Master & Doctoral Scholarships, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan

GRIPS Admissions Policy

GRIPS Seeks to Cultivate
• Professionals equipped with the skills to identify real policy issues, for the thorough analysis of policies and development of practical solutions, including policy formulation and evaluation
• High-level researchers and experts in policy studies, as well as policy leaders for international organizations, national governments, and societies worldwide

Basic Admissions Policy
• To admit students who are both capable and enthusiastic about acquiring the skills needed to analyze policy issues from an academic standpoint
• To admit not only a significant number of aspiring researchers on an ongoing basis, but also talented young and middle-echelon administrators and professionals who will spearhead policymaking worldwide, including in Japan
• To admit a significant number of foreign students from all over the world
• To admit students of diverse backgrounds without regard to their field of undergraduate specialization

General:

Each academic year, GRIPS admits 250 students for Master’s programs and 24 students for doctoral programs. For those who enter GRIPS in October, the academic year for Master's programs operates from October through next September.

For Master’s programs, deadlines to apply are set by each program in order to accommodate the selection process of scholarship sponsors. Roughly speaking, the deadline to apply for a scholarship is in early November. The final results of screening will be announced by the end of July at the latest.

For the Ph.D. and Doctoral programs, the application deadline varies depending on whether you seek financial aid, and whether you are a current or past GRIPS student. See Ph.D. and Doctoral Programs Summary table for more information.

For further details on the application process, check the "how to apply" section.

Deadlines for 2012 admission:
The application deadline is subject to change on short notice, through directive from the Japanese Government (MEXT). This change is exclusively for MP1, PA, Ph. D. applicants.

• December 2, 2011: Policy Analysis Program, Doctoral Programs and *One-year Master’s Program of Public Policy (MP1) /*for scholarship applicants only. Note: Please make sure to obtain ID & Password for the online application by Entry Form no later than November 25, 2011.
• January 13, 2012: *Two-year Master’s Program of Public Policy (MP2) /*for scholarship applicants only. Note: Please make sure to obtain ID & Password for the online application by submitting the Entry Form no later than January 6, 2012.
• February 23, 2012: Public Finance Program. Note: Please make sure to obtain ID & Password for the online application by submitting the Entry Form no later than February 16, 2012.
• May 14, 2012**: MP1, MP2 and Macroeconomic Policy Program /**for applicants supported with any other scholarship and self-financed. Note: Please make sure to obtain ID & Password for the online application by submitting the Entry Form no later than May 7, 2012.

Notes

1. Letters of recommendation must be submitted in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal. Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised the applicant either in an academic or work capacity. For MP1, MP2 and Doctoral programs, preferably, one letter should be written by a university professor and the other should be written by a senior member of the applicant’s present work place.
2. An official copy means a certified true copy of the original document with an official seal obtained from the administration office of the university attended. A true copy of the original document certified by a notary public may also be accepted. Copies attested by organizations/persons not having notary/legal functions will not be accepted or considered for screening.
3. All documents must be presented in English. Translations in English without an official seal obtained from the administration office of the university attended or without a signature of the recommender or the drawer of the document are not acceptable.
4. Faxed documents and digital copies sent through e-mail are not acceptable.

Admissions Office
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8677 Japan
admissions@grips.ac.jp
Tel: +81-(0)3-6439-6046
Fax: +81-(0)3-6439-6050

visit official website