FAQ for MPP/IP: Before Admission

General Questions

Q: I am a Japanese undergraduate student who is studying at a Japanese university. Am I eligible to apply for this course?

A: Students with Japanese nationality who graduated (or who expect to graduate) from a Japanese university are eligible to apply for admission to the MPP/IP of GraSPP.

Q: Do I need to contact any professors at GraSPP before application?

A: No. You do not need to contact any professors.

Q: Are there any PhD programs offered at the graduate school of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo?

A: Unfortunately, the Graduate School of Public Policy does not offer a PhD program.

Q: Can I enroll as a research student prior to enrolling in the Master of Public Policy, International Program?

A: GraSPP does not accept research students or auditors.

Q: I would like to visit your campus. Is there an open day or similar event which I can attend?

A: Whilst GraSPP does not have an open day, the campus is open to the public. Please come and visit us any time if you are interested in studying at GraSPP.

Q: How many applicants have currently applied for the MPP/IP and how many students will be accepted?

A: We cannot publish the current number of applicants but, roughly 20 to 25 students (including scholarship recipients) are expected to be admitted.

Q: I am thinking about studying at GraSPP. However, I have just got a job offer from a company. Is it possible for GraSPP to process my application before the publication date and reply as to whether I will be accepted or not within two weeks?

A: We cannot accept any special requests regarding the schedules for screening and or admission.

Q: I would like to contact some professors at GraSPP. Could you please recommend me some professors to contact for further assistance?

A: GraSPP does not make public the contact details of professors to people who have no affiliation to the Graduate School. This includes prospective students.

Q: Is it mandatory to get approval from my current place of employment?

A: If you are going to enroll as a WB or ADB scholarship recipient and are planning to go back to your current place of employment after graduation, please get approval from your current employer using Form #4.

Q: I am a non-Japanese resident currently studying the Japanese language in Tokyo. Am I to write my current address in Tokyo as my permanent address, or that of my home country?

A: In such as case, please use your address in Tokyo.

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TOEFL / IELTS / GRE

Q: Is there a minimum TOEFL score requirement for entrance into the program?

A: Whilst GraSPP does not set a minimum score for admission, applicants are expected to possess high English language proficiency in order to be able to pursue their studies. A minimum TOEFL score of PBT 570 (CBT 230, iBT89) or IELTS 6.0 is expected, but scores of PBT 600 (CBT 250, iBT 100) or IELTS 7.0 are strongly recommended.

Q: Is the official TOEFL score certificate necessary, or will a photo copy be acceptable? Is there a code number, etc., for the University of Tokyo so that the ETS can send my TOEFL score certificate directly to GraSPP?

A: Yes. There is an institution code written in the application package (also available on our website) which can be used to request the ETS to send the certificate directly to us. The official score certificate must be sent directly to GraSPP, the University of Tokyo.

Q: Would it be advantageous for me to submit my TOEFL score even though I have completed my undergraduate degree in the United States, despite the fact that it is optional?

A: Submitting your TOEFL scores would not be especially advantageous but, we will refer to the score when making a decision.

Q: I have noticed that the provision of a GRE score is optional. I have a GMAT score instead; is this acceptable for application purposes?

A: Yes. You can submit a GMAT score as a supporting document. A photocopy is acceptable.

Q: Is there a file/case number for the IELTS test report form?

A: IELTS does not have an institution code like TOEFL does. Therefore, the score report will be sent to the address supplied by the applicant. Please write clearly the name of the university, its division, address, and the name of the person in charge. Please leave blank the 'file/case number' field in the IELTS application form .

Q: What type of IELTS should I take?

A: Applicants are expected to have an high English language proficiency to study at postgraduate level. Therefore, please take the IELTS Academic Module.

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TOEFL / IELTS exemption

Q: What are the prerequisites in order to receive an exemption from submitting TOEFL/IELTS scores?

A: An applicant is exempted from submitting TOEFL / IELTS if he/she:
1)Is a native English speaker.
2)Earned a bachelor's degree, or the international equivalent thereof, from an institution in the U.K., Ireland, the U.S.A., Canada, Australia or New Zealand.
3)Earned a bachelor's degree, or the international equivalent thereof, from an institution that is acknowledged by the GraSPP MPP/IP Selection Committee.

In the case of either 2 or 3 above, the primary language of the entire institution (not only your faculty or course) must be English.

Q: I obtained a master's degree in a graduate school whose language of instruction was in English. Do I still have to submit a TOEFL score?

A: In the case of a master's degree received abroad, students will not receive an exemption. This is because many master's courses taken abroad do not require the level of English which is needed to complete your studies at GraSPP.

