Admission for English-taught Degree Program

The Graduate School of Social Sciences conducts “AO admission” screening method for those who seek to earn degree (MA, D.Phil.) by receiving supervision in English and taking the English-taught courses. The AO admission does not require applicants to have the Japanese language proficiency and admits students through the document screening and interview. For more detail, please download the application guidelines below.

•  Application Guidelines (2026 September Entry)
• Research Plan (WORD)
• Reason for Application(WORD)
• [Template] Certificate of Expected Graduation

AO  Admissions Data

【Master’s Program】

【Doctoral Program】

【Master’s Program】Screening Schedule for Admission by Internal Recommendation for Waseda University Undergraduate Students (September 2025 Entry)

The Graduate School of Social Sciences conducts “Admission by Internal Recommendation“ for  Waseda University undergraduate students who are enrolled at Waseda University as a regular student and are expected to graduate from their respective undergraduate school by September 20, 2025. This admission process does not require applicants to have Japanese language proficiency and admits students through a document screening and interview to an English-taught Master’s program.

※The Graduate School of Social Sciences has decided to add the applicant qualifications
(eligibility criteria) for the Admission by Internal Recommendation for the Master’s program
from September 2028.　Please check here for further details.

【Doctoral Program】Screening Schedule for Internal Recommendation-based  Admissions Program for Master’s Students at GSSS (September 2025 Entry)

The Graduate School of Social Sciences conducts “Internal Recommendation-based Admissions Program” for Master’s students enrolled in GSSS who plan to continue their research at this school and wish to earn a doctoral degree. Applicants who receive a letter of recommendation from their academic advisers and wish to study in the same research field in the doctoral program are eligible to apply for this admission program. Application fees will be waived for this admission program.

The online system is not used for the recommendation-based applications. Please download and fill out the application form and submit it to the office with the other required documents.

Master’s Program

【Master’s Program】Application Guidelines and Forms of Application Materials for Admission by Internal Recommendation for Waseda University Undergraduate Students (September 2025 Entry)

For more detail, please download the application guidelines below.

• [NEW!]1 Application Guideline 2025 (PDF)
• 2-A Application Form 2025 (PDF）
• 2-B Application Form 2025 (Word)
• 3-A Research Plan 2025 (PDF)
• 3-B Research Plan 2025 (Word)
• 4-A Letter of Recommendation 2025 (PDF)
• 4-B Letter of Recommendation 2025 (Word)
• Students of the School of Social Sciences who wish to apply for
  Shigeru Hasegawa Scholarship need to submit the prescribed form.
  Check the application guideline and contact the GSSS admissions office to obtain the form.

Doctoral Program

【Doctoral Program】Application Guidelines and Forms of Application Materials for Internal Recommendation-based  Admissions Program for Master’s Students at GSSS (September 2025 Entry)

For more detail, please download the application guidelines below.

• [NEW!]1 Application Guideline 2025 (PDF)
• 2-A Application Form 2025 (PDF)
• 2-B Application Form 2025 (Word)
• 3-A Research Plan 2025 (PDF)
• 3-B Research Plan 2025 (Word)
• 4-A Letter of Recommendation 2025 (PDF)
• 4-B Letter of Recommendation 2025 (Word)

Applicants must fall under one of the following categories:

• Individuals who have completed 6 years of enrollment in the Doctoral Program at GSSS, have withdrawn without submitting their doctoral dissertation (i.e., completed the maximum enrollment period), and wish to continue receiving research supervision at GSSS for the purpose of completing their doctoral dissertation.
• If, due to unavoidable circumstances such as illness or studying abroad, continued enrollment as a Research Student immediately after withdrawal is not possible, admission as a Research Student may be permitted in the following academic year.
• Individuals currently enrolled as Research Students at GSSS who wish to extend their enrollment as Research Students into the following academic year. The total period of enrollment as a Research Student, including any extensions, shall not exceed three years.

Period of Enrollment

• The standard period of enrollment for research students shall be one year. However, those who wish to continue receiving research supervision may submit a new application for an extension.
• Such an extension may be granted, upon deliberation by the Graduate School Steering Committee, up to two times.

Important Note

• Applications for research student must be submitted immediately after withdrawal (upon completion of the maximum period of enrollment), without any intervening gap. The same policy shall apply to applications for continuation as a research student.
• Regardless of the above, international students holding a “Student” residence status are only permitted to remain in Japan as a Research Student for a maximum of 2 years.

Application Period

• April Intake: Around January–February of the relevant academic year
• September Intake: Around June of the relevant academic year
• The “Research Student Application Guidelines” will be sent directly to the Waseda email addresses of eligible applicants (Doctoral students and current Research students) in accordance with the application schedule.
• For details regarding the application period, notification of acceptance, eligibility requirements, and required application documents, please refer to the “Research Student Application Guidelines.”