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. Applicants requesting an exemption must seek approval from the DBA Program Committee beforehand. Please inquire before the following deadline if seeking an exemption. 1st Round: Thursday, August 1, 2024 2nd Round: Thursday, January 24, 2025 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.
  • GMAT scores and GRE scores are valid for up to five years after the exam date. We accept score(s) of GMAT Focus Edition or GRE shorter overall test time.

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.

Applications are accepted twice a year, Round1 (from September to October) and Round2 (from March to April).

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

[Updated on July 16, 2024]
If the number of applicants reaches the enrollment capacity in the first round, the second round will not be held.

Admissions schedule for 2025 intake is as follows:

Round 1Round 2Notes
STEP 1
Application period		 Thursday, September 12, 2024 - Wednesday, September 25, 2024 14:59 (JST) Thursday, March 13, 2025 - Wednesday, March 26, 2025 14:59 (JST)

By online application system only, with payment of application fee during application period. We do not review application received via post or email.

  1. Please download the application package containing detailed information before you begin your application process, and read it carefully.
Download the Application Package
  1. Start the application process from the button below.
Apply Now
STEP 2
Announcement of First screening result		 Friday, October 11, 2024 Friday, April 11, 2025 First screening based on written application documents.
STEP 3
Second screening (Interview)		 Friday, October 25, 2024 Friday, April 25, 2025 20-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 and location are subject to change depending on circumstances.
STEP 4
Announcement of final result		 Friday, November 22, 2024 Thursday, May 29, 2025 By email and post.
Decisions will not be communicated by phone or fax.
STEP 5
Period for completion of enrollment		 Monday, November 25, 2024 – Friday, November 29, 2024 Monday, June 2, 2025 – Friday, June 6, 2025 Pay your matriculation fee to be officially enrolled and registered.

Required application documents

Master’s degree certificate and official transcript Degree certificate/official transcript or certified copy of a diploma/official transcript signed by the president or dean of the university.
*Successful applicants must submit copies of original documents to the Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office within the enrollment period.
Essay (Career accomplishments and personal statements)
Download Essay Questions
Official TOEFL or IELTS score report
  1. 1. 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]
    Organization Name: Hitotsubashi University - School of International Corporate Strategy Department: Hitotsubashi ICS Admissions Office
    University: Hitotsubashi University
    Address: National Center of Sciences, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi,
    Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8439, Japan
  2. 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

* TOEFL or IELTS scores are valid for up to two years after the exam date.

Official GMAT or GRE score report
  1. Applicants are required to upload their document on the online application, and to have the official score reports sent directly to Hitotsubashi ICS from GMAC/ETS.
    [GMAT]
    Document to upload: test takers score report or screenshot of the scores on GMAC portal
    University Code No.: F6R-Q5-52
    [GRE]
    Document to upload: test takers score report
    University Code No.: 1617
  2. 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 or GRE 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 10 for payment procedures.
The application fee is exempted for the following individuals.
  1. Individuals who graduated from a master’s program of Hitotsubashi University after September 1, 2024.
  2. Individuals who are expected to graduate from a master’s program of Hitotsubashi University after September 1, 2024.

Japanese government-sponsored students (Kenkyusei) are not required to pay the application fee; please upload the government scholarship certificate issued by the enrolled university.

Identity documentPhotocopy of the relevant page(s) of the applicant’s identity document indicating 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
  1. From persons who have been directly responsible for assessing the candidate's work and/or academic performance
  2. 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.

Notes

  • See the Hitotsubashi ICS DBA Application Package for more detailed information. We release the Application Package in July each year. Please make sure to download the latest version.
  • 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 system 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.
  • Applicants wishing to support their application with a reference letter(s) should ensure that their nominated referee(s) have uploaded the reference letter(s) to the online system before the application is submitted. Reference letter(s) must be uploaded before the applicant clicks the “Submit” button in order for the reference letter(s) to be included as application documents. .Maximum 10 files can be submitted and stored in each section.
  • Applicants who have disabilities or special needs that require accommodating in the application process and/or once they start their program of study 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.