Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (Doctoral) 2025 | APU Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

1. ADMISSIONS POLICY

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) welcomes students who will uphold the university’s basic ideals of Freedom, Peace, and Humanity, International Mutual Understanding, and the Future Shape of the Asia Pacific Region. These students should also be ready to acknowledge and understand differences in cultures and values, engage actively in an international campus community, and contribute to mutual learning.

New graduate school students must possess the following attributes and abilities in order to engage in this kind of learning:

1. 1.Specialized knowledge and global perspective required to pursue advanced studies in one’s graduate school and division
2. 2.Analytical skills, perceptiveness, and aptitude to solve real-world problems
3. 3.Requisite English language proficiency for research and study
4. 4.Desire to contribute to and make full use of a multicultural collaborative learning environment

Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, Doctoral Program in Asia Pacific Studies

1. 1.High-level interest in pioneering new academic disciplines required for the development of the Asia Pacific region and the world at large
2. 2.Aptitude and skills for mastering new academic theories and applications as an independent researcher
3. 3.Strong intention to contribute to sustainable development and coexistence across the world

In order to admit graduate students compatible with APU’s learning environment, research plans, assessment tests, interviews, academic transcripts, and other materials will be used in a multi-faceted evaluation of the aforementioned knowledge, attributes, skills, and intentions.

2. APPLICATION CATEGORY

Before applying, please confirm which category you fall under as the requirements and deadlines differ. The categories are as follows:

Overseas Applicants

All applicants residing outside Japan, excluding Japanese nationals, who will continue to reside outside of Japan during the entirety of the application process.

Domestic Applicants

All foreign nationals residing in Japan with a visa status other than short-term (for example, a Work Visa or a Dependent Visa) and all Japanese nationals whether living in Japan or abroad.
Applicants who do not possess Japanese nationality must have a visa which is valid until the time of enrollment at APU. If your current visa will expire within two months of the time of enrollment at APU, please confirm with the Japanese Immigration Bureau whether or not it will be possible for you to extend your current visa or change to a student visa before applying to APU.

Internal Applicants

Applicants currently enrolled in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) or Ritsumeikan University.

3. NUMBER OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED

Major	Intake per Year
Doctor of Philosophy in Asia Pacific Studies (Ph.D.)	10

4. APPLICATION ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must fulfill the following requirements.

Requirement 1: Educational Qualifications

Applicants must fulfill one of the following conditions at the time of application.

• Have completed or be scheduled to complete a graduate (master’s) degree
• Be at least 24 years of age and have been individually screened by the graduate school to have the academic ability of a postgraduate level or higher.

If you have other educational qualifications, please contact the Office of International Admissions before applying.

Requirement 2: Language Proficiency

As English is the language of instruction in all graduate classes at APU, applicants must possess the ability to comprehend lectures, undertake independent research, and produce well-written reports in English. Please refer to Documents Proving English Proficiency below for details regarding English language proficiency certification and exemption requirements.

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Requirement 3: Supervisor Confirmation

Applicants must select a doctoral faculty supervisor before submitting their application to APU. In order to apply, applicants must first contact their desired doctoral faculty supervisor via APU’s online Faculty Supervision Request Form and receive their agreement to act as the faculty supervisor for the duration of the program. You can find the request form and a current list of faculty supervisors here.

After receiving the agreement of a faculty supervisor, applicants must then request a signed Supervisor Confirmation Letter from the desired faculty supervisor. The Supervisor Confirmation Letter must be submitted with the rest of the application documents and can be downloaded here.

5. APPLICATION PROCESS

The process for applying to the doctoral program is as follows:

1. 1.

   Review the faculty supervisors listed on the doctoral faculty page and find a supervisor whose research fields match your proposed area of research.

2. 2.

   Send your CV/resume, master's thesis, and research proposal to your desired doctoral program supervisor via the Faculty Supervision Request Form in order to request a signed Supervisor Confirmation Letter, which you can download here.

3. 3.

   Receive the Supervisor Confirmation Letter by email.

4. 4.

   For applicants enrolled at APU previously, APU will examine records from that period during the screening process. This includes records of the overall student life, including academic transcripts, any received rewards or punishments, and adherence to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. The historical records will be carefully considered to ensure a thorough evaluation of the application.

5. 5.

