October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSPInternational Program in Agricultural Development Studies (IPADS)
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
The University of Tokyo
Rules of Admission—MSc Program Special Round for Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate
Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), Academic Year 2025-2026

Our educational and research missions:
The Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences aims to promote advanced education andresearch in the field of agricultural and life sciences and nurture highly specialized human resourcesthat can tackle the diverse range of food and environmental issues in the world.
Students we seek:-Having a will and basic capabilities to tackle the diverse issues surrounding food and theenvironment challenged by the agricultural and life sciences.

-Having a global perspective and being enthusiastic about acquiring advanced expertise andimproving research capability.
Selection policy:

Below are the basic criteria for the selection,- Having specialized knowledge in the field of his/her choice, as well as broad knowledge andsufficient English proficiency in the agricultural and life sciences in general.
- Having the willingness and ability to work independently to acquire knowledge and discoverproblems.

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, seeks MSc candidates
for the School’s International Program in Agricultural Development Studies (IPADS) for the Academic
Year 2025-2026 (enrolling in October 2025) according to the following Rules of Admission.

1. Program Overview
The IPADS MSc program is the only Master’s program taught entirely in English in the Graduate
School of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The program equips the students to be global leaders in theagricultural sector who have the capacity to identify and implement solutions to various agricultural,
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environmental, and resource management issues in developing countries. Students engage in a truly
interdisciplinary curriculum filled with cutting-edge research from all sub-disciplines covering
agriculture, encompassing both natural and social sciences. As fully integrated members of theSchool’s Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, IPADS students have numerous opportunities
to participate in seminars and international symposia, and to work collaboratively with faculty
members and fellow students, including those from the School’s other departments and graduateprograms.
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program, organized by the World Bank, is offeringa scholarship (here after JJ/WBGSP Scholarship) for the citizens of certain developing countries withdevelopment-related professional experience to study in a Master’s program. IPADS is one of theParticipating Programs selected by the World Bank. This special round is for those who intend to apply
for JJWBGSP Scholarship.
Approximately two students of this round will be admitted for the Academic Year 2025-2026.

2. Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for this program, the applicant must meet all the following criteria.
(1) Eligible to apply for JJ/WBGSP Scholarship(The eligibility criteria to be announced by the World Bank’s website for the 2025 application cycle
should be applied, which overrides the summary below if there will be any discrepancies)
1.

Be a national of a World Bank member developing country according to the list provided by
the World Bank (for details, see:https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships/brief/countries-eligible-for-jjwbgspscholarship );2.

Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country;

3.

Be in good health;4.

Hold a Bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree earned at least 3 years prior to the Application
Deadline date of JJ/WBSGP;

5.

Have 3 years or more of recent development-related work experience after earning aBachelor’s (or equivalent) degree;6.

Be employed in development-related work in a paid full-time position at the time of submitting
the scholarship application. Have at least 3 years of paid development-related employment2

October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP
since earning a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent university degree) and acquired within thepast 6 years from the date of the Application Deadline of JJWBGSP. For details, applicantsmust check the World Bank website, including the application guidelines and the FAQs.
7.

Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any type of appointment of theWorld Bank Group or a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption with theterm "close relative" defined as: Mother, Father, Sister, Half-sister, Brother, Half-brother, Son,Daughter, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, or Nephew.

(2) Academic qualification
Applicants must have completed a total of 16 or more years of education, including higher education.
Applicants with fewer years of education must consult with the IPADS Office prior to application.
(3) English language proficiency
A very high level of English language proficiency adequate to engage in world-class postgraduate
study is required.
(4) Academic records and research plan
Applicants must possess excellent academic records and a sound plan for their MSc research that suits
the program’s philosophy.
(5) Date of arrival
All newly admitted students must arrive in Tokyo by the designated date in September 2025. Those
who cannot arrive in Tokyo by September 2025 must obtain a late arrival permission from the IPADS
Office. Permission will be only granted for a few special circumstances. If a student fails to come toJapan by the designated date or to obtain permission, it may result in cancellation of the admission
offer.
Military employees, whether soldiers or civilians, are ineligible to apply.

3. Fees and Tuition
The following fees and tuition are payable.
(1) Examination fee (payable on being shortlisted): ¥10,000(2) Enrollment fee (payable on admission): ¥282,000(3) Tuition (payable annually): ¥535,800
These fees and tuition are correct as of October 2024 and are subject to change based on revisions of3

October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP
university regulations.

