Application for International Students Residing In Japan | APU Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Application Information:

• NOTE: Depending of the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, changes may be made to the evaluation method. Any changes made to the evaluation method will be announced.

1. Number of Students Accepted

2. Application Eligibility

You must fulfill BOTH of the following requirements:

Requirement 1: Educational Qualifications

You must have graduated or be scheduled to graduate from a high school (or secondary school) determined by the Japanese School Education Act or have an academic background equivalent to one of the following educational criteria by the time of enrollment* to APU.

For most applicants, this means you must have:

• 1.Completed a 12-year standard education curriculum at an educational institution. If this applies to you, proceed to Requirement 2: Language Proficiency.



If you will not complete a 12-year standard education curriculum, you must have an academic background equivalent to one of the following educational criteria by the time of enrollment* to APU:

• 2.Completed a standard overseas education curriculum at an education institution in Japan designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
• 3.Completed an upper secondary course at a special training college designated by MEXT.
• 4.Completed a standard education curriculum in less than 12 years at an overseas institution and have completed a curriculum at a preparatory education institution designated by MEXT or at an educational center designated by MEXT.
• 5.Received an International Baccalaureate Diploma, Abitur, Baccalaureate Diploma, or GCE A Level results.
• 6.Completed a 12-year standard education curriculum accredited by an international evaluation group (WASC, CIS, ACSI).
• 7.Be at least 18 years of age and have passed an official examination that shows academic background equivalent or superior to that obtained from a 12-year standard education curriculum.
• 8.Be at least 18 years of age and recognized through an individual screening by APU as having an academic background equivalent to or higher than a high school graduate.
• 9.Completed an 11-year standard education curriculum at an educational institution in Belarus, Myanmar, Peru, Russia, Sudan, Uzbekistan, or at an educational institution designated by MEXT. For more details, contact the Admissions Office before applying.

Submission of documents as proof of at least one of the above educational criteria is required before entering APU. If you have other educational qualifications, send your inquiries to the Admissions Office before applying.

• Additional Information:　
• ①If you have completed a 12-year standard elementary and secondary school education curriculum in less than 12 years as a result of grade skipping or early graduation and will be younger than 18 years of age by the time of enrollment,* please contact the Admissions Office.
• ②If you withdrew from school and did not graduate from high school, it is still possible to apply to APU if you have passed an examination equivalent to the Japanese Upper Secondary School Equivalency Examination and you are at least 18 years of age by the time of enrollment.*
  

*The date of enrollment is April 1 for spring enrollment and September 21 for fall enrollment.

*A minimum of 5.5 is required for each section

*Both minimum scores must be met

Please refer to Documents Proving English/Japanese Proficiency for additional details on the required language proficiency certifications.

Note that only scores of examinations taken on or after June 1, 2018 (for April 2021 Enrollment) and September 1, 2018 (for September 2021 Enrollment) will be accepted.

3. Application Process and Online Assessment

Our application process is divided into two stages: Stage 1 and Stage 2. However, your application process and online assessment will slightly differ depending on whether or not you apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship.

4. Application Schedule

The application schedule varies depending of your country of residence. For each enrollment semester, there are multiple application periods you can apply to.

For the full application schedule, please click here and check your corresponding chart.

5. Online Application and Required Documents

Submit your application through the APU Online Application System. In order to apply, you must first create an account within the system. Details regarding the required information and documents in order to complete your application can be found below.

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

• APU Online Application System

Required Documents and Information for All Applicants

• 1.Applicant Information

Complete the personal information 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, choose one of the two as shown on or will be shown on your passport. If you passport indicates a third option or if you would like to share more about your gender identity, contact the Admissions Office at welcome@apu.ac.jp.



• 2.Education History

Complete the details of all schools you have attended in chronological order from elementary school level to the last or current school you are attending.

Note that first year student applicants must complete or be scheduled to complete either 12 years of education according to the standard curriculum established under Japan's education law or an equivalent school education. Please consult with the Admissions Office before applying if you are from a country or region where the standard length of education is 11 years.



• 3.Academic Transcripts and Standardized Test Results

If you have both A and B below, please submit both. If you do not have B, submitting only A is also acceptable.
If you are undergoing a home school curriculum, please refer to C below.

A. Academic Transcripts

• If you have already graduated from high school, upload the last 3 years of your most recent academic transcripts. If you have been enrolled in university for over 1 year at the time of application, also upload the academic transcripts from your university study. If you have already graduated from university, please upload your university transcript only.
• If you have not yet graduated from high school, upload your most recent academic transcripts covering a period of at least 2 years. The transcripts must be issued within 2 months of the date of your application submission.
You do not need to submit academic transcripts from language schools.

