyo freshmen registered on UT-Board within approximately two and a half months, from March 1 to May 23, 2026.

This accounts for approximately 15.8% of the 3,083 students admitted to the University of Tokyo for the 2026 academic year, indicating that roughly one in six freshmen is actively preparing for their career immediately after enrollment. This trend is driven by two major movements in the recruitment and job hunting market: (1) the rapid acceleration of career consciousness among elite university students, and (2) the rise of long-term internships as a channel for new graduate recruitment.

487 University of Tokyo freshmen register on UT-Board, marking a record pace

During the period from March 1 to May 23, 2026, 487 University of Tokyo freshmen registered on the long-term internship platform 'UT-Board'.

This represents about 15.8% of the total 3,083 admitted students. Since the university's general admission results were announced on March 10, 2026, one in six freshmen registered within just two and a half months.

Background 1: Rapid acceleration of career consciousness among elite university students

Long-term internship experience becomes a 'de facto prerequisite' for elite job hunting

Recruitment for elite companies, including strategy consulting firms, foreign investment banks, and integrated trading companies, has been accelerating in recent years, with practical selection processes beginning with summer internships in the third year of university.

For students aiming for such elite firms, gaining experience through multiple long-term internships while in school and discussing this experience during job interviews has become the standard.

Students without business experience through long-term internships are increasingly at a disadvantage, making participation in long-term internships a practical prerequisite for elite job hunting.

3% for all students, but the standard for elite job seekers: The widening polarization

According to the 'Employment White Paper 2023' by Recruit’s Employment Future Institute, only 3.0% of students participating in internship or 1-day job experience programs participated in 'long-term internships' of 3 months or longer.

There is a widening gap between elite job seekers who recognize long-term internship experience as essential and general students. Elite university students recognize the necessity of such experience before enrollment, and it is becoming standard for them to have a clear career and job hunting outlook at the time of entry.

Background 2: Rise of long-term internships as a new graduate recruitment channel

Cases of students joining internship companies directly

Traditionally, long-term internships were places for students to gain practical experience. However, in recent years, some students have been joining the companies where they interned as new graduates.

On 'UT-Board', we have seen cases where 2026 graduates were hired directly by the companies where they interned.

From the companies' perspective, long-term internships have advantages. They can judge a student's aptitude based on actual performance—something not possible in short selection processes—and build trust over several months. For these reasons, the use of long-term internships as an entry point for recruitment is expanding.

Particularly for venture companies that have fewer touchpoints with elite students compared to large corporations, the movement to use long-term internships to build relationships is increasing. Large corporations are also moving in this direction; for example, Fujitsu has expanded its long-term internship intake to 300 students, about 10 times the previous level.