With a GMAT or GRE score
Hitotsubashi ICS and Waseda's main track require a score; neither publishes a minimum. A strong score also unlocks the biggest scholarships elsewhere.
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MBA in Japan
Every way into an MBA in Japan
10 full-time programs, checked against each school's official page. Fees, GMAT rules, scholarships and how selection works.
Pick your way in
Without a GMAT
GLOBIS, NUCB, Doshisha, Hosei, Tsukuba and IUJ admit on essays, English score, work experience and an interview. At IUJ a GMAT/GRE score replaces the interview.
Taught in Japanese
Keio Business School teaches core courses in Japanese and tests your Japanese in the interview. Plan for business-level Japanese (around JLPT N1) before applying.
Scholarship or self-funded
Self-funded is the default. Scholarships range from 20% tuition cuts to full tuition plus a monthly allowance (Hitotsubashi YLP, MEXT, APU up to 100%). They are competitive and decided with your application.
Compare the programs
Taught in
GMAT / GRE
Sort
10 / 10
Hitotsubashi ICS MBA
Hitotsubashi University, School of International Corporate Strategy
National · Tokyo English 1 or 2 years
Total fees¥924,960¥282,000 + ¥642,960 per year (1-year track)2-year track: ¥1,567,920. Tuition is the school's preliminary estimate. Fee source ↗
GMAT/GRE required
Scholarships
- Young Leaders' Program: tuition and fees covered + ¥242,000/month (18 countries incl. India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Vietnam)
- MEXT: tuition + ¥147,000/month, chosen from Round 1 admits
- Bai Xian Asian Future Leaders: up to USD 25,000
Accreditation AACSB
Tsukuba MBA in International Business
University of Tsukuba, Graduate School of Business Sciences
National · Tokyo English 2 years
Total fees¥1,353,600¥282,000 + ¥535,800 per yearAs of April 1, 2026. Tuition for international students changes from AY2027. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional
Scholarships
- Admission fee exemption and tuition waiver (university-wide, need-based)
AccreditationNot confirmed, check with the school
Doshisha Global MBA
Doshisha Business School
Private · Kyoto English 2 years
Total fees¥1,836,000¥1,836,000 for 2 years (2026 entry)Includes ¥200,000 admission fee and facilities fees. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional, raises scholarship
Scholarships
- Merit Scholarship (tuition reduction) open to every successful self-funded international applicant
- MEXT University Recommendation (not expected for AY2027)
AccreditationNot confirmed, check with the school
NUCB Global MBA
NUCB Business School
Private · Nagoya English 1 or 2 years
Total fees¥2,880,000¥2,880,000 (1-year Global MBA, 2027 entry)2-year track: ¥3,450,000. Fees include a ¥270,000 admission fee. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional, raises scholarship
Scholarships
- GMAT-based: up to 80% off first-semester tuition
- MEXT (embassy or university recommendation), housing scholarship
- School says over 50% of international students receive a scholarship
Accreditation AACSB AMBA EQUIS
Hosei Global MBA
Hosei University, Business School of Innovation Management
Private · Tokyo English 1.5 years (3 semesters)
Total fees¥3,124,000¥1,222,000 first semester, then ¥951,000 per semesterTotal over the 3 semesters in the official fee table. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional
Scholarships
- Tuition reduction for self-funded international students in financial need (last year: 20% of tuition)
AccreditationNot confirmed, check with the school
Waseda International MBA
Waseda Business School
Private · Tokyo English 2 years
Total fees¥4,176,000¥4,176,000 for 2 years (2026 entry)Includes ¥300,000 registration fee. Fee source ↗
GMAT/GRE required
Scholarships
- ¥500,000/year for successful self-funded applicants living outside Japan
- Partial tuition waiver: 50% of one year's tuition
- Azusa Ono Memorial: ¥400,000/year · Honors Scholarship: ¥48,000/month
Accreditation AACSB EQUIS
APU MBA
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Graduate School of Management
Private · Beppu English 2 years
Total fees¥4,400,000¥200,000 + ¥4,200,000 tuition (from AY2027)Reduced by the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional, raises scholarship
Scholarships
- APU Tuition Reduction: 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% or 100%, decided at admission
- MEXT University Recommendation: full tuition + ¥144,000/month
Accreditation AACSB
GLOBIS Full-time MBA
GLOBIS University
Private · Tokyo English 1 year
Total fees¥4,725,000¥225,000 + ¥4,500,000 tuitionThe 2026 admission guide listed ¥4,425,000; the current fees page lists ¥4,725,000. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional, raises scholarship
Scholarships
- GLOBIS scholarship: covers tuition only, number not disclosed
- GLOBIS education loans for admitted non-Japanese students on a student visa
AccreditationAccredited in Japan by JUAA; does not seek AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA by choice.