B. Standardized Test Results

Upload a digital copy of the official result certificate or transcript together with your online application if you have taken any of the following standardized tests.

Only test results that have not expired will be accepted.

• Sri Lanka GCE A Level (results from three subjects)
   • Request to send your score report to APU directly from the test provider and upload a digital copy of the score report within your online application.
• Singapore GCE A Level (results from three subjects)
• International or other GCE A Level (results from at least two subjects, or at least four subjects for AS Level)
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
   • Predicted score accepted. Note that your enrollment eligibility may be revoked if you are not able to successfully receive an IB Diploma.
• Abitur
• Baccalaureate
• BTEC
   • Level 3 Diploma/National Diploma
   • Level 3 Extended Diploma/National Extended Diploma
• General Educational Development (GED)
• Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE)
   • Results of 4 core subjects and at least 1 elective subject. Predicted scores accepted.
• Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination Results
• Examination of Japanese University Admissions for International Students (EJU)
   • Japan and the World + Mathematics (Course 1)
• New SAT (Reading & Writing + Mathematics)
   • Request to send your score report to APU directly using the institution code 2791 and upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.
• Old SAT (Critical Reading + Mathematics + Writing)
   • Request to send your score report to APU directly using the institution code 2791 and upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.
• ACT
   • Request to send your score report to APU directly using the institution code 5475 and upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.
• Other standardized tests

C. Home School Applicants

We strongly recommend submitting an SAT, ACT, or GED score report if you are undergoing a home school curriculum. You may be required to submit one of these score reports if deemed necessary during the evaluation of your application.

• 4.Documents Proving English or Japanese Proficiency

Submit documents to meet one of the following requirements (1-3). Note that higher emphasis is placed on 1 and 2 during the application process.

1. Submit one of the scores listed in A below
2. Submit one of the scores listed in A together with scores from B*
3. Submit scores from B together with C*
*Only English-basis applicants can submit 2 and 3.



English-basis applicants are not required to submit an English proficiency test score if:

• • You have completed or will complete your 12th year of formal education in Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (excluding Quebec), Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, or USA.
• • You have taken or will take your most recent 3 years of formal education before enrolling at APU in the English language in a country other than those listed above and submit a letter from your school stating that you have taken all of your subjects in English for the past 3 years.
• • You have received or will receive an International Baccalaureate Diploma with English as the language of instruction.
• • You have graduated from a bachelor's degree program or master's program that was conducted entirely in English.
• • You have one of the following standardized test scores:
• Old SAT (Critical Reading and Writing): 1,100 or above
• New SAT (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing): 590 or above
• ACT: 25 and above (the average of English and Reading must be 25 or above.)

Japanese-basis applicants are not required to submit a Japanese proficiency test score if:

• • You have undertaken your formal education in the Japanese language within Japan for the most recent 3 years.
• • You have undertaken your formal education in the Japanese language outside Japan for the most recent 3 years and submit a letter from your school stating that you have taken all of your subjects in Japanese for the past 3 years.

A. Officical Language Proficiency Test Scores

• Period of Validity:
• April 2021 Enrollment: Only scores of examinations taken on or after June 1, 2018 will be accepted.
• September 2021 Enrollment: Only scores of examinations taken on or after September 1, 2018 will be accepted.

English-basis Applicants

• TOEFL iBT® Test:
   • Request to send the score report to APU directly from the TOEFL website. The APU institution code is 2791.
   • Input the date you requested to have the score report sent to APU within the online application.
   • Upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.
• IELTS:
   • 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.
• EIKEN:
   • Upload a digital copy of the original test result within the online application.
• PTE Academic:
   • Upload a digital copy of the score report within the online application.
• Cambridge English Language Assessment:
   • Input the ID Number and Secret Number within the online application.
   • Upload a digital copy of the result statement within the online application.
TOEFL® ITP Test, IELTS (General Training Module), TOEIC® L&R Test (IP), and PTE General are not accepted.



Japanese-Basis Applicants

• EJU Japanese:
   • Upload a digital copy of the original test result within the online application.
• Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT):
   • Upload a digital copy of the original test result within the online application.

B. Optional Duolingo English Test Scores (only for English-basis applicants)

You may submit Duolingo English Test scores as an optional supplement to assist us with evaluating your English language proficiency. Note that submitting one of the English language proficiency scores listed in A or the English Proficiency Evaluation Form in C below is still required. If you would like to submit your Duolingo English Test scores, enter your score within the online application and request to have your scores sent directly to APU from the test provider. Refer to the Duolingo English Test website for more information.




C. English Proficiency Evaluation Form (only for English-basis applicants)

If you cannot submit language proficiency test scores, submit APU's English Proficiency Evaluation form with scores from the Duolingo English Test. Have one of your language instructors complete the form and then send it to APU directly by email at apurec@apu.ac.jp.




