April 2025 and October 2025
Enrollment

Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering，
Hokkaido University
Ph.D Program(Doctoral Course)

Application Guidelines－Admission for Special Program－
Advanced Graduate School of Chemistry andMaterials Science (AGS)

August 2024

Table of Contents
Overview of the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering andthe Division of Chemical Sciences and Engineering ........................................................... 1
What is the AGS .................................................................................................................. 1
Admission Policy ................................................................................................................. 1

1. Admission Calendar ..................................................................................................... 4
2. Admission Quotas ........................................................................................................ 4
3. Application Period ....................................................................................................... 4
4. Application Documents ................................................................................................ 4
5. Where to Submit .......................................................................................................... 5
6. Examination Fee .......................................................................................................... 5
7. Selection Method and Examination Schedule .............................................................. 5
8. Notification of the Final Results .................................................................................. 6
9. Tuition and Fees ........................................................................................................... 6
10. Admission Requirements ............................................................................................. 6
11. Notes ............................................................................................................................ 6
Application Prerequisites ..................................................................................................... 7
Handling of Personal Information........................................................................................ 8

Overview of the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering and the Division ofChemical Sciences andEngineering
It remains vivid in most people’s memory that Dr. Akira Suzuki, Professor Emeritus of Hokkaido University, attracted attention byhonorably receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in autumn 2010. In the same year, Hokkaido University reorganized theDepartment of Chemistry in its Graduate School of Science along with three chemistry-related divisions in its Graduate School ofEngineering (the divisions of Chemical Process Engineering, Biotechnology and Macromolecular Chemistry, and Materials
Chemistry) to form the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering and the Division of Chemical Sciences andEngineering in April. (admission quotas in master’s course: 129; admission quotas in doctoral course: 38). This is the first great
attempt to combine chemistry both in Science and Engineering in National Universities in Japan, and it is a very unique graduate
school in its specialization in chemistry.
In the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, chemistry and biochemistry professors of science and engineering
who are affiliated with the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Engineering, the Research Institute for Electronic Science, the Institutefor Genetic Medicine, and the Institute for Catalysis work closely together on research and education activities. Researchers affiliatedwith the National Institute for Materials Science, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the RIKEN,
and the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center also participate as instructors in related fields. These diversely experienced
instructors offer not only specialized lectures in the Molecular Chemistry and Engineering Course, Materials Chemistry andEngineering Course, and Biological Chemistry and Engineering Course established within the Division of Chemical Sciences andEngineering but also a rich diversity of classes, including lectures in English, such as those on basic specialized subjects of graduate
school education in science and engineering fields. As a result, they are able to provide instruction and research guidance so thatstudents will be able to view the field of chemistry from both the perspectives of science and engineering and contribute to society inrelated fields.

What is the AGS
Chemistry is playing a major role in innovations of materials science addressing both academic and social issues that traverse andencompass the main fields of science and technology. To achieve the innovations that are demanded by the 21st century society infuture materials, energy, medicine, welfare and so on, education of talented top-class young students in chemistry is highly
significant. In the international educational program named the “Advanced Graduate School of Chemistry and Materials Science(AGS)” of the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, we are recruiting talented elite
students from all over the world and will foster them independent researchers, providing enough financial supports to selectedstudents and fulfilling professional education in chemistry under the atmosphere of friendly competition. Selected students will befully supported by the scholarship that covers the examination fee, entrance fee, tuition fees, and living costs. The “AGS” program
includes all major fields in chemistry and materials science, including recent advances in organic chemistry, physical chemistry,
inorganic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, materials chemistry, biochemistry and chemicalengineering.
This integrated program is expected to provide people who will lead the next generation in scientific and technologicalinnovations addressing both academic and social issues in chemistry and materials science. Let’s open the door to challenge
unknown world of chemistry at the campus of Hokkaido University having the best environment in Japan.

Admission Policy
1. Educational goals
By providing a systematic education that integrates research findings into the various fields of chemistry, such as molecularchemistry, materials chemistry, and biochemistry, the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering strives to equip
students with both basic and advanced, specialized knowledge in the field of chemistry; to cultivate individuals with broad-basedknowledge, a strong sense of discernment, and the ability to use their knowledge in practical applications to meet the needs createdby trends toward internationalization, advanced developments in science and technology, and interdisciplinary approaches; and tonurture students who have the depth of knowledge and skills necessary for conducting basic and applied research and who will
therefore be well equipped to conduct innovative research going forward.

