Application Steps

STEP 1

Check eligibility & Contact to Prospective Supervisor

• Please check the eligibility requirements first.

See p.1 (Master’s) / p.18 (Doctoral) of the general guidelines (AY 2026 Spring).

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to look up faculty with shared research interests & contact prospective supervisors.

See the information of our faculty members here.

• This allows supervisor(s) to prepare for the examination, taking the applicant’s language ability and academic background into consideration.
• If you need advise to find/contact to prospective supervisor, you can ask GSES International student adviser.

STEP 2

Dates & Deadline

• Availability of admission : End of May/ beginning of December
• Application period : July/January
• Entrance examination : August/following February
• Admission : April/October

For AY2026 Spring, see pp.5-10 (Master’s) / pp.21-26 (Doctoral) of the general guidelines (AY 2026 Spring).

Spring Admissions (starting from April – Spring semester)
Fall Admissions (starting from October – Autumn semester)

This is a general guide on graduate school admission in Japan. Actual schedules differ by the department and course.
For more details, please be sure to check the schedule for the course for which you wish to apply.

STEP 3

Documents Required

For AY2026 Spring, see pp.3-4 (Master’s) / pp.19-20 (Doctoral) of the general guidelines.

List of documents (refer to the guideline for more detail)

Required for All Applicants

1. Application Form: Printed in color on a single-sided A4 sheet from the online system.
2. Photograph Card: A portrait photo (up to 2MB, front-facing, no hats/background, taken within 3 months) must be uploaded and printed in color.
3. GSES Application Form / Curriculum Vitae / Resume
4. Reason for Application
5. Official Transcript (Academic Record): Originals only (no photocopies). Must be in English or Japanese. Include grade assessment standards.
6. Diploma or Certificate of Graduation (or Expected Graduation): Originals only (no photocopies). Must be in English or Japanese.
7. Declaration of Applicable Specific Categories: Based on the “deemed exports” control under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.
8. Photocopy of Residence Card or Passport:
   • Japan Residents: Copy of both sides of your Residence Card.
   • Overseas Residents: Copy of the ID photo page of your Passport.
9. (If Applicable)TOEFL / TOEIC / IELTS Original Score Sheet: * Tests taken on or after August 1, 2023, only.
   • Originals only (no PDFs or copies). Note: The original will not be returned.
   • Note: Applicants for “Self-Recommendation” in Social and Human Environment who graduated from English-taught institutions may be exempt.
10. Department-Specific Requirements
11. Self-Recommendation Letter: Required only for “Self-Recommendation Entrance Exam” applicants (Earth and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, or Social and Human Environment).
12. Additional Application Form: Required only for the Division of Hydrospheric-Atmospheric Sciences.
13. Research Proposal: Required only for the Department of Social and Human Environment. (Must include: background/objectives, literature review, and methodology).
14. (For MEXT Scholarship Recipients)Certificate of Status: Required for MEXT scholars currently enrolled at universities other than Nagoya University.
15. Application fee
    30,000 yen paid through the information terminal at the convenience store in Japan or through credit cards during web application (refer to pp.30-33 in the guideline).

STEP 4

Examination Method

• Master’s Degree Program
  Written examination : English test, specialization subject (approx. 2-4 hours)
  Oral examination : motivation for applying, research plan, interview session with professors
• Doctoral Degree Program
  Written examination : specialization subject (approx. 1 hour)
  Oral examination : Master’s program research, doctoral program research plan, interview session with professors

This is a general graduate school examination. Actual examination schedules differ by the department and course.
For more details, please be sure to check this link & discuss with your prospective supervisor.

STEP 5

Notification of Selection Results

• Official results will be announced in the graduate school around 2 weeks after the examination（Successful applicants’ examination numbers will be posted on the website of theGSES）
• Letter of Acceptance/Rejection of Application will also be sent by post to each applicant at a later date.

STEP 6

Enrollment Procedures

Successful applicants will be notified of enrollment procedures by post in the beginning of March/September.

Successful applicants must register in person at the Office of Student Affairs, Graduate School of Environmental Studies.

Registration fee : JPY 282,000 (estimated) *to be paid by the date of registration
Tuition fee : JPY 267,900 (estimated) per semester
(for Spring Semester, to be paid in May and in April from the second year onwards; for Fall Semester, to be paid in October.)