IUJ MBA
International University of Japan, GSIM
Private · Niigata English 2 years (1-year Intensive MBA also offered)
Total fees¥6,700,000¥300,000 + ¥3,200,000 per year (2-year track)1-year track: ¥3,900,000 tuition. Many IUJ scholarships reduce this. Fee source ↗
GMAT optional
Scholarships
- IUJ scholarships to offset tuition (see the official scholarship page)
Accreditation AACSB
Keio Business School MBA
Keio University, Graduate School of Business Administration
Private · Yokohama Japanese 2 years
Total feesSee Keio's graduate fee scheduleKeio publishes master's fees in yearly PDFs. Fee source ↗
No GMAT, written exam
Scholarships
- MEXT and university scholarships (see Keio's pages)
Accreditation AACSB EQUIS
Can you get in just by paying?
No. Every program here selects through your documents, and almost all through an interview. Paying the fees comes after you are admitted, never instead of it.
- Self-funded applicants go through the same review as scholarship applicants.
- Your student visa needs a Certificate of Eligibility, which the school applies for only after admitting you.
- Apply on the school's official portal. Application fees are small (Hitotsubashi ICS: ¥30,000).
- Treat any agent who promises guaranteed admission for a fee as a red flag.
The interview: what they ask and how to prepare
What schools say they assess
- Hitotsubashi ICSThinking and communication skills, awareness of management issues and your own career
- DoshishaMotivation, communication skills and fit with the program
- TsukubaCareer experience, motivation, analytical and communication skills, future vision
- Keio (Japanese MBA)Your Japanese proficiency, alongside the usual criteria
Questions to prepare for
- Tell us about yourself: the values that guide you, your strengths and weaknesses.
- What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
- Why an MBA, why in Japan, and why this school now?
- Describe a time you saw the need for change at work. What was your role and the result?
- Tell us about a recent workplace conflict. What did you do and what did you learn?
- What impact do you want to make after graduating?
- Walk us through your current job and your biggest achievement in it.
- What will you bring to class discussions and team projects?
- Do you have any questions for us?
Built from Hitotsubashi ICS's official essay prompts and the criteria schools publish. Exact questions vary by interviewer.
How to prepare
- Re-read your own essays: interviewers often use them as the script.
- Prepare 3–4 short stories (situation, action, result, lesson) about leading, conflict and change.
- Know the curriculum, a few professors and why this program fits your goal better than others.
- Practise online: most interviews are by Zoom, so test your camera, light and connection.
- Answer in 1–2 minutes, then stop. Have two thoughtful questions ready.
- For a Japanese-taught MBA, practise the whole interview in Japanese.
Sources 14
- Hitotsubashi ICS: tuition, fees and scholarships
- Hitotsubashi ICS: how to apply and essay prompts
- Waseda Business School: tuition
- Waseda Business School: admissions
- GLOBIS: full-time MBA fees
- IUJ: admissions and cost
- NUCB: tuition and scholarships
- Doshisha Global MBA: scholarships and costs
- APU: graduate tuition and fees
- Hosei Global MBA: tuition
- Tsukuba MBA-IB: admission information
- Keio Business School: MBA application
- AACSB: accredited schools in Japan
- Study in Japan: immigration procedures
Checked on Oct 17, 2026 against official pages. Fees and rules change every year, so confirm on the school's site before you pay.
