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General Information for Non-Degree Courses (Research Students)

Students wishing to study a specific subject, at either the undergraduate or graduate level, may be admitted as research students ("kenkyuusei"). Research students are not entitled to degrees upon completion of his/her research work. Most applicants for admission to a graduate school gain admission to the University as a research student first, and then prepare for the entrance examination to the graduate school of their choice while researching their subject in more detail.

Admission procedures and requirements for research students may differ slightly according to each faculty/school. Applicants who would like more details are advised to inquire at the Student Support Group of the faculty/school. Please refer a list of the groups, including their addresses, click here.
Admission Requirements

[Admission to Faculties or Centers and Facilities]
(a) Completion of 14 years of formal education in a foreign country. 

(b) Graduation from a university, or a junior college in Japan ("tanki daigaku" = in Japan, this means a school which offers a 2 or 3 years of curriculum-based learning), after having completed 12 years of education in a foreign country.

(c) Recognition from Hiroshima University as having the equivalent of one of the requirements listed above.

[Admission to Graduate School]
(a) Completion of 16 years of formal education in a foreign country.

(b) Recognition by Hiroshima University as having the equivalent qualifications as a research student.

 
Required Documents

Those wishing to study as a research students must submit the following documents to the faculty/school concerned, after having found an academic adviser in his/her field, and having been approved for admission by said adviser. It is necessary to complete the admission procedures well in advance (about 4 months before admission) as the processing for entry into Japan requires a considerable amount of time. 

(a) Application Forms (prescribed forms). 
(b) Curriculum Vitae (Prescribed forms). 
(c) Degree transcript or graduation certificate, and transcript of scholastic record issued by the university or college attended. 
(d) Certificate of Registered Matters obtained from a local Japanese government administrative office. (This applied only to applicants currently residing in Japan)
(e) Recommendation from the President or the Dean of the faculty at the university or the college attended. 
(f) Medical certificate (prescribed form).
Selection

Selection will be made on the basis of the documents submitted.
Admission

Admission for non-degree students is at the beginning of each semester in April and October.
Registration Period

Research students are admitted for one semester or one year. He/she may apply for a renewal of this period if necessary for the purpose of his/her studies.
 
 
* About the new rules and required documents for admission of Non-degree Courses (Research Students)
Please be informed that the new rules and required documents are added to admission of non-degree courses (research students) as follows to improve the research environment and will be enforced starting November 1, 2011.  Other items for admission information remain the unchanged.
 
(1)  Before Admission
(a) We will examine the communication abilities of applicants that apply for admission starting April 1, 2012 in order to ascertain whether he/she has the required proficiency for a research student to be given instructions for research by objective evaluations, such as the result of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) or the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, etc.
  （※The standard of evaluation differs according to each faculty/school. Applicants should ask the Student Support Group of the faculty/ school they would like to apply for details.）
(b) Admission for research will be canceled if a research student joins Hiroshima University after April 1, 2012 and doesn’t pay their research fees within 3 months of the date of admission.
(c) Admission for research will be canceled if a research student joins Hiroshima University on or before March 31, 2012 and doesn’t pay their research fees of the 2012 first semester within 3 months of April, 2012.
   
(2) After Admission
  We will check research progress by means of a record written by the research student which depicts specific study/research contents using the format of “Research journal” etc. starting April 1, 2012.
   
(3) For a research student in Hiroshima University during the 2011 school year
  For research students in Hiroshima University during the 2011 school year that continue research after April 1, 2012, the above-mentioned (b) under section (1) will be applied.