Kwansei Gakuin University
Institute of Business and Accounting
Graduate Department of Advanced Management (Ph.D.)

Entrance Examination
Information

Spring 2025
(Applicants resident overseas)

Institute of Business and Accounting
Kwansei Gakuin University
1-155 Uegahara Ichibancho
Nishinomiya 662-8501, Japan
Phone: +81-(0)798-54-6572
Email: ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp

Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ Ｍｏｔｔｏ “ Mastery for Service ”
Kwansei Gakuin University is an independent institution for higher
education, offering Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees in over 35
different disciplines to a student body of about 25,000, including
approximately 800 foreign students. The University maintains academic
standards that rank among the highest of all Japanese universities andcolleges. The educational system at this institution is built on Christian
principles, exemplified by its motto, "Mastery for Service," coined by Dr.
C.J.L. Bates, the fourth Chancellor.

Dr. Bates

This emphasizes that students should not only strive for academic excellencein order to further their own careers, but should also nurture their personality
and character for the purpose of serving others and society as a whole. This
spirit continues to inform all the educational activities of the University.

Department of Advanced Management (Ph.D.)
Institute of Business and Accounting, Kwansei Gakuin University
Spring 2025 Entrance Examination Information
Contents
OUTLINE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADVANCED MANAGEMENT ........................................... 1
ENTRANCE EXAMINATION ....................................................................................................... 2I

ADMISSION POLICY .......................................................................................................................... 2II

STUDENT INTAKE ............................................................................................................................. 2

III
IV

QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPLICATION .................................................................................................. 2
APPLICATION PROCEDURES .............................................................................................................. 3

V
VI

SELECTION PROCEDURE ................................................................................................................... 5
EXAMINATION TIMETABLE, CONTENT AND LOCATION ....................................................................... 6VII

ANNOUNCEMENT OF EXAMINATION RESULTS .................................................................................... 6

VIII
IX

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................ 6
TUITION AND OTHER FEES ................................................................................................................. 8XXISCHOLARSHIPS ................................................................................................................................. 8
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA ..................................................................................................... 9

Outline of the Department of Advanced Management
１．Title : Institute of Business and Accounting, Kwansei Gakuin University
２．Program : Department of Advanced Management (Ph.D.)
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (Management)
Number of Students: 18 (annual entry quota: 6)
Location: Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus
３．Status : Independent Graduate School
４．Normal period of degree program : 3 years
５．Date of Establishment : April 1, 2008
６．Class hours : Daytime, evenings and weekends
Since some lectures will be held at the Osaka Umeda Campus, students will be expected to travel to thisCampus as well as to the Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus.

Advanced Management （Ph.D.）
Spring Entry
Number of annual intake

6

Number of Spring intake

3

Application period[Applications must arrive at IBA officewithin this period]

Examination
schedule

Monday, June 24～ Monday, July 1, 2024

Essays in Academic Discipline【Distribution of Essay Topics】
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
【Submission Deadline】
Thursday, July 11, 2024

Interview [Online]

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Announcement of result

Friday, July 26, 2024

Period of admission procedure Ⅰ(Payment of admission application fee）
Deadline for admission procedure Ⅱ（Payment of tuition and other fees and submission of required documents）

1

Friday, July 26～ Friday, August 2, 2024
Friday, November 22, 2024

Entrance Examination
I

Admission Policy
The Institute of Business and Accounting’s Graduate Department of Advanced Management not only focuses on
the development of researchers but also strives for research with high applicability and emphasizes real-world
relationships and contributions to society. We deal with a broad array of issues related to management, includingthat of corporations and government organizations such as local governments. Our focus is on logically explaining
various findings from the real world and increasing the applicability of the findings.
In entrance examinations, we comprehensively assess academic skills and the motivation to conduct research that
contributes to the real world based on sophisticated research and excellent analysis.

II Student Intake
Spring entry: 3, Fall entry: 3,
Total number of annual intake: 6
Discipline：
Marketing, Finance, Financial Accounting, Public GovernanceSupervisors：
Norlia Ahmad, Toshihiko Ishihara, Katsuhiko Okada, Yuji Maeda, Noriaki Yamaji※Please visit the following website for the area of expertise of each faculty:
http://researchers.kwansei.ac.jp/search?m=home&l=en

III Qualifications for Application
Persons fulfilling one of the conditions below are eligible to take the entrance examination:
1. Master’s degree holders and those due to graduate from a Master’s course by March, 2025.
2. Holders of professional school degrees and those due to graduate from professional school by March,2025.
3. Persons who have, or expect to obtain by March 2025, a foreign university degree or a United Nations
University degree which is equivalent to 1 or 2 above.
4. Persons who have received university education in a country other than Japan and have passed screening
for fundamental abilities for Ph.D. research, and who are recognized by the Institute as having obtained an
academic ability equivalent to a master’s degree holder.
5. Persons, at least 24 years of age, recognized by the Institute, on the basis of a separate qualifying test, as
having academic ability equivalent to 1 or 2 above.
Notes:
1) Persons unsure as to whether they are qualified to sit for the entrance examination should inquire to theoffice of the Institute of Business and Accounting (IBA) (ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp) at least one monthprior to the start of the application period.
2) Persons wishing to be tested under the provisions of 5 above should contact the IBA office(ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp) without fail for detailed information in advance. Applicants should beaware that the closing date for the submission of the necessary documents for qualification exam is 2
weeks before the application period starts (which is by Monday, June 10).

