Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)
Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
Self-Financed Students

Address and Contact Information

One-year Master's Program of Public Policy (MP1)
Two-year Master's Program of Public Policy (MP2)

Getting to GRIPSThe GRIPS building is located in thecenter of Tokyo, conveniently accessible
by public transport. Both Nogizaka Stationon the Chiyoda Line and Roppongi Stationon the Oedo and Hibiya Lines are within
10 minutes walking distance.

Roppongi Hills

Access RouteTokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line

AoyamaCemetery Park

Toei Oedo Line

Tokyo Metro
Chiyoda Line
Nogizaka Sta.

Hinokicho ParkTokyo Midtown
The National
Art Center,Tokyo
Science Councilof Japan

Main
Gate
South
Gate

Roppongi
TunnelRyudocho
Bijutsukan DoriGRIPS

Seijoki DoriTokyo Metro
Hibiya Line
Roppongi Sta.
t

ree

i St

ong

p
Rop

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8677 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6439-6000
http://www.grips.ac.jp

Admissions Officeadmissions@grips.ac.jp
2023.04

Toei Oedo Line
Roppongi Sta.

Roppongi Hills

1 About GRIPS

2 GRIPS’ Flagship ProgramYour Gateway to Global Leadership

The Public Policy Program

GRIPS is a graduate school specializing in education and research for policy studies. The
predecessor of GRIPS was the Graduate School of Policy Science (GSPS), which wasestablished in 1977 at Saitama University as the first graduate school for policy studies inJapan. Established in 1997 by the Japanese government, GRIPS inherited the GSPS mantle
and eventually moved to Roppongi, an international and cultural hub of Tokyo. GRIPS aims
to produce first-class policy makers and conduct cutting-edge research in policy studies.
Our slogan, “Gateway to Global Leadership,” summarizes the mission of GRIPS: We seek to
identify and nurture leaders and managers involved in policy-making on a global scale.

The Public Policy Program (PPP) is GRIPS’ flagship program and it hasroots going back to the GSPS. The mission of the PPP is to educate
leaders, public managers, and public policy analysts, providing themwith the policy tools and ethical principles needed for democratic andefficient governance in the public policy arena. The PPP has produced
a steady stream of highly qualified managers and leaders for many
important areas of public policy. Graduates of this program become
part of an international network of policy professionals.

GRIPS is one of the most internationalized graduate schools in the world, with international
students comprising nearly 66% of the student body. The class of 2021-2022, for example,
which consisted of 363 students, included 222 foreign students from 56 countries. Most
GRIPS students are professionals from central and local governments.

The Public Policy Program has two tracks—a one-year track (MP1) anda two-year track (MP2). The working and teaching language of the PPP
is English and all courses are offered in English.

GRIPS has been a partner of the Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program(ADB-JSP) since 2000. In addition, GRIPS has been selected by the Japanese government
and international organizations such as the World Bank, the World Customs Organization,and the International Monetary Fund to train mid-career government officials from emerging
and developing countries.

Director:
Makoto Tanaka(Applied Economics)

The one-year master’s program (MP1) equips
mid-career managers and leaders with thefundamental skills and knowledge needed tomake them effective managers in the public
sector. Students develop familiarity with allphases of the policy cycle. The program awards
the degree of Master of Public Policy or Masterof Public Administration. Students are required
to write a policy report in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree.
The two-year master’s program(MP2) provides early- and mid-career
professionals and junior staff memberswith the technical skills needed to
be professional policy analysts. The
program builds a strong foundation
for advanced research (including
doctoral studies). The program awards
the degree of Master of Arts in Public
Policy. Students are required to write amaster’s thesis in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree.

Photo :

1

About GRIPSGRIPS Flagship Program2

Masao Nishikawa

Program Design: Interdisciplinary Academic &Professional Education
The curriculum is composed of an introductory course in policy studies, policy debate
seminars, and a wide variety of elective courses. All PPP students are provided a common
interdisciplinary and analytical foundation through required courses. Students acquire more
specialized knowledge by taking recommended courses. A wide range of elective courses
enables students to enhance their academic and pragmatic skills. Practical courses aretaught by government officials who have extensive experience in policy formulation andimplementation. This combination of academic and practical knowledge is the hallmark of a
GRIPS education.