Master's in Japan
Every way into a Master's in Japan
9 English-taught programs, checked against each university's official page. Fees, how you get in, and how to get it funded.
Pick your way in
Find a professor first
Many national universities want a supervisor's consent before you apply. Email a professor your CV and a short research proposal well ahead. Science Tokyo and Nagoya's G30 work this way.
Apply on your documents
Sophia decides M.A. places on your documents alone. APU adds a video interview and online tests. A strong statement and English score matter most.
Fully funded: MEXT
Japan's government pays tuition, ¥144,000 a month and your flights. Apply at the Japanese embassy from about mid-April; you must be born on or after April 2, 1992.
Research student first
Join a lab as a non-degree research student with a professor's acceptance, then sit the master's exam. Cheaper (Tohoku: ¥84,600 + ¥29,700 a month), but it is not a degree.
Compare the programs
University
How you get in
Sort
9 / 9
IPADS Master's (Agricultural Development)
University of Tokyo, International Program in Agricultural Development Studies
National · Tokyo English 2 years
Total fees¥1,353,600¥282,000 + ¥535,800 per yearUTokyo says these are correct as of October 2026. Fee source ↗
Set by each program
Scholarships
- IPADS research grant: ¥200,000 a month for an outstanding applicant each year
- MEXT: embassy or university recommendation (you can't apply to both for IPADS)
Future Global Leadership (FGL) Master's
Tohoku University
National · Sendai English 2 years
Set by each program
Scholarships
- Need-based waivers: half or all of the entrance fee, and a third, half or all of tuition
- MEXT and other programs for graduate students
English-taught Master's programs
The University of Osaka
National · Osaka English 2 years
Total fees¥1,353,600¥282,000 + ¥535,800 per yearEntrance examination fee ¥30,000. Law school tuition is higher (¥804,000). Fee source ↗
Set by each program
Scholarships
- Full or partial exemption of tuition and/or matriculation fee for admitted applicants (screened)
- MEXT scholarship
G30 International Programs (Master's)
Nagoya University
National · Nagoya English 2 years
Total fees¥1,353,600¥282,000 + ¥535,800 per yearFrom the G30 Public Health admission requirements (October 2027 entry). Fee source ↗
Professor's consent first
Scholarships
- MEXT scholars (embassy or university recommendation): tuition waived, application fee refunded
International Graduate Program (IGP)
Institute of Science Tokyo
National · Tokyo English 2 years (IGP A can combine master's + doctorate in 3–5 years)
Total fees¥1,552,800¥282,000 + ¥635,400 per yearApplication fee ¥30,000. Fees are subject to change. Fee source ↗
Professor's consent first
Scholarships
- MEXT University Recommendation (Priority/General)
- JASSO Honors Scholarship for privately financed students
Graduate Program in Global Studies (M.A.)
Sophia University
Private · Tokyo English 2 years
Total fees¥1,689,400¥945,400 first year (2026 entry)Second year estimated at 2026 rates; Sophia revises tuition yearly for inflation. Fee source ↗
Decided on documents
Scholarships
- Some scholarships can be applied for with your admission application; others after entrance
Asia Pacific Studies (Master's)
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU)
Private · Beppu English 2 years
Total fees¥3,310,000¥200,000 + ¥3,110,000 tuition (from AY2027)Reduced by the APU Tuition Reduction Scholarship. Fee source ↗
Documents + interview
Scholarships
- APU Tuition Reduction: 30%, 50%, 65%, 80% or 100% of tuition, decided at admission
- MEXT University Recommendation: full tuition + ¥144,000 a month
KMD Master's (Media Design)
Keio University, Graduate School of Media Design
Private · Yokohama English 2 years
Total fees¥3,985,200¥1,992,600 per year (April entry)Tuition ¥1,920,000 plus affiliation and health fees, payable in two installments. Fee source ↗
Set by each program
Scholarships
- MEXT University Recommendation, chosen from entrance-exam applicants
- Keio "Design the Future" Award for International Students
Asia-Pacific Studies (MA)
Waseda University, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies
Private · Tokyo English 2 years
Total feesSee the GSAPS tuition pageFirst-semester tuition depends on your applicant category. Fee source ↗
Decided on documents
Scholarships
- Waseda and JASSO scholarships (see the GSAPS tuition and scholarship page)
Can you get in just by paying?