• 5.Application Essays

Follow the application essay guidelines within the online application. Applicants must complete the essays by themselves. Note the strict word limit for each essay.



• 6.Certificate of Graduation or Certificate of Expected Graduation

• If you have graduated from high school, upload a digital copy of your High School Graduation Certificate (required)
• If you have not yet graduated from high school, upload a document that states the details of your expected graduation date. (It is not required to upload this document, but APU may contact applicants regarding their education history in order to confirm that they will complete the equivalent of 12 years of standard education.)

• 7.Letter of Recommendation

Ask an instructor from the last education institution you attended (including language schools) or a supervisor at the company you worked for or interned at (not including part-time jobs) to write the Letter of Recommendation. This must be a person who has known you for at least half a year.

Use APU's Letter of Recommendation form. Submit the Letter of Recommendation by having the referee send the letter directly to APU by email at apurec@apu.ac.jp

The Letter of Recommendation form should be completed in English or Japanese. Attach a translation in either English or Japanese if the letter is not written in either of these languages.



• 8.Photograph

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.



• 9.Passport

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



• 10. Residence Card

For applicants who already have a valid Japanese status of residence only: Please upload a digital copy of both sides of your Residence Card.



• 11. Proof of Application Fee Payment

• Payment by Credit Card:
   • Complete the payment online through the APU Online Application System when submitting your application. You do not need to submit a digital copy of the payment receipt.
• Payment by Bank Transfer:
   • Upload a digital copy of your payment receipt within the online application.

Additional Documents for Submission (If Applicable)

• 1.Extracurricular Activities Report and Documents Needed to Prove Participation

You will be assessed on any student council activities, sports competitions, cultural/artistic performances, volunteer work, language learning activities, and/or other events in which you participated. List any activities you have participated in or any achievements you have received in the Extracurricular Activities section of the online application.

Only activities from high school grade 10 (or equivalent) and above at the regional, national, and international level will be considered. For activities conducted within your school, only student council leadership positions, Model United Nations participation, and scholarship awards from within your school will be considered. Please refer to the chart below for examples of the types of activities to include.

Provide proof of participation by uploading a digital copy of any documents, certificates, score reports, etc. that prove your participation in extracurricular activities following the categories within the online application (B – E in the table below). Extracurricular activities will not be evaluated without proof, except for extracurricular activities that fall under category A below. Note that portfolios, CDs, DVDs, etc. created by applicants will not be accepted. These items will not be returned even if they are submitted.

Upload a translation for documents written in languages other than English and Japanese.



Activities	Examples proving Participation/Achievements	Extracurricular Activities Category
Student Council Activities	・Experience of participation in an executive position on the student council (chairperson, vice president, secretary, etc.) for at least 1 school year	A
Cultural/Traditional Arts, Academic Competitions, Sports (There are no specific limitations within these fields.)	・Awards or certificates for having participated in any type of concerts or performances	B
	・Proof of public recognition gained from the results of the activity (publication in a newspaper, etc.)	C
Volunteer/Independent Activities	・Proof of independent activities (volunteer, etc.) that have received public recognition (publication in a newspaper, etc.) ・Proof of participation in volunteer activities
Other Activities	・Proof of participation in Model United Nations activities ・Proof of participation in international conferences or events ・Proof of being a scholarship recipient ・Proof of participating in an internship (employment experience as a trainee at a company)
Opposite Language Proficiency	・English-basis applicants: Official Japanese language proficiency test scores (JLPT, EJU, etc.) ・Japanese-basis applicants: Official English language proficiency test scores (TOEFL iBT®, IELTS, TOEIC®, EIKEN, PTE Academic, Cambridge English Language Assessment, etc.)	D
Academic Certificates or Other Language Proficiency Certificates	・Official language proficiency test scores other than English or Japanese ・Other English proficiency qualifications (TEPS, CU-TEP, etc.) ・Other qualifications or certificates, etc. (We will evaluate qualifications/certificates that are internationally-recognized or high-level)
Experience Living or Studying Abroad	・Evidence of having studied outside of your home country for the purpose of language education, summer programs, or full-time education, etc. (including experience living or studying in Japan).	E




• 2.Letter of Intent to Change to Student Residency Status

If you currently have a status of residence (visa status) in Japan other than student and wish to apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship, you will need to change your status of residence to student before enrolling in APU.
If you choose to change your status of residence to student, submit the Letter of Intent to Change to Student Residency Status. Download the Letter of Intent to Change to Student Residency Status, sign it, and upload a digital copy within the online application. You will not be eligible to apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship if you do not submit this confirmation letter. Your APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship will be revoked if you do not change your status of residence to student by the day before enrollment to APU (March 31 for spring enrollment, September 20 for fall enrollment).



