Treatment of degrees and credits acquired overseas

 Below is an outline of how degrees and credits acquired at a higher education institution overseas are treated when a candidate is joining a higher education institution in Japan.

1.Degree

 In dealing with a person who has received schooling in another country, the issue is not whether or not he/she possesses a degree; for in cases when the number of years of the curriculum of the pertinent school education and the number of years in the curriculum of school education in Japan (12 years up to university/college, 16 years to graduate school) are the same, the candidate is recognized as qualified to enter a higher-level school.

 However, in the case of universities and graduate schools, through individual screening of admission qualifications, people who have reached 18 years in age (or 22 years in the case of graduate schools) and are recognized as having academic ability that is at least equivalent to that of a high school graduate (or a university graduate in the case of graduate school) will be recognized as qualified to enter university or graduate school.

2.Credits

 Concerning credit exchanges and recognition of credits already taken at a university/graduate school, when the university recognizes that as advantageous, the credits will be recognized in the same way regardless of whether between Japanese universities or between a Japanese university and a university overseas.

 The limits to the number of credits that can be recognized are generally as follows:

※ University (undergraduate): 60 credits for credit exchanges and credits already earned combined
※ Junior college: 45 credits in the case of two years of schooling, 53 in the case of three years for credit exchanges and credits already earned combined
※ Graduate school: 10 credits each for credit exchanges and recognition of credits already earned.

(Note 1) However, there is no limit to the number recognized in the case of placement and transfer students.
(Note 2) Credit exchanges mean recognition of credits acquired at another university after entering the university concerned. The recognition of credits already acquired means recognition of credits acquired at another university prior to entering the university concerned.
(Note 3) Please inquire at the individual university, etc. for more detailed information.