2

IV Application Procedures
1. Application Period:
Monday, June 24 – Monday, July 1, 2024
(Applications must arrive at IBA office on or before the closing date.)(‘Inquiry Form for Ph.D. Program Application’ should reach us by Monday, June 10)
2. Method of Application:1) Submission of ‘Inquiry Form for Ph.D. Program Application’
Please fill in the "Inquiry Form for Ph.D. Program Application" and email it to ibaoffice@ kwansei.ac.jp; wewill see if faculties are capable to supervise you in your academic discipline. Please submit official application
documents below after we confirm your eligibility and email you.
Academic discipline: Marketing, Finance, Financial Accounting, Public Governance2) Official Application
When you received application forms, please pay the entrance examination fee, and then send all of theapplication documents listed below to the IBA office by postal mail.
Address: Kwansei Gakuin University Institute of Business and Accounting
1-155 Uegahara Ichibancho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 662-8501 Japan
3. Application Documents：
Application documents can be downloaded from the following website:
https://iba.kwansei.ac.jp/doctor/
All of the documents should be written in English, or at least English translation should be attachedto the original documents written in other than English. If an applicant attaches the English
translation, the translation requires embassy or appropriate notarization. If the applicant cannot
get notarized translation, submit the translation officially certified by the university (or graduate
school) the applicant attended most recently, or by a translation company, with the attachment of
an official letter of translation as an evidence.

1) Application form

2) Official Transcript* Original transcript in asealed envelope3) Graduation Certificate(or expected graduation
certificate if you have notcompleted)* Original transcript in asealed envelope○ Applicants should fill in the form A-1, A-2 and B; and submit themafter completing the payment of examination fee.
○ Paste a photograph taken in the last 3 months on the photographform (form B). The photograph should be 4 cm. high and 3 cm.
wide, of the upper body, full face, without hat. Please write yourname on the back of the photograph.
○ Choose a category, an academic discipline and a supervisor on theform A-1.
○ Your examination slip will be sent to the E-mail address written on
the form A-1.
○ Issued by the last educational institution attended.

○ Issued by the last educational institution attended.
(Unnecessary if the date of graduation or expected date ofgraduation appears on a transcript.)34) Letter of Reference○ Written by a teacher or your supervisor at the graduate school orprofessional school attended. (There is no prescribed form).
The letter should be original with signature (photocopy or print outof email are not accepted).
IBA graduates are exempted from the submission of this letter.

5) Information Sheet○ To be filled in by the applicant on the prescribed form.

6) Research Proposal or Plan

○ To be written by the applicant on the prescribed form.

7) Thesis, or Individual research
article○ Submit master’s degree thesis or individual research article.

8) Evidence of payment for
the entrance examination fee○ A copy of payment receipt

9) A copy of passport○ A copy of personal information page(s)Please attach any of the following documents if available (for reference purposes, a copy is acceptable).
i. Certificates providing evidence of English language ability (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, etc.)
ii. Certificates providing evidence of management-related knowledge (GMAT, etc.)
iii. Any other documents providing evidence of your knowledge, ability or relevant experience
Notes:
1) Applicants who require consideration due to illness, injury, or physical disability at the time of theexamination and after the enrollment should inform the IBA office (E-mail:ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp) at least one month before the application period starts so thatappropriate arrangements can be made. Please contact the IBA office about any concerns you
may have regarding the admissions procedure.
2) A medical examination will be carried out upon entry to the University, so medical certificates are
not required at this time.
3) Documents submitted and the entrance examination fee once paid will not be returned under any
circumstances.
4) If you have any questions about the application procedures, please contact the IBA office (E-mail:ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp) at least one month before the application period starts.
5) False statements on any documents or any misconduct will result in cancellation of admissions
and eligibility for all entrance examinations for the relevant academic year.
6) If your present name differs from the name on any of your submitted documents, please attach
explanatory documentation.
4. Entrance Examination Fee
Examination Fee: 35,000 yen
Payment Period: Monday, June 24 – Monday, July 1, 2024
1） Payment by bank transfer:
Please remit the examination fee of 37,500 yen (entrance exam fee, 35,000 yen and bank transfer
fee, 2,500 yen), taking into account the below a. to d.
a. Bank transfer fee of the Recipient’s Bank in Japan (2,500 yen) is included to the application fee.
b. Remittance charges of the Sender’s Bank in their home country are the applicant’s
responsibility. Bank transfer fee (2,500yen) for the Japanese bank will be deducted from theremittance. Please remit 37,500 yen.
4

