Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Doctoral Course HIGO Program for Graduate School
Application Information for International Students
Enrolled in April or October 2018

The applicants must take TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS.

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Kumamoto University

he Student Affair Section, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Kumamoto University
5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
Tel: +81-96-371-4635

Fax: +81-96-371-4639

Email: sky-kyomu@jimu.kumamoto-u.ac.jp

The Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University recruits international
students who wish to enroll in the four-year doctoral course of the HIGO Program. The English
language is used for all classes and research instructions in this program.

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Number of Students Accepted for Admission
About two (2)Qualifications of Applicants1)Educational Background:
All applicants should have completed 18 years of education and research experience by theentrance date of Kumamoto University. Thus applicants must satisfy at least one of the following
five education backgrounds and research experience.
However, if applicants have completed a bachelor degree in medical, dental, pharmaceutical, orveterinary sciences or an equivalent education after a five-year training program in overseas
institutes, they are eligible to apply for the program with 17 years of education (includingapplicants who expect to complete their current program in March 2018 to commence in April
2018 and in September 2018 to commence October 2018).
Overseas applicants must complete a five-year or longer training program for a bachelor degree inmedical, dental, pharmaceutical, or veterinary sciences, or an equivalent education, to apply forthe program. Applicants must complete the current program by March 2018 to commence in April
2018, and by September 2018 to commence in October 2018.
②Applicants must be graduates of a four-year medical, dental, pharmaceutical or veterinary schooloutside of Japan, and must have conducted research for at least two years in a university or a
research institute outside of Japan after completion of formal education, or be expected to finish
such a process by March 2018 to be eligible to enroll in April 2018, or by September 2018 to beeligible to enroll in October 2018.
③Applicants must hold a Master’s degree from an institution which has two-year education
programs outside of Japan, after completion of 16 years of formal education outside of Japan, or beexpected to meet this requirement by March 2018 to be eligible to enroll in April 2018, or by
September 2018 to be eligible to enroll in October2018.
④Applicants must have conducted research for at least two years in a university or a research
institute, after completion of 16 years of formal education outside of Japan, and be recognized ashaving an education that is equivalent to a Master’s degree.
⑤Applicants must be recognized by the Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto
University as having attainments equal to or greater than a Master’s degree.
Persons who intend

to apply under categories ④ and ⑤ must undergo a preliminary

qualification screening prior to formal registration. Their prospective supervisors must contact theschool affairs section, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences by November 1.
2) Health:Applicants must be in a good physical and mental health.

-2-3) Language:
Applicants must have earned the minimum required score in any one of the following:①TOEFL-iBT (Score should be 50 or higher) ②TOEFL-PBT (463 or higher)③TOEIC(480 or higher) ④IELTS (4.5 or higher)
4) Visa:
Applicants must have a student visa when coming to Japan
Period of Study・Four- year Course: from April 2018 to March 2022(four years)
Or Four- year Course: from October 2018 to September 2022 (four years)
Scholarship Benefits
Successful applicants are eligible to receive a stipend while in school (Students are receiving
stipend of 200,000 JPY per month for the 2017 academic year).
Amount of scholarship is subject to change each academic year.
However, it should be noted that, since the issuance of the current leading program subsidies arescheduled until 2018 academic year, there is no decision about provision of scholarship of April
2019 or later.
Screening Procedure
1)

Applicants must choose one of the research leaders in the Graduate School of PharmaceuticalSciences, Kumamoto University as his/her prospective supervisor, and must obtain permission
to apply for this program from the supervisor beforehand.

2)

Applicants must obtain all application information and forms through Internet by themselves.
After filling in all the forms, they must send them to their prospective supervisor of theGraduate School of Medical Sciences.

3)

Their prospective supervisors must submit all application forms to the committee for thisprogram before the deadline for application.

4)

The committee will have examinations for those who apply to the program. The main parts ofthe examination are the English test (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS), essay and interviews.

5)Interviews by three committee members will be held over Internet. For details of theinternet-based interview, please refer to “Instruction for internet-based interview ofGraduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University” The essay exam
will also be held over Internet. As an alternative, if the foreign applicants are visiting Japan on
the day of the entrance examination (November 28, 2017) for Japanese applicants, they will
be able to take the essay exam and have interviews with three committee members inKumamoto University.