   After being accepted to APU, enrolling students must submit original documents or certified documents* for the uploaded application documents to APU by post. If the original or certified documents* submitted after acceptance differ from the digital copies uploaded with the online application, or if enrolling students are not able to submit original or certified documents*, acceptance to APU will be revoked. Please be sure to keep the original versions of the documents you upload with your online application.

6. 5.

   Submit the online assessment.

6. APPLICATION SCHEDULE

The application period for 2025 enrollment opens on September 2, 2024, and applicants may submit their application at any time before the deadline for their desired application type. Regardless of the time of submission, applications will not be screened until after the corresponding application deadline.

April 2025 Enrollment

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September 2025 Enrollment

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7. ONLINE APPLICATION

Please submit your application through the APU Online Application System In order to apply, you must first create an account within the system.

Applications are considered complete only when the online application has been submitted, the application fee has been paid, and the online assessment has been submitted. Please be sure to submit your online application, application fee payment, and online assessment by 23:59 (Japan time) on the day of the deadline.

In addition to the information below, please also review our online application guidelines before starting your online application.

Required Documents to be Uploaded by All Applicants

1. Applicant Information

Please enter all the required information within the online application. Personal information should be entered as shown on your passport.

Notes on sex as shown on your passport:
Information regarding sex will be used for university registration. As the university application system only provides two options (male or female) at this time, please choose one of the two as shown on or will be shown on your passport. If your passport indicates a third option or if you would like to share more about your gender identity, please contact the Office of International Admissions at [email protected]. Please also refer to APU’s Policy Statement on Sexual and Gender Diversity for further details.

2. Personal Statement

Please write a statement according to the instructions below explaining the reason you would like to enroll in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University's Graduate School. The length of the personal statement must be at least one A4 page, but no longer than two pages of typed text.

Rather than answering the following questions individually, please write one continuous essay. Your statement should include responses to the following:

1. 1. What attracted you to this program?
2. 2. How will your present academic achievements and professional experience help you succeed in this program?
3. 3. What are your future goals and career objectives?
4. 4. How will an advanced degree in your chosen area of study help you achieve these goals and objectives?

3. Research Proposal

Please submit a research proposal of approximately 3000 words of typed/printed text addressing the following points.

• 1. A brief literature review of sources related to your proposed research topic.
• 2. Specific research questions and objectives of your research, and how they relate to your intended program at APU.
• 3. The research methodology you intend to use to complete your research.
• 4. Potential significance of your proposed research.

Your proposal should also include an academically-relevant and theoretically-focused question. Rather than answering each point individually, please write one continuous proposal.

Note

All written work will be checked for plagiarism. Applicants are required to write in their own words. Quotations and outside sources must be clearly cited, and references must be included at the end. Negligence to properly cite sources and include references will be considered plagiarism. Any evidence of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism of previously written works, will result in the failure of the application.
When using Generative AI like ChatGPT, it is necessary to review the guidelines specified in the Notes on Creating Research Proposal & Study Plan and include a statement regarding the usage.

These guidelines are also contained within the online application form.

4. University Graduation Certificate(s)/Certificate of Scheduled Graduation

All applicants must submit proof of graduation from every university attended. If you are currently attending a university for a bachelor’s or master’s program, you must submit proof that the program will be completed prior to your intended date of enrollment at APU. High school graduation certificates are not required.

5. Academic Transcripts

All applicants must submit a transcript of grades for all university study to date along with information about the grading system.

If you have attended a language school or higher education institution in Japan for any length of time, please also submit academic transcripts and attendance reports covering your entire period of study.

6. Documents Proving English Proficiency (Required for all applicants who do not meet the exemption requirements)

Please upload a digital copy of the original results from one of the accepted English language proficiency exams using the method specified below. If you have taken the Cambridge English Language Assessment, please be sure to complete steps ① and ② in order to submit your test results.

Period of validity for language proficiency scores:

• April 2025 Enrollment: Only scores of examinations taken on or after June 1, 2022 will be accepted.
• September 2025 Enrollment: Only scores of examinations taken on or after September 1, 2022 will be accepted.

TOEFL iBT® Test:

Upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.

More information about these tests can be found on the TOEFL website.

IELTS, IELTS Online:

Upload a digital copy of the Test Report Form within the online application.

