AY2025 Enrollment Quotas and Application Eligibility
AY2025 Enrollment Quotas
| Master’s Degree Course Integrated Arts and Design Division, Graduate School of Arts and Design | 27 people |
| Doctoral Degree Course Arts and Design Division, Graduate School of Arts and Design | 6 people |
AY2025 Application Eligibility
Master’s Degree Course, Integrated Arts and Design Division, Graduate School of Arts and Design
Must meet any of the following criteria (1) to (9).
- Those who have graduated from a university as defined in Article 83 of the School Education Act (Act No. 26 of 1947), or those who are expected to graduate by the end of March 2025
Those who have graduated from a Japanese university and have been awarded a bachelor’s degree, or those who are expected to graduate by the end of March 2025. - Those who have been awarded a bachelor’s degree pursuant to the provisions of Article 104, Paragraph 7 of the School Education Act, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025
Those who have been awarded a bachelor’s degree by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025. - Those who have completed a 16-year school education curriculum abroad and have been awarded a bachelor’s degree, or those who are expected to complete such a curriculum and be awarded a bachelor’s degree by the end of March 2025.
- Those who have completed a foreign country’s 16-year curriculum by studying in Japan through a correspondence course provided by a school of that foreign country and have been awarded a bachelor’s degree, or those who are expected to complete such a curriculum and be awarded a bachelor’s degree by the end of March 2025.
- Those who have completed a curriculum in Japan at a foreign school designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as equivalent to a foreign university, or those who are expected to complete such a curriculum by the end of March 2025. *Japanese campuses of foreign universities designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
- Those who have been awarded a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree by completing a curriculum whose term is set to be three years or more at a foreign university or other institutions, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025.
- Those who completed a post-secondary course (whose term is set to be four years or more and that meet other standards set by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) separately designated by the Minister at a specialized training college on or after the date set by the Minister, or those who are expected to complete such a course by the end of March 2025. *Specialized training colleges’ post-secondary courses designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
- Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Those who have completed school curriculums under the pre-war school system.
Those who have completed a course of study at the National Defense Academy, the Japan Coast Guard Academy, the Meteorological College or other ministry-affiliated institutes, or those who are expected to complete such a course by the end of March 2025. - Those aged at least 22 and recognized by the Graduate School as having academic ability equivalent to or greater than that of a university graduate through an individual application eligibility screening process.
- Those with N2 or higher of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), run by the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services and the Japan Foundation, or those with a score of 270 or higher on the Japanese section of the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU), run by the Japan Student Services Organization.
*If you wish to apply under (9), your eligibility will be screened individually, so please contact the Graduate School Admissions Office in advance and submit the necessary documents by the designated deadline.
Application eligibility screening period [Schedule A: Monday, July 8, 2024 to Friday, July 19, 2024; and Schedule B: Friday, October 18, 2024 to Friday, November 1, 2024]
Note 1) If your highest level of education is zhuanke (a three-year specialized college) in China, you are not eligible for application. However, if you have completed 16 years of school education by graduating from benke after graduating from zhuanke and have been awarded a degree, you will be considered to be eligible.
Note 2) At our university, the Higher Education Self-Study Examination is not included in the 16-year curriculum. If applicable, an application eligibility screening will be required.
*If you have foreign nationality, you must fall under any of (1) to (9) and also be qualified as in (10). However, this does not apply if you are a permanent resident of Japan.
*If you apply for an entrance examination for adult students, you must fall under any of (1) to (9), be at least 25 years old, and have at least two years of work experience.
Doctoral Degree Course, Arts and Design Division, Graduate School of Arts and Design
Must meet any of the following criteria (1) to (7).
- Those who hold a master’s degree or a professional degree, or those who are expected to earn such a degree by the end of March 2025.
- Those who have been awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree or a professional degree abroad, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025.
- Those who have been awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree or a professional degree by studying in Japan through a correspondence course provided by a school of a foreign country, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025.
- Those who have completed a curriculum in Japan at a foreign school designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as equivalent to a foreign graduate school and have been awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree or professional degree, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025.
*Japan campuses of foreign universities designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. (equivalent to graduate schools) - Those who have completed a curriculum at the United Nations University and been awarded a degree equivalent to a master’s degree, or those who are expected to be awarded by the end of March 2025.
- Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Those who graduated from a university or completed a 16-year school education curriculum abroad before engaging in research at a university or research institute for at least two years, and who are recognized by the Graduate School as having academic ability equivalent to or greater than that of those with a master’s degree, based on the results of their research. - Those aged at least 24 and recognized by the Graduate School as having academic ability equivalent to or greater than that of those with a master’s degree through an individual application eligibility screening process.
- Those with N1 or higher of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), run by the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services and the Japan Foundation, or those with a score of 290 or higher on the Japanese section of the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU), run by the Japan Student Services Organization.
*If you wish to apply under (7), your eligibility will be screened individually, so please contact the Graduate School Admissions Office in advance and submit the necessary documents by the designated deadline.
*If you have foreign nationality, you must fall under any of (1) to (7) and also be qualified as in (8). However, this does not apply if you are a permanent resident of Japan.