Economic
PolicyPublicPolicyPublicPolicyProgramInternational
Development
StudiesInternational
RelationsStudents are provided considerable guidance in the preparation of their policy reports.
Students develop research skills, choose a research topic, and develop their policy reports
in two policy debate seminars. The Center for Professional Communication (CPC) offers
guidance and support at every stage of the writing process, from selecting a topic to writing
the final draft.
In addition to the knowledge and skills acquired in the first year, MP2 second-year students
receive advanced training and guidance in the technical and practical skills needed for
public policy analysis. Students develop and apply their research skills to writing anddefending compulsory master’s theses. Thus, MP2 provides a strong platform for advanced
policy research (including doctoral studies).

3

GRIPS’ Flagship Program

Many Core
Courses

Tutorial I
Ideas for Policy
Report/Thesis

Choice ofConcentration

WINTER

Some More Core
Courses

Policy Debate
Seminar I

Policy Report
Proposal

SPRING

Policy Debate
Seminar II

Policy Report
Presentation

Finalize
Policy Report

SUMMER

Summer
Program(non-credit)

FALL

MP2 Only

Thesis
Proposal

Faculty: Cutting-Edge Academic Research for
Practical Policy Solutions
GRIPS has approximately 80 full-time faculty members from a variety of backgrounds.
Many of them have served as central and local government officials, diplomats, bankers orbusiness executives. This enables an effective combination of rigorous academic courses
complemented by professional expertise and experience.
For more on our faculty members, please see http://www.grips.ac.jp/en/about/directory/

Concentrations: Your Field of Study
Students can enroll in a wide variety of courses covering the social sciences, including
economics, international relations, development policies, operations research, as well as
their chosen fields for in-depth policy study. The PPP provides students with a choice offour concentrations (specialties): Economic Policy (EP), International Development Studies(IDS), International Relations (IR), and Public Policy (PP).

GRIPS’ Flagship Program4

Economic Policy (EP) Concentration

International Relations (IR) Concentration

The objective of the Economic Policy (EP) Concentration is to provide
policy professionals with the skills needed to design and evaluate policy
alternatives while emphasizing the application of economic tools to
realworld policy problems. Students are strongly recommended to takecore and applied courses in economics. Each student is required to
produce a policy report/thesis, for which GRIPS faculty members will
provide guidance and advice.

The International Relations (IR) Concentration aims to foster the developmentof future policy leaders through intensive training in the methods andapproaches necessary for understanding and solving major contemporary
challenges in the world. We welcome students with interests in international
affairs, variety of issues from security to political economy, as well as those
who wish to analyze domestic politics or political economy within the context
of an individual country or from a comparative perspective. Both qualitativeand quantitative methods can be adopted for analyses.

Concentration Leader:
Akio Yamazaki(Environmental Economics)

Concentration Leader:
Hyoung Kyu Chey
(International Political
Economy)Titles of Past Policy Reports and Theses
●

●
●

●

Impact of Education on Married Women Labor Force
Participation in Bangladesh: An Empirical Analysis●

Chinese Investment and Trade in Bangladesh: Something to Fear?

●

Changing Dynamics in the Aid Industry – A Case Study for Self-Reliance of Uganda

Study on The Elderly Cash Transfer Program in Indonesia: External Validity
Evidence with Different Threshold using The Regression Discontinuity Design●

Alliance Politics and US-Philippine Security Relations Under the Duterte Administration●

The Political Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Lao PDR

Titles of Past Policy Reports and Theses●●

5

The Relationship Between New Media and Health Policy: A Case Study on
Government’s Media Response to Covid-19 Vaccine Misconceptions in Ghana

The Impact of Monetary Policy on Income and Wealth inequality: Evidence fromThailandThe International Development Studies (IDS) Concentration aims tofoster technical skills for solving development problems using economics
as the basic tool. Specially designed for researchers and policy makers
interested in development issues, the curriculum of this concentration
Concentration
covers a wide range of topics in development including gender,
Leader:poverty, agricultural development, trade and industry, environment, and Chikako Yamauchi(Development Economics)
government and market.

