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Applying for Admission

  

Please note:We are currently accepting application for the Fall 2010 term.  The deadline for application is January 15, 2010.

In this section you will find information on:

Before You Begin

Please read the Degree Programs section to see the different degree programs in Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan and the appropriate office to submit your application.  The Center for Japanese Studies accepts application only for its Master of Arts in Japanese Studies Program.  If you are interested in undergraduate or doctoral study, please apply to the appropriate department.

Register as a Future Student

We encourage you to register as a future student with the Rackham School of Graduate Studies.  You will receive your official University of Michigan ID number (UM ID).  Registering as a future student will expedite the processing of your application.  Please put your UM ID on all materials you submit.  It makes it easier and faster for us to match all of your application materials.

Click here to register as a future Rackham student.

Applying for CJS MA Programs

If you decide that the Master of Arts in Japanese Studies at the Center for Japanese Studies might be right for you, please read this section carefully for information and instruction on the application process.

All students applying for graduate study at the University of Michigan apply to the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies for admission. The Center for Japanese Studies reviews the applications and recommends students to Rackham for admission. Rackham then reviews the applicant's credentials and makes offers of admission. Please review the Rackham minimum requirements for admission before proceeding with the application process.

The Center for Japanese Studies admits students to its Master of Arts programs once a year for the fall term.  Application deadline is January 15 each year for the fall term beginning in September of the same year.

We are currently accepting applications for the Fall 2010 term.  Please read the following sections carefully before going to the Rackham Online Application site.  All application materials must be received at the Center by this date to ensure full consideration of your application.

Application Materials

Please submit the following materials.  If you are a dual-degree applicant, please see important information in the Dual/Joint Degree section below for additional requirements.

  1. Rackham Application Form: Please go to the Rackham Online Application site to complete the application online.
  2. Rackham Application Fee: When you submit your Rackham Online Application, you will be asked to pay an application fee or apply for a fee waiver.  Application fee may be paid by check, money order, or credit card.
  3. Academic Statement of Purpose:  Please submit a statement discussing your previous academic experience, your academic interests, what you would like to study in the MA program, and how the degree relates to your overall career goals.  Please upload your Academic Statement of Purpose on the Rackham Online Application site.
  4. Personal Statement (500 word limit):  While the Academic Statement of Purpose is a more formal statement of your academic and career interests, the Personal Statement is a more informal and personal statement about who you are. In this statement, please tell us a little about your background, how you became interested in Japan and Japanese Studies, and any previous experience living in Japan. Please upload your Personal Statement on the Rackham Online Application site.
  5. Cirriculum Vita/Résumé (4 page limit):  Please include your academic and work experience, teaching and research interests and experience, professional affiliations, publications if any, and community involvement.  Please upload your Curriculum Vita on the Rackham Online Application site.
  6. Three letters of recommendation:  You should ask people who know you well and can speak to your academic abilities to be your recommenders. Rackham online application site allows your recommenders to submit their letters of recommendation electronically.  You also have the option of printing out the recommendation forms and handing it to the recommender to be mailed. Please inform the recommenders that they are requested to attach a letter in addition to filling out the form. If you have previously studied Japanese language, we recommend that one of the letters be completed by your Japanese language instructor.
  7. Center for Japanese Studies Fellowship Application for Incoming Students: You will complete the application for fellowship funding from the Center as a part of your Rackham Online Application.
  8. Language Evaluation Form:  You will be given the opportunity to download the Language Evaluation Form when you complete your Rackham Online Application.  You may also download the form here.  This form should be completed by your Japanese language instructor or someone who is familiar with your language ability.  Please ask the evaluator to attach a letter to the form and mail the form and the letter to the address indicated on the form.
  9. Two sets of official transcripts for all institutions of higher education attended, including summer session and study abroad.  See the section below on Transcripts for more details.  You will also be given an opportunity to upload your transcripts to the Rackham Online Application site.  The submission of the unofficial transcript will expedite the review of your academic record; however, your application will not be considered complete until all official transcript(s) have been received.
  10. Official scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test. University of Michigan's institution code is 1839. The scores must be less than five years old.  Dual/joint degree applicants, please see additional information in the dual/joint degree section below.
  11. International students, whose native language is not English, must submit official scores from one of the following:
    1. Michigan English Language Battery (MELAB): minimum acceptable score: 80
    2. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): minimum acceptable scores: 560 on the Paper-Pencil TOEFL; 86 on internet based TOEFL.  Scores from computer-based TOEFL are no longer accepted.
    3. International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS): minimum acceptable score: 6.5
    4. Examination for the Michigan Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
    Please note that scores more than two years old will not be accepted as valid. Please request an official score report to be sent to the University of Michigan (institution code 1839), and send a copy of your score report directly to CJS. For more information, please see the Demonstrating English Proficiency for Non-native English Speakers page on the Rackham website.