12. Ideal student image(Master's Course)(1) Knowledge/skills
Prospective students are expected to have previously acquired advanced expertise in chemistry or related fields and undertakenoriginal
research and development.
(2) Critical-thinking, judgment, and expressive abilities
To respond to internationalization, the sophistication of science and technology, and interdisciplinization, the Graduate School
requires prospective students to possess not only a basic background in related fields but also the motivation to acquire diverse
knowledge and develop critical thinking, judgment abilities, and practical abilities.
(3) Collaboration
Prospective students are expected to be independent and motivated to learn and work in collaboration with people from various
backgrounds.
(4) Prerequisites
Before enrolling in the Graduate School, students are expected to have knowledge and abilities at the undergraduate level inchemistry or related fields.
(Doctoral course)(1) Knowledge/skills
Prospective students are expected to have previously acquired advanced expertise in chemistry or related fields and undertaken
original research and development.
(2) Critical-thinking, judgment, and expressive abilities
To respond to internationalization, the sophistication of science and technology, and interdisciplinization, the Graduate School
requires prospective students to possess not only a basic background in related fields but also the motivation to acquire diverse
knowledge and develop critical thinking, judgment abilities, and practical abilities.
(3) Collaboration
Prospective students are expected to be independent and motivated to learn and work in collaboration with people from various
backgrounds.
(4) Prerequisites
Before enrolling in the Graduate School, students are expected to have acquired knowledge and research abilities at the master's levelin chemistry or related fields.
3. Basic policy for admission selection
At the Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, we admit students who desire to specialize in the fields of scienceand engineering and obtain a master's or doctoral degree in the field of general chemistry, as well as students who seek a doctoral
degree while working. Details such as the evaluation method are specified in the application guidelines. To measure language
proficiency, which is indispensable for success on the international stage, we request the submission of scores for an English test thatis
conducted globally.
(1) Master's program• General selection
Besides requiring comprehensive academic abilities related to the basics of chemistry, we conduct written and oral examinations
related to specialization; evaluate basic specialized subjects in molecular chemistry, material chemistry, and biochemistry; andevaluate advanced, specialized knowledge in specialized subjects, as well as judgment ability and level of proficiency in the
background of related fields, to ascertain practical ability. In addition, through oral examinations, we evaluate candidates’ attitude ofindependence, willingness to collaborate with diverse people, motivation for the future, and ability to learn and research at theundergraduate level. Selection will be made by comprehensively judging the examination results, including language ability based2

on the English test score.
The written test may be exempted for those who have demonstrated excellent academic performance at their previous academic
institution or who have outstanding achievements, such as research and development at companies.

• Entrance examination for international students
Considering the level of education overseas, we evaluate expertise and operational ability in basic or related fields of chemistry
through an oral examination. Prospective students are expected to have an attitude of independence, be willing to collaborate withvarious people, and have motivation for the future. Language ability will also be evaluated based on the score of the English test.

(2) Doctoral program (general selection / examination for working adults / international student selection/ AGS selection)
An oral examination is conducted to evaluate expertise and operational ability in chemistry and related fields, as well as basic
research abilities for advancing original research in the doctoral program, with the addition of presentation ability. Prospective
students are expected to have an attitude of independence, be willing to collaborate with various people, and have motivation for the
future. Language ability will also be evaluated based on the score of the English test.

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1. Admission Calendar
Application Period

September 17, 2024 – October 31, 2024

First Screening <Document Screening>

November 1, 2024 – November 20, 2024

Announcement of the results of First Screening<document screening>

November 27, 2024

Second Screening <Oral Examination (Interview)>

November 29, 2024 – December 20, 2024

Announcement of the results of the Oral
Examination

January 30, 2025

2. Admission Quotas
Division

Number to be admitted

Chemical Sciences and Engineering

A few

3. Application Period
September 17, 2024 – October 31, 2024

4. Application Documents
No.

1

Required documents

Description

Admission application

Prescribed forms

2

Two recommendation letters

Prescribed forms
One of the letters should be from your academic advisor at the lastschool you attended(Not required if you are currently enrolled in Hokkaido University, andwish to study under the guidance of the same academic supervisor in
the doctoral course)

3(a) Those who have been awarded a master’s degree should provide asummary of their master’s thesis or other materials equivalent to amaster’s thesis (no set format for the summary but approximately
A summary of your master’s thesis or
two A4-sized pages).
your research achievements(b) Those expecting to be awarded a master’s degree should provide an
abstract of the research conducted over the course of their master’s
program (up to 500 words) or other equivalent materials.

4

A list of publications and copies of key
research papers (if any)

5

Academic transcripts from bothundergraduate and graduate education
program6

Official certificates of degrees (bothbachelor’s and master’s degree)

The titles or subjects of books or papers, with the author’s name anddate of publication should be written on the list.

