Eligibility Criteria
Application eligibility criteria vary according to the student category you select (see the four categories below).
| Degree-seeking students: | Non-degree-seeking students: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular Students
matriculate in the 1st year |
Transfer Students
matriculate in the 2nd year |
One-Year-Regular Students (OYR) for one academic year |
Kenkyusei (Special Students) in a specific research field for one academic year |
The eligibility criteria for each student category is given below. If you feel uncertain about your eligibility, submit the Eligibility Check Form to the ICU Admissions Center to confirm your eligibility and additional requirements at least one month before the application period starts.
Bachelor's Degree-Seeking Students:
ICU does not require undergraduate students to choose a specific major before enrollment. Students nurture their basic academic abilities through a wide range of courses, gradually narrow their fields of interest, and then decide on their majors before starting their junior (third) year.
Regular (First-Year) Students
A Regular Student is a student who matriculates as a first-year student to seek a bachelor's degree. Applicants must meet one of the following criteria at the time of enrollment to ICU:
- Applicants must:
- have completed 12 years of formal education in Japanese schools accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology or
- have completed 12 years or more of formal education outside of Japan or
- have an International Baccalaureate Full Diploma, French Baccalauréat, Abitur, or GCE Advanced Levels or
- have graduated from an officially accredited international/foreign school in Japan or
- have passed an examination demonstrating academic ability equivalent to 12 years of formal education, such as the GED (General Educational Development) test or the Upper Secondary School Equivalency Examination, and be at least 18 years of age or
- have completed 11 years or more of formal education* in which the high school curriculum is based on the system of Uzbekistan, Sudan, Belarus, Peru, Russia, Myanmar, Ukraine, or Kazakhstan.
*In these cases, applicants must contact the Admissions Center in advance as there are specific requirements.
Transfer (Second-Year-Transfer) Students
A Transfer Students is a student who matriculates as a second-year student to seek a bachelor's degree at ICU. Applicants must meet one of the criteria listed for Regular (First-Year) Students and also meet one of the following criteria at the time of enrollment to ICU:
- Additionally, they must have:
- completed at least one academic year of a bachelor's degree program as a degree-seeking student (excluding the period of leave of absence, if any) or
- completed an associate degree at an institution of higher education (university/college).
- !! NOTES:
- The minimum number of years that Transfer Students must complete at ICU is three years.
-
Transfer credits will be granted only when accepted students complete the credit transfer procedures after entering ICU. More details can be found at the following link:
https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/admissions/undergraduate/engdoc/credittransfer/ - Degree-seeking students (i.e. Regular and Transfer Students) are not allowed to register at other institutions simultaneously while studying at ICU. Students must officially withdraw or graduate from their previous institution by the time of enrollment at ICU.
Non-Degree-Seeking Students:
One-Year-Regular Students
A One-Year-Regular Student (OYR) is a student who studies at ICU for one academic year. Applicants must meet both of the following criteria at the time of enrollment to ICU:
- They must have
- completed at least one year of higher education (university/college) outside of Japan and
- attended formal education outside of Japan during the previous two years.
- !! NOTES:
- Applicants who already have or will have a bachelor's degree at the time of enrollment to ICU are not eligible for admission as One-Year-Regular Students. They should apply as Kenkyusei.
-
Students of ICU's Overseas Academic Exchange partner institutions should consult with their home institution's study abroad office regarding application to ICU. For a list of partner institutions, refer to the following link:
https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/academics/undergraduate/global/index.html
Kenkyusei (Special Students)
A Kenkyusei is a student who pursues research in a specific field at ICU for one academic year. Applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree, or 16 years or more of formal education, by the time of enrollment at ICU.
- !! NOTES:
- Admission with Kenkyusei status may be granted only when education and research at ICU are not adversely affected as a result.
- Kenkyusei may attend classes, but coursework does not count toward a degree.
- ICU will provide transcripts of the completed coursework to other institutions upon the student's request.
- If a Kenkyusei wishes to become a Regular/Transfer Student, theKenkyusei must submit an application and follow the same screening process as other Regular/Transfer Student applicants. If admitted, the coursework completed as a Kenkyusei will not be applied towards ICU's residency requirement.
- A Kenkyusei is not allowed to live in the dormitory, receive a school commuter pass, or have Student Discount Certificates for JR (Gakuwari).
- !! NOTES: If any of the following apply to you, contact the Admissions Center
- I have been home-schooled.
- I have been attending unaccredited schools.
- I am 23 years old (or older) and a high school graduate.
- I left my university/college more than five years ago.