TOEIC® L&R Test:

Upload a digital copy of the original score report within the online application.

PTE Academic:

Upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.

Cambridge English Language Assessment, Linguaskill:

1. ①Input the ID Number and Secret Number within the online application.
2. ②Upload a digital copy of the result statement within the online application.

TOEFL® ITP Test, TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition, IELTS (General Training Module), TOEIC® L&R Test (IP), and PTE General are not accepted.

Exemption Requirements

The following applicants are exempt from having to provide documents proving English proficiency:

• Applicants who can certify that they have graduated or are scheduled to graduate from a master’s degree program in Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (excluding Quebec), Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, or USA.
• Applicants who can certify that they have graduated or are scheduled to graduate from a master’s degree program offered entirely in English in a country other than those listed above.
• Applicants who can submit a master’s thesis or a draft of a master’s thesis written in English. (Research report is not acceptable.)

Clear documented proof must be included with the application. Proof may be in the form of an official letter from the institution or any other official document such as a transcript indicating the language of instruction.

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements will not be considered. No exceptions will be made.

7. Sample Work or List of Research Achievements

Applicants must submit either examples or a list of previous papers written and/ or presentations made which are relevant to their proposed field of study. Ph.D. applicants should also submit a copy of their master’s thesis. If the sample work is in a language other than English, please submit an English abstract.

8. Two Letters of Recommendation

Please request to send the letter of recommendation form directly to your recommenders from within the online application. The letter of recommendation form will be sent from APU to your recommenders by email.

One letter must be written by a university instructor who knows you well enough to write the recommendation. The second letter can be written by another instructor, employer, or someone who is a non-relative and knows you on a professional or academic level. Your recommenders should submit their letter of recommendation by your application deadline.

Please note that APU will only be able to accept letters of recommendation written in English.

9. Passport Scan (If available)

If you have a valid passport, please upload a digital copy of the information page showing your name, photograph, and passport number. If you have previously entered Japan, please also submit a copy of your passport pages with the immigration stamps showing your most recent arrival to and departure from Japan. Applicants who do not have a valid passport are still eligible to apply.

10. Photograph

Please upload a photograph of yourself taken within the past three months, showing a front view above chest level with a plain background. Caps and hats are not allowed. Photographs may be in color or black and white.

11. Supervisor Confirmation Letter

Doctoral program applicants must submit a signed Supervisor Confirmation Letter with their application. Before contacting a faculty member to request a Supervisor Confirmation Letter, applicants need to review the faculty supervisors listed on the doctoral faculty page and find a supervisor whose research fields match their proposed area of research.

The Supervisor Confirmation Letter may be downloaded here.

12. GRE® and GRE® General Test at Home Results

We highly recommend that Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies applicants submit GRE test results, as strong emphasis is placed on GRE results during the application evaluation process.
Note that submitting GRE results may increase your chances of receiving the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship.

1. ①

   Request to have the score report sent directly to APU from the test center’s website. The APU Institution Code is 7116.

2. ②Input the date you requested to have the score report sent to APU within the online application.
3. ③Upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.

Test results are valid for five years from the test date. For more information, please refer to GRE® test website or the GRE® General Test at Home website.

Additional Documents for Submission (If Applicable)

1. Residence Card (both sides)/Certificate of Residence

If you live in Japan and do not possess Japanese nationality:
Please upload a digital copy of both sides of your residence card within the online application.

If you live in Japan and possess Japanese nationality:
Please upload a digital copy of your Certificate of Residence（住民票）within the online application.

2. Proof of Scholarships Received from Organizations Other than APU

Applicants who are due to receive scholarships offered by organizations other than APU after admission are required to submit proof of the scholarship award.

3. Additional Required Documents for Each External Scholarship

Please refer to each individual external scholarship application for more details.

4. Designation Page in Your Passport

If you have a valid Specified Visa – Designated Activities:

Please upload a digital copy of the Designation Page in your passport that shows the category of your Specified Visa – Designated Activities (e.g. working holiday, internship). In addition, please confirm with the Japanese immigration bureau in your area of jurisdiction that your status of residence can be changed to “student” while you are residing in Japan. Notify the Office of International Admissions promptly if you find that your status cannot be changed in Japan.

