Application Procedures for Admissions

1. University Outline

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI) was founded on October 1, 1988 as one of the national universities of Japan. The basic idea of SOKENDAI is to develop a new system of postgraduate education in Japan. The characteristic features are as follows:

• SOKENDAI offers a three-year and a five-year doctor program.
• SOKENDAI consists of six schools with 20 departments operated by 17 Inter-University Research Institutes and Independent Administrative Institution (“parent institutes”).
• Research and education are carried out in close cooperation with the parent institutes.
• A broad and international vision is fostered by enhanced interchange among the departments of our schools and other universities in Japan and abroad.

2. Qualifications for a Five-Year Doctoral-Course Program

1. Applicants who have graduated or are expected to graduate from a Japanese university specified in Article 83 of the School Education Law by the preceding month of enrollment.
2. Applicants on whom a Bachelor’s degree has been conferred or are expected to be conferred by the preceding month of enrollment in accordance with Article 104, Paragraph 4 of the School Educational Law. *1
3. Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete 16-year course of school education in a foreign country by the preceding month of enrollment.
4. Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete 16-year course of school education in a foreign country by taking the correspondence courses provided by a school in said foreign country while residing in Japan by the preceding month of enrollment.
5. Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute in Japan designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, that provides programs of a foreign university within the 16-year school education of said foreign country, by the preceding month of the enrollment. This applies solely to those who have completed 16-year program of school education in said foreign country.
6. Applicants who have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a degree equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree by the preceding month of enrollment by completing an educational course of three or more years in a foreign university or in a foreign educational institute; which shall be evaluated by an organization approved by a relevant official institution in the country for their education and research activities, or recognized as so by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The course shall include a correspondence course which enables students to study in Japan by a university or an educational institute which is approved by the educational system of the country and satisfy the above requirements.
7. Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete the specialized course of a vocational school designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in accordance with Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 155, paragraph 1, item 5 (limited to programs for which the term of study is four years or more, and which satisfies the standards determined by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) on or after the date determined by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or by the preceding month of enrollment.
8. Applicants who are designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in accordance with Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 155, paragraph 1, item 6 (i.e., Ministry of Education Notification number 5, 1953) *2
9. Applicants who fulfill any of the following provisions (a) to (c) below, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having acquired the specified credits with excellent  results; (Note)
   
   
   (a) Applicants who have completed 15-year course of school education in a foreign country by the end of preceding month of enrollment,
   
   (b) Applicants who have completed 15-year course of school education in a foreign country by taking the correspondence courses provided by a school in said foreign country while residing in Japan,
   
   (c) Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute in Japan designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, that provides courses of a foreign university within the 15-year school education of said foreign country, by the preceding month of the enrollment. This applies solely to those who have completed 15-year course of school education in said foreign country.
10. Applicants who have been or will have been enrolled in a Japanese university specified in Article 83 of the School Education Law for at least three years by the end of preceding month of enrollment, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having acquired the specified credits of said university with excellent results. (Note)
11. Applicants who have entered a graduate school other than SOKENDAI in accordance with the Article 102, paragraph 2 of the School Education Law, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having the appropriate academic ability to follow the content of graduate coursework. (Note)
12. Applicants who have been recognized as having academic ability equivalent to a university graduate or higher by the individual screening of Admission Qualifications of SOKENDAI, and attain the age of 22 by the end of preceding month of enrollment. (Note) *3

Note
Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (9) through (11) above are required to have qualification screening before the general application can be submitted. Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (12) above are required to have individual screening of Admission qualification. If applicable, please refer to “Qualification Screening for Application”.

*1   Applicants to whom the provision (2) above applies are those on whom a Bachelor’s degree has been conferred or is expected to be conferred by National Institute for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (formerly,  National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation).

*2   Applicants to whom the provision (8) above applies are those who have graduated or are expected to graduate from a university under Old University Ordinances, or Daigakko under orders for organization and acts of establishment of government ministries or agencies.

*3   Applicants to whom the provision (12) above applies are those who have graduated or are expected to graduate from junior college, technical college, vocational school, other schools, Japan campus of foreign university, foreigners’ school in Japan and other educational institutes, and who have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to a university graduate or higher by individual screening.

If you have any questions regarding the qualification for admission, please contact the Student  Affairs Section
(E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp or telephone no.: +81-46-858-1525/1526) in advance.
 

3. Degree Requirements

4. Application Documents

1. Application form and admission ticket for the examination (Form 1)
   Please attach two identical photographs (4.5cm by 3.5cm taken within the past three months, upper body, full-faced with no hat) on Form 1. Please read through the Application Guidelines. Your signature is required on Form 1.

