Sustainability Science, Technology, and Policy (SUSTEP) Program
Application and Admission Guidelines
2024 Fall Semester Enrollment
Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Degree Program in Life and Earth Sciences
Graduate School of Science and Technology

Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment

1.

Enrollment quota
Limited*The admission is in October.

2.

Program outline
This program accepts Japanese students as well as students from foreign countries, who are expected
to engage in practical research, policymaking or project implementation, and are highly motivated tolearn advanced and practice-oriented expert knowledge. This program is a three-year program, but earlycompletion is also available. All courses and instruction are provided in English.

3.

Admission requirements
Applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements:(1) Those who obtained Master’s degree or professional degree from Japanese university or those whoare expected to do so by September 2024.
(2) Those who obtained Master’s degree, professional degree or its equivalent in a foreign country,
and those who are expected to do so by September 2024.
(3) The following individuals must pass a qualification review by the graduate school of this
University by the end of March 2024 prior to the application submission. Necessary documents
for this review must be in compliance with University policies:(https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/admission/graduate-overview/shikaku/pdf/t2-7.pdf）

4.

Application documents(1) Application Form (Year, month, and day are to be indicated): Use prescribed form. Before
application, obtain a reference number from a prospective supervisor or degree program
representative after signing a form for “Self-Declaration on Specific Categories” (Form 5).
(https://coi-sec.tsukuba.ac.jp/export_control/specific-categories/)(2) Curriculum Vitae (Year, month, and day are to be indicated): Use prescribed form.
(3) Work Experience [if applicable]: Use prescribed form if you have work experience.
(4) Admission, Photo, and Table Identification Tickets for the Examination: Use prescribed form andattach photographs to the designated areas (Size H4cm×W3cm, full face, upper half of the body, andhat off; taken within three months of application). Non-compliant pictures are not acceptable.
(5) Entrance Examination Fee (30,000 JPY): If you pay at a convenience store, attach the receipt for theexamination fee to the Application Form (1). We will not accept payment by cash, revenue stamp, orcheque. Please refer to Section 5 (Page 3) below about the method and period of payment.
(6) (Expected) Graduation Certificate of Master’s Degree (Year, month, and day are to be indicated):
This document must validate your graduation from master's program issued from the university. A
photocopy is not accepted.
(7) Degree Certificate (Year, month, and day are to be indicated): Submit the original or notarized copyof a certificate from university that verifies your master's degree. A photocopy is not accepted.
1Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment(8) Academic Transcript (certified copy): The transcript must be issued by the graduate school oruniversity that meets the requirement of the University of Tsukuba in applying for its doctoral
programs. If the applicant has credits transferred from other universities, attach these academictranscripts as well. In cases the applicant received a degree from the National Institution for
Academic Degrees, the degree certificate, academic transcripts and all other certificates concerning
the acquisition of the degree are necessary to be submitted. A photocopy is not accepted.
(9) List of Academic Achievements [A4 size; free format]: Provide a list of publications in a freeformat.
(10) Research Plan: Use a prescribed form. The applicant must contact a prospective academic
supervisor and print his/her name in this form.
(11) Approval Letter [A4 size; for applicants who are presently employed]: Submit one approval letterfrom applicant’s employer or a letter of resignation signed by the applicant if he or she is working
for government organizations, schools, companies or other organizations. In the latter case, thedocument proving resignation or applicant's letter with signature can suffice.
(12) An Official Score Certificate of English Proficiency Test (original copy with photo attached):
A valid official score such as TOEFL Examinee Score Record, TOEIC Official Score Certificate,
IELTS Academic Module Test Report or its equivalent (confirmation is needed), taken after June
2022, is required to be submitted by the end of the application period. The score certificates must be
submitted to the office of the Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies before the end of theapplication period.
* An applicant whose mother tongue is English or a person who completed undergraduate/graduate
degree in a country, which uses English as an official language may be exempted from thisrequirement by submitting a “Certificate of English Proficiency Waiver Request (13)”.
(13) Certificate of English Proficiency Waiver Request [If applicable]: Use prescribed form
(14) Certificate of Government-sponsored (Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Scholarship)
Foreign Student [if applicable: free format]: If you are enrolled in another Japanese university at thetime of application, submit the certificate of government-sponsored (Japanese Government
Monbukagakusho Scholarship) foreign student issued by the university.
(15) Name and Address Sheet: Use prescribed form(16) Application Checklist: Use prescribed form(17) Envelope Cover: Use prescribed form
[Note]
In case your current name is different from that on the documents you submit (e.g., marriage), submit
with the proof (e.g., copy of marriage license).

Any question about an Official Score Certificate of English Proficiency Test will be inquired to theorganization that issues the score.

The applicant must be responsible for checking all necessary documents before submission. If there
is a missing document, the application is not valid.
2Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment

5.

