Contact Us／FAQ

Hokkaido University has 21 graduate schools. Each graduate school conducts a wide range of research, so you are sure to be able to find a laboratory that suits your needs. Please see the link below to find out what kind of research you can do at Hokkaido University.

Graduate school information

At Hokkaido University, the School of Economics and Business does offer an MBA course, but unlike typical business schools in Europe and America, the course focuses on research. After completing the program, you will obtain a master's degree, but please note that this degree is different from an MBA obtained in Europe or the United States.

Classes start in April or October and entrance exams are often held 8 to 9 months prior. There are cases in which a second round of applications is held about 2 months before the start of the semester; however, please note that in the case of applications from overseas, even if you are accepted, it may take time to obtain a visa and you may not be able to come to Japan before your classes start. The specific dates vary depending on the graduate school, so please check the Admissions Information page of the graduate school you wish to attend.

Many graduate schools offer online entrance exams for students applying from overseas. There may be separate entrance exam categories for international students in addition to the general entrance exams conducted in person, so please check the Admissions Information page of each graduate school.

Several graduate schools offer graduate programs entirely in English. Even at graduate schools that do not have English-only programs, many lectures may be taught in English, and some instructors may be willing to provide research guidance in English, so please inquire if the graduate school of your choice allows you to complete your studies in English only.

Please be aware that apart from research at university, there are many situations in which English cannot be understood when living in Japan. We highly recommend that you study Japanese if you enroll at Hokkaido University.

Admissions qualifications are determined for each Master's degree program and Doctoral program separately. Please check the admission guidelines for your desired graduate school.

Admission

Although it is not required in many cases, please check the recruitment guidelines of each graduate school.

GMAT and GRE scores are not required.

At present, graduate schools at Hokkaido University do not have GPA requirements for their applications. However, this may be subject to change in the future, so it's important to review the application guidelines for each school. If you intend to apply for scholarships, it's worth noting that GPA could potentially play a role in the application process.

If your native language is English, or if your university's curriculum was entirely taught in English, you may be exempt from submitting English proficiency test scores. Please check the recruitment guidelines for each graduate school.

We do not offer Japanese language classes for students not currently enrolled at Hokkaido University. However, if you enter a s a research student before entering graduate school, you may be able to take Japanese classes. 

Even if you are an international student, you can take the same entrance exam, offered in Japanese, as the native Japanese students.

If you are applying for a graduate program in which all classes are taught in Japanese, a JLPT score may be required. For those who only wish to take those classes in Japanese, please be aware that you will need to have an N1 level of proficiency in Japanese to keep up with course material.

Some graduate schools require you to obtain the informal consent of your academic advisor before admission, while others do not. Please check the Admission page to see if you need to obtain informal consent in advance.

Admission

The method of contacting the faculty member you wish to ask to be your supervisor varies depending on the graduate school the faculty member belongs to. Please see the Admission page for more details.

Admission

There are a number of dormitories at Hokkaido University and every year we take applications for students wishing to dorm. Click the link below for more information about dormitories.

International House

On-campus you should be able to survive many situations with just English; however, for off-campus it's good to have a basic understanding of Japanese necessary for everyday life. We highly recommend studying Japanese, even if you can only take classes once arriving in Japan. 

You can work part-time by applying for and obtaining "permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under status of residence" from the Immigration Services Agency.  For more details, click the link below.

Immigration Services Agency

Hokkaido University offers Japanese language courses to its international students starting from the basics free of charge. Several levels are offered, so you can start from the beginning or find a class at the appropriate level to continue your studies.
Please refer to the link below.

Hokkaido University General Japanese Course

At Hokkaido University, in addition to financial support provided by the university, there are many scholarship opportunities available through the Japanese government (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)) or even private companies. Click the link below to check the criteria for the different scholarships and see if one might be a good fit for you.

Hokkaido University Scholarships

Scholarships do have age restrictions that vary per scholarship, please check the application guidelines for each scholarship you would like to apply to.

You can receive the MEXT/JASSO scholarship.

There is a reduction system for students who find it difficult to pay the entrance and tuition fees for financial reasons
 See the link below for more information.

入学料・授業料の減免制度について（Japanese only）

Tuition, enrollment, and examination fees can be found through the link below.

Scholarships, Financial Support

For more information on the cost of living, including the cost of housing and food, click the link below.

Living Environment in Hokkaido

Hokkaido University offers a summer school program where you can freely set the length of your visit to Japan and the subjects you study. You can freely organize your classes from a minimum of 1 week to a maximum of 3 months. With over 150 classes, you are sure to find a class that interests you.
Please see here for the detail.

Hokkaido Summer Institute

Hokkaido University is located in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido. There are two campuses: the main campus in Sapporo, located roughly in the center of the prefecture, and the Hakodate campus, located in the southern city of Hakodate. Sapporo is the 5th largest city in Japan and is renowned for its fusion of city and nature.

It is possible to bring your family with you when you come to Japan. To do so you will need to arrange a "family stay" visa separate from the person studying at the university and t o provide accommodations for them. If there are no vacancies in the dormitories, you will have to find a private apartment on your own. For this reason, some people come to Japan alone at first, and after securing lodging, they bring their families over.

It is possible to transition directly into a working position in Japan after completing graduate school. Hokkaido University provides employment support that we highly recommend for those who choose to seek employment in Japan.