●●

Impact of Public Debt on Economic Growth of Sub-Saharan African Countries

International Development Studies (IDS)
Concentration●

Titles of Past Policy Reports and Theses

Assessing the Relationship Between Foreign Aid and Poverty in Asia
Understanding How Much Firm-Level Characteristics Impact Entrepreneur GenderFirm Performance in Six Developing Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa

Public Policy (PP) Concentration
The objective of the Public Policy (PP) Concentration is to provide students withknowledge of various policy issues from many different disciplinary viewpoints
to support their understanding and investigation of policy-related problems.
Students are required to write a policy proposal based on the application ofeither quantitative or qualitative analytical tools to a policy issue. In preparing
policy reports, students should (a) collect quantitative and/or qualitative data, (b)analyze the data, and (c) write a policy proposal based on their investigation.

(Operations Research)

Titles of Past Policy Reports and Theses●●

Household Resilience as a Pathway to Food Security: Evidence from the Philippines●

Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Health Care with Special Reference to Poorest Income
Quintile Households in Sri Lanka: an Analysis Using Household Survey Data●

GRIPS’ Flagship Program

Concentration Leaders:
Hozumi Morohosi

Introducing Universal Pension System in Bangladesh: possible
scheme and potential administrative challenges
An Analysis of Carbon Emissions in the Philippines: The Implicationsof Economic Policy Uncertainty on Renewable Energy Transition
Risk Management Policies against Sediment Disasters intensified by
Climate Change

Concentration Leaders:
Tatsuo Oyama(Operations Research)

Exploring Punctuated Equilibrium Theory: An Alternative Explanation of
Determinant Factors for Policy Punctuations in The Welfare State Policy

GRIPS’ Flagship Program6

3 Resources
Curriculum

Center for Data Science

Required Courses
Introduction to Public Policy Study
Tutorial I , Policy Debate Seminar I & II
Tutorial II, Independent Study (Thesis) [only for MP2]
Required or Recommended Courses by Concentration

Economic Policy

International Development
StudiesInternational Relations

Public Policy

Microeconomics I

Microeconomics I

International Relations

Government and Market

Microeconomics II

Microeconomics II

International Political Economy

Introduction to Applied
Econometrics

Macroeconomics I

Essential Microeconomics

International Security Studies

Trade and Industrial Development

Macroeconomics II

Macroeconomics I

International Relations in East Asia

Resource and Energy Economics

Introduction to Applied
Econometrics

Macroeconomics II

Comparative Development Studies of
Asia

Development Economics

Essential Macroeconomics

Government and Politics in Japan

International Security Studies

Introduction to Applied
EconometricsI

Japanese Foreign Policy

Applied Econometrics

Comparative Politics

Applied Econometrics PracticeComparative State Formation

Development Economics

State and Politics in Southeast Asia

Structure and Process ofGovernment
Politics of Global Money and
Finance
Introduction to Quantitative
Methods
Quantitative Social Systems
Analysis

Agricultural Development

Politics of Global Money and
Finance

Introduction to Data Science

Development Econometrics

Non-Traditional Security

Data Science in Practice

Trade and Industrial Development

Analysis of Great Power Politics

Outline of Energy Policy

Government and Market

Comparative Political Economy

Energy Data Analysis

Political Economy

International Relations in Europe

GRIPS established the Center for Data Science in April 2022, with the aim of promoting
both education and research of data science, directed at the development of policy
science. For that purpose, GRIPS will conduct necessary projects concerning data
science education and research, centered on the following:(1) Follow up data science-related classes; (2) Provide consultations to students andresearchers concerning data analysis and modeling as a whole; (3) Provide training on
how to use software, such as the R language and Stata, and on the mathematical theory
for data science; (4) Promote joint research relating to data science inside and outside
GRIPS and hold related symposiums; and (5) Develop GRIPS's data archives. GRIPS
has academic policy science researchers in broad areas, covering from arts to sciences,and policymakers well-versed in planning and implementation of policies as its faculty,
and offers an ideal environment for data science education and research in the field ofpolicy science, also in terms of its easily accessible location.