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Studying Abroad

Q: Can I complete the MPP/IP as part of a joint/double degree program?

A: Our Double degree program starts from October, 2010. The double degree program is available with 5 schools:

Q: Do you accept incoming exchange students from other graduate schools?

A: We currently accept exchange students from 7 schools:

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Scholarships

Q: I do not fulfill the requirements for a scholarship from either ADB or WB since I have no experience working full-time. Are there any other scholarships available from the University of Tokyo?

A: Successful applicants can apply for scholarships directly from the University of Tokyo. Basically, these scholarships are only available to students who have already been accepted into a program of study at the University of Tokyo and, in many cases, Japanese language skills are required.

Q: I have passed the preliminary screening for the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) scholarship for next academic year. Is it possible to apply for the MPP/IP course?

A: Unfortunately, MPP/IP's application schedule is not conducive with that of the MEXT scholarship program since we cannot give you entry permission until March. If you want to enroll in our school as a MPP/IP student you should enter another graduate school as a research student first, and then pass the screening stages for the MPP/IP. Please note this application will not be automatically accepted, and you need to go through a screening at MEXT.

Q: Can I apply for both scholarship programs (ADB & WB) if I am eligible for both?

A: Yes, you can apply for both.

Q: If I apply for the scholarships and fail, would GraSPP still consider me for regular admission and treat me the same as other applicants?

A: On application Form #5, you will see a question asking “If you are not ultimately selected for a JJ/WBGSP or ADB-JSP scholarship, do you intend to register for enrolment at the Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo at your own expense?”

If you check YES, your application will be reviewed under the regular admission process.

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Letters of Reference

Q: How can I confirm that the admission office received the two letters of recommendation from my referees? (In the case of direct submission of the letters from the referees).

A: Our admission office will let you know via e-mail when they receive all necessary documents.

Q: If one of my referees is based solely on a professional basis (That is, I only have a working relationship with them), can they omit the academic section and focus solely on writing about the professional aspects of my past endeavors?

A: Yes. If your referrer is primarily a work related contact this is perfectly okay.

Q: Can the two letters of reference be submitted separately from the rest of the application documents (i.e., submitted directly by the referee)?

A: Yes. The referees can send letters of reference directly to GraSPP. In this case, please ask the referrer to make sure that the name of the applicant is clearly written both on the surface of the envelope and on the letter.

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Certificate of Graduation

Q: My university does not issue a "proof of graduation." However, there is a date of graduation (MM-DD-YEAR) on the official transcript. Is that sufficient to prove the successful completion of my degree or is a separate document necessary?

A: If there is a date of graduation on the official transcript, we will accept that as a substitute for a certificate of graduation.

Q: Is it possible for my college to send the official proof of graduation and any official transcripts directly to your office of admissions? The college prefers to send such documents directly to you by express mail.

A: Official proof of graduation and official transcripts can be sent directly to our admissions office from your school. Please kindly inform us if your school will be sending these documents directly to us.

Q: Is a copy of my original testamur certified by a notary public acceptable for submission? (Instead of a copy with an official seal or stamp from the university which I gained my bachelor's degree).

A: Yes, we will accept a copy of the original document which has been certified by a notary public.

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Transcripts

Q: I am German. Even if I could translate the transcript from German to English, the grading system is still a German one. We have a system which ranges from 1 to 6. 1 is the best, 6 the worst. An A in an American grading system is equivalent to a German 1. How are the grades to be converted?

A: Please include an explanation of your grading schema and, if available, please also include an authorized certificate of class ranking.

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Payment of Application Fees

Q: I do not have a credit card for e-payment. Can I directly deposit the application fee into the University of Tokyo's bank account?

A: The credit card does not have to be your own. You can find someone, maybe your relative, who can execute the payment on your behalf. In this case, please clearly state both yours and the credit card holder's name on your application form to let us know that the payment is yours. Please refer to the website below for more detailed information regarding e-payment:

If you cannot make the payment through e-payment for any reason, remittance to the bank account of the University of Tokyo is also acceptable. Please get the account information from the admission office.

Q: I have relatives who live in Japan. Can I ask them to make a payment on my behalf at the GraSPP administration office?

A: No. Please remit your payment to the designated bank account.

Q: I am non-Japanese resident. Am I still supposed to pay the JPY 30,000 application fee for applicants residing in Japan instead of the JPY 10,000 for applicants residing outside of Japan?

A: Yes. Your application fee will be JPY30,000 since you reside in Japan at the time of application.

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