No. A master's place is decided by your documents, your research plan and often a professor's consent or an interview. Paying fees comes after you are admitted.
- Becoming a non-degree research student also needs a professor's acceptance, and it does not give you a degree.
- Your student visa needs a Certificate of Eligibility, which the university applies for only after admitting you.
- MEXT applicants can hold at most two letters of provisional acceptance, so pick professors carefully.
- Apply through the university's own portal. Treat anyone who promises guaranteed admission for a fee as a red flag.
Study in Japan: graduate schools ↗Study in Japan: immigration and student visas ↗
The research plan and interview
What universities say they assess
- Study in Japan (all universities)Willingness to do research, ability to identify issues, analytical and logical thinking, and knowledge of your field
- Nagoya G30Your aptitude and fit with the program, through documents and an interview or oral exam
- Science Tokyo IGPA supervisor's consent first, then an interview and/or examination
- APUYour documents, a video interview and online assessment tests
Questions to prepare for
- Walk us through your research proposal: the question, why it matters and your method.
- Why this professor's lab and this university?
- What did you do in your undergraduate thesis or final project?
- Which skills and tools will you bring to the research?
- How does this master's fit your career plan, in Japan or at home?
- How will you fund your studies and living costs?
- Do you have any questions for us?
Built from the selection criteria these universities and Study in Japan publish. Exact questions vary by professor.
How to prepare
- Write a 1–2 page research proposal: purpose, background, significance, methods and references.
- Email each professor individually with your CV and proposal, and keep in touch politely.
- Read two or three of the professor's recent papers before you talk to them.
- Ask whether the program needs informal acceptance from a supervisor before you apply.
- Book your English test early; some universities don't accept home or online editions.
- MEXT applicants: get at most two provisional acceptance letters, and don't ask a second professor at a university that turned you down.
Sources 15
- MEXT scholarship 2027 guidelines (research students)
- Study in Japan: academic fees
- Study in Japan: graduate schools
- Study in Japan: application flowchart
- University of Tokyo IPADS: cost of study and scholarships
- Institute of Science Tokyo: international graduate programs
- Tohoku University: fees and expenses
- The University of Osaka: tuition and matriculation fees
- Nagoya University G30: Public Health admission requirements
- Keio KMD: tuition and scholarships
- Sophia University: graduate tuition and fees 2026
- Sophia GPGS: 2026 application procedure
- APU: master's 2027 application
- APU: graduate tuition fees
- Waseda: English-based graduate programs
Checked on Oct 21, 2026 against official pages. Fees and rules change every year, so confirm on the university's site before you pay.
Scholarships
MEXT (Japanese Government)
¥143K–145K/moPlus tuition and airfare (¥144K a month for master's). The embassy route continues; University Recommendation (General) is expected to stop from 2027.
Study in Japan ↗Young Leaders Program
¥242,000/moA 1-year MBA at Hitotsubashi ICS with tuition covered, for 18 countries including India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines.
ICS scholarships ↗School scholarships
Up to 100%APU 30–100% of tuition; Waseda 50% of one year's tuition; NUCB up to 80% of the first semester for strong GMAT scores. GLOBIS and IUJ also offer tuition scholarships.
JASSO Honors
¥48,000/moFor graduate students (¥30,000 a month for language-school students). You apply after enrolling.
JASSO ↗Careful: Keio Business School teaches its MBA mostly in Japanese. Tokyo Metropolitan University's MBA runs evenings and weekends for people already working in Japan.