2. Curriculum Vitae (Form 1-2)
   Only for international applicants and Japanese applicants who received their education outside Japan

3. Examination fee of 30,000 yen
   For payment details, please refer to (Form 12) MEXT scholarship students do not have to bear the examination fee, therefore certificate of MEXT scholarship student status is required.  
4. Academic transcripts (original)
   (a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in section 2 should submit academic transcript from the undergraduate school. In case any of the credits was approved after transferred to the undergraduate school, academic transcripts from the technical college or other college are also required.
   
   (b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2) in section 2 should submit all the academic transcripts concerning the Bachelor’s degree.
   
   (c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (3) to (9) in section 2 should submit the academic transcripts from the foreign undergraduate school.
   
   (d) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (10) to (12) in section 2 should submit the academic transcript from their final academic background.
5. Certificate of (expected) graduation (original)
   (a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in section 2 should submit the certificate of graduation from the undergraduate school which a Bachelor’s degree has been conferred from.
   
   (b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2) in section 2 should submit the certificate from National Institute for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher education (formerly, National Institute for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation).
   
   (c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (3) to (9) in section 2 should submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the foreign undergraduate school.
   
   (d) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (10) in section 2 should submit the school-certificate, and applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (11) and (12) in section 2 should submit the certificate of (expected) graduation of their final academic background.
6. Statement of Purpose (Form 2)
   Applicants who apply to the second-choice department should copy the Form and prepare “Statement of Purpose” for the second-choice department separately.
7. Documents certifying the applicant’s research abilities, such as thesis, research reports and other materials are also accepted, if applicable.
   Applicants who apply to the second-choice department should submit another set of copy of the documents for the second-choice department separately.
8. Envelope for admission ticket for the examination
   Applicant’s name, address and zip code (postal code) should appear on the envelope (attached to the Application guidelines), and 682 yen of postage stamp should be affixed.
   
   When the postal charges are revised in accordance with the raise of consumption tax rate, please confirm the postage stamp price on SOKENDAI web page.
9. Recipient’s address label (Form 13)
10. Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form 6)
    Applicants who are currently employed full-time are required to submit Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form 6). In case the permission cannot be obtained or the applicant intends to resign before enrollment, s/he may submit a statement of reason sealed by her/himself. In this case, “Letter of Permission to be enrolled while employed” or “Certificate of Resign” must be submitted at the time of admission.
11. A copy of Residence Card (international applicants residing in Japan) or
    A copy of passport (international applicants residing outside Japan at the time of application)
12. Elective Registration Form for Specialized Subjects (Form8)
    Applicants to Department of Structural Molecular Science or Department of Functional Molecular Science are required to submit Form 8. Please refer to “Important Notes” on pages 18-20.
13. TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS score
    Applicants to Department of Structural Molecular Science and Department of Functional Molecular Science should submit TOEFL/TOEIC/IELTS score. Please refer to “Important Notes” on pages 18-20.
14. Application for exemption from English examination (Form 10)
    Applicants to Department of Fusion Science who wish to be exempted from the English examination, please refer to “Important Notes” on pages 24-26.
15. Application for language request for the examination of major subjects (Form 11)
    Applicants to Department of Fusion Science are required to submit Form 11. Please refer to “Important Notes” on pages 24-26.
16. TOEFL/TOEIC score

    Applicants to Department of Space and Astronautical Science should submit TOEFL/TOEIC score.

    Please refer to “Important Notes” on pages 27-29.
17. List of Enclosed Documents for 5-year Doctoral Program

Notes
i.   Incomplete documents shall not be accepted. No documents shall be returned.
ii.  In case the applicant’s name has changed after marriage etc., a copy of family register should be attached.
iii.  Form 2 is also available at our website
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/general_admission/guideline/butsuri/
iv. Application documents should be written in Japanese or English. If you submit the certificate neither in Japanese nor English, please also attach the certificate in Japanese or English.

Attention:
About changes of selection methods in entrance exam: PDF
Application guideline:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/general_admission/guideline/butsuri/
 

5. Selection Method

Selection will be made based on examining submitted application documents, written examinations and faceto- face interviews.

1. Examination of application documents: conducted by referring to submitted transcripts etc.
2. Written examination:
   Specialized subjects (120 minutes): Applicants must choose two subjects they will answer from the following six subjects when applying (according to Form 8): (i) physical chemistry, (ii) organic chemistry, (iii) inorganic chemistry, (iv) biological chemistry, (v) physics A (classical mechanics, electromagnetism),
   and (vi) physics B (quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics). Each subject has two questions, and applicants select any three questions out of four questions from the subjects of their choice.
3. Face-to-face interview:
   15-minute question session is to be conducted to examine the applicant’s fundamental scientific knowledge, research ability and motivation for researches etc.
4. English:
   Applicants are required to obtain the below-mentioned TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS score. Please make sure that applicants are not allowed to take main entrance examination unless he or she has the required TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS score.
   

