How to apply

Before you begin

To qualify for consideration, you must have:

A Master’s, MBA, or higher degree from a recognized institution, or exemption from the DBA Program Committee. Inquire by early February if you plan to seek this exemption. For specifics, see “Qualification of Applicants” in the Hitotsubashi ICS DBA Application Package
Sound knowledge of and interest in business scholarship, as demonstrated by the research proposal described in your application
Two or more years of full‐time work experience, or approval for exemption from the DBA Program Committee.
A good command of English, with a score above 109 in TOEFL iBT or 7.5 in IELTS Academic or equivalent.
GMAT score or GRE score is mandatory for all applicants.
GMAT score of 600 or higher, or GRE score of 160 or higher on Quantitative Reasoning and 150 or higher on Verbal Reasoning.

For inquiries, email to: chiyoda-info@hub.hit-u.ac.jp

The application period

Our admissions process entails both an application and an interview. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible during the application period.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The application period for the DBA Program, ICS is scheduled to be held twice a year from 2024 intake (September 2024 entrance).
Scheduled dates: Fall 2023 (September-November) and Spring 2024 (March – May)
Regardless of which period you take the exam, the entrance period will only be in September.
If the number of applicants reaches the enrollment capacity in the first round, the second round may not be held.
If the second admission will not be conducted, we will inform you on this page after the end of the enrollment procedure period for the first admission.

Admissions schedule for 2024 intake is as follows:

	Round 1	Round 2
STEP 1	Application period (September 14, 2023 - September 27, 2023 14:59 (JST))	Application period (March 14, 2024 - March 27, 2024 14:59 (JST))	By online application system only, with payment of application fee during application period:
STEP 2	Announcement of First screening result (October 13, 2023)	Announcement of First screening result (April 12, 2024)	First screening based on written application documents.
STEP 3	Interview (October 27, 2023)	Interview (April 19, 2024)	30-minute discussion based on written application documents if selected in the first screening. Location: Hitotsubashi University Chiyoda Campus (National Center of Sciences) or Online The interview method is subject to change depending on circumstances.
STEP 4	Announcement of final result (November 16, 2023)	Announcement of final result (May 16, 2024)	By email and post. Decisions will not be communicated by phone or fax.
STEP 5	Period for completion of enrollment (November 17, 2023 – November 24, 2023)	Period for completion of enrollment (May 20, 2024 - May 24, 2024)	Pay your matriculation fee to be officially enrolled and registered.

Round 1

Round 2

STEP 1

Application period
(September 14, 2023 -
September 27, 2023 14:59 (JST))

Application period
(March 14, 2024 -
March 27, 2024 14:59 (JST))

By online application system only, with payment of application fee during application period:

STEP 2

Announcement of
First screening result
(October 13, 2023)

Announcement of
First screening result
(April 12, 2024)

First screening based on written application documents.

STEP 3

Interview
(October 27, 2023)

Interview
(April 19, 2024)

30-minute discussion based on written application documents if selected in the first screening.
Location: Hitotsubashi University Chiyoda Campus (National Center of Sciences) or Online
The interview method is subject to change depending on circumstances.

STEP 4

Announcement of final result
(November 16, 2023)

Announcement of final result
(May 16, 2024)

By email and post.
Decisions will not be communicated by phone or fax.

STEP 5

Period for completion of enrollment
(November 17, 2023 – November 24, 2023)

Period for completion of enrollment
(May 20, 2024 - May 24, 2024)

Pay your matriculation fee to be officially enrolled and registered.

APPLICATION

Online only. We do not review application received via post or email

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Please download the application package containing detailed information before you begin your application, and read it carefully.

Download the Application package

2. To start the application process: create your account, submit the application form

Apply Now

Submit ALL required documents. The application must be filled out in English

3. Document screening

4. Interview

For candidates selected at the stage 3, the document screening.

5. Decision

A few weeks after the interview, the result is notified by email and post.

6. Enrollment

Confirmed the payment of Matriculation fee, officially approved the enrollment.

See the Hitotsubashi ICS DBA Application Package for more detailed information.
All documents must be written in English. For any documents or certificates written in another language, please attach an English translation.
Only complete applications will be considered. Incomplete applications at the time of the application deadline will not be considered.
The online application system’s ‘Submit’ button becomes available for selection ONLY when ALL mandatory documents above have been uploaded.
As the online application can accept individual documents whenever they are ready and is also able to accept uploading of the same document multiple times, please start uploading individual documents to the online system as soon as they are available. In the case of needing to update an already-uploaded document, you may simply upload the document again. Please be sure to upload all documentation by the specified application deadline.
In case you are submitting your reference letters, please check with your referees that they have received successfully an email requesting that they provide you with a reference letter. The two reference letters must be uploaded by your referees to complete your application submission.
Maximum 10 files can be submitted and stored in each section.

