Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

About the Program

The Graduate School Subjects Early Enrollment program provides undergraduate students in their 7th or 8th semester with the opportunity to take subjects of their choice in one of the graduate schools while retaining their undergraduate status.
If the student later enrolls in an APU graduate school, credits earned while studying in this program can be transferred upon application as long as they are deemed academically beneficial by the graduate school in question.
Taking graduate school subjects early will reduce students’ workload after enrollment in graduate school and will allow them to focus on their research. Students who want to use their time wisely and prepare for proceeding to the next stage of their studies before advancing to graduate school are encouraged to take full advantage of this program.

Schedule

Application

Eligible Students

• When moving to the 7th semester: Apply during the 6th semester
• When moving to the 8th semester: Apply during the 7th semester

Application Requirements

1) GPA and Credits

2) Official Test Scores
Students may submit any of the following official test scores. However, this does not apply to English-basis students or students who received six or more years of school education in English only in a regular course of study at an institution at least equivalent to a Japanese high school.

L & R means LISTENING AND READING.
TOEIC® and TOEFL® are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS).

Note:
Students who cannot satisfy the above conditions should consult with the Academic Office before submitting their applications.

Application Guidelines

For more details, please refer to the Application Guidelines below.

• Application Guidelines (PDF)

Application Instructions and Screening Fee

1) How to apply

Please complete the following Online Application form after reading the Application Guidelines carefully.
Online application form (Lime Survey)

Applicants will be asked to upload a “Digital photo clearly showing your face,” “Student Information Card,” and “Copy of English Proficiency Score” at the end of the online application.

① Digital photo clearly showing your face

• Applicants should be facing forward and must not be wearing a hat, mask, sunglasses, etc.
• Please upload a photo taken in the past three months.
• The file name must match this format, “Photo_Student ID number_your name.”
  E.g. Photo_11111111_RITSUMEIHanako.jpeg

② Student Information Card

• Please download Student Information Card form (PDF). Then fill out the form by hand.

③ Copy of English Proficiency Score (PDF)

• English-basis students do not have to submit an English proficiency score.
• Japanese-basis student must submit a copy of an English score which meets the language requirements specified in the “Ⅰ．Qualifications 2)Official Test Scores.”

2) Screening Fee: 10,000 JPY

• Please pay the screening fee by the following credit card payment methods.
  ① Access to the following URL
  　　http://e-apply.jp/e/apu-payment/
  ② Please pay 10,000 yen (application fee) + 700 yen (processing fee).
  　　-Application contents “Other Programs”
  　　-Payment1 “Screening Fee 10,000 yen”
  　　-Payment2 “Processing Fee 700 yen”
  ➂ You will get payment completion e-mail. Please transfer the e-mail to: acsubmit@apu.ac.jp
  
• You have to complete all of those 3 steps above by Monday, March 8, 2021, 16:30.
• Early Enrollment Program student status is only valid for one semester at a time, so program students must reapply to take subjects under the program in the following semester. Students who reapply need to pay the screening fee again.

Eligible Subjects

Under this program, students can take first-year (first semester) subject of AY2014 Curriculum from either of the graduate schools, but they cannot take seminars or Japanese language subjects.

Note: Students who study as non-degree students in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (GSA) cannot take subjects offered by the Graduate School of Management (GSM) and vice versa.

• [GSA] Subject List
• [GSM] Subject List

Please refer to the timetables for both graduate schools available here.

Program Time Frame and Credit Registration Limits

• Students can take subjects under this program for one semester or one year (2 semesters).
• Regardless of the number of semesters of study under this program, students may only register up to 10 credits.
• Credits registered under this system will be included in the credit registration limit (24 credits) for the respective undergraduate college; however, they will not be counted towards the graduation requirements.

Course Registration Period

Students can only register graduate school subjects during Course Registration Period B (i.e., the period for new, reinstated or readmitted students).

Student Status for Early Enrollment Program Students

• Students who pass the screening, receive permission to join the program and complete the required procedures within the allocated time period will be issued a Non-Degree Student ID Cards.
• Based on applications filed by program students, credits earned from subjects completed under this program will be approved as credits obtained prior to admission as long as they are deemed academically beneficial by the graduate school in question.
• Non-degree studens can be issued a certificate of non-degree study and transcripts if needed.
• Early Enrollment Program student status is only valid for one semester at a time, so program students must reapply to take subjects under the program in the following semester. Students who reapply need to pay the screening fee again.