Temporary Leave: Academic Information -- Current Students

Academic Information

Policies & Regulations

Temporary Leave

You are expected to remain in Japan and attend all classes you enroll in for the duration of the scholarship. Only in an emergency (e.g., a family member’s illness or an accident involving a close relative) and only if your presence is needed in your country will you be allowed to go home. When planning to go home, consult with the Program Coordinator.

If you need to leave Japan temporarily during your authorized period of stay, you are required to fill out a “Notification of Temporary Leave” form and submit it to the IPT at least two weeks prior to your planned date of departure. Before making any plans, you have to make sure that they will not conflict with your study and other academic events at GRIPS. The form is available at the IPT. Prior to the submission of the form, fill in the class names you will miss during your trip, receive signatures of professors of each class (including ones from your adviser for the Independent Study / Policy Paper / Policy Proposal Paper and intensive courses), and receive an approval by the Program Director (Master’s Program) / Adviser (Ph.D Program).

Before leaving Japan, you should obtain a Re-entry Permit at the Immigration Office in Tokyo. If you leave without this permit, you will not be able to re-enter Japan. Also, be sure to bring your Foreign Resident Registration Card, because it must be shown when you leave and re-enter Japan.

As soon as you come back to Japan, you are requested to notify the IPT of your return.

Leave of Absence

In the event that you cannot attend school for more than 3 months because of a compelling reason, such as illness, you may take a leave of absence with the permission of the President of GRIPS.

You are generally exempted from paying tuition while you are on a leave of absence. However, if you take a leave of absence in the middle of a term, your tuition for that term is nonrefundable. Please notify us by March 1 if you know you will need to take a leave during the Spring/Summer term (April-September) and by September 1 for a leave during the Fall/Winter term (October-March). Without advance notice, you will be required to pay the 6-month tuition.

Duration

A leave of absence is for a period of up to two years for master students and three years for Ph.D. students.
* The period of leave of absence will not count toward the required term of study (master’s: maximum 4 years; PhD: maximum 6 years).

Steps to Take to Apply for a Leave of Absence

1. Consult with your main advisor and program director about your future plan of study (course work and dissertation).

2. Complete the following before submitting the application documents:

• Return all books to the GRIPS Library.
• Return your GRIPS computer.
• Return your GRIPS ID card.
• Clean out your desktop and drawers.
• Check your scholarship matters (if applicable).
• Pay delinquent tuition (if applicable).

3. Obtain the Leave of Absence Application and Checklist from the Academic Support Team. Submit your application to the Academic Support Term in person or by mail three weeks before the date you expect to begin the leave. In the event that your leave of absence is due to illness, please also submit a medical doctor’s report.

Services

The following services are available to you during a leave of absence:

• Issue of certificates (transcript, certificate of enrollment, etc.)
• Use of GRIPS email address
• Use of GRIPS Library. (You must return all books you have borrowed before applying for a leave, then register to use the Library during your leave.)

Procedure for Reenrollment at the Expiration of a Leave of Absence

Please consult with your main advisor and program director and submit a Notification of Expiration of Leave of Absence to the Academic Support Team three weeks before the expected reenrollment date.

Reenrollment before Expiration

You can reenroll in GRIPS with the President’s permission even before your period of leave of absence expires. Please consult with your main advisor and program director and submit an Application for Reenrollment to the Academic Support Team three weeks before the expected reenrollment date.

Extension

If you would like to extend the duration of your leave of absence, please consult with your main advisor and program director and then submit an Application for Extension of Leave of Absence to the Academic Support Team three weeks before your leave is due to expire.

Inquiries

Academic Support Team
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8677, Japan
Tel:+81-(0)3-6439-6042 Fax:+81-(0)3-6439-6040
Email: ast@grips.ac.jp

* If your address changes during your leave of absence, please submit a Notification of Address Change to the Academic Support Team.