Competition and Regulatory
Economics
Environmental Economics
Resource and Energy Economics
Transportation Economics

Director :Takashi Tsuchiya

Theoretical Foundation of
Economic Policy
Economics of Health and
Education
Structure and Process ofGovernment(Professor)

Comparative Political Economy
Comparative Development Studies
of Asia
Comparative Analysis of Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy

Note : The above table lists some of the required and recommended courses by concentration.

7

GRIPS’ Flagship Program

Center for Professional Communication
The mission of the Center for Professional Communication (CPC) is to support GRIPS
students, faculty, and staff in developing effective professional communication skills
and competencies needed to communicate productively in an environment of multiple
stakeholders. To this end, we offer a range of instruction and support in fundamental
areas of professional communication in English and Japanese, including policy paper
writing, professional speaking, grant proposal
writing, and digital communications. We
also provide opportunities for cultural andacademic exchanges through a self-accesslearning center, organize seminars and special
events related to all aspects of professional
communication, and prepare customized
materials for students and staff on academic
and professional writing and language learning.

Resources8

4 Alumni
Jarud Romadan bin Khalidi (Malaysia, 2017) Two-year Master’s Program of Public Policy
Research Associate, Khazanah Research InstituteStudying at GRIPS was a period of growth and development, both professionally and personally.
The teaching faculty at GRIPS are experts in their respective fields, allowing me to focus on mysubject matter and deviate to other interests from time to time. Specifically, I appreciate the strongemphasis on policy impact evaluations which adds clarity to policy debates. Moving to Japan andbarely speaking any Japanese, the staff at GRIPS were extremely helpful, making the transition tolive in Japan much smoother. The international student body exposed me to different cultures andperspectives. Furthermore, the mix of civil servants, private sector professionals and academicians
makes classroom discussions diverse and interesting. Without GRIPS, I doubt I would be seconded to
Malaysia’s Prime Minister's Office and working in the country’s established research institute.

Tomohiro Kawase (Japan, 2019) One-year Master’s Program of Public Policy
Partnership Specialist, Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy, United Nations Development
Programme (seconded from Japan International Cooperation Agency)

Among the greatest benefits and joys of studying at GRIPS are the quality and diversity ofthe student community. The connections you make at GRIPS are a valuable part of yourdegree. The GRIPS Alumni Network will ensure lifetime bonds by keeping you in touch withfellow alumni and the school.
As a GRIPS graduate, you will join an impressive network of around 5,723 alumni who are
actively shaping and administering public policies in more than 120 countries around theworld. We offer a variety of ways to remain engaged with GRIPS and strengthen your ties
with fellow alumni around the globe. These include alumni reunions, seminars, a searchable
alumni directory and online networking opportunities utilizing social media such as
Facebook and LinkedIn.

Alumni Voices
Sharleen Kristine K. Te (Philippines, 2018) One-year Master’s Program of Public Policy
Bank Officer, Financial Supervision Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Studying in GRIPS gave me the opportunity to gain in-depth technical knowledge and broaden myperspective on non-academic aspects. It opened my eyes to the real-life issues and situations wecurrently face, such as poverty, inequality, and climate change, that made me realize the importance ofstrong and inclusive governance. It provided me with a holistic understanding on the usage of economic
models to craft and implement appropriate policies that properly address the real problems, and tomonitor and evaluate the degree to which they create a positive impact to the society. Surrounded byprofessors and students across countries with varied cultural backgrounds, diverse and meaningful
sharing of experiences, discussions, and best practices were almost always present during classsessions. Nonetheless, it made me understand that there is no one best policy to fit all cases and theeffectiveness of policies will always be on a case-to-case basis. Lastly, I enjoyed knowing the people
and experiencing their culture – to see and enjoy the similarities and at the same time, understand andrespect the differences. Truly a lifelong treasured experience and great blessing!