Each certificate must show the date your degree was awarded.
If applicants are still doing their master’s upon application, they need tosubmit a certificate of expected graduation.
They must be issued by a university/college president or dean.
(For graduates, be sure that the certificate includes information on yourdegree).

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*Those who graduated or will graduate from a university in People’s
Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) must submit thefollowing documents in addition to a Certificate of (Expected)
Graduation.
If you have already graduated, submit the following two items:a. Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification
Certificate（教育部学历证书电子注册备案表）b. Graduation Diploma（毕业证书）and Degree Diploma（学位证书）If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program, submit:a. Online Verification Report of Student Record（教育部学籍在线验证报告）

7

A certificate of English language
proficiency

8

A copy of your passport

9(If applicable) Other supplementary
documents requested by yourprospective supervisor

Request the document “a” above at “中国高等教育学历证书查询”:
http://www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgys.jsp.
Also be sure to submit the document more than 15 days before theexpiration date of the online verification.
Submit a score report from one of the following English proficiency
tests as part of your application form:
TOEIC/TOEFL/IELTS
Alternatively, if English was the primary medium of instruction at thebachelor’s and master’s course, you may submit an official letter fromboth of institutions verifying that English was the medium of
instruction instead.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: All documents should be written in English or Japanese

5. Where to Submit
AGS Office at the Frontier Chemistry Center
Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University
Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8628, JAPAN
Tel/Fax: (+81)-11-706-8110
E-mail: ags@eng.hokudai.ac.jp
Note: You must submit original and electronic copies of all required documents
no later than October 31, 2024. When sending out by mail, be sure to send by tracked post.

6. Examination Fee¥30,000
The following applicants will be exempted from the examination fee.
1. Students supported by the Japanese Government (MEXT)
2. Students supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC)
3. International Students supported by the Hokkaido University Special Grant Program
4. Recipients of the Hokkaido University President’s FellowshipThose who are required to pay the examination fee will be notified of how to pay for the fee later.

7. Selection Method and Examination Schedule
7-1 First Screening <Document screening>
In the First Screening stage, all application documents will be comprehensively reviewed and-5-considered.
The results of the first screening will be sent by email directly to the applicants on November 27, 2024.

7-2 Second Screening <Oral Examination (Interview)>: November 29, 2024 – December 20, 2024
In the Oral Examination, applicants are required to give a presentation of their previous research as welland research proposal in English. The examination also includes a discussion with the interviewers.
Interviews will be conducted via a video conferencing system or a video chat system (such as Zoom orSkype).
The schedule and other details on the oral examination will be provided to those who pass the firstscreening.

8. Notification of the Final Results: January 30, 2025
The results of the Second Screening (Oral Examination) will be individually notified.

9. Tuition and Fees
Enrollment fee: ¥282,000
Tuition Fee ¥535,800 per year
<Al l fees are subject to change>
The following students will be exempted from all the fees
1. Students supported by the Japanese Government (MEXT)
2. Students supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC)
3. International Students supported by the Hokkaido University Special Grant Program
4. Recipients of the Hokkaido University President’s Fellowship
Note that the maximum amount of time for which a student can receive a tuition benefit isthree years.

10. Admission Requirements
Individuals (1) have strong academic records for both undergraduate and graduate studies, (2) havebeen awarded or expect to be awarded a Master’s degree from a university in a foreign country or inJapan by March, 2025 (by September 2025 for October 2025 enrollment), or expect to be evaluated byus as possessing equivalent academic skill *1.
*1 : for details, see the section titled “Application Prerequisites”
Note1) Please find an appropriate professor you wish to have as your academic supervisor and get informal
agreement before submitting the application form. The list of our academic staff is available at
http://www.cse.hokudai.ac.jp/english/org/.
2) If you have any questions regarding the Application Requirements, contact the AGS Office.

11. Notes(1) Incomplete applications may not be accepted. Be sure that there are no errors in your application
documents.
(2) If any falsified information is found in the application documents, the applicant’s admission may be
revoked.
(3) The AGS students should actively join the following programs as long as the participation does not-6-bring any negative effects on your research work.
1. CSE summer school
2. Symposium, Workshop or other events sponsored by the CSE
After completion of the course, the AGS alumni are highly expected to contribute to the expansion of
the AGS network.
(4) Financial Support Information
Please note that only selected applicants will receive the following supports. Those who would like to know
details need to consult the AGS office before contacting our professors.
1. HU Special Grant Program
2. The MEXT scholarship by the University Recommendation
3. The MEXT scholarship by the Embassy Recommendation
4. Hokkaido University President’s Fellowship
If you have any questions regarding the application process, contact the office below as well.