4. Financial Support and Student Services(1) Those admitted to this special round for JJ/WBGSP will be granted an unconditional admission
certificate (except funding) and eligible to apply for JJ/WBGSP Scholarship. This scholarship covers
the examination fee, enrollment fee and tuition as well as living expenses. The examination fee shouldbe paid by the applicants at the time of application for IPADS and shall be refunded later if they areadmitted in IPADS as JJ/WBGSP Scholarship recipients.
(2) For those admitted in IPADS but fail in JJWBGSP scholarship screening, it is their responsibility
to secure funds for fees and tuition. While students are eligible to apply for internal and external
scholarships during the designated period, the University does not guarantee that all students arefinancially assisted.
(3) The University offers a tuition waiver program for those students who meet certain criteria.
Students can apply to this program during the designated period.
(4) Student services, including housing information services and limited health services, are provided
to all students.

5. Application Process
The selection is specifically designed for those who are planning to study in IPADS with the financial
support of JJ/WBGSP.

Approximate number ofstudents to be admitted

Round One

Round Two1

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Deadline for online
application

21 October 2024 (Monday)

16 February 2025 (Sunday)

Announcement ofshortlisted candidatesby 18 November 2024 (Monday)by 7 March 2025 (Friday)

Deadline for PDF
application (shortlistedcandidates only)

11 December 2024 (Wednesday)

28 March 2025 (Friday)* Original documents
should be submitted
during the designatedperiod in September
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2025 for admitted
applicants.
Notification of the finalresult

by 10 February 2025 (Monday)by 13 May 2025 (Tuesday)

5A. Prescreening
Potential applicants must show their intention to apply by submitting an online application form
available on the program website along with electronic copies of the documents marked * in 5B.
Application by midnight (Japan Standard Time) of 21 October 2024 (for Round One) or 16 February
2025 (for Round Two). Following the prescreening, those who meet the eligibility criteria and areconsidered suitable for consideration for admission (shortlisted candidates) will be invited to submit
the application documents listed below. This invitation is made online on the program website on or
before 18 November 2024 (for Round One) or 7 March 2025 (for Round Two).

5B. Application
For shortlisted candidates to be officially considered for admission, electronic copies of the following
documents must be received by the IPADS Office and the examination fee must be paid not later than
11 December 2024 (for Round One) or 28 March 2025 (for Round Two). Documents (*) alreadysubmitted during 5A. Prescreening process are not required to submit again, however, any updated
documents may be submitted by the deadline. The IPADS Office will not consider late applications.
Original documents of the following (2) and (3) should be physically submitted to the Graduate
Student Section of the Graduate School during the enrollment registration period in September 2025.
Note that if any discrepancies are found between the submitted electronic documents andoriginal ones, the admission will be canceled at any time even after enrollment.

(1) Application form with a face photograph —The form will be distributed to shortlisted candidates.
A face photograph of the applicant—must be taken within 6 months of the submission deadline; 4.5
cm x 3.5 cm, upper body only, full face without a hat—should be attached electronically to theapplication form.
(2)* Proof of a Bachelor’s degree—Electronic copy of an original document with the official seal of
the institution such as a degree certificate. If the document is in a language other than English orJapanese, an official English translation (translated by the institution, a government official/organization, or a notarized translator) must be attached to the original document. In addition,5

October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP
applicants with less than 16 years of academic history including primary, secondary, and higher
education, need to submit a statement clearly explaining their academic history.
(3)* Official transcripts—Electronic copies of original transcripts from all universities and colleges
the applicant has previously attended, with the official seal of the institution. Transcripts must clearly
demonstrate the marking system of the institution. If the transcripts are in a language other thanEnglish or Japanese, an official English translation (translated by the institution, a government
official/organization, or a notarized translator) must be attached to the original transcripts.
(4)* Proof of English proficiency—Either a TOEFL Score Report or an IELTS Test Report Form. For
TOEFL iBT and TOEFL PTB, applicants must arrange for the ETS (Educational Testing Service) toelectronically forward the report to IPADS, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, theUniversity of Tokyo (DI Code C351). TOEFL iBT (Special) Home Edition is acceptable as well. Bothnormal test date scores and “My Best Score” can be accepted as part of the application document.
Scores of TOEFL Essentials can also be accepted as an alternative to above mentioned TOEFL scores.
Scores of TOEFL ITP (Institutional Testing Program) are not accepted.
For IELTS, an electronic copy of the score report indicating TRF (Test Report Form) number must besubmitted. IELTS Indicator is also acceptable.
For both TOEFL and IELTS, only test reports taken on or after 1 January 2023, will be accepted.
Applicants who meet one of the following criteria are automatically exempt from submitting theEnglish proficiency test score.
-

have completed their Bachelor’s program that is taught entirely in English in one of the following
countries: **Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, and theUnited States of America;-

have worked full-time in a professional or academic environment where English has been usedsolely for at least three of the past six years in one of the above countries (**).

