Requirements
Bachelor's (Modern Japanese Studies Program)
Applicants need to have completed, or be on track to complete, 12 years of school education recognised as equivalent to Japanese upper secondary school. No Japanese ability is required to apply, though applicants at intermediate level or above may apply for exemption from the Intensive Japanese Course and begin the degree course directly.
Master's and PhD
Each graduate school sets its own requirements and deadline; a relevant Bachelor's degree (or Master's degree for doctoral study) recognised as equivalent to a Japanese degree is the general baseline.
Documents
An online application, secondary school transcripts and certificates, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school official, and an English proficiency test score (IELTS or TOEFL iBT, including the Home Edition). The application fee is JPY 5,000 for the Bachelor's degree route, waived for applicants only entering the Intensive Japanese Course.
How to apply
- Decide whether you need the six-month Intensive Japanese Course or qualify for exemption based on existing Japanese ability.
- Prepare your transcripts, a teacher's letter of recommendation, and an IELTS or TOEFL score meeting MJSP's minimum.
- Register online within the published window; the first call for the cycle beginning with an October 2027 Intensive Japanese Course ran 27 October to 4 November 2026, with a second call in February 2027 for places still open.
- Attend an interview, held in January 2027 for the first call or April 2027 for the second.
- If accepted, Hokkaido University's international office helps arrange your Certificate of Eligibility; use it to apply for a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate before travelling.
- Arrive in Sapporo for the Intensive Japanese Course (or directly for the degree course if exempted), arrange health insurance and register your address.
English test waiver
The Modern Japanese Studies Program (MJSP) asks for IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79 (including the Home Edition) or higher. No Japanese ability is required at application; the programme's own six-month Intensive Japanese Course brings students to the level needed for its half-Japanese, half-English curriculum.