The Graduate School of Business at AGU welcomes potential students who have a strong interest in conducting rigorous empirical and/or theoretical research integrated with their own practical work experiences. Please carefully read and strictly follow the guidelines and instructions mentioned below when you apply to the SMIPRP at AGU.
The number of students to be admitted for SMIPRP course is approximately 10.
A Master of Arts degree in Business Administration, specializing in Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Rights will be awarded upon your graduation.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply for SMIPRP:
- Bachelor's Degree or Higher
- English Proficiency
A Suitable level of proficiency in English to be able to write a thesis is required.
For those who have not received undergraduate/graduate education in English, please submit an official score report or certificate of exams with the following minimum scores or above.TOEFL
TOEFL iBT (internet-based test or Home Edition) 79 / https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/
TOEFL PBT (paper-based test) 550or
IELTS
IELTS Academic Module 6.0 (in each band).Note 1: TOEFL ITP and IELTS General Training Module scores are NOT accepted.
Note 2: The score should be obtained within the past two years of the application.Letter of Proof of Education in English (issued by your university)
For those who have received undergraduate / graduate education in English, please obtain a Letter of Proof of Education in English from the university from which you graduated indicating that your education was conducted in English. If you cannot obtain such a letter from your university, please submit a score report or a certificate of the exams mentioned above. - Online PC Environment
An Online PC environment in which you can run Zoom for an interview. To make a free online video call, you will need a webcam (web camera) capable of transmitting both video and audio signals. You must have access to the online PC + webcam environment at the designated date and time of the interview (see “STEP 5 Online Interview” section of this webpage).
NOTE: For those who wish to receive a WCO Scholarship, please read here carefully.
Applicants will be selected for admission to this program based on the following criteria:
- Academic record and intellectual distinction;
- Personal characteristics;
- Motivation to study on the SMIPRP;
- Evidence of leadership;
- Potential for individual career development;
- Work experience;
NOTE: Double school registration is not allowed at AGU. Those who are currently attending another school must either graduate from the school or provide documentary evidence that you left your program before enrolling at AGU.
First, you will need to click “Online Registration for Admission” on the SMIPRP website, and you fill out and submit the online registration form with the necessary information.
Please note that you will not be registered as an ‘applicant’ until we have received all the required application documents.
Upon your submission of the online registration form, you will receive an email which involves with the URL of our website, ID and password for downloading documents.
Please go to website which is informed on the email. (You can also access to the website by clicking ‘LOGIN’ button which is on the top page of SMIPRP website.) Then you are required to enter the provided ID and password on the login page to proceed to the next step in order to download and fill out the designated Form1-Form5 and Application Checklist.
* All required documents must reach our office by the deadline (Japan Standard Time). Please send all the following documents by DHL or any other registered express mailing delivery service according to the instructions below.
* Please contact us if postal delivery measures taken by the postal and courier services connecting your country and Japan will interfere with your ability to submit your complete application packet so that it will arrive at our office on or before the application due date. We do not accept forms submitted by e-mail.
Designated Application Forms & Other Required Documents | |
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(Form1) Application Form with photo | |
(Forms 2-1 and 2-2) Two Letters of Recommendation (Preferably, one from your current supervisor at your workplace) |
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(Form3) Certificate of Employment Status and Acceptance for Leave of Absence | |
(Form4) Research Proposal (What you propose to research if selected to attend the SMIPRP) | |
(Form5) WCO Nomination Form (for a CUSTOMS OFFICER of a developing member of the WCO.) The form must have a signature and a seal by the Head of the nominating administration e.g. Director General, Commissioner or equivalent official. |
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Official degree certificates or official copies of diplomas from ALL colleges/universities previously attended. | |
Official transcripts or official copies of transcripts from ALL colleges/universities previously attended. | |
Either of the following English Proficiency Certificates
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A photocopy of your passport | |
(If the names on the application forms and certificates are different) Proof of the surname/name change (marriage certificate, etc.) |
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed.
Please download and use the provided application checklist to make sure that all required forms and documents have been completed and enclosed. - All the submitted documents must be original.
*However, with regards to the official degree certificates and transcripts, official copies are acceptable in case where submission of the original is not possible. Photocopies are NOT accepted. - Mailing Materials must be received by the deadline (Japan Standard Time).
- The documents brought by hand to the university and faxed documents and digital copies sent through e-mail are NOT acceptable.
- 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.
- All the submitted documents will NOT be returned to applicants. It is advisable that you keep copies of all the documents submitted with your application.
- All documents must be presented in English. If the original documents are written in languages other than English, you are required to attach its official English translation with a seal and signature to the original documents.
- AGU respects the privacy of every individual who submits personal information to us. All submitted information shall only be used for the purposes of administration and entry examination. AGU will not disclose submitted information from any individual to a third party.
- Required documents should be submitted in typewriting, not in handwriting.
Postal Address
Master's Program Admissions Office,
Graduate School of Business,
Aoyama Gakuin University
4-4-25, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 150-8366,
JAPAN
After reviewing applications, the Admissions Committee for the SMIPRP will request an interview for selected applicants (i.e. those applicants who have successfully passed the documentary examination). Those who are selected will receive a notification and scheduling information about the interview via email.
Interviews are conducted via Zoom. If you are invited for an interview, you should be online and prepared to receive our call on the day and time scheduled by the Admissions Committee.
The interviewers consisting of faculty members (the Admissions Committee) will evaluate the candidates according to the admission criteria.
- Admission Fee:
- 290,000 yen (as of 2024)
- Annual Tuition Fee:
- 917,000 yen (as of 2024)
NOTE: For those who wish to receive WCO Scholarship, please read here carefully.
We require each applicant to provide us with an email address because it will be your primary form of communication with AGU Admissions. To protect your privacy, admissions notifications are available only through our password-protected Application Status Check Website.
AGU is not responsible for any technological issues (including email filters) that may prevent applicants from receiving our communications. Please contact your email provider and/or set your spam filter preferences to ensure you will receive email from all email addresses with the "aoyamagakuin.jp" and "busi.aoyama.ac.jp" domains