THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN JAPANESE STUDIESFOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Department of Applied Japanese Studies
Division of Japanese Studies
Graduate School of Humanities
Osaka University[October 2024 ADMISSION]
1. FIELDS OF RESEARCH AND NUMBER OF APPLICANTS TO BE ACCEPTED(1) Fields of research: Japanese language, culture or a closely related field(2) Number of applicants to be accepted: up to several
2. QUALIFICATIONS(1) Nationality: Applicants must be foreign nationals (with the exception of permanent residents).
(2) Age: Applicants must be at least twenty-four years of age as of September 30,2024.
(3) Academic background eligibility requirement: Only those from the following categories are eligible to apply:a. Holders of a foreign academic degree equivalent to a master’s or professional degree or those expecting toreceive such a degree by September 30, 2024.
b. Holders of a master’s or professional degree of a university in Japan or those expecting to receive such a degree
by September 30, 2024.
c. Those who have graduated from a university in Japan, engaged in research for at least two years at a university,
research institute, or equivalent, and have been recognized, following an assessment of their research results by
the Graduate School of Language and Culture, Osaka University, to have a level of academic competence
equivalent or superior to that of a holder of Japanese master’s or professional degreed. Those who have completed 16 years of primary and secondary education overseas, or who have enrolled incourses conducted by an overseas school through correspondence education in Japan and completed 16 years
of primary and secondary education overseas, engaged in research for at least two years at a university, research
institute, or equivalent, and have been recognized, following an assessment of their research results by theGraduate School of Language and Culture, Osaka University to have a level of academic competence equivalentor superior to that of a holder of Japanese master’s or professional degree
e. Those recognized by the Graduate School of Language and Culture, Osaka University to have a level ofacademic competence equivalent or superior to that of a holder of Japanese master’s or professional degree(4) Recommendation: Applicants must be recommended by their affiliated university or institution or an advisor orequivalent belonging to their affiliated university or institution.
(5) Health: Applicants must be free from any mental or physical condition that might interfere with their studies.
(6) Language: Applicants must be proficient in either English or Japanese.
(7) Registration: Applicants must be able to complete the entrance procedure by the appointed date.
(NB) Admission will be cancelled if applicants fail to graduate from their university by September 30, 2024.
3. SCHOOL FEE(1) Enrollment Fee: 282,000 yen(2) Tuition Fee: 535,800 yen (First semester: 267,900 yen, Second semester: 267,900 yen)
* The amounts described above are valid for the academic year of 2023. In case these fees are revised, at the time ofentrance or during enrollment, the newly revised fees are to be applied from the date of revision.
* Japanese Government Scholarship Student are exempt from the enrollment fee and the tuition fee.
4. SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE(1) Selection will be made on the basis of the submitted documents and an in-person interview (or interview by phone,internet, or email Q&A).
The interview is scheduled to be held in mid-June,2024.
(2) Notification of acceptance / denial of admission will be sent out to applicants by mail or email on July 12.
-1-5. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applicants must submit the following documents to the address specified in Section 8 during the application period.
[Application Period]
From April 8, 2024 (Mon) to May 10, 2024 (Fri) (Must arrive by the deadline).
Notes for Creating Application Documents:･For documents created by the applicant, use Japanese or English and create them as much as possible using
word processing software on A4-sized single-sided printing.
･For documents (1) and (3) among the application documents, download the designated format from the Osaka
University website and create them.
･For documents in languages other than Japanese and English, be sure to attach a translation in Japanese.
･Attach the designated cover page when submitting the application documents.
･If the application documents are not completely and accurately filled out, incomplete, or arrive after the submission
deadline, they will not be accepted. Additionally, the application documents will not be returned.
(Original)(1) Application for Admission (prescribed form) ···························································································· 1(2) A copy of the master's dissertation written by the applicant or equivalent written work presented for anacademic degree ······································································································································· 1
Accompanied by a 6,000-character Japanese summary written by the applicant, if the original is not written inJapanese.
