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Eligibilities and Admissions Requirements

General Application Eligibilities

Eligibility criteria vary according to the student category you select (See the categories below).

Degree-seeking students: Non-degree-seeking students:
Regular Students
matriculate as first-year students 		Transfer Students
matriculate as second-year students 		One-Year-Regular
Students (OYR)
study at ICU for one academic year 		Kenkyusei
(Special Students)
pursue research in a specific field at ICU

The eligibility criteria for each student category are given below.

If you feel uncertain about your eligibility, submit an  Eligibility Check Form by a due date designated in the Admissions Guide for your intended entry term.

    NOTES:
  • Review may take more than one week depending on circumstances and may be delayed during extended holidays or active selection periods. ICU may temporarily suspend acceptance of the form if inquiries exceed capacity.
  • You may proceed with the online application without completing the Eligibility Check or waiting for a response; however, your application may be deemed ineligible and not accepted after review of your application materials.

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

Regular Student are students who matriculate as first-year students to seek a bachelor's degree.

    ◼ Applicants must meet ONE of the following criteria by the time of enrollment at ICU:
  1. Have completed 12 years of formal education in Japanese schools accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
  2. Have completed 12 years or more of formal education outside of Japan
  3. Have an International Baccalaureate Full Diploma, French Baccalauréat, European Baccalaureate, Abitur, or GCE Advanced Levels
  4. Have graduated from an officially accredited international/foreign school in Japan
  5. 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
  6. 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
    NOTES:
  • For items 1. & 2.: "12 years (or more) of formal education" does not refer to the total number of years of schooling alone, but to the completion (or expected completion) of the final year of a formal 12-year (or higher) curriculum within Japanese or a foreign educational system.
  • Applicants under item 5. must have already passed the GED or other equivalency exam and submit the official diploma and transcript at the time of application; applications based on expected or pending results are not accepted. Plus, applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of enrollment at ICU.
  • Item 6. applies only to the listed countries, whose 11-year education systems are officially recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (MEXT) as equivalent to the Japanese high school curriculum.

Transfer (Second-Year-Transfer) Students

Transfer Students are students who matriculate as second-year students to seek a bachelor's degree.

*Transfer Students must complete a minimum of three years at ICU. Transfer credits are granted only after enrollment and completion of the prescribed credit transfer procedures, subject to approval. Details can be found here .

    In addition to meeting any of the above criteria lisetd for Regular (First-Year) Students,
    transfer applicants must meet either of the following criteria by the time of enrollment at ICU:
  1. 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)
  2. Have completed an associate degree at an institution of higher education (university/college)
    NOTE:
  • Degree-seeking students (i.e., Regular and Transfer Students) are not permitted to hold concurrent enrollment at another institution while enrolled in ICU. Students must officially withdraw from or complete their studies at their previous institution prior to enrollment in ICU.

Non-Degree-Seeking Students:

One-Year-Regular Students

One-Year-Regular Students (OYR) are non-degree students who study at ICU for one academic year.

*Applicants currently enrolled at an ICU partner institution will apply as Exchange OYR through their home institution.
Description here is intended for independent applicants from non-partner four-year institutions (Independent OYR).

    ◼ OYR applicants must meet both of the following criteria by the time of enrollment at ICU:
  1. Have completed at least one academic year of higher education (university/college) outside of Japan; and
  2. Have attended formal education outside of Japan during the previous two years.
    NOTES:
  • Applicants who already hold or will obtain a bachelor's degree by the time of enrollment at ICU are not eligible for OYR and must apply as Kenkyusei (Special Students).
  • Applicants currently enrolled at an ICU partner institution must consult their home institution's study abroad office regarding application procedures. A list of partner institutions is available here: https://www.icu.ac.jp/en/academics/undergraduate/global/

Kenkyusei (Special Students)

Kenkyusei (Special Students) are non-degree students who pursue research in a specific field at ICU for one academic year.

*Kenkyusei typically enrolls at ICU as preparation for pursuing a postgraduate program.

    Kenkyusei 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, the Kenkyusei must submit an application and follow the same screening process as other Regular/Transfer Student applicants. If admitted, the period of enrollment 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).
    Does any of the following apply to you? (Eligibility Check Form required)
    If any of the following applies to you, please submit an Eligibility Check Form
    by a due date designated in the Admissions Guide for your intended entry term.
  • 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.
  • My educational system is not listed in the latest Admissions Guide.

Admissions Requirements By Educational System

Mandatory Educational System-Specific Requirements (for Regular and Transfer applicants only):
Regular and transfer applicants applying through ELBA pathway must not only meet the general eligibility criteria above but must also fulfill the Admissions Requirements by Educational System. These requirements define system-specific mandatory credentials, as well as required courses or examinations.

    Examples include:
  • Canada - Provincial Senior Secondary Diploma with completion of designated courses
  • China - High School Diploma with Huikao and Gaokao
  • Korea - High School Diploma with CSAT
  • New Zealand - NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance (UE)                       ...etc.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in ineligibility, regardless of general eligibility status.

The details of the required documents (e.g., academic credentials, examination results) and the applicable requirements (e.g., specified course requirements) vary according to the educational system. Therefore, regular and transfer applicants are required to carefully review the latest Admissions Guide for their intended admission year and ensure to submit all specified documents in accordance with the requirements.

    For Bachelor's Degree Holders (Transfer Applicants):
  • For applicants who already hold a bachelor's degree and seek admission as undergraduate transfer students are exempt from the Admissions Requirements by Educational System. All other applicants must submit the Required Documents by Educational System.
    If your educational system is not listed in the latest Admissions Guide...
  • Applicants whose educational system is not listed in the latest Admissions Guide must submit an Eligibility Check Form to confirm their eligibility and requirements by a due date prescribed in the guide.

Undergraduate Admissions

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