1. Background
The Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) was established in 2001 as a one-year Master’s program by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Currently, five different programs are offered in the fields of Government, Local Governance, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, and the Law. This program aims to contribute to the fostering of future national leaders in Asian and other countries. In addition, while deepening the participants’ understanding about Japan, it aims to form a network of national leaders who will play a key role in establishing friendly relations and improved policy planning among Asian countries, including Japan.
The Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University administers the “Young Leaders’ Program in Law” (YLP in Law) under the framework of the YLP.
2. Eligible Countries
Participants for the YLP in Law are selected from the sixteen countries listed below. They should be legal professionals, who are expected to play an active role as future national leaders in their respective countries.
Target Countries: P. R. China, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mongolia, Singapore, India, South Africa and Turkey.
3. Program Duration
The YLP in Law is taught on a full time basis and takes 12 months for completion, beginning in October every year and ending in September of the following year.
4. Program Requirements
YLP in Law students are expected to complete a 20-credit coursework curriculum (approx. five courses per semester) and write a Master’s Thesis of at least 50 pages.
The following is an indicative list of courses:
The research interests of faculty members involved in the YLP in Law program are available here 
5. Admission Requirements
For admission to the YLP in Law, students must meet the following requirements:
- Nationals of a country that is participating in the YLP scheme (see Section 2).
- Under 40 years of age at time of enrollment at Kyushu University.
- An undergraduate degree in Law from an accredited university.
- A good command of English. A TOEFL score of 550+ (paper-based), or 80+ (Internet-based) or equivalent is required for non-native English speakers.
- At least 4 years of work experience in the applicant’s home country in a law office or in the legal section of a company or government department. This work experience must be full-time and after graduation from university.
6. Application Materials
Application Guidelines and Application Forms are available from the local Embassy in each of the countries participating in the YLP scheme.
7. Selection
Kyushu University will select candidates from among applicants by means of an interview and a review of the submitted documents. If it is not possible to hold an interview in the applicant’s home country, an interview may be conducted by telephone or the Internet.
Those who have been selected initially by the participating universities will be put forward to the YLP committee established by MEXT for the final selection.
8. International Student & Researcher Support Center
For information on housing, health care and other matters related to life in Japan, please see the International Student & Researcher Support Center page:
http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter/en/
9. Scholarship
Monthly Stipend
Each grantee will be provided with a monthly stipend of approximately 240,000 yen during the term of the scholarship. The amount of allowance will be subject to change depending upon the annual budget of the Japanese government for each fiscal year.
Traveling Costs
An economy class air ticket to and from Japan will be provided.
School Fees
All fees will be paid for by the Japanese government.
10. FAQ
Am I entitled to a waiver of the TOEFL etc. language requirement?
Our normal practice is to require all applicants for whom English is a second language to submit a TOEFL test or equivalent, although if there are some special circumstances we will consider a waiver.
If I have taken an English test other than TOEFL, what score is required? A conversion chart is available here: 
Do I need a law degree in order to apply for the IEBL?
A law degree is not absolutely necessary in order to be eligible to apply, however, a significant part of your undergraduate degree must have been in law.
11. Pamphlet
The YLP Leaflet can be downloaded here:
The IEBL Pamphlet can be downloaded here:
12. Contact Details & Inquiries
Inquiries regarding this program should be addressed to:
Fax: 81[Japan]-92-802-5407
E-mail: admission@law.kyushu-u.ac.jp