International Programs in Law - Kyushu University Graduate School of Law

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Doctoral Program in Law (LL.D.)

Please read all sections very carefully before applying for this program.
All inquiries to individual professors should be sent via the Admission Office (admission@law.kyushu-u.ac.jp). Direct inquiries to professors cannot be answered.

1 Overview

Kyushu University's LL.D. program offers students the unique opportunity of preparing a doctoral thesis on law in English whilst studying at a Japanese university. The program is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to complete high-level research in law. Participants will pursue a closely supervised program of research for 3 years (6 semesters), prior to submitting a final dissertation. The thesis may be on any law-related subject agreed in consultation with the academic supervisors and approved by the LL.D. Faculty Committee.

2 Program Duration

The LL.D. is taught on a full-time basis and takes at least three years for completion, beginning in October every year.

3 Program Requirements

All LL.D. students are expected to complete a 10-credit (approx. two courses per semester) coursework curriculum and write a doctoral dissertation of between 300-400 pages.
The research interests and backgrounds of faculty members involved in the LL.D. program are available here.

For extra information and advice on drafting a thesis proposal, please click here.

4 Program Curriculum

For students wishing to receive a Japanese government scholarship, it is important that the thesis proposal / topic fits with the themes and issues described on this page.

For self-financing students, any law-related proposal will be considered.

5 Admission Requirements

For admission to the LL.D., applicants must meet the following requirements:

	-	All applicants are expected to have engaged in some form of legal study at graduate level.

	-	A good command of English. A TOEFL score of 100+ (Internet-based) or equivalent is required for non-native English speakers.

	-	Sufficient financial support for the duration of the program. See Section 4 below for further details on tuition and other fees.

Please note that scholarships may have additional requirements. Please see Section 7 below.

6 Application Materials & Procedure

Application requirements and procedures for the LL.D. vary depending on whether the applicant wishes to apply for financial aid or not, and what type of financial aid the applicant is seeking.
This section contains a list of financial aid options and the relevant application materials.

i. Japanese Government Scholarship

One (1) LL.D. student per year will be supported by special scholarships from the Japanese government. The scholarship will cover all fees as well as a monthly stipend, and an economy class return ticket to and from Fukuoka.
Further details on eligibility and admission procedure can be found in the Application Guidelines.
Applications open from July each year for October entry of the following year.
Applications for October 2025 entry are closed.

Application Guidelines and the Application Form for the Japanese Government Scholarships can be downloaded here_14

ii. Self-financing

Students have the option to self-finance their study. The tuition fee, other fees and living costs can be found in Section 7 below.
We offer several "rounds" of applications. The application deadline for each round of applications is available in the Application Guidelines.

Applications open from July each year for October entry of the following year.
Applications for October 2025 entry are open.

Application Guidelines and the Application Form for Fall 2025 Entry can be downloaded
here_11

iii. Embassy Nominated Japanese Government Scholarship

The Japanese Government also offers Embassy-Nominated Japanese Government Scholarships. Please contact the local Embassy / Consulate General in order to receive the necessary application documents and further information on Embassy Scholarships.
Applicants who have passed the Preliminary Screening and wish to enroll in the LL.D. for October of the following year must then submit the "LL.D. Application Form" and supporting materials to the Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University.
The application deadline is available in the Application Guidelines.
If you have passed the Preliminary Screening, Application Guidelines and the LL.D. Application Form can be downloaded here_12
Applications open from July each year for October entry of the following year.
Applications for October 2025 entry are closed.

iv. JDS LL.D. Scholarship

This scholarship is available from JICA and is only available for graduates of the Faculty of Law, Kyushu University who have already completed the JDS program and returned to their home country.
Application Guidelines for the JDS LL.D. Scholarship can be downloaded here_13
Applications open from July each year for October entry of the following year.
Applications for October 2025 entry are closed.

v. JASSO Honors Scholarship

JASSO offers "Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students" for international students who are accepted by a Japanese university.
Applicants for the scholarship will be accepted through the school. The applicants must submit an application form to the Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University to have us recommend to JASSO that the candidate is qualified to receive the scholarship. The application deadline for the scholarship is available upon request.

More scholarship information for applicants who can read Japanese is available here:

Kyushu University Scholarship Information web site:

http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/intlweb/scholarship/view/list.php?nendo=2013&lang=en

Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO):

https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/ryugaku/scholarship_j/index.html

Since Kyushu University does not have any control over the administration of these scholarships, it is the applicant's responsibility to check whether the scholarship he/she is applying for can be used for the LL.D. program.
Please note that acceptance to these scholarship does not guarantee acceptance to the LL.D. program offered by Kyushu University.

7 Tuition, Other Fees & Living Costs

The various university fees and estimated living costs are approximately as follows. Exact amounts are available upon request:

	-	Kyushu University Registration Fee: 30,000 yen.

	-	Kyushu University Entrance Fee: 280,000 yen (paid once on enrollment).

	-	Kyushu University Tuition Fee per Semester (2x per year): 270,000 yen.

	-	Monthly Living Costs: 100,000 yen (approx.).

	-	Money for Arrival: Based on the experience of former students, we recommend new students to bring a minimum of 150,000 yen in cash if staying in university accommodation and 200,000 yen if staying in private accommodation.

Students receiving a Japanese government scholarship do not have to pay any fees.

Some additional information on fees is available here:

https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/admission/fees/expenses

8 Other Scholarship Information

General Scholarship Information can be found through the following link:

http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/intlweb/scholarship/view/list.php?nendo=2020&lang=en

*	Normally, eligibility to apply for a scholarship is after enrollment of Kyushu University. Please check the conditions and procedure very carefully.

The following information is for the self-supporting international students.
The application must be received at your Student Affairs Division. Please note that the deadline of application is different from each Student Affairs Division.
Before Kyushu University recommends the students to a foundation, we may have screening within the university.

In case you have any questions, please be sure to inquire at your Student Affairs Division.

9 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
*Some scholarships may be restricted from acceptable English tests.

Do I need a law degree in order to apply for the LL.D.?

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.

Are there any opportunities for post-doctoral study?

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science offers a number of post-doctoral study opportunities.

10 Pamphlet

The LL.D. Pamphlet can be downloaded here

11 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

Application materials should be submitted to:

Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University,
744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan

12 Privacy Policy

Before applying please read carefully the relevant Privacy Policy of Kyushu University:

For international applicants:

http://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/website/privacypolicy/internationalstudents

For applicants currently enrolled at Kyushu University:

http://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/website/privacypolicy/students

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