Master’s degree certificate and official transcript	Degree certificate or certified copy of a diploma signed by the president or dean of the university. Applicants must submit copies of original documents to the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office within the enrollment period.
Essay Career accomplishments, personal statements	Download Essay Questions
Official GMAT or GRE score report	Applicants are required to upload the test takers score report on the online application, and have the official score reports sent directly to Hitotsubashi ICS. GMAT University Code No.: F6R-Q5-52 GRE University Code No.: 1617 Hitotsubashi ICS strongly recommends that candidates take the GMAT or GRE at least one month before the application deadline to ensure that the official score report is received in time. * GMAT scores are valid for up to five years after the exam date.
Proof of application fee payment (JPY 30,000)	See the Application Package page 8 for payment procedures. The application fee is exempted for individuals who graduated or are expected to graduate from a master’s program of Hitotsubashi University after September 1, 2023. Japanese government-sponsored students (Kenkyusei) are not required to pay the application fee; please upload the government scholarship certificate issued by the enrolled university.
Official TOEFL or IELTS score report	Applicants are required to upload the test takers score report on the online application, and to have the official score reports sent directly to Hitotsubashi ICS. TOEFL University Code No.: 8682 IELTS Department: Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office University: Hitotsubashi University Address: National Center of Sciences, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8439, Japan Hitotsubashi ICS strongly recommends that candidates take the TOEFL/IELTS at least one month before the application deadline to ensure that the official score report is received in time. *The following applicants are not required to include this item. Applicants whose native language is English Applicants who graduated with a bachelor’s or higher degree from a program conducted entirely in English (Applicants who graduated with a bachelor’s or higher degree from a program conducted entirely in English in a country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US must notify the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office by email (<chiyoda-info@hub.hit-u.ac.jp>) no less than ten days before the application deadline.) Applicants who have worked for over three years in an English-speaking country
Identity document	Photocopy of the relevant page(s) of the applicant’s identity document indicating the applicant’s name, photograph, passport number or Japanese driver’s license number, date of birth, etc.
Reference letters (optional)	Up to two letters of reference From persons who have been directly responsible for assessing the candidate's work and/or academic performance Preferably one from an employer, and one from an academic supervisor * A request email will be sent automatically to the applicant's referees once their contact information is entered in the Hitotsubashi ICS Online Application System and “Send email to referee”button is clicked by the applicant. The referees are to follow directions given in said email and complete their recommendation online.

Master’s degree certificate and official transcript

Degree certificate or certified copy of a diploma signed by the president or dean of the university.
Applicants must submit copies of original documents to the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office within the enrollment period.

Essay Career accomplishments, personal statements

Download Essay Questions

Official GMAT or GRE score report

Applicants are required to upload the test takers score report on the online application, and have the official score reports sent directly to Hitotsubashi ICS.
GMAT University Code No.: F6R-Q5-52
GRE University Code No.: 1617
Hitotsubashi ICS strongly recommends that candidates take the GMAT or GRE at least one month before the application deadline to ensure that the official score report is received in time.

* GMAT scores are valid for up to five years after the exam date.

Proof of application fee payment (JPY 30,000)

See the Application Package page 8 for payment procedures.

The application fee is exempted for individuals who graduated or are expected to graduate from a master’s program of Hitotsubashi University after September 1, 2023.
Japanese government-sponsored students (Kenkyusei) are not required to pay the application fee; please upload the government scholarship certificate issued by the enrolled university.

Official TOEFL or IELTS score report

Applicants are required to upload the test takers score report on the online application, and to have the official score reports sent directly to Hitotsubashi ICS.
TOEFL University Code No.: 8682
IELTS Department: Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office
University: Hitotsubashi University
Address: National Center of Sciences, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8439, Japan
Hitotsubashi ICS strongly recommends that candidates take the TOEFL/IELTS at least one month before the application deadline to ensure that the official score report is received in time.

*The following applicants are not required to include this item.

Applicants whose native language is English
Applicants who graduated with a bachelor’s or higher degree from a program conducted entirely in English (Applicants who graduated with a bachelor’s or higher degree from a program conducted entirely in English in a country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US must notify the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office by email (<chiyoda-info@hub.hit-u.ac.jp>) no less than ten days before the application deadline.)
Applicants who have worked for over three years in an English-speaking country

Identity document

Photocopy of the relevant page(s) of the applicant’s identity document indicating the applicant’s name, photograph, passport number or Japanese driver’s license number, date of birth, etc.

Reference letters
(optional)

Up to two letters of reference

From persons who have been directly responsible for assessing the candidate's work and/or academic performance
Preferably one from an employer, and one from an academic supervisor

* A request email will be sent automatically to the applicant's referees once their contact information is entered in the Hitotsubashi ICS Online Application System and “Send email to referee”button is clicked by the applicant.
The referees are to follow directions given in said email and complete their recommendation online.

Note

Applicants who have disabilities or special needs that require accommodating in the application process and/or once they start their program at Hitotsubashi ICS should notify the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office by email to <chiyoda-info@hub.hit-u.ac.jp> two months prior to the starting date of application period. (If you do not know the application period, please contact us as well. Although the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office will accept such notifications after this date, it may not be able to make arrangements necessary to accommodate disabilities/special needs in time for the screening and/or the program starting date.) Requesting such type of accommodation in the application process does not obligate you to apply to Hitotsubashi ICS. Even if you are undecided about whether or not to apply to Hitotsubashi ICS, you may still make such requests.
NB: Depending on the nature of the accommodation requested, it may take some time for the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office to respond.