Graduate School

Graduate School Admissions

• Master's Program (offered in Japanese)
• Doctoral Program (offered in Japanese or English)

Admissions to the TCU Doctoral Program

Application Process

1. Prescreening consultation

   ▶ Confirmation of application eligibility and research area

2. Notification of prescreening consultation result

3. Application submission

   ▶ Initial screening based on submitted documents

4. Notification of initial screening

5. Second Screening

   ▶ English exam and interview

6. Final result notification

7. Enrollment

Admissions Policy

Applicants who are the most capable among those who have expressed dedication to Christ and have completed a Master’s degree in theological studies or the equivalent (as determined by the graduate committee) are eligible for consideration.

Admissions Quota

Qualifications for Admission

Individuals recognized as possessing superior academic skills among those who have expressed faith in Christ.
Applicants seeking April 2026 enrollment should interpret “July 2026” as “March 2026” in items 1 to 8.

1. Those who have received a Master’s degree or equivalent in Japan (as defined by the School Education Law in Japan) by July 2026.
2. Those who have received a Master’s degree or equivalent outside of Japan by July 2026.
3. Those who have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent in Japan through a correspondence course offered by a foreign institution by July 2026.
4. Those who have received a Master’s degree or equivalent from a foreign institution that is recognized by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in Japan by July 2026.
5. Those who have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent at the United Nations University by July 2026.
6. Those who have completed a program in a foreign country, at a designated institution, or at United Nations University, and have passed the exam stated in Japan’s Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools or equivalent.
7. Those designated by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan.
8. Those who are considered to be as academically capable as those who have completed a Master’s degree or equivalent through individual reviews by TCU graduate school and are older than 24 years of age by July 2026.

Prescreening Consultation

The applicant is required to send the following documents before submitting an application. The graduate school admissions committee will determine whether the desired field of research matches what is offered at TCU. These documents should be submitted at least one month before starting date of the application period.

Required documents

1. Prescreening Consultation Application
2. Academic Transcript (theological education only)
3. Certificate of Graduation (theological education only)
4. Master’s Thesis and Summary (Paper size: A4 or Letter size)

*Please refer to the Admissions Handbook for more information. Applicants who wish to begin the prescreening consultation process should contact the Admissions Office.

Deadlines and Screening Schedule

* Successful applicants may choose the time of entrance.

** (For January screening) Exam date and time will be notified at the time of the initial screening result notification by email.

Screening Details

1.  Second Screening

Applicants who pass the initial screening will be given an English exam and an interview.

Applicants will choose the exam method at the time of application.

The English exam will be waived if the applicant meets either of the following conditions:

a)   Those who hold a valid TOEFL or IELTS score (taken within two years)

• TOEFL iBT 91 or higher, or IELTS Academic 7.0 or higher (for those who will write a doctoral thesis in Japanese)
• TOEFL iBT100 or higher, or IELTS Academic 7.5 or higher (for those who will write a doctoral thesis in English)

For TOEFL, please enter TCU's Institution (DI) code “8472” for the “Recipient Code” when you request the official score report to be sent.

b)   Those who have finished (or expected to finish) a Master’s program in English.