Admissions Policies

Requirements

Applicants MUST fulfill the following two requirements:
(1) University Entrance Eligibility
(2) English Language Proficiency

In addition, GLA applicants must fulfill the following requirement:
(3) Nationality / Visa Status

1. University Entrance Eligibility

Applicants must meet one of the following criteria before their enrollment date* at Ritsumeikan University.
Applicants admitted into the University in the prospect of satisfying one of the requirements below should fulfill the requirement before the enrollment date; otherwise, the offer of admission will be revoked.
* Enrollment date: April 1 for April enrollment / September 26 for September enrollment.

A.	Have completed a standard 12-year course curriculum, or an equivalent curriculum as designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
B.	Have completed a 12-year course curriculum at an international school accredited by an international accrediting organization (WASC, NEASC, Cognia, COBIS, CIS or ACSI)
C.	Have completed a 12-year course curriculum at a school for international students in Japan accredited by MEXT to be equivalent to a high school outside of Japan
D.	Possess a qualification of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Abitur, Baccalaureate, GCE A-Level, International A-Level, or European Baccalaureate
E.	Have completed a standard 11-year education in one of the designated curriculums of countries specified by MEXT e.g., Belarus, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Peru, Russia, Sudan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
F.	Have completed school education in a country where the curriculum is shorter than 12 years and have completed a Japanese pre-university preparatory course accredited by MEXT
G.	Have passed an exam demonstrating equivalent academic ability to completion of a standard 12-year course curriculum outside Japan and have reached 18 years of age e.g.,General Educational Development (GED)
H.	Have passed the High School Equivalency Exam (高等学校卒業程度認定試験) provided by MEXT in Japan and have reached 18 years of age
I.	Have been recognized, through an individual review by Ritsumeikan University, as having an academic ability equivalent to or greater than that of a person who has completed high school, from their academic background and other qualifications and have reached 18 years of age *The University recognizes applicants who graduate from Korean senior schools (朝鮮高級学校 Chosen Kokyu Gakko) as having met this requirement.

NOTE

• Applicants who have completed a standard 12-year curriculum in less than 12 years with appropriate reasons, such as grade skipping or early graduation, will be regarded as having met the requirement.
• The following do not meet JD Program application eligibility requirements:
  -Criteria F and H.
  -Completion of an upper secondary course in a specialized training college (専修学校の高等課程).

Inquiry regarding eligibility

Applicants who wish to apply and are unsure if they meet the eligibility requirement, or those who wish to apply under "Criteria I." must contact the International Admissions Office three weeks prior to the start date of the application period.
Visit HERE to place an inquiry.

2. English Language Proficiency

English Test Score

In order to demonstrate sufficient English ability, applicants must take one of the tests listed below and achieve the minimum score indicated below.

The English tests must have been taken within the two-year period before the last date of the application period that the applicant applies in and the test score must be available during the application period.

• The University does not accept the TOEFL iBT® Home Edition or the TOEFL® Essentials™ Test.
• The University only accepts TOEFL iBT® scores from a single test date, not MyBest® scores.
• The University does not accept IELTS Online.
• IELTS One Skill Retake is not acceptable.
• The University does not accept institutional tests such as the TOEIC® IP Test.


GLA

TOEFL iBT®Test	80 with 20 in R&W (Reading and Writing), 18 in S&L (Speaking and Listening)
IELTS Academic Module	6.5 with 6.0 in each component
PTE Academic	64 with 55 in each of the communicative skills
Cambridge C1 Advanced	176 with 169 in all sub-skills

To commence taking courses offered by The Australian National University (ANU), students are required to undergo an admissions assessment conducted by ANU, in principle, one year after entering Ritsumeikan University. For details regarding the English language requirements and other eligibility criteria necessary to undergo this assessment, please refer to section 10. Notes for Applicants GLA (1) in the Application Handbook.

JD Program

TOEFL iBT®Test	85 with 20 in each section
IELTS Academic Module	6.5 with 6.0 in each component
PTE Academic	60
Cambridge B2 First	176 with 169 in all sub-skills
Cambridge C1 Advanced	176 with 169 in all sub-skills
Cambridge C2 Proficiency	176 with 169 in all sub-skills
SAT Reading Test sub-score	30
Digital SAT EBRW section	610
ACT English Score	25
Duolingo English Test	120 with 110 in each sub-score

GS Major

TOEFL iBT®Test	76
IELTS Academic Module	6.0
Duolingo English Test	100

CRPS Major

TOEFL iBT®Test	72
IELTS Academic Module	5.5
Duolingo English Test	95

ISSE Course

TOEFL iBT®Test	71
IELTS Academic Module	5.5
TOEIC®L&R Test	730
Duolingo English Test	95




Score Waiver

Submission of English test scores listed above is not required of applicants who meet the waiver criteria stated below. For details on documents to be submitted instead of the English test scores, please consult the Application Handbook, "7.(3) Submission of Application Documents".

GLA

Applicants who meet one of the following requirements.

1. Citizenship and Prior Education:
   Citizens of a Group A Country who have undertaken at least one year of full-time (or equivalent) year 11 and/or year 12 (or equivalent) senior secondary education in English at a recognized institution in the national education system (or equivalent) of a Group A Country.
   
   Group A Countries: U.S., UK, American Samoa, Australia, Botswana, Canada (excluding Quebec), Fiji, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Zambia, Zimbabwe


2. International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma:
   Applicants who complete the IB Diploma taught and assessed entirely in English except for courses focused on the development of knowledge and skills in a language other than English.
   *Applicants who have not yet completed the diploma at the time of application must request the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to send their final IB results directly to Ritsumeikan University after receiving an offer of admission and before enrollment. If the applicant does not obtain the Diploma, the offer of admission will be revoked.

NOTE
To commence taking courses offered by The Australian National University (ANU), students are required to undergo an admissions assessment conducted by ANU, in principle, one year after entering Ritsumeikan University. For details regarding the English language requirements and other eligibility criteria necessary to undergo this assessment, please refer to section 10. Notes for Applicants GLA (1) in the Application Handbook.

JD Program

Applicants with educational backgrounds as stated in a. or b. below.


1. Four years of study (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 or equivalent) in U.S. regionally-accredited or IB, CXC or UK curricula (inside or outside the U.S.), where English is the only medium of instruction AND no ESL courses have been taken.
2. Four years of study (grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 or equivalent) in the selected English-speaking countries listed below or in the educational systems of these countries (regardless of location) where English is the only medium of instruction AND no ESL courses have been taken.

Selected English speaking countries include:
U.S., UK and Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (except Quebec), Singapore, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and these countries in the Caribbean (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)

GS Major, CRPS Major, and ISSE Course

Applicants whose most recent 6 years of formal education before the enrollment date were conducted and instructed only in English.

3. Nationality / Visa Status (GLA only)

Due to the Australian Commonwealth legislation, Australian domestic students are not eligible to apply through Ritsumeikan University and must instead apply through ANU. An applicant is considered an Australian domestic student if they are one of the following:

1. Australian citizen
2. New Zealand citizen or a diplomatic or consular representative of New Zealand, a member of the staff of such a representative or the spouse or dependent relative of such a representative, excluding those with Australian citizenship (Note: includes any such persons who have Permanent Resident status)
3. Australian permanent resident
4. Australian permanent humanitarian visa holder

However, Australian domestic students who hold citizenship of a country other than Australia or New Zealand, including dual citizens, are eligible to apply through Ritsumeikan University. Applicants who meet this criterion are advised to review additional conditions in section 10. Notes for Applicants GLA (4) in the Application Handbook.