Apply to Doctor by Dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase)

Doctor by dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase) is a doctoral degree that SOKENDAI confers to those who do not enroll at a program, but fulfill specific requirements.
Applicants for this degree are required to pass the examination on their doctoral thesis as well as to be judged to possess the academic knowledge equivalent to or superior to that of the SOKENDAI students who completed program requirements.
Applicants are requested to pay the Examination Fee of 57,000 yen (JPY) upon application for the exam.
Prior to applying for the exam, applicants need to contact a faculty member of the program that matches the subject matter of the doctoral thesis (hereinafter referred to as "Referring Faculty") and consult about the application.
"Faculty Directory" section on this website includes information on faculties of each program of SOKENDAI.

For information regarding the Doctor by Dissertation (Ronbun-Hakase) review process, please refer to both 'Procedure' and 'FAQ' section.

About Degree

The field of specialization to be appended to the doctoral degree is awarded according to the following categories of programs in Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, which are compatible with the subject matter of the doctoral thesis.

*The English title is "Doctor of Philosophy" in every case.

Procedure

1. Preliminary Evaluation*1

(1)Submit necessary documents.*2
     (Applicants -> Referring Faculty -> Program Office)
(2)Preliminary Evaluation

*1 "Preliminary Evaluation" is named differently at each program.

*2 Regarding the application period for the Preliminary Evaluation, please contact the Program Office.

*Regarding the number of copies of documents for the Preliminary Evaluation, please contact the Program Office.

2. Evaluation

(1)Submit necessary documents.*
    (Applicants -> Program Office)
(2)Evaluation Committee
(3)Program Committee
(4)Faculty Meeting

*Regarding the application period for the Evaluation, please contact  the Program Office.

*Regarding the number of copies of documents for the Evaluation, please contact Program Office.

*1 Those who applied to paragraph 3 of Article 6 of the Degree Regulations (hereinafter called "Withdrawal with Credit (Tan'i-shutoku-taigaku-sya) ") do not need to submit these documents.

*2 Those who withdrew with credit within one year from the date of withdrawal to the date of degree conferral are not required to pay.

Example: Expected to confer a Degree on March 2026:  Those who withdrew on March 31, 2025 or later are not required to pay.

3. Publication of Doctoral Thesis

A doctoral thesis will be published on the Internet.
For details, please contact the Educational Affairs Section.

*Documents of Publication of Doctoral Thesis

4. Others

FAQ

Q1. I have never been enrolled at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, but can I still apply for a doctor by dissertation?
→Yes, you can apply. However, please contact a faculty member (hereinafter referred to as “Referring Faculty”) of the program that matches the subject of your doctoral dissertation and consult with him/her about your intention to apply for a dissertation.
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies “Faculty Directory”
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/faculty-directory/index.html

Q2. What are the application criteria, such as the number of published papers and proof of English proficiency?
→ Criteria vary by field, so please inquire with the Referring Faculty or each program office.

Q3. Can you help me find a Referring Faculty?
→ Please search for a Referring Faculty whose research aligns with your dissertation topic via the following webpage. If you are unsure of the referring faculty member's contact information, please contact the Educational Affairs Office or each program office.
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies “Faculty Directory”
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/faculty-directory/index.html

Q4. What is the review process like? How long are the application period and review period?
→ A preliminary evaluation is conducted before the evaluation. The application period and review period vary depending on the field and program review system, so please contact each program office for details.

Q5. How much does the evaluation cost?
→A doctoral thesis evaluation fee is 57,000 yen. However, those who are subject to the “Agreement on the Handling of Article 3 of the Graduate School of Advanced Studies Degree Regulations at the Graduate School of Advanced Studies” and whose period from withdrawal to degree conferral is less than one year are exempt from payment.

Q6. Can foreigners apply?
→Yes, they can.

07. Can I apply from overseas? Is it necessary to come to Japan in that case?
→ Yes, you can. The evaluation methods vary by program, so please contact the program office for details.

08. What procedures should I follow?
→ First, please search for a Referring Faculty through the link below and consult with him/her about the application process.
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies “Faculty Directory”
https://www.soken.ac.jp/en/faculty-directory/index.html