For applicants who meet one of the following criteria, the Duolingo English Test score is acceptable
alternatively as proof of English proficiency.
-

have completed their Bachelor’s program in universities which are located in countries other than
the above countries (**) and indicated in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED)
that English is included as the language of instruction; issue official letters proofing English as
the sole instruction language with a hand-written signature of the head of the department orequivalent from universities.

-

have worked full-time in a professional or academic environment where English has been solely
used for at least three of the past six years in countries other than the above countries (**); issue6

October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP
official letters proofing English as the sole official language with a hand-written signature of thehead of the department or equivalent from working places.
For the Duolingo English Test, in addition to the submission of an electronic copy of the certified test
result, applicants must arrange to forward the test result electronically to IPADS, the University ofTokyo. Only test reports taken on or after 1 January 2023 will be accepted.
However, the School reserves the right to request further evidence of English proficiency from allapplicants, regardless of their nationalities and educational background including those who qualify
for the English Test Exemption. Those who fail to submit their proof of English language proficiency
according to the aforementioned rules will not be considered for further admission process.
(5)* Proof of recent development-related work experience: For example, a copy of the employment
contract that proves that the applicant has at least 3 years of paid development-related employment
since earning a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent university degree) and acquired within the past 6years from the date of the Application Deadline of JJWBGSP.
(6) Research work conducted by the applicant—A Bachelor’s thesis, Honor’s thesis, or equivalent. If
the work is written in a language other than English, an English summary must be attached. Those
who graduated from Bachelor’s programs with no research component are required to submit essay
assignments undertaken for a university course, original essays on agricultural development or any
other academic report as a substitute for of their thesis.
(7) Proof of citizenship that shows that the applicant is a national of a World Bank member developing
country according to the list provided by the World Bank — A document issued by an official authority
such as a copy of a passport ID page, a citizenship certificate or a certified copy of family registration.
If the document is in a language other than English or Japanese, an English translation must be attached.
(8) Three letters of recommendation (by those nominated by the applicant at the online application)—
Two letters should be written by university academics who were nominated at the prescreening andare familiar with the applicant’s academic achievement, such as supervisors for the fourth-year thesis.
The third letter should be written by the applicant’s supervisor at a current or previous workplace.
Letters may be in either English or Japanese. They must be electronically scanned form (e.g. PDF)
with an original hand-written signature and be directly sent by the referees from their official e-mailaccount given by the institution or workplace to which they belong to the IPADS Office. No
application will be processed without letters of recommendation.
(9) Proof of examination fee payment—The details regarding the examination fee will be notified at
the time of shortlisting.
Submitted documents will not be returned. The examination fee is non-refundable.
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October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP

5C. Selection, interviews, and notification of results(1) Selection is based on all application documents submitted to the IPADS Office by theabovementioned deadline.
(2) An interview may be conducted via video link for a limited number of applicants. Applicants will
be notified in advance if this is the case.
(3) The final result will be notified to all shortlisted applicants by 10 February 2025 (for Round One)or 13 May 2025 (for Round Two).
(4) Even when the applicant fails to secure JJWBGSP Scholarship, he/she is still admitted to IPADS
as a self-supported student. The applicant must secure funds by him/herself.

6. Legal notices(1) The enrollment fee is not refundable once the student enrollment procedure has been completed.
(2) The University of Tokyo shall use the personal information obtained through the application
process only for the purpose of 1) Selection procedures, 2) Notification of results and 3) Enrollment
procedures. For those who enroll, this personal information and the examination results used foradmission selection shall also be used for 4) Educational Affairs (school registration, attendance, etc.),
5) Student Support (healthcare, career support, application procedure for tuition exemption andscholarships, use of libraries, etc.) and 6) the Management of tuition payment.
(3) The selection results may be used for future improvement of both the admission procedures andeducation programs at the University of Tokyo.
(4) If any of the submitted documents is found to be falsified, the admission may be canceled evenafter enrollment.
(5) The University of Tokyo has established the “The University of Tokyo Security Export ControlRegulations” in accordance with Japan’s “Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act”, and rigorously
implements security export control for potential students before and after their enrollment on the basisof these regulations. In particular, pre-enrollment screenings are mandatory for all international
students and also for Japanese students in certain circumstances.
Please be aware that applicants who fall under any of the conditions set out in the Act may not receive
permission to enroll at the university or may have their research activities restricted after theirenrollment even if they have passed the entrance examinations.

8October 2025 MSc-JJ/WBGSP(6) Persons with disabilities who need special assistance during exams and study should contact theIPADS Office as soon as possible, by 21 October, 2024 for Round One applicants and 16 February,
2025 for Round Two applicants.

7. Enquiries
The IPADS Office
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
The University of Tokyo
1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
Phone: 03-5841-0770 (from within Japan) / +81-3-5841-0770 (from overseas)
Email: info@ipads.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Website: https://ipads.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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