• 3.Certification of Scholarships Received from Organizations Other Than APU

If you will receive scholarship awards from organizations other than APU before or after enrollment, upload proof of the scholarship award in either English or Japanese.



• 4.Reapplication Statement

Applicants who have been admitted to APU are not allowed to reapply to the same college for the same enrollment period. However, applicants are allowed to reapply to APU if they apply for a different enrollment status, a different college, or if they were previously not accepted to APU. If you would like to reapply, download the Reapplication Statement form and submit the completed form within your online application.



• 5.Attendance Report from Language Programs and Technical Colleges in Japan

If you have attended a language program for any length of time:
Upload a digital copy of your attendance report for your entire period of study in the language program within the online application.
If you have attended a technical college in Japan for any length of time: If possible, upload a digital copy of your attendance report for your entire period of study at the technical college within the online application.

• 6.Designation Page in Your Passport

For applicants who have a valid Specified Visa - Designated Activities.
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). Check with the Japanese immigration bureau in your area of jurisdiction to confirm that your residence status can be changed to “student” while you are residing in Japan. Notify the Admissions Office promptly if you find that your status cannot be changed in Japan.




APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship

You can apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship through the online application.

Applicants who will obtain a Japanese status of residence (visa status) of “student” before enrolling at APU are eligible to apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship at the time of application to APU. The APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship will be revoked if you are not able to receive a status of residence of “student” by the time of enrollment to APU. The scholarship will also be revoked if you change to a status of residence other than “student” while studying at APU.

This scholarship is made possible by the financial contributions of domestic and international companies and individuals, together with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology that support the ideals of APU. Its purpose is to help reduce the financial burden for outstanding international students. Students awarded this scholarship are expected to maintain a good academic record and serve as role models for other students.

A review of academic performance and other criteria will be conducted each semester to determine whether or not recipients qualify for the renewal of the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship. The scholarship will remain valid until the standard number of credits required to graduate has been reached, provided that the recipients maintain a good academic record, complete the tasks assigned to them on time, and avoid any misconduct unbefitting of a scholarship recipient. In the case of inappropriate behavior or conduct that tarnishes the reputation of APU, the scholarship will be revoked. Interested applicants should apply for the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship within their online application upon an understanding of the above. An overall evaluation of all submitted documents and interview and/or online assessment will be conducted for both the undergraduate application and scholarship application, and the scholarship result will be released together with the final application results.


Tuition Reduction	Annual Scholarship Amount	First Year Tuition Fee
30%	approx. 390,000 JPY	approx. 910,000 JPY
50%	approx. 650,000 JPY	approx. 650,000 JPY
65%	approx. 845,000 JPY	approx. 455,000 JPY
80%	approx. 1,040,000 JPY	approx. 260,000 JPY
100%	approx. 1,300,000 JPY	0 JPY

*Note that tuition amount may be subject to change. In addition, the tuition for the first year of study is different from the tuition for the second through fourth years of study.


6. Application Fee

Pay the application fee by credit card when 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.



IMPORTANT

• 1.Applications will not be processed until the application fee is paid. Be sure to complete the payment before the application deadline. Note that credit card payments will not be possible after 23:59 (Japan time) on the day of the deadline.
• 2.The payment must be made in Japanese yen (JPY). Submit a copy of the payment receipt with your application if you pay by bank transfer (international or domestic).
• 3.Cash or postal money orders will not be accepted.
• 4.The application fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

• Payment by Credit Card

  Fee Amount:	36,800 JPY (The fee consists of 35,000 JPY for screening and 1,800 JPY for administrative purposes.)
  Payment Method:	You will be able to proceed to the payment page after submitting your application through the APU Online Application System. Note that the layout of the website may change.

  
  

• Payment by Bank Transfer (Only if you cannot pay by credit card)

  Applicants who pay by bank transfer must upload a copy of their bank transfer payment receipt together with the rest of their application documents.

  Fee Amount:	35,000 JPY Note that bank transfer fees vary from bank to bank. All bank transfer fees must be covered by the payer. We will bill you for the remaining amount if you pay the application fee by bank transfer and the amount we receive does not cover the entire application fee.
  Payment Purpose:	Application Fee
  Contact Details:	Applicant's Name, Phone Number
  Bank Name:	Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
  Branch Name:	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 and upload a digital copy of the payment receipt within the online application.

7. Evaluation Method

You do not need to come to APU for the evaluation process. Application evaluation is conducted based on all documents and information submitted with your online application, the online assessment, and the stage 2 interview (if applicable). If required, your school or the author of your Letter of Recommendation may be contacted for further information. APU may also contact you for more details regarding the information and documents submitted within the online application.