Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies

Waseda University

Ph.D. Admissions

Ph.D. Admissions

Screening Schedules

The following is a general schedule for the entrance examinations for General Admissions.
Please refer to the application guidelines for details.

Matriculation Application Period Result of
First Screening		 Second
Screening		 Final Result
Interview
April Late August to early September of the year prior to enrollment Early November Early to mid-November Late November
September Early to mid-March of the year of enrollment Mid-May Mid- to late May Late May

 

Ph.D. Program Project Research List

Ph.D. Program Project Research List

Instruction and Notes for application

The short video (2.5 minutes) outlines the application process and points to keep in mind when you apply for the GSAPS.
Please make sure to check here before you start application preparation.*Please note that music will be played.

【English Ver.】How to apply for GSAPS? GSAPSへの出願方法

The following section contains the application guides and forms for the “English-based program”.
If you wish to check the guidelines for the “Japanese-based program（日本語履修）”,
please refer to the Japanese page.

GSAPS Application Guides

Schedule for the Release of Application guides
April Entrance: Available around July of the year before enrollment
September Entrance: Available around late December of the year before enrollment

September 2026 Entrance　Ph.D. course Application Guides/Designated Forms

Important Notices for entrance examinations targeting students entering September 2026

１．The Validity Period of Language Proficiency Test Results Required for Admissions
２．Notice of Change to Language Proficiency Test Requirements for Admissions

Application Guides

◆　 General Admissions for September 2026 Entrance【English-based program】*Scheduled to be released in late December 2025

Designated Forms

◆　Research Plan 【Form】
◆　List of Previous Publications 【Form】

◆　 Application Form for Application Fee Waiver, Waseda University*If applicable

Eligibility

Ph.D. Program Enrollment Capacity 30 / year

Admissions
Categories		 Eligibility
General
Admissions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. (Please contact the GSAPS Admissions Office for details.)
  4. 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.
  5. 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)　About Individual Entrance Requirements Screening Process
    Please check the application guide for more details.
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“.

*Note 1)　About Individual Entrance Requirements Screening Process

Other Information

  • Application guide for GSAPS Excellence Awards Scholarship (For Japanese Applicants for the MA program) can be referred on this page.
  • If you expect to require reasonable accommodation during the entrance examination or after entering the university owing to a disability or serious medical condition, etc., please refer to the application guide and contact the relevant school office before submitting your application.
    Regardless of the type of entrance examination, answers to frequently asked questions can be found here. Please be sure to review them as well.
  • For MEXT Admissions (Japanese Government Scholarship), please refer to this page.
  • Click here for the FAQ

Inquiry to the Admissons Office

If the above information do not resolve your issue, please contact us from the form below.
It is not required to make prior contact or appointments with the faculty member(s) of your desired research project before the application. However, if you would like to do so, please send your CV and research plan to us through the same form with a message for the faculty member. We will forward it to them through the GSAPS Admissions Office. The email addresses of GSAPS faculty members are not open to the public.
Please note that we cannot guarantee a reply from the faculty member, and contact with GSAPS faculty members is not permitted once the application period starts.