(3) An abstract of the above (2) (written in Japanese or English, A4 size) ························································ 1(4) Letters of recommendation(prescribed form) ·························································································· 2
Two separate letters of recommendation (including the academic advisor’s)(5) Photograph ··········································································································································· 1
Photograph taken within the past 6 months; 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm; showing the upper body facing front; no hat) to be pasted
on the designated place of the application form with the applicant's name and nationality written on the back,(6) Photocopy of the page of the applicant’s passport that shows his/her name, or attested copy of applicant's
family register, or certificate of citizenship ····································································································· 1(7) Certified academic record of graduate school course attended (issued by the university) (NB 1)················· 1This certified academic record must show the grading scale applied and the grades earned by the applicant in all
subjects studied in each year of attendance at university)
If the academic transcript does not show the grading scale or the semesters in which credits were earned, applicantsmust submit documents showing the grading scale and the semester in which credits were earned (including indicationof at what stages any non-pass grade was received). Transcripts of non-degree research students,
non-degree-seeking students, or students in Japanese-language school are invalid.
(8) Certificate of the (expected) completion of studies at the graduate school of the last university attended(NB1) ································································································································································ 1(9) Document(s) certifying language proficiency ··························································································· 1(at least one of the following: photocopy of an English language proficiency test (ex. TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS) score
report; photocopy of Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students score report: photocopyof Japanese Language Proficiency Test score report, etc.)
If the applicant is not in possession of any of the above documents, an evaluation letter written and signed by auniversity professor is required.
(10) Document(s) certifying high achievement of the applicant (GPA, ranking, etc.) (if any) ······························ 1(11) the Receipt of Application Fee Payment(Application Fee 30,000yen)························································ 1Please pay the examination fee through the payment system. For details, please refer to the attached sheet "How toPay the Examination Fee through the Examination Fee Payment System".After payment is completed, download theCertificate of Payment of Application Fee (PDF file), print it out in A4 size, and submit it together with the otherapplication documents. Fees shall be borne by the applicant. [Payment period] From April 1 to May 10, 2024
No application fee is required for those who enroll as a Japanese Government Scholarship Student. However,applicants are required to submit documents to prove that they are Japanese Government Scholarship Student.
(NB 1) For items (7) and (8), if you are unable to submit the original documents, please provide certified copies that havebeen accurately replicated from the originals. These copies should be verified by your previous educational institution,embassy, notary public, or another official public institution.
-2-6. OU Humanities Outstanding International Student Award[For Applicants Planning to Enroll as Self-Financed International Students Only]
To enhance research capabilities and increase the intake of international students, the Graduate School of Letters has
established the "OU Humanities Outstanding International Student Award" for self-financed international students
recognized as outstanding in the graduate school entrance examination.
Those selected as "OU Humanities Outstanding International Students" will be eligible for the "OU Humanities
Outstanding International Student Award (officially known as the Osaka University Tuition Exemption System for
Outstanding Self-Financed International Students)," which grants a full exemption from tuition fees throughout theenrollment period (limited to the standard 3-year duration of the doctoral program).
The selection for the "Applied Japanese Studies Course in the Doctoral Program" is an entrance examination
specifically designated for "OU Humanities Outstanding International Students." Those who wish to benefit from thissystem must pass this examination. Applicants recognized as outstanding self-financed international studentsdeserving of the award will be admitted within the allocated quota, and the award's tuition exemption will be applied.
In addition, the Graduate School of Letters expects "OU Humanities Outstanding International Students" to play aleadership role in research and plans to implement initiatives centered around these outstanding students.
Applicants wishing to apply for this system should refer to the attached document "Regarding the Tuition Exemption
System for Outstanding Self-Financed International Students," confirm their eligibility, and check the designated box in
the application form.
7. NOTICES
Accepted students are advised to study the Japanese language and have some knowledge of the Japanese climate,customs, manners, university education and conditions in general before coming to Japan.
8. ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
Student Support Section, Mino Office,Graduate School of Humanities, Osaka University
3-5-10 Semba Higashi, Mino-shi, Osaka, 562-8678 Japan
Email: jinbun-minoh-shien@office.osaka-u.ac.jp(Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.)-3-