   TOEFL: Official Score Report or Examinee’s Score Report. The score must be PBT500, CBT173, iBT61, or higher.

   TOEIC: Official Score Certificate of TOEIC test or IP test. The score must be 586 or higher.

   IELTS: IELTS (Academic Module) Test Report Form. The score must be 5.0 or higher.

   * English test scores may not be necessary for the applicants who are native speaker of English or graduated universities in the countries where English is a native language and education is made in English.
   
   

   When reporting TOEFL score, applicants must send Official Score Report or a copy of Test Taker Score Report (formerly, Examinee Score Report) directly to SOKENDAI Student Affairs Section during the application period. And when sending a copy of Test Taker Score Report (formerly, Examinee Score Report),

   applicants must bring the original on the examination day.

   When reporting TOEIC score, applicants must bring Official Score Certificate or Copy of Score Report of IP test directly to SOKENDAI Student Affairs Section during the application period. When sending a copy, applicants must bring the original on the examination day.

   When reporting IELTS score, applicants must submit a copy of IELTS (Academic Module) Test Report Form along with application. In this case, applicants must also bring the original copy on the day of examination.

   Those who have enclosed a copy of score proof must submit the original on the day of examination when instructed by person in charge. Please be advised that if the applicant fails to present the original, he / she will not be considered for admission.
   
   

   Note:

   Dates and venues for these English tests are limited. If you intend to apply to Department of Structural Molecular Science and Department of Functional Molecular Science, we recommend that you take one of the English tests ahead of time.

7. School Fees

Admission Fee: 282,000 yen (not refundable)
Tuition Fee: 267,900 yen for a semester
Student Insurance Fee: 5,750 yen for 5 years

*In the event of a revision in the tuition fee, the new fee will be applied from the time the revision has been made.

Graduate Student Affairs Section
International Relations & Research Cooperation Div.
Institute for Molecular Science,
National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS)
TEL: +81-564-55-7139
FAX: +81-564-55-7119
E-mail: r7139(at)orion.ac.jp [(at) should be altered to @ when mailing]
Website:  https:/www.ims.ac.jp/en/education
 

<< Applications to a Five-Year Course

Applications to a Three-Year Course

Doctoral Program 2019 (October Admission) &
2020 (April Admissions)
Applications to a Three-Year Course

Department of Structural Molecular Science and
Department of Functional Molecular Science,
School of Physical Sciences,
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies

This information is a tentative translation from an original Japanese guideline for the entrance examination. Applicants are requested to submit the application documents through your academic advisor (will be a supervisor after passing the entrance examination).
 

1. University Outline

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI) was founded on October 1, 1988 as one of the national universities of Japan. The basic idea of SOKENDAI is to develop a new system of postgraduate education in Japan. The characteristic features are as follows:

• SOKENDAI offers a three-year and a five-year doctor program.
• SOKENDAI consists of six schools with 20 departments operated by 17 Inter-University Research Institutes and Independent Administrative Institution (“parent institutes”).
• Research and education are carried out in close cooperation with the parent institutes.
• A broad and international vision is fostered by enhanced interchange among the departments of our schools and other universities in Japan and abroad.
   

2. Qualifications for a Three-Year Doctoral-Course Program

Applicants must fulfill one of the following conditions;

1. Applicants who hold or are expected to obtain a Master’s degree or a Professional degree by the preceding month of enrollment.
2. Applicants on whom a Master’s degree or a degree equivalent to a Professional degree has been conferred or is expected to be conferred in a foreign country by the preceding month of enrollment.
3. Applicants who have completed the correspondence courses provided by a school in a foreign country while residing in Japan, and have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a Master’s degree or a degree equivalent to a Professional degree by the preceding month of enrollment.
4. Applicants who have completed or are expected to complete a program in an educational institute in Japan that provides courses from a foreign graduate school within the school education system of said foreign country, and that is designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a Master’s degree or a degree equivalent to a Professional degree by the preceding month of enrollment.
5. Applicants who have completed a course at the United Nations University and have been conferred or are expected to be conferred a degree equivalent to a Master’s degree by the preceding month of enrollment, in accordance with the Enforcement Regulation of the School Education Law, Article 156,Item 4.
6. Applicants who have completed a course of study at a school in a foreign country or an educational institute that has graduate school in a foreign country or the United Nations University, and have passed or will have passed the examinations and screening equivalent to those specified in Article 16-2 of the Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools (1974 Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Ordinance Number 28), and who have been or will have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic abilities equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree. (Note)*
7. Applicants who have graduated from a university and have been or will have been engaged in research at a university or a research institute for at least two years by the preceding month of the enrollment, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or superior to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree based on said research achievement. (Note)
8. Applicants who have completed 16-year course of school education in a foreign country or 16-year course of school education by taking the correspondence courses provided by a school in a foreign country while residing in Japan, and thereafter, have been or will have been engaged in research at a university or a research institute for at least two years by the preceding month of the enrollment, and have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or superior to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree based on said research achievement. (Note)
9. Applicants who have been recognized by SOKENDAI as having academic ability equivalent to or superior to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree by the individual screening of Admission Qualifications of SOKENDAI, and attain the age of 24 by the end of preceding month of enrollment. (Note)

