Master's Program (September Entrance Exam)

Recruitment

Graduate School	Major	Recruitment
Graduate School of Comparative Culture	Comparative Culture	A few names

Eligibility to apply

Anyone who meets any of the following criteria:

Only those who do not have Japanese nationality, who meet any of the conditions 1-10 and also satisfy the requirement of 11.

Those who have graduated from university and those who are expected to graduate by July 2026.
Persons who have been awarded a bachelor's degree in accordance with Article 104, Paragraph 7 of the School Education Act, and those who are expected to be awarded one in July 2026.
Those who have completed a 16-year course of schooling in a foreign country, or those who are expected to complete it by July 2026.
Persons who have completed a 16-year course of study in a foreign school by taking courses in Japan through distance learning offered by a foreign school, and those who are expected to complete such a course by July 2026.
Persons who have completed a course at an educational institution designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan, which is positioned within the university education system as having a foreign university course (limited to courses where the graduates are considered to have completed 16 years of schooling in that foreign country), and who are expected to complete such a course by July 2026.
Persons who have been awarded a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree by completing a course of study of three years or more at a foreign university or equivalent institution, or who are expected to be awarded such a degree by July 2026.
Persons who have completed a specialized course at a vocational school (limited to those with a minimum duration of four years and meeting other criteria set by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) designated separately by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on or after the date set by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and those who are expected to complete it by July 2026.
A person designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
(Notification No. 5 of the Ministry of Education, 1953 - Designation of individuals deemed to have academic ability equal to or greater than that of university graduates for admission to graduate schools and specialized courses at universities)
Persons who have entered graduate school pursuant to the provisions of Article 102, Paragraph 2 of the School Education Act, and who are recognized by this graduate school as having the academic ability suitable for receiving graduate-level education.
In addition, this graduate school recognizes, through individual entrance qualification examinations, that individuals possess academic abilities equivalent to or higher than those of university graduates, and who will reach the age of 22 by July 31, 2026.
Applicants must have passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2 or higher, or have scored 210 points or higher on the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) (Japanese).
However, even if your Japanese language proficiency is insufficient, Dean may approve your application depending on the content you wish to study.

Entrance Exam Schedule

Application Period	Selection Date and Time	Announcement of results
May 11th (Monday) to May 15th (Friday), 2026	Tuesday, May 26, 2026	Thursday, June 11, 2026

Application Procedure

When applying, please place the documents listed in the table below in the envelope provided by the university and mail or hand-deliver them by the deadline.

Please inform the Graduate School Admissions Office by email before applying about your major at your current or former university, your research topic and research content after enrolling at this university, and your preferred faculty member.

Admissions Office, Graduate School of Comparative Culture Otemae University

Email: skyomu@otemae.ac.jp

(1) Application documents and examination fee

Documents etc.		Applicant	Abstract
1	Application for Admission	Everyone	Use the designated form.
2	Examination ticket, photo ticket		A) Use the designated form. (i) Fill in the required information on each form, attach a stamp worth 385 yen to the back of the examination ticket, and clearly write your return address and name. On the photo form, attach a color photograph (upper body, without a hat, facing forward, taken within the last three months, 4cm high x 3cm wide) with your name written on the back.
3	Graduation (prospective) certificate		aThose who have graduated from university or are expected to graduate. You must submit a "Certificate of Graduation (or Expected Graduation)" issued by President or Dean of your university. stomachAnyone other than the above You must submit a certificate of graduation or degree conferral from your highest level of education, or any other document related to your eligibility to apply.
4	Transcript		A document prepared and sealed by President or Dean of the university the applicant attended.
5	Reasons for application and research plan		Use the designated form. Please fill in the name of the faculty member you would like to supervise (including your second choice).
6	Address sticker		Use the designated form.
7	Certificate of passing the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (N2 or higher) or a certificate of a score of 210 or more on the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (Japanese) (a copy is acceptable)	Only those who do not have Japanese nationality	Students transferring from this university do not need to submit this form.
8	Copy of passport Copy of residence card	Those who do not have Japanese nationality and are residing in Japan	Applicants who do not have Japanese nationality but reside in Japan must submit the following certificates: A copy of your passport (the page showing your photo, name, status of residence, and period of stay) A copy of your residence card (both sides)
9	Contact Information Form	Only those who do not have Japanese nationality	Use the designated form. The contact person (an adult who is independent and earns a living both in Japan and overseas) must submit a self-signed "Contact Information Notification Form."
10	Examination fee: 30,000 yen (Please transfer to the account on the right)	Everyone	<Bank transfer details> Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Nishinomiya Branch Regular Deposit Account 8129591 Otemae Otemae Educational Corporation Study) Main University Please submit in the applicant's name. The applicant is responsible for the bank transfer fees. Please enclose the bank transfer slip or a copy of it with your application.