6)

The total of scores of the English test, essay and interviews with three committee members
will be used to score the examination.

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Date of Enrollment
April 1, 2018 or October 1, 2018
Degrees
After successful fulfillment of the four-year course of the HIGO Program, a Doctor of Philosophy
degree will be conferred.
Application Deadline
From 6 November 2017 through 13 November 2017.
The research leaders, or prospective supervisors, of the international students should collect andsubmit all documents required for application to the Student Affairs Section, School ofPharmaceutical Sciences.
Examination Date
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Required Documents【Applicants must submit the following documents.】
1)

Application form for admission (Form 1)

2)

Photo ID card, examination card, certificate of residence (Form 2)

3)

One photograph (Paste a 4×3cm photograph taken no more than three months prior toapplication, upper frontal view without a hat, with upper body showing)4)

A certificate of graduation (completion) or prospective graduation (completion) from theuniversity attended

5)

Academic record issued by the university attended

6)

Written Statement of Reasons for Application (Form 3)

7)

Health certificate completed within 6 months prior to the date of application (Form 4).

8)

Examination fee (30,000 JPY) ※1

9)

A copy of the applicant’s English examination score (Either of the following: TOEFLibt(Score should be 50 or higher),TOEFLpbt (463 or higher), IELTS (4.5 or higher) or TOEIC(480 or higher)

10)

If the applicant has completed, or expects to complete, a five-year bachelor degree
program overseas in Medical, Dental, Pharmaceutical, or Veterinary Sciences, a certificate
of graduation issued by the President of the university or equivalent institute and a copy ofcertified accreditation document of the university or equivalent institute (※2) issued by thePresident of the institutes or the evaluation agencies.

11)

A letter from the applicant’s employer indicating agreement with this application, if the-4-

applicant is an employee.
12)

Letter of recommendation (Form 5)※ 1 Please inform sky-kyomu@jimu.kumamoto-u.ac.jp(The Student Affairs Section, Graduate
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences) before you make a payment for examination fee.
※2 An accreditation document by the national government or other relevant official agencies withregard to the overall education and research activities of the university or equivalent institute.
Additional Statements:
1)

Applicants are urged to discuss a research plan with their prospective supervisors of theGraduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University beforehand.

2)

All documents should be typewritten on A4 size paper.

3)

Applications with incomplete information, or those submitted after the deadline, will not beaccepted.

4)

No application materials will be returned to the applicants.

Announcement of Results
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Admission Procedure◎The details of admission procedures will be described in the letter of acceptance.
1) When and How to Pursue Admission Procedures
The details will be described in the letter of acceptance.
*The prospective instructors for the students who wish to enroll in April should familiarize
themselves with admission procedures (including deadlines) beforehand, and make sure that thestudents can complete the procedures before enrollment.
2) Important Point Regarding Admission Procedures
If a successful applicant does not complete the admission procedures before the deadline,
he/she will be considered to have declined enrollment.
3) Fee to Pay at the Time of Admission Procedures
Admission fee (scheduled amount) 282,000 JPY
4) Main Documents Required for Admission Procedures① Pledge ②Letter of Guarantee ③Color photo of face (4cm length x 3cm width)◎Tuition fee
Tuition for the first semester 267,900 JPY (535,800 JPY annually)
Attentions
1) Students will not be allowed to continue studying at Kumamoto University if any of thefollowing occur:-5-1. There are false statements in the application.
2. Student is expelled or dismissed from the university as a disciplinary measure, or determined
to be unlikely to complete academic requirements.
3. Student leaves the university or transfers to another university.
4. The status of the student visa is changed to another type of visa.
2) Applicants are advised to become familiar with Japanese culture, customs, climate, and theuniversity system before coming to Japan. Japanese language skills for daily life would also beadvantageous.

Inquiries: Student Affair Section, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Kumamoto University
5-1 Oe-honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto
Tel: +81-96-371-4635

Fax: +81-96-371-3639

Email: sky-kyomu@jimu.kumamoto-u.ac.jp-6-