Note:
Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (6), (7), (8) or (9) above are required to have qualification screening to confirm “having academic ability equivalent to those who have a Master’s degree or a Professional degree” before the general application can be submitted. If applicable, please refer to section 3 “Qualification Screening for Application”

If you have any questions regarding the qualification for admission, please contact the Student Affairs Section
(E-mail: gakusei@ml.soken.ac.jp or telephone no.: +81-46-858-1525/1526) in advance.
 

3. Degree Requirements

4. Application Documents

1. Application form and Admission Ticket for the Examination (Form 1)
   Please attach two identical photographs (4.5cm by 3.5cm taken within the past three months, upper body, full-faced with no hat) on Form 1. Please read through the Application Guidelines. Your signature is required on Form 1.

2. Curriculum Vitae (Form 1-2)
   Only for international applicants and Japanese applicants who received their education outside Japan

3. Examination fee of 30,000 yenF
   For payment details, please refer to (Form 12) MEXT scholarship students do not have to bear the examination fee, therefore, a certificate of MEXT scholarship student status is required.
4. Academic transcripts (original)
   (a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in section 2 should submit the academic transcript from the graduate school or the professional graduate school, and that from the undergraduate schools. In case any of the credits was approved after transferred to the undergraduate school, academic transcripts from the technical college or other college are also required.
   
   (b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (2) to (6) in section 2 should submit the academic transcript from the graduate school in said foreign country (a Master’s degree or a Professional degree) and that from the university or undergraduate school concerning the Bachelor’s degree.
   
   (c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (7) to (9) in section 2 should submit the academic transcript from the final academic background.
5. Certificate of (expected) graduation (original)
   (a) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (1) in section 2 should submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the graduate school which a Master’s degree or a Professional degree has been conferred from or is expected to be conferred. The certificate should state conferment of the Master’s degree or the Professional degree.
   
   (b) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (2), (3), (4) or (5) in section 2 should submit the certificate of (expected) graduation from the graduate school in the foreign country.
   
   (c) Applicants who intend to apply under the provision (6) in section 2 are required to consult the Student Affairs Section. (Refer to page 27)
   
   (d) Applicants who intend to apply under the provisions (7), (8) or (9) in section 2 should submit the certificate of graduation of their final academic background.
6. Summary of Previous Research Experience (Form 3)
7. List of Research Presentations and Publications (Form 4)
   If not applicable, specify “None” and submit the Form.
8. Two copies of Master’s thesis
   Applicants who have (or are expected to obtain) a Master’s degree or a Professional degree are required to submit the Master’s thesis. Specify “Master’s thesis” on the upper-right corner of the front page in red ink.
   
   Applicants who apply to the second-choice department should submit another set of copy of the Master’s thesis for the second-choice department separately.
9. Two copies of academic publications (if any)
   
   Applicants who apply to the second-choice department should submit another set of copy of the academic publications for the second-choice department separately.
10. Research Proposal (Form 5)
    Research Proposal (Form 5) must specify the outline of the research plan after enrollment.
    Those who apply to the second-choice department are advised to copy the form and prepare Research Proposal for the second-choice department separately.
11. Envelope for Admission Ticket for the Examination
    Applicant’s name, address and zip code (postal code) should appear on the envelope (attached to the Application Guidelines), and 682 yen of postage stamp must be affixed.
12. Recipient’s address label (Form 13)
13. Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form 6)
    Applicants who are currently employed full-time are required to submit Permission for Studying While in Employment (Form 6). In case the permission cannot be obtained or the applicant intends to resign before enrollment, s/he may instead submit a statement of reason with her/his signature..
14. A copy of Residence Card (international applicants residing in Japan), or
    A copy of passport (international applicants residing outside Japan at the time of application)
15. List of Enclosed Documents for 3-year doctoral program

Notes
i. Incomplete documents shall not be accepted. No documents shall be returned.
ii. In case the applicant’s name has changed after marriage etc., a copy of family register should be attached.
iii. Form 3, 4, and 5 are also available at our website
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/general_admission/guideline/butsuri/
iv. Application documents should be written in Japanese or English. If you submit the certificate neither in Japanese nor English, Please also attach the certificate in Japanese or English.

Application guideline:
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/admission/general_admission/guideline/butsuri/

5. Selection Method

6. Financial Supports