c. Payment name must be made to the University’s bank account in Japanese Yen (JPY).
d. Name of Sender must be identical name of the applicant; otherwise, payment may not be
confirmed by the University.
<University Account Information>
Bank Name
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Branch Name
Koto Branch
14-12 Rokutanji-cho, Nishinomiya,
Branch Address
Hyogo 662-0918 Japan
Account Type
Ordinary Account (Savings Account)
Account NameKWANSEI GAKUIN<Remittance Method >Type
Telegraphic Transfer
Paying Bank’s Charges, if any Payee’s AccountBank Number
Branch Code

0009
376

Account Number:

1000257

Swift CodeSMBC JPJT

Payment
Currency

Advise and Pay
Japanese Yen (JPY)

2）Payment using credit card:a. If you wish to pay the entrance examination fee by credit card, please access the URL below andfollow the instructions. The payment by credit card can be made during the aforementioned
payment period (Japan Time).
URL: https://pay.f-regi.com/fc/kgu_exam/en/b. When the payment has gone through, please print out the Completion of Payment Receipt andattach it to the application documents.
c. A service fee (918yen) will apply.
d. Once paid, the entrance examination fee cannot be refunded. Changes to or cancellation of yourapplication will not be accepted. When making the payment, please make sure to select thecorrect type of entrance examination:
Type of Examination: 000: Graduate Department of Advanced Management (Ph.D.)
Spring Semester Entry (Overseas)
Notes:
1) The entrance examination fee is non-refundable.
2) Please remit the entrance examination fee first, then enclose a photocopy of the payment
evidence to the application documents, and send them to the IBA office. We shall startevaluating your application documents immediately on receipt of the fee and documents.

V Selection Procedure
Selection will be carried out on the basis of documents submitted by the applicant, a written examination(Essays in Academic Discipline), and an interview.
Notes:
1) Applicants should choose an academic discipline in advance.
Academic discipline: Marketing, Finance, Financial Accounting, Public Governance2) Sample essay questions are available upon request. Please refer the following website.
URL: https://iba.kwansei.ac.jp/doctor/

5

VI Examination Timetable, Content and Location
1. Examination Date:
Sunday, July 21, 2024
2. Examination Timetable
Time【Application Period】
Monday, June 24, 2024－
Monday, July 1, 2024
【Distribution of Essay Topics】
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
【Submission Deadline】
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Sunday, July 21, 2024
(Exact time for each applicant will beannounced after the application period)

Details

Location

Examination

Score

Application documents
based assessment

40%―

Essays in
Academic Discipline

40%―

Interview

20%

OnlineNotes:
1) Applicants who are late for the interview will be excluded from the examination.
2) Cheating in the examination will result in disqualification of all entrance examinations for the
relevant academic year.

VII Announcement of Examination Results
Friday, July 26, 2024
Results will be sent by email to the email address on the form A-1.
Note: Telephone or email enquiries concerning entrance examination results will not be accepted.

VIII

Admissions Procedures

Applicants who are successful in the entrance examination will be sent the ‘Information for Successful
Applicants’ as well as a notification of your acceptance. They should complete the admissions procedures
according to the ‘Information for Successful Applicants’ within the specified periods, and attend the entrance
ceremony. Students who do not have Japanese nationality must also complete the procedures required toobtain residence status in Japan.
1. Admissions Procedure Ⅰ (Payment of admission application fee)
Please pay your admission application fee into the specified Kwansei Gakuin account. This must be
received as Japanese Yen.
Payment should be made between Friday, July 26 and Friday, August 2, 2024.