9

AlumniGRIPS MP1 program allowed me to obtain an academic perspective of public policy in a uniqueenvironment. First, GRIPS offers students a side-by-side support by faculty and administrative staff to
fit into an academic life. For example, though I was not so familiar with the principles or methodologies
for research and academic writing, some basic and preparatory courses enabled me to get readyfor working on class assignments and the policy paper/thesis. This opportunity should be good forother mid-career students to acquire such a literacy and get connected with an academic world in
the rest of professional life after graduation. Another advantage of this program is that we can learn
together with wonderful students with various backgrounds from all over the world. The experienceand network with the classmates are my great asset and achievement in GRIPS.

Asirike Joel (Uganda, 2020) One-year Master’s Program of Public Policy
Bank Examiner, Bank of Uganda
Greetings from Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Japan's huge economic success story in the aftermathof the second world war made me want to pursue my studies there. Luckily enough, GRIPS was oneof the most preferred schools at my workplace for policy studies and I was honored to get an offer
there! My enrollment came during the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore mostof my classes were online! However, the immense support from the Students' office and the lecturers
helped me to settle in. Not only did GRIPS give me an opportunity to learn more skills and knowledge,
but it also offered me an opportunity to serve on the International Students Council as an auditor,
make friends with other international students, and attend various online public policy debates, among
others. I would warmly recommend this great institution to anyone (most especially policymakers) who
intends to pursue further studies.

Aishath Rayahyn (Maldives, 2022) One-year Master’s Program of Public Policy
Assistant Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives
If I had to recall the defining moments of my life, being a student at GRIPS would probably top thelist. Not only is the Institute located amidst Tokyo’s biggest contemporary art hub, but it is also
home to a diverse array of academics and distinguished practitioners. This makes GRIPS an ideal
space to nurture one’s ideas and to give birth to new ones; to evolve and to reinvent yourself andto view the world through an otherwise overlooked lens. I am immensely grateful for having foundclarity and answers at the convergence point of the courses I studied, ranging from Comparative
Political Economy and International Relations to Applied Econometrics. Today, the knowledge andinsight I garnered over time has allowed me to find my true calling and inspired me to pursue theunthinkable. It is your turn now.

Alumni10

5 Admissions
Application details can be found at the GRIPS
Admissions website:
https://www.grips.ac.jp/en/admissions/index/
Before completing your application, please checkthe website for the latest information.

Scholarship Eligibility and details for MP1&2 Program Provided by GRIPS
Eligibility Criteria

Funding Options
There are several ways to finance your education in the PPP. The traditional way is toobtain one of several scholarships allocated to GRIPS by various sponsoring organizations.
The two primary sources of funds are the Japanese Government (MEXT) and the AsianDevelopment Bank (ADB). MEXT and ADB provide a fixed number of scholarships both forMP1 and MP2. Candidates who apply by the early application deadline (November) will beconsidered for one of these scholarships.
The choice of scholarship will be determined by GRIPS based on constraints imposed by
the scholarship providers (see the GRIPS website for details).
Scholarships are allocated on a competitive basis from the pool of early applicants.
Self-financing, including all externally acquired funds, is another option. Since GRIPS is aJapanese national university, our tuition and fees are very low and quite competitive on aninternational basis. This is particularly true given the high quality of our education and otherservices.
As a consequence, an increasing number of candidates apply to GRIPS with their personal
funds or with scholarships obtained from external sources such as their home governments or
non-governmental organizations.