Rackham Online Application

All applications are now submitted online. Please visit the Prospective Students information regarding Rackham Admissions to begin the admissions application process: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/admissions/prospective_students_degree/

If you have problems completing the online application, please contact the Student Services Coordinator at cjsadmissions@umich.edu for a paper application form.

Transcripts

You must provide two (2) sets of official records from each undergraduate or postgraduate institution you have attended, including summer sessions and study abroad programs. In order to be considered official, all academic records/transcripts must bear a seal and a signature in ink of an authorized official of the institution (such as the Registrar or Recorder of Records). Official documents must be provided from the institution awarding the degree and sent directly from the institution to the Center. We do not accept transcripts issued to the student.  International students must provide transcripts in the original language AND an English translation.

Submission of official transcripts from study abroad and summer session programs is optional if your official transcript from your home institution meets ALL of the following conditions:

  1. You have transferred credits from the study abroad and/or summer session, and the credits appear on the home institution transcript.
  2. The transcript includes the name of the study abroad or summer session program.
  3. The transcript includes the term and/or dates during which you were enrolled in the study abroad or summer session program.
  4. The transcript includes the course level, number, and title of all courses taken.
  5. The transcript includes the official grade of all courses taken.

When you complete the Rackham online application, you will be given an opportunity to upload your transcripts.  The uploaded transcripts are considered unofficial, but submitting these transcripts will expedite the processing of your application.  Please upload both the front and back pages of your transcript.

Please read the Instructions for Submitting Transcripts on the Rackham website before ordering transcripts. This is especially important for international students.

Please send both copies to CJS. The address is:

Student Services Coordinator
Center for Japanese Studies
University of Michigan
1080 S. University Ave., Suite 4640
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106

Please note: The Rackham website mentions that a set of official transcripts need to be sent to Rackham.  If you send two sets of official transcripts to the Center for Japanese Studies, we will forward one copy to Rackham so that you will not need to order a separate set.

Dual/Joint Degree Applicants

Students interested in the dual degree program in Japanese Studies and Business must apply separately to the Center for Japanese Studies and to the Steven M. Ross School of Business, and be admitted by both programs. The requirements for application to the Center for Japanese Studies are the same for all students.  Applicants may submit GMAT scores in lieu of the GRE general scores.  If you choose to do so, please submit a copy of your applicant score report to the Center, since the official score report is only sent to the business school.  Please see the transcript section for the mailing address.

Steven M. Ross School of Business admissions information:
http://www.bus.umich.edu/Admissions/

Students interested in the joint degree program in Japanese Studies and Law must apply separately to the Center for Japanese Studies and to the University of Michigan Law School, and be admitted by both programs. The requirements for application to the Center for Japanese Studies are the same for all students.  Applicants have the option of submitting their LSAT scores in lieu of the GRE general scores.   If you choose to do so, please submit a copy of your applicant score report to the Center, since the official score report is only sent to the law school.  Please see the transcript section for the mailing address.

University of Michigan Law School admissions information:
http://www.law.umich.edu/prospectivestudents/welcome/dean.htm

Applying for Funding

The Center for Japanese Studies has limited fellowship funding for students in the Masters Program in Japanese Studies, awarded on a competitive basis.  All applicants to the Center will complete their Fellowship Application and language evaluation as a part of the Rackham online application.  Please see the Funding for Students section for more information.

In addition, students are encouraged to apply for outside funding.

Students who are United States citizens and permanent residents should also apply for need based financial aid and scholarships through the Office of Financial Aid.  We encourage all eligible students to apply for need based aid.  Need based aid for graduate students uses a different formula from undergraduate financial aid.  We find that many students who did not receive undergraduate financial aid because of parental income do qualify for need based aid as a graduate student.

Checking the Status of your Application

Once you submit your Rackham online application, you may check the status of your application, including transcripts and recommendations, using a web-based application called Wolverine Access.  Please check the status of your application with this program before contacting the Center regarding your application materials.  For more information on how to access this program, please follow this link.