6

2. Admissions Procedure Ⅱ(Payment of tuition and other fees, and submission of documents)
A. Payment of tuition and other fees
Please pay the tuition and other fees into the specified Kwansei Gakuin account. This must be
received as Japanese Yen.
Payment should be made by Friday, November 22, 2024.
B. Submission of Documents(1) Submission of photo data to make your student ID card
Please submit photo data to make your student ID card by Friday, November 22, 2024
to the IBA office (E-mail: ibaoffice@kwansei.ac.jp).
(2) Other documents as specified in the document ‘Information for Successful Applicants’
3. Procedure for Acquiring Residence Status in Japan
In order to be admitted to the Graduate School of a Japanese university, applicants must apply to a
Japanese diplomatic office (Embassy, Consulate-General, etc.) for a visa, and obtain the residence statusof ‘Student’ (ryuugaku). To enable applicants to obtain this status, this University will apply to theJapanese immigration authorities for a ‘Certificate of Eligibility’ on behalf of successful applicants. Once
this Certificate has been issued, the University will send it to the applicant, who should then go to theJapanese diplomatic office for a visa with the residence status of ‘Student.’ If a student intends to residein Japan with a residence status other than that of ‘Student’, this procedure is unnecessary, but in this caseapplicants should inform the IBA office of this fact.
The documents required for you to complete the above procedure will be sent to you with the notificationof acceptance and ‘Information for Successful Applicants’. They should be completed and returned
immediately, so that the immigration procedures can be commenced in good time.
4. Entrance Ceremony
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 (to be confirmed) at Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus.
*We shall inform you the time when it is fixed.
Notes:
1) Persons who fail to complete the admissions procedures within the time specified will be
regarded as having no intention of entering the University, and their admission will be cancelled.
2) Admission application fee or admission fee, once paid, will not be refunded.
3) A request for refund of fees (other than the admission fee) can be considered only if application
for a refund is made during a designated period. For details, please refer to the ‘Information for
Successful Applicants.’
4) Documents submitted will not be returned.
5) Please be aware that you will be required later to submit documents in addition to those listed
above.
6) The IBA office is open during the following hours:
Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., 12:30p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Office is closed:
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays when no classes are conducted; during August 13
through 21.

7

IX Tuition and other fees
The tuition and other fees for the 2025 academic year are as follows.
Unit: Japanese yen
First Semester(At the time of entry )Second Semester

Admission fee

200,000-

Tuition

216,000

216,000

Education enhancement fee

65,50065,500

Total

481,500

281,500

Notes
1) In addition to the above, students are required to pay the following:(i) Alumni Association admission fee of ¥2,000 (This fee is not levied from Kwansei
Gakuin University graduates.) *Only at the time of enrollment.
(ii) Annual fee of ¥4,000 (¥2,000 per semester) to cover the cost of research journals
distributed to students.
(iii) IBA Research Forum admission fee of ¥10,000 (This fee is not levied from IBA
graduates.) *Only at the time of enrollment.
The IBA Research Forum is an association for research and networking between faculty,
students and IBA graduates.
2) Tuition and other fees are to be paid in two installments as follows:・ Spring Semester (April 1 – September 19) - to be paid by May 19(In a student’s first year these fees will be paid during the admissions procedure.)・ Fall Semester (September 20 – March 31) - to be paid by November 9(A payment slip will be sent to student in October.)3) Graduates of any master’s program at Kwansei Gakuin University will be exempted from theadmission fee despite that years have passed from graduation.

X Scholarships
1. International students whose residence status is “Student (ryugaku)”
30% tuition reduction for all students (Undecided for AY2025 and beyond) *1
2. International students whose residence status is other than “Permanent Resident,”“Special Permanent Resident,” “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident,” “Spouse or Child ofJapanese National”
KGU Scholarship for International Students *2(a) Scholarship of about 50% of one year’s tuition for approximately 40% of newly enrolled
students: selection is made prior to admission based on the performance at the entrance
examination.
(b) Scholarship of about 35% of one year’s tuition for approximately 60% of all international
students other than those awarded the above (a): selection is made after admission based onacademic performance.
In addition to the above, private foundation scholarships may be available. Information about such
scholarships will be provided after admission.
8

Notes:*1. First-year students are required to pay the full amount of tuition for the first semester in
Admission Procedure I. For those who have completed the application process for the tuition
reduction, the 30% tuition reduction for the first semester will be made in the second semester.
*2. Scholarships will not be granted before your admission. Application/procedure information will
be given at the Mandatory Orientation for the International Students, which will be held byCenter for International Education and Cooperation (CIEC) after enrollment.
3. Japanese nationals and international students whose residence status is “Permanent Resident,”“Special Permanent Resident,” “Spouse or Child of Permanent Resident,” “Spouse or Child ofJapanese National”
Please refer to the following website (Only available in Japanese):https://www.kwansei.ac.jp/graduate/scholarship/

XI Protection of Personal Data
Personal data provided by applicants at the time of application is used by Kwansei Gakuin University for the
purpose of selection, communication with applicants and preparation for enrollment. Appropriate steps aretaken concerning the security of this information, in conformity with the Law Concerning the Protection of
Personal Data.
Kwansei Gakuin University passes on selected portions of the data provided by successful applicants(specifically, their names, addresses, telephone numbers) to Kwansei Gakuin Alumni Association (This is asocial association of alumni and students, which all students join.). Students are asked to permit this use, andto accept that this organization will take the same precautions concerning the security of personal data as
Kwansei Gakuin University takes.
Organization Receiving Selected Personal Student Data
Kwansei Gakuin Alumni Association(This is a social association of alumni and students, which all students join.)9