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3-1 months before application

Prepare application documents

The application window is busy. Prepare the checklist one to two months early so the final week is not spent chasing documents.

CompleteEstimated time about 4 weeksContent verified on 2026-06-10

Breakdown

How to break this task down

Follow the checklist below and you won't miss anything important. You don't have to finish it all at once, but every item should be clearly answered within this stage.

  1. Read the latest admission guide from each graduate school.
  2. Prepare certificates, transcripts, translations, and language scores.
  3. Ask referees early and share your proposal draft.
  4. Check payment, mailing, and online submission rules.

Notes

Recommended reading

Concrete experience written down by those who came before — most useful read alongside the breakdown above.

Application docs

Application checklist: the 12 documents to prepare for a Japanese master's-program application

Where applications most often go wrong isn't the documents themselves, but the seemingly trivial details: how many originals you need, whether translations require notarization, and when the recommendation-letter deadline falls. Below is a checklist organized by category, plus suggestions on pacing.

Read moreUpdated 2026-04-20

Tool

Related tool

There's a ready-made tool for this step. You don't have to use it every time, but it's worth opening when you're stuck.

Admission schedule finder

Available

Click to open · use it right here in this step

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Next step

  • Previous step · Contact professorsProfessor contact is not always mandatory, but it can help when your target is clear and your proposal draft is readable.
  • Next step · Prepare for interviewsThe interview tests whether you can explain your proposal and fit the lab. Prepare layered answers instead of memorizing templates.
  • Back to roadmap overviewReturn to the Japan Master's Application stage page to see other tasks

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