For application documents, please attach a Japanese translation (only those certified by a public institution) of any certificates or other documents written in a language other than Japanese.
Applicants with physical disabilities (visual impairment, hearing impairment, or mobility impairment) who require special accommodations during the examination should consult with us in advance and submit a "Request for Special Examination Accommodations" form (free format) at the time of application. Additionally, if an applicant sustains an injury due to an unforeseen accident after application and wishes to receive special accommodations during the examination, please contact the Graduate School Admissions Section of Academic Affairs Division Affairs Division at TEL: 0798-32-5009 as soon as possible.
Application documents once submitted will not be returned for any reason.

(2) How to apply

If submitting by mail, please send it by registered express mail to the address below, ensuring it arrives within the application period.
If you are submitting your application in person, please submit it to the application submission address listed below between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays (Monday to Friday) during the application period.

(3) Where to submit application documents

665-8552
6-42 Ochayasho-cho, Nishinomiya City
Otemae University Nishinomiya Shukugawa Campus
Academic Affairs Division Affairs Division
TEL: 0798-32-5009

Graduate School Guide and Application Form Request

Selection Process

Exam subjects etc.			time
Written exam	Required	Essay (1) [Questions testing basic knowledge of Graduate School of Comparative Culture (800 characters or more)]	60 min
	choice	Short Essay (2) [Questions testing the logical thinking skills necessary for researching a major subject (800 words or more)]	80 min
	choice	English If you wish to study English and American Literature or Western History, Select English. You may bring in one English dictionary, except electronic dictionaries.	80 min
interview	Required	Personal interview	20 min

For the optional questions, please choose one of the options in advance before taking the exam. (Please mark the "Optional Subject" box on your application form and exam ticket with a circle.)
If you select English and submit a score from one of the following English proficiency tests, that score will be used as an assessment of your English ability.
[TOEFL iBT / TOEIC]

In accordance with the "School Education Act Enforcement Regulations," we hereby announce the following three points regarding the selection of students for admission.

① Exam questions and their intent [No prior experience]
② Method and criteria for pass/fail judgment
③ Methods for providing reasonable accommodations when taking the examination

Testing venue

Otemae University Nishinomiya Shukugawa Campus (7-minute walk from JR Sakura Shukugawa Station, Hankyu Shukugawa Station, or Hanshin Koroen Station)

Announcement of results

A notification of the results will be sent to the candidate by express mail on the day the results are announced.
Thursday, June 11, 2026

Results will not be posted on campus bulletin boards or announced online. Furthermore, we will not be able to answer any inquiries regarding acceptance or rejection by telephone or other means.
The date the notification is mailed is not the date of arrival.

Admission Procedures

Those who receive a letter of acceptance must pay the specified amount by the due date below.

Entrance fee payment deadline	Tuition Fee Payment Deadline
Thursday, June 18, 2026

Tuition

(Unit: yen)

Expenses	At the time of enrollment	next semester
Admission Fee	200,000	-
Tuition Fee	280,000	280,000
total	480,000	280,000

Those who graduate from Otemae University or Otemae Women's University and enroll in the graduate school will pay half the entrance fee.
Once paid during the enrollment process, initial payments (enrollment fee and tuition) are non-refundable.
However, tuition fees, excluding the entrance fee, will be refunded only if you submit a written request to Academic Affairs Division to withdraw your enrollment by June 19, 2026 (Friday) [must arrive by this date] and follow the prescribed procedures.
In the final year of the program, an additional 10,000 yen will be charged as a lifetime alumni association fee in addition to tuition fees.
*No fees will be charged to graduates Otemae University or Otemae Women's University.
About the scholarship system

Personal Information <Handling of Personal Information>

(1) Purpose of use

The personal information provided during the application and enrollment procedures will be used for conducting entrance examinations, notifying results, enrollment procedures, and other related tasks.

(2) Handling policy

The personal information you provide will be handled with strict confidentiality. In addition, it will not be used for any purpose other than the above-mentioned "purpose of use."
We may outsource the handling of the personal information you have provided. In that case, we will select a contractor that is deemed to handle personal information appropriately and ensure that it is managed appropriately.

Inquiries: TEL: 0798-32-5009 (Academic Affairs Division Graduate School Admissions Section)