Applicants wishing to enroll in the Polar Science Program are advised to carefully review the program outline, offered subjects, and education and research conducted by the faculty members of the program, as presented in the application guidelines and the web pages. In addition, before submitting an application, make sure to consult with the faculty member whom you are interested in working with regarding the research you wish to pursue after admission.

Application acceptance period

(1) April 2026 admission - round 1
   June 26 (Thursday) to July 2 (Wednesday), 2025

(2) April 2026 admission - round 2
   December 4 (Thursday) to December 10 (Wednesday), 2025

(3) October 2026 admission
   December 4 (Thursday) to December 10 (Wednesday), 2025

Exam dates

(1) April 2026 admission - round 1
   Any one day from August 18 (Monday) to August 22 (Friday), 2025

(2) April 2026 admission - round 2
   Any one day from January 19 (Monday) to January 23 (Friday), 2026

(3) October 2026 admission
   Any one day from January 19 (Monday) to January 23 (Friday), 2026

Required application documents

Application form, examination fee (30,000 yen), academic transcripts, certificate of (expected) completion of master's program, summary of previous research experience, list of research presentations and publications, master's thesis, research proposal, etc.

Selection process

Selection for admission is based on assessment of submitted documents and a personal interview.

(1) Document screening

This assessment is done by evaluating academic transcripts and submitted documents (Attached Form 3: Summary of Previous Research Experience, Attached Form 4: List of Research Presentations and Publications, Attached Form 5: Research Proposal, as well as master’s thesis, scientific papers, etc.).

(2) Personal interview

The interview is focused on a summary of your research in the master's program or previous research as well as the research you wish to pursue. In some cases, English ability is also assessed. A PC and PC-compatible projector are available for use during the presentation.

Criteria for assessing entrance exams

(1) Grading and evaluation criteria

In the document screening, the applicant's academic transcripts, master's thesis, and the research that the applicant wishes to pursue if admitted to our program are evaluated. In the personal interview, we evaluate the applicant's presentation and responses to questions, in terms of originality, potentiality, and logicality. Particular emphasis is placed on the personal interview.

(2) Selection decision criteria

The decision on whether an applicant is admitted or not is based on a comprehensive assessment of the results of the document screening and personal interview.