8. APPLICATION FEE

Please pay the application fee by credit card before you submit the online application. We will accept payment by bank transfer (international or domestic) only if you cannot pay by credit card. Applications are considered complete only when the application fee has been paid and the online application has been submitted.

Doctoral applicants applying directly to the doctoral program after completing a master's degree at APU are not required to pay the application fee.

Credit Card

Fee Amount:	5,500 JPY for overseas applicants (5000 JPY for evaluation and 500 JPY for administrative purposes) 36,500 JPY for domestic and internal applicants (35,000 JPY for evaluation and 1,500 JPY for administrative purposes)
Payment Method:	You will be able to pay the application fee within the online application system. After completing the payment and submitting the online application, the application will be considered complete.

Bank Transfer (only for applicants who cannot pay by credit card)

Note: Bank transfer fees vary from bank to bank. All bank transfer fees must be covered by the payer.

Fee Amount:	7,000 JPY for overseas applicants (5,000 JPY for evaluation and 2,000 JPY for administrative purposes) 35,000 JPY for domestic and internal applicants
Payment Purpose:	Application Fee
Contact Details:	Applicant's Name, Phone number
Bank Name:	Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Oita Branch
Branch Address:	1-3-22 Chuo-machi, Oita-city, Oita-Prefecture, 870-0035 JAPAN Tel : +81- 97-532-5161
Account Number:	1001673 (Ordinary Deposit Account)
Account Name:	RITSUMEIKAN ASIA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
Swift Code:	SMBCJPJT
IBAN Code (if necessary):	JP28 SMBC 0721 XXX2 4029 0868
Bank transfer fee:	Borne by remitter

If the application fee is paid in Japan, even if it is paid by a friend or relative in Japan, please write the applicant’s name and phone number in the contact details when the payment is made. After completing the payment, please upload a digital copy of the payment receipt within your Application Status Page.

9. ONLINE ASSESSMENT

The online assessment is composed of a recorded video interview, the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal III test, and the Core Abilities Assessment test. The entire online assessment will last approximately 70 – 80 minutes.

Instructions for completing the online video interview and the online assessment tests will be made available within the online application system after you have submitted your online application and paid the application fee. Please be sure to complete these steps with enough time left to complete the online assessment before the application deadline.

Video Interview (20 – 30 minutes)

For the video interview, you will not be speaking with a person. Instead, through a video interview platform you will see a number of questions on your screen, and you will record your answers to them. Each question will have a set time limit for responding.

Watson-Glaser III Critical Thinking Appraisal (30 minutes)

The Watson-Glaser III Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGIII) measures a person’s ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as seek and evaluate relevant information to reach an appropriate and logical conclusion. The assessment reports on three aspects of verbal critical reasoning, specifically the ability to 1) recognize assumptions, 2) evaluate arguments, and 3) draw conclusions, as well as providing an overall measure of critical thinking proficiency.

Further Information about Critical Thinking:

https://admissions.apu.ac.jp/resource/load/documents/Tips_on_Critical_Thinking.pdf

Practice Critical Thinking (Watson-Glaser) Test:

Critical Thinking (Watson-Glaser) Trial Test.

Core Abilities Assessment (15 minutes)

The Core Abilities Assessment (CORE) consists of verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning items and measures an individual’s capacity to learn concepts and tasks, apply sound reasoning, and draw conclusions from information.

10. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Your application will not be considered complete until you finish the following:

1. 1.

   Submit the online application and pay the application fee (including uploads of the digital copies of all required application documents)

2. 2.

   Submit the online assessment (including the online recorded interview and assessment tests)

In addition, applicants who are accepted to APU will also be required to send the original version of application documents to APU's Office of International Admissions by post as part of the enrollment procedures.

11. EVALUATION METHOD

All applicants are evaluated based on the information provided in their application documents, the video interview, and online assessment tests. If deemed necessary, the Office of International Admissions may also carry out the following:

• Contact the applicant’s place of study or the person who wrote the Letter of Recommendation.
• Ask the applicant for an explanation regarding their original submitted documents.
• Require the applicant to submit additional documents relating to academic background, transcripts, and/or language proficiency.

Overseas Applicants

In some cases, an additional interview may be required. In this case, the date of interviews will be designated by APU and notified to applicants about two weeks after the end of the application period. Interviews will be held online. It is not necessary for applicants to travel to Japan for the interview.