*If you apply for an entrance examination for adult students, you must fall under any of (1) to (7), be at least 25 years old, and have at least two years of work experience.
AY2025 Entrance Examination Schedule, Selection Method, Application Documents, etc.
AY2025 Entrance Examination Schedule
Application Schedule and Selection Dates
Master’s Degree Course, Integrated Arts and Design Division
| Entrance examination schedule | Schedule A | Schedule B |
| Classification | General public/international students/adult students | General public/international students/adult students |
| Application period (postmark valid) | Friday, August 16 – Friday, August 23, 2024 | Friday, November 29 – Friday, December 6, 2024 |
| Announcement of first screening results | Friday, October 4, 2024 | Friday, January 31, 2025 |
| Second screening date | Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, 2024 *One of the dates will be designated by the university. | Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22, 2025 *One of the dates will be designated by the university. |
| Announcement of second screening results | Friday, November 1, 2024 | Friday, February 28, 2025 |
| Enrollment procedure period (postmark valid) | Tuesday, November 5 – Tuesday, November 11,2024 | Monday, March 3 – Tuesday, March 11, 2025 |
| Test venue | Kobe Design University | Kobe Design University |
Doctoral Degree Course, Arts and Design Division
| Entrance examination schedule | Schedule A | Schedule B |
| Classification | General public/international students/adult students | General public/international students/adult students |
| Application period (postmark valid)* | Friday, August 16 – Friday, August 23, 2024 | Friday, November 29 – Friday, December 6, 2024 |
| First screening (interview period) | Friday, September 13 – Saturday, September 21, 2024 | Tuesday, January 7 – Wednesday, January 15, 2025 |
| Announcement of first screening results | Friday, October 4, 2024 | Friday, January 31, 2025 |
| Second screening date | Saturday, October 26, 2024 | Friday, February 21, 2025 |
| Announcement of second screening results | Friday, November 1, 2024 | Friday, February 28, 2025 |
| Enrollment procedure period (postmark valid) | Tuesday, November 5 – Tuesday, November 12, 2024 | Monday, March 3 – Tuesday, March 11, 2025 |
| Test venue | Kobe Design University | Kobe Design University |
*If you apply from overseas, your application must arrive by the application deadline.
AY2025 Selection Method
A two-stage selection process (first screening and second screening) will be applied.
Master’s Degree Course, Integrated Arts and Design Division
(1) First screening (document screening)
First screening (document screening) will be conducted based on the application documents. Those who have passed the first screening will proceed to second screening. The research plan and portfolio submitted at the time of the application for document screening will be screened.
| Document screening | The research plan and portfolio submitted at the time of the application will be screened. |
(2) Second screening (document screening and interview screening)
Second screening will be conducted for those who have passed the first screening.
The second screening will be performed based on the following comprehensive evaluation.
| Document screening | The research plan and portfolio submitted at the time of the application will be screened. |
| Interview screening (Work/paper screening and comprehensive screening will be held back to back at the same venue.) | Work/paper screening An oral presentation and a Q&A interview will be held based on the work or paper (approximately 15 minutes). |
| Comprehensive screening A comprehensive Q&A interview will be held with reference to the research plan, work, or paper (approximately 10 minutes). |
Doctoral Degree Course, Arts and Design Division
(1) First screening (document screening)
First screening (document screening) will be conducted based on the application documents. Those who have passed the first screening will proceed to second screening.
| Document screening | The research plan and portfolio submitted at the time of the application will be screened. |
| Interview | Interview with a supervisor of your choice |
(2) Second screening (document screening and interview screening)
Second screening will be conducted for those who have passed the first screening.
The second screening will be performed based on the following comprehensive evaluation.
| Document screening | The research plan submitted at the time of the application will be screened. |
| Interview screening (Work/paper screening and comprehensive screening will be held back to back at the same venue.) | Work/paper screening An oral presentation and a Q&A interview will be held based on the work or paper (approximately 15 minutes). |
| Comprehensive screening A comprehensive Q&A interview will be held with reference to the research plan, work, or paper (approximately 10 minutes). | |
| Academic examination (English) | 90-minute test |
*For details, please refer to the “AY2025 Graduate School Application Guidelines.”
AY2025 Application Documents
For applying, please download the designated forms here and provide the required information before submitting them.
AY2025 Entrance Examination Fee, Application Procedures/Methods, etc.
[Entrance examination fee] *Same for both the master’s and doctoral degree courses
30,000 yen
*Once paid, the entrance examination fee cannot be refunded.
[Application procedures/methods] *Same for both the master’s and doctoral degree courses
- After transferring the entrance examination fee, prepare the necessary documents for application, enclose all of them in a Letter Pack Plus, and send it by postal mail by the deadline. (The mail must be postmarked not later than the application deadline.)
-The application must be submitted by postal mail. No applications will be accepted at our counter. - Click here for an example of how to fill out a Letter Pack Plus.
inquiry
KOBE DESIGN UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL
TEL:078-795-7447
E-mail:gsad-nyushi@kobe-du.ac.jp
