Schedule・Eligibility

Admissions

Schedule・Eligibility

With the aim of accepting promising individuals not only from Japan but also from all over the world, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies (GSAPS) screens all applicants while placing particular importance on a sense of mission and motivation.

The GSAPS Admissions Office comprehensively evaluates applications based on such factors as research plans, certifications, interviews, etc.

 Application Guide & Forms Application Guide & Forms

 Screening Schedules
 For April Entrance
 For September Entrance
 Eligibility

Schedule for general admission: Available around December of the year before enrollment
Application guide: Available around July of the year before enrollment

For April 2026 Entrance

MA Program

※Please refer to the link for the schedule of Special Admissions for Graduating Waseda University Students and 5BM Admissions.

Admissions Categories	*Application Period	Second Screening	Final Result
Admissions Categories	*Application Period	Interview	Final Result
General Admissions	Aug. 21, 2025 -Sept. 3, 2025	Document screening only	Nov. 21, 2025
Special Admissions for International Development		Document screening only	Nov. 21, 2025

Ph.D. Program

Admissions Category		*Application Period	Result of First Screening	Second Screening	Final Result
Admissions Category		*Application Period	Result of First Screening	Interview	Final Result
General Admissions		Aug. 21, 2025 -Sept. 3, 2025	Nov. 5, 2025	Nov. 6, 2025 -Nov. 13, 2025	Nov. 21, 2025

Schedule for general admission: Available around September of the year before enrollment
Application guide: Available around late December of the year before enrollment

For September 2026 Entrance

MA Program

※Please refer to the link for the schedule of Special Admissions for Graduating Waseda University Students and 5BM Admissions.

Admissions Categories		*Application Period	Interview	Final Result
General Admissions		March 3, 2026- March 17, 2026	【Online Interview】 May 14, 2026-May 21, 2026 *Interviews may be conducted during the above-mentioned period if necessary.	May 28, 2026
Special Admissions for International Development				May 28, 2026

Ph.D. Program

Admissions Category	*Application Period	Result of First Screening	Second Screening	Final Result
			Interview
General Admissions	Mar. 3, 2026 -Mar. 17, 2026	May 13, 2026	May 14, 2026 -May 21, 2026	May 28, 2026

MA Program Enrollment Capacity 120 / year

Admissions Categories	Eligibility
General Admissions	Those who have graduated or are scheduled to graduate from a university by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those who have received a Bachelor’s Degree from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education or are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those who have completed 16 years of standard school education overseas or are scheduled to complete such education by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those who have completed a more than 3 years program in a university outside Japan or are scheduled to complete such education and hold a bachelor degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those who are designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. (Please contact the GSAPS Admissions Office for details.) Those who have been enrolled at a university for more than three years (or have completed 15 years of school education overseas or are scheduled to complete such education by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate) and have been recognized by GSAPS as having earned a specified number of credits with an excellent academic record. Those who have been recognized by GSAPS as possessing academic credentials superior to those of university graduates through an individual entrance requirements screening process and are scheduled to reach 22 years of age by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. ※“University” mentioned in requirements 1 and 6 refers to a university which is approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. ※Graduates from three-year specialized college (zhuanke) programs in China do not meet “5” above. (However, those who have graduated from a four-year (benke) program after graduating from a three-year program and completed 16 years of school education fulfill “3”.) ※Prospective applicants who are unsure if they can fulfill the requirements 6 and 7, must confirm their eligibility with the admission office prior to the application.　*Note 1)
Special Admissions for International Development	Applicants must fulfill the “Applicant Qualifications for General Admissions” and all of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for ‘Special Admissions for International Development’. (1)Applicants must be Japanese or Special Permanent Residents. (2) Those who have overseas experiences of more than one year in the following fields: Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, expert investigator in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officer in an overseas diplomatic office, international civil servants such as with the United Nations, international NGOs, overseas CSR activities, or other international development activities.
Scholarship Admissions	Applicants must fulfill the “Applicant Qualifications for General Admissions” and the criteria to apply to “Scholarship Admissions”. Please note that the criteria for Scholarship Admissions are different by scholarship. Please refer to the “Scholarship Admissions“.