Domestic/Internal Applicants

Applicants who do not possess Japanese citizenship must have a visa which is valid until the time of enrollment.

12. ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FROM APU

After your application is received we may need to contact you for further information, so please check your email regularly after you have submitted your application.
Please also make sure that APU emails are not directed to your spam box.

13. ADMISSIONS SUPPORT FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR DISABILITIES

In accordance with the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Guidelines on Support Services for Students with Disabilities, APU offers special support during the admissions process to prospective applicants with medical conditions or disabilities when necessary. For those who would like to request this support, please read the following information carefully and submit the necessary documents.

Requesting Support During the Admissions Process

For prospective applicants who would like to request support during the admissions process, please submit the Admissions Support Request Form provided by APU before applying for admission. If possible, please also submit a medical certificate or patient referral document issued by a physician.

Step 1: Making the Request

• Download the Admissions Support Request Form from our website.
• If you are accepted into APU, you will need to submit a medical certificate or patient referral document. Only documents written in English or Japanese will be accepted. You will need to submit a translation if your document is written in another language.
• Title your email “Request for Support during the Admissions Process” and send your request to [email protected] within four weeks prior to the deadline of your intended application period.
• If you are unable to make the submission deadline due to unavoidable circumstances, include the reason in your email to [email protected]. Note that even with a reason, late documents may not be accepted.

Step 2: Receiving the Support Request Arrival Receipt

APU will send an email upon receiving the support request documents from the applicant. Upload a digital copy of the receipt that is attached to this email in your online application.

Step 3: Notification of Support Request Results

APU will send the Support Request Results in an email within three weeks after sending out the Support Request Arrival Receipt.

14. INFORMATION ON LOCAL MEDICAL SERVICES

The following describes medical information in Japan, as well as the availability of medical care in and around our university. By providing this information, we hope to ensure a smooth transition for our students to Japan’s and APU’s medical system. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of International Admissions.

1. APU Health Clinic

The APU Health Clinic is not a full-service medical institution and therefore cannot perform medical procedures such as prescribing medication or giving injections and infusions (IV). Students who will require medical care or treatment will need to use off-campus medical institutions.

2. Applicants Currently Receiving Medical Treatment

For those currently receiving medical treatment, please consult with a physician about whether or not continued treatment will be necessary after enrolling. If you wish to continue treatment at a medical institution in Japan after enrollment, please be sure to submit a treatment plan or a patient referral document. (The patient referral document, which must include the name of the condition, symptoms, test results, and course of treatment/treatment plan, must be written in English or Japanese.)

3. Restrictions on Bringing Medication into Japan

There are heavy restrictions on bringing medication into Japan from abroad. Prospective applicants must check with their local Japanese embassy or the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare regarding whether or not it will be possible to bring their currently prescribed medicine* into Japan. Before coming to Japan, please make sure to complete the legal procedures to bring medication into Japan. For further information, please refer to the following page on the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare’s website:

English: http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html

Japanese: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/iyakuhin/yakubuturanyou/index_00005.html

*Injectable medicine that cannot be self-administered must be administered at a medical institution under the supervision of a doctor. However, depending on the facilities of the medical institution, there is a possibility that you will be unable to have the medicine administered. Please also be aware that the APU Health Clinic will be unable to administer injections.

4. Psychiatric Disorders/Disabilities (Mental illnesses, developmental disorders, sleeping disorders, etc.)

There are no medical institutions near APU which can treat psychiatric disorders or disabilities in languages other than Japanese. As mentioned above, there are many restrictions for bringing medication into Japan. For individuals currently receiving psychiatric treatment and who will require treatment after coming to Japan, please consult with your primary care provider and then with the university before deciding to enroll.

5. Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible public transportation within Beppu City is limited. There are currently only a few wheelchair-accessible buses available on the routes used to commute to APU. Accordingly, it is difficult to commute to APU by bus. Students must also contact the bus company in advance to use a wheelchair-accessible bus. It is advisable for wheelchair users considering APU to inquire with the university about accessibility accommodations before applying.

6. Additional Support

Please contact the Office of International Admissions if you will require further assistance in your daily life at APU. This will be confidential and will have no bearing on your application’s evaluation. You may also contact us after being accepted to APU.