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Ph.D./Doctoral Programs (3-Year Doctoral Programs)

Graduate Program on Japanese Language and Culture
Guidelines for Acceptance of International Students into the Doctoral Program in Japanese Language and Culture in 2008

The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa (JFJLI), in collaboration with the National Institute for Japanese Language (NIJLA) and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), is accepting international students for the 2008 entering class of the Doctoral Program in Japanese Language and Culture, in accordance with the following guidelines.

Applicants must meet the requirements stipulated in both (1) and (2) below.

(1) Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• At the time of application, prospective students must have at least two years experience as either a Japanese language teacher or researcher of Japanese language education or Japanese language study, or at least two years experience in work related to Japanese language educational policy, and be preparing to take a leadership role in this capacity in their home country.
• Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, each written and signed by a person who can competently evaluate the applicant’s abilities and potential.
• Applicants must have passed Level 1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, or provide evidence of equivalent or higher Japanese proficiency.
• Applicants must be aged 45 years or below as of October 1, 2008.
• Applicants should not be Japanese or have possessed Japanese nationality in the past.
• Applicants should not have completed their compulsory education in Japan.
• Applicants must be nationals of countries that have diplomatic ties with Japan.

(2) Applicants must meet one or more of the following requirements:

• Applicants possess of master's degree or equivalent in the field of Japanese language education, Japanese language study, or Japanese studies, or are enrolled in the program leading to that degree at the time of application to GRIPS.
• Applicants can provide evidence of appropriate achievement in post-graduate research conducted over two or more years at a university or research institute. This research should be recognized as the academic equivalent to a master's degree in the field of Japanese language education, Japanese language study, or Japanese studies.
• Applicants are recognized by GRIPS, through its individual screening process, as having a level of academic ability equivalent to or higher than that of a master's degree in the field of Japanese language education, Japanese language study, or Japanese studies. Such applicants must be aged 24 years or older at the time of enrollment.

Screening is carried out through a review of application documents, followed by written and oral examinations. Only applicants who pass the document review will proceed to the written and oral examinations.

• Document Review
  
  A Japanese abstract of the applicant's master's thesis or equivalent, research accomplishments and the applicant's work experience will be reviewed to determine his or her academic ability and qualifications.
• Written and Oral Examinations
  
  Written and oral examinations will comprehensively assess the applicant's knowledge in his/her disciplines. Aptitude for research will also be evaluated on the basis of the applicant's research plans at the oral examination. All examinations will be conducted in Japanese.

(1) Application Deadline
Applications must arrive no later than December 17, 2007. The documents must be sent by courier or airmail.

(2) Notice of Result of Document Review
Applicants will be notified around early February 2008.

(3) Schedule for Written and Oral Examinations
Applicants will be informed of the schedule for examinations at the time they receive the results of the document review. Examinations will be held between March and April 2008.

(4) Notice of Final Result
Applicants will normally be informed of the final result of their application within 60 days of the written and oral examinations.

(1) Documents Required

1. Application Form: Applications must be submitted on the prescribed GRIPS application form.
2. Outline of Research Plans and Proposals: An outline of the applicant’s research plans must be submitted on the prescribed GRIPS form in Japanese.
3. Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation written on the prescribed GRIPS form are required. Each recommendation letter must be submitted sealed by its author in an envelope. GRIPS prefers that the letters are prepared by the applicant’s supervisors at the affiliated institution and graduating university. The letters must be written in Japanese or English.
4. Certified Academic Record: Certified academic records issued by the university and graduate school attended by the applicant. The certificate must be written in Japanese or English.
5. Certificate of Master's Degree or Certificate of Expected Master's Degree.
6. Japanese Abstract of Master's Thesis or Other Research Achievements. Should be submitted on approximately 3 sheets of A4 size paper (approximately 1,600 characters per page).
7. Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Level 1) Certificate: Document certifying the applicant’s proficiency in the Japanese language (see item 13 on the Application Form).
8. Certificate of Eligibility to Take Entrance Examinations (Applies only to applicants who wish to enroll in the program during their current tenure.) The certificate is to be prepared by the head of the applicant’s affiliated institution or organization.
9. Copy of Foreign Resident's Registration Card (Applies only to applicants who already live in Japan.)
10. Health Certificate (applies only to applicants who pass the document review). A certificate, completed by a medical doctor on the prescribed GRIPS form, must be submitted within three months of the medical examination.
11. Research Accomplishments and their Japanese Abstracts (applies only to applicants who pass the document review). Japanese abstracts of up to three main research achievements (approximately 800 characters each).

(2) Submission Procedures
All the required documents (excluding 10) and 11)) in a single envelope must be received by the application deadline. On the front of the envelope, be sure to write, in red, +“Application for the Doctoral Program on Japanese Language and Culture.”

(3) Address for Submissions

Admissions Office
The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-8677, Japan.

Tel: +81-3-6439-6046
Fax: +81-3-6439-6050
E-mail: admissions@grips.ac.jp

Written/oral examinations will be conducted either in the applicant’s home country or in Japan. Applicants who pass the document review will be informed of more details upon receipt of the result.

The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa, will provide all applicants who are accepted into the Doctoral Program a scholarship including the following.

1. Enrollment and Tuition Fees
2. Allowance: 170,000 yen per month will be given to each successful applicant for a maximum period of three years. (This amount is for FY 2007, and is subject to change due to the yearly approval of the Japanese Government Scholarship.)
3. Travel Allowance: Successful applicants will be provided with an economy class round-trip air ticket from the international airport nearest to their home address to New Tokyo International Airport by the shortest distance.
4. Arrival Allowance: The sum of 25,000 yen will be given to successful applicants upon arrival in Japan.

Note: The new rate shall be applied in the event that the fee is revised during the school year.

(1) Once an application is filed, submitted documents cannot be returned to the applicant.
(2) Application documents should be typewritten wherever possible. However, if this is impossible, documents may be handwritten in block letters using a black ballpoint pen.
(3) No alterations of an application will be accepted once the application has been submitted.
(4) An applicant’s acceptance may be cancelled at any time upon discovery of a false declaration made in any of the submitted documents, even after study has commenced.
(5) For further information, please contact the GRIPS Admissions Office (contact information listed above).

(1) JFJLI/NIJLA/GRIPS handle personal information appropriately in accordance with the Law Concerning Access to Personal Information Held by Independent Administrative Institutions (Law No. 59 of 2003). For detailed information on the Japan Foundation’s efforts for the protection of personal information, please see http://www.jpf.go.jp/j/policy_j/privacy.html
(2) Personal information of the successful applicants such as name, country, gender, and affiliation may be published. This information may also be used in compiling statistical documents.
(3) Personal information of successful applicants is provided to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its overseas entities (for issuing of visa and sending of documents concerning participation) as well as airline companies related to the applicant’s travel (for preparation of air tickets).
(4) It is assumed that all applicants consent to the above uses of personal information.

Graduate Program on Japanese Language & Culture in brief

program director:Masahiro Konno

target group:
Japananese-language teachers abroad

scholarships:
National Institute for Japanese Language

career destinations:
leaders in 'Japanese Studies'

degree:
Doctorate of Japanese Language and Culture

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