Admissions
Categories

Eligibility

General
Admissions

Those who have graduated or are scheduled to graduate from a university by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those who have received a Bachelor’s Degree from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education or are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those who have completed 16 years of standard school education overseas or are scheduled to complete such education by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those who have completed a more than 3 years program in a university outside Japan or are scheduled to complete such education and hold a bachelor degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those who are designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. (Please contact the GSAPS Admissions Office for details.)
Those who have been enrolled at a university for more than three years (or have completed 15 years of school education overseas or are scheduled to complete such education by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate) and have been recognized by GSAPS as having earned a specified number of credits with an excellent academic record.
Those who have been recognized by GSAPS as possessing academic credentials superior to those of university graduates through an individual entrance requirements screening process and are scheduled to reach 22 years of age by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.

※“University” mentioned in requirements 1 and 6 refers to a university which is approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

※Graduates from three-year specialized college (zhuanke) programs in China do not meet “5” above. (However, those who have graduated from a four-year (benke) program after graduating from a three-year program and completed 16 years of school education fulfill “3”.)

※Prospective applicants who are unsure if they can fulfill the requirements 6 and 7, must confirm their eligibility with the admission office prior to the application.　*Note 1)

Special
Admissions
for
International
Development

Applicants must fulfill the “Applicant Qualifications for General Admissions” and all of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for ‘Special Admissions for International Development’.
(1)Applicants must be Japanese or Special Permanent Residents.
(2) Those who have overseas experiences of more than one year in the following fields:
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, expert investigator in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officer in an overseas diplomatic office, international civil servants such as with the United Nations, international NGOs, overseas CSR activities, or other international development activities.

Scholarship Admissions

Applicants must fulfill the “Applicant Qualifications for General Admissions” and the criteria to apply to “Scholarship Admissions”.
Please note that the criteria for Scholarship Admissions are different by scholarship.
Please refer to the “Scholarship Admissions“.

Ph.D. Program Enrollment Capacity 30 / year

Admissions Categories	Eligibility
General Admissions	Holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or Professional Doctoral Degree in Law or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or an equivalent from an institution overseas or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. (Please contact the GSAPS Admissions Office for details.) Those who have completed postgraduate programs and received a degree equivalent to a Master’s Degree from United Nations University or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. Those who have been recognized by GSAPS as possessing academic credentials equivalent or superior to those of holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or Professional Doctoral Degree in Law through an individual entrance requirements screening process and are scheduled to reach 24 years of age by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. *Note 1)
Scholarship Admissions	Applicants must fulfill the “Applicant Qualifications for General Admissions” and the criteria to apply to “Scholarship Admissions”. Please note that the criteria for Scholarship Admissions are different by scholarship. Please refer to the “Scholarship Admissions“.

Admissions
Categories

Eligibility

General
Admissions

Holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or Professional Doctoral Degree in Law or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or an equivalent from an institution overseas or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. (Please contact the GSAPS Admissions Office for details.)
Those who have completed postgraduate programs and received a degree equivalent to a Master’s Degree from United Nations University or those who are scheduled to receive such a degree by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate.
Those who have been recognized by GSAPS as possessing academic credentials equivalent or superior to those of holders of a Master’s Degree, Professional Master’s Degree, or Professional Doctoral Degree in Law through an individual entrance requirements screening process and are scheduled to reach 24 years of age by the entrance period that applicants wish to matriculate. *Note 1)

Scholarship
Admissions

*Note 1)　About Individual Entrance Requirements Screening Process

Those who are unsure if they can fulfill the requirements and wish to go through Individual Entrance Requirements Screening Process have to submit specific application documents by the designated deadline.
Please check our application guide for details and contact GSAPS Admission Office.

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Admissions