All documents submitted will not be returned in principle. The application fee is non-refundable.
Payment of examination fee
30,000 JPY[Note] The exemption of this fee applies to those applicants who will receive Monbukagakusho (MEXT)
Scholarship, and those who completed within a year or expected to complete a master’s program at theUniversity of Tsukuba in July or September 2024, and wishes to continue education in the Doctoral
Program in Environmental Studies.
①

Payment period
April 8th (Monday)-May 6th (Monday), 2024②

How to Paya) Convenience store [within Japan]
When applicants use a convenience store for payment (limited to the following stores: LAWSON,Seven-Eleven, Family Mart), prior online registration is needed via PC, cell phone or convenience
store information terminal for the payment. Please realize that the terminal will differ at each store.
› Prescribed form is not necessary.
› Payment procedure is explained in the attached manual at the end (only available in Japanese).
› Applicants pay a service fee for the transaction. Please note that examination fees will not be
refunded under any circumstances.
› After completing the payment procedure, please paste a receipt at the designated area of the“Application Form.”b) Credit card
Applicants can pay the examination fee online through the E-Payment Site with credit card.
›Proceed with the on-line payment by accessing the website.

›https://e-shiharai.net/english/?schoolcode=OPU5100850000000›The following credit cards are acceptable: VISA, Master, JCB or AMEX

›After completing the payment procedure, please paste a hard copy of the receipt page on thebottom of the “Application Form” and enclose it with other application documents. Please notethat examination fees will not be refunded under any circumstances.

6.

Application procedures
The applicant should check his/her necessary application documents on the application checklist. Place
all documents in an envelope, attach the prescribed envelope cover and submit it directly (in person), orby express registered mail service. Submit the documents to the following address:
Office of the Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology,
University of Tsukuba

3Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment

1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572 Japan•After the complete application documents have been accepted, a receipt of application/admission
ticket voucher and guidelines for admission will be sent by email to the address written on theapplication form. Please make sure your email address is written clearly and correctly on theapplication form as this address will be used for official correspondence.

7.

Examination content and Selection process(1) Applicants will be carefully screened both on their application documents and the results of an oral
examination in English.
(2) The oral examination is done via an individual interview about the applicant’s research plan andrelated matters.
(3) Applicants who reside overseas can take an oral examination via Zoom. If you choose to takeexamination on Zoom, the examination committee will contact your selected email address andprovide necessary information.

8.

Date and place of examination(1) June 6th (Thursday)-7th (Friday), 2024
(2) Location
University of Tsukuba，1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572 Japan[Note] Detailed information on the examination room and meeting time will be confirmed by email
from the Office of the Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies.

9.

Notification of the results
June 28th (Friday), 2024.The results will be sent to successful candidates by post on the same day.

10. Entrance procedures(1) Only successful applicants will be notified by mail about the end of June 2024 and will be informedof the date and place of the admission procedures and the necessary documents to be submitted atthat time.
If the applicant is currently employed (except part-time works), she/he must submit either adirective letter for study, warrant of leave, or acceptance letter to enter school issued by theappropriate authority along with the other necessary documents.
(2) Expenses that must be paid on enrollment①

Admission Fee: 282,000 JPY②

Tuition Fee:
267,900 JPY (from October 2024 to March 2025) (paid with admission fee)
267,900 JPY (from April 2025 to September 2025) (paid in the 2025 academic year)
Total/year: 535,800 JPY
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Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment[Note]

1. If the fee is revised, the new one will be adapted accordingly.
2. The exemption of this fee applies to those applicants who will receive

Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship, and those who completed within a year or expected tocomplete a master’s program at the University of Tsukuba in July or September 2024, and wishes tocontinue education in the Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies.
(3) It is necessary for foreign students to have the appropriate visa status for study when they enter theprogram on October 1st, 2024.
11. Other information(1) Incomplete application documents will not be accepted nor considered.
(2) It is not permitted to change your graduate school or program after submitting the application
documents.
(3) The application fee is non-refundable.
(4) Application documents will not be returned.
(5) The University of Tsukuba does not provide accommodation for examinees.
(6) The University of Tsukuba will not reply to any inquiries regarding examination results.
(7) For further inquiries regarding admission, please contact the Doctoral Program in Environmental
Studies in the Graduate School of Science and Technology.
12. Contact
Office of Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology,
University of Tsukuba
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572 Japan
admission@envr.tsukuba.ac.jp

5Doctoral Program in Environmental Studies
Graduate School of Science and Technology
University of Tsukuba

2024 Fall Semester Enrollment

IMPORTANT DATES FOR EXAMINATION AND ENROLLMENT，OCTOBER 2024(Fall Semester)
 Application period:

April 8th (Monday)-May 6th (Monday), 2024
(9:00 am–12:00pm, 1:30 pm–5:00 pm during weekdays)

 Examination:

June 6th (Thursday)-7th (Friday), 2024

 Result Notification:

June 28th (Friday), 2024

 Admission Procedure:

Admission documents will be sent out in the end ofJune 2024.

 Admission date:

October 1st (Tuesday), 2024

 Entrance ceremony:

Late September 2024

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