11

Admissions

Under 35 years of age(as of April 1 of the year of enrollment)● Nationals of countries with which Japan
has diplomatic relations● Non-residents of Japan●

Monthly stipend
Application fee, admission fee, and tuition● An economy-class air ticket from your homecountry to Japan upon enrollment at GRIPS and an
economy-class air ticket from Japan to your homecountry upon completion of your studies at GRIPS.
●●

Asian Development Bank – Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)
Monthly stipend
Application fee, admission fee, and tuition● An economy-class air ticket from your homecountry to Japan upon enrollment at GRIPS and an
economy-class air ticket from Japan to your homecountry upon completion of your studies at GRIPS.
● Research allowance, Book allowance, Arrival
allowance, and Miscellaneous expenses●

Under 36 years of age(as of April 1 of the year of enrollment)● Nationals of ADB’s developing member countries● At least 2 years of full-time professional work
experience(at the time of application deadline)●●

Please refer https://www.grips.ac.jp/en/admissions/index/ for details.

Important Dates
Previous Year

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree froma recognized/accredited university. Admission
priority will be given to applicants who have a
TOEFL iBT score of 79 or higher, or an IELTS
Academic score of 6.0 or higher. A record of solid
academic performance at the undergraduatelevel is expected. Work experience in government
or other policy-oriented institutions is highly
desirable. Evidence of managerial experience andleadership potential are looked on very favorably,
especially for MP1. Although there is no formal
entrance exam, the Public Policy Program mayadminister special exams in such areas as English
writing and mathematics proficiency. Video
interviews may also be conducted.

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship

Applicants seeking
MEXT/ADB Scholarships

Externally funded and self-financed applicantsAug

Application Open

Application OpenNov

Deadline mid Nov.

Deadline mid Nov.

Dec

Result Notification

Feb

Year of Enrollment

Qualifications

Scholarship Coverage

Mar
Apr

Result Notification

May
Jun
Jul
Aug

Visa, etc.

Oct

Program Starts

An orientation program is provided for students in early October. The academic year runs
from October through the following September.

Admissions

12

6 Student Support
One unique aspect of GRIPS is our extensive support system for assisting students intheir daily living. We consider this aspect of your lives to be every bit as important as
your academic life, especially for foreign scholars unfamiliar with Japan. As international
students have comprised, on average, about 60% of the GRIPS student body over the last
10 years, we have developed comprehensive services to assist students in their day-to-day
living.
The Student Office organizes orientation programs for incoming students and assists
arriving international students in getting organized and settled in Japan. It also organizes
a number of social events and activities, including field trips and Japanese culturalexperiences. The Student Office also functions as a hub to promote meaningful interaction
and understanding between Japanese and foreign nationals.

Facilities
Library

Extensive collection of publications in the fieldof policy studies, collected from around theworld●Collection contains over 190,000 volumes,
including reference books, statisticalcollections, working papers, and government
documents● Large collections of periodicals that include
more than 12,000 journals, many of which areavailable online● Well-trained staff are equipped to respond toresearch-related requests●

Health Services Center

In-house health clinic
Nurse on duty daily, doctor available
several days a week
● Provides medical advice, basic medical
examinations● Will refer to an appropriate hospital or
specialist when necessary●●

Accommodation
Accommodation is provided in the Tokyo International Exchange Center (TIEC), operated
by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), in GRIPS International House, or in
Misato Housing Complex recommended by the GRIPS Student Office.

Fitness Center
Misato Housing Complex
In Saitama prefecture, nearby Lalaport
shopping mall that boasts around200 shops and restaurants flanked byenormous IKEA and Costco stores.
Room Types : 2Rooms w/kitchen

GRIPS International House I
In Nakano, built in 2009
Room Types : Single, Couple

Running machines
Training equipment● Showers● Free use by students, faculty, and staff●●

Student Rooms and IT Support
CenterEach student is provided with a study space
accessible 24 hours a day● IT Support Center (a computer help desk) is
open to all students during regular working
hours●

GRIPS International House II
In Nakano, built in 2010
Room Types : Single, Couple

13

Student Support

Student Support

14