AGS Office at the Frontier Chemistry Center
Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University
Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8628, JAPAN
Tel/Fax: (+81)-11-706-8110
E-mail: ags@eng.hokudai.ac.jp

Application Prerequisites (for April Enrollee)
For October Enrollee: the same as April Enrollee except that March 31, 2025 should read September 30,
2025.
(1) Individuals who have been awarded a master’s degree or professional degree from a Japanese university(the term “professional degree” used hereinafter shall refer to the professional degree prescribed in
Article 5-2 of the Degree Regulations [Ordinance of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture No.
9 of 1953] pursuant to stipulations in Article 104, Clause 1, of the School Education Act); this includes
those who expect to be awarded such a degree by March 31, 2025.
(2) Individuals who have been awarded or expect to be awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree orprofessional degree from a foreign university by March 31, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as “individuals
from a foreign educational system”)(3) Individuals who have been awarded or expect to be awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree orprofessional degree by March 31, 2025 by taking a correspondence course in Japan offered by a foreignschool (hereinafter referred to as “individuals from a foreign educational system via correspondence
course”)(4) Individuals who have completed a graduate school coursework of a foreign university at an educational
institution in Japan and have been awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree or professional
degree. The institution needs to be positioned within the school education system of that foreign country
as an educational body with a graduate school course and is required to be designated by the Japanese
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. This includes those who expect to beawarded such a degree by March 31, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as “individuals who have completed
coursework in a school designated as equivalent to a graduate school”).
(5) Individuals who have been awarded or expected to be awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degreeby March 31, 2025 from the United Nations University as prescribed in Article 1(2) of the Act on
Special Measures Incidental of Enforcement of the Agreement between the United Nations and Japan
regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations University (Act No.72 of 1976), which wasestablished under the December 11, 1972 resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations-7-

(hereinafter referred to as “individuals from the UN University”).
(6) Individuals who have completed their formal education by taking a correspondence course
through a non-Japanese university, an educational institution which received the designation by(4), or the United Nations University, who have passed an examination or a screening equivalent to theregulations by Article 16.2 in Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools, and who arerecognized to have an academic ability equivalent to Master’s degree holders by the Graduate School,or who will obtain it by March 31, 2025.
(7) Individuals designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (1989
Notice No. 118, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture).
(a) Those who have graduated from a university; have conducted research for two years or longer at auniversity, research institution, etc.; and are recognized by this graduate school as possessing
equivalent or greater academic capabilities as those of a person who has a master’s degree based on
its research achievements, etc.
(b) Those who have completed 16 years of school education in a foreign country or 16 years of school
education of a foreign country by taking a correspondence course in Japan offered by a school ofthat foreign country; have conducted research for two years or longer at a university, research
institution, etc.; and are recognized by this graduate school as possessing equivalent or greater
academic capabilities as those of a person who has a master’s degree based on its researchachievements, etc.
(8) Applicants who are recognized by the graduate school as possessing the equivalent or greater academic
skill as that of a person who has a master’s degree or professional degree based on an individualized
admission qualification investigation and who will be 24 years of age as of March 31, 2025.(hereinafterreferred to as “individuals who apply through an individualized admission qualification investigation”)

Handling of Personal Information(1) All personal information collected by Hokkaido University will be completely protected in compliancewith the Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held by Independent Administrative Agencies,etc., and other related acts and pursuant to the Hokkaido University Personal Information Management
Regulations.
(2) Names, addresses, and other personal information provided to the university through application
procedures will be used solely for (a) enrollee selection, (b) the announcement of exam results, (c)admission procedures, (d) surveys and research on enrollee selection methods, and (e) related
processes.
(3) Some of these processes may be outsourced by the university to a contracted service provider(hereinafter referred to as “contractor”). All or some of the personal information provided by applicants
may be provided to the contractor only as needed to perform the tasks for which it has been contracted.
(4) Personal information obtained through application procedures will be used only for those who areadmitted for (a) school administration purposes (student registration, academic counseling, etc.), (b)student support services (health management, scholarship applications, etc.), and (c) tuition and otheradministrative purposes.
(5) Of the personal information described in item (4) above, only names and addresses will be used tofacilitate communication with students from the Hokkaido University Frontier Foundation andorganizations related to Hokkaido University, such as (a) the Hokkaido University Athletic Union and(b) the Hokkaido University School of Engineering and School of Science Alumni Association.
Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University-8-