How to Apply

Students from Partner Institutions:

Please contact your home institution’s study abroad office for information about your institution’s nomination procedures. After you are officially nominated by your home institution, AIU will send your home institution a username and password for you to access the online application system. Be sure to get this information from them to start your application.

All Other Students:

Please contact AIU by email at international@gl.aiu.ac.jp and send us the name, title, and email address of your study abroad advisor to begin the nomination and application process.

After you receive your username and password from your home institution, you must complete our Online Application Form from our Online Application Portal.
The information in your application form must match your passport exactly because it will be used for your immigration documents, acceptance letter, and AIU registration.

After completing the online application, please scan all application documents and email them to international@gl.aiu.ac.jp

Submission Deadline (Documents must arrive before the deadline)
Fall Semester Admission:	April 1
Spring Semester Admission:	November 1

Applications that arrive after the deadline may not be processed. All documents must be written in English.

Please send each application document as its own separate file, and send all document files as email attachments. (Please do not send all the documents together as one data file.)

Document (Submission file format)	Notes
1. Completed, signed Application Form (pdf)	– The login information to access the online application will be sent to nominated students by email. – After completing the online application, print the completed online application and make sure both you and your study abroad advisor complete, sign, and date the last page. The last page will print when you print out the form. (If there is no International Office at your home institution, your academic advisor must complete the section on the last page.)
2. Official academic transcript in English (pdf)	– Applicant Enrollment Status and GPA must meet our requirements. – Academic Transcript showing course titles, credits, and grades for each semester.
3. Reference Form from an instructor at your university (pdf) (2 pages) (Please click to download)	Students from Partner Institutions: Submit 1 Reference Form Students from Non-Partner Institutions: Submit 2 Reference Forms written by 2 different professors   The Reference Form needs to be filled out by your academic advisor and/or the professor who best knows your academic abilities. Both pages of the form must be completed and it must be either physically or digitally signed and dated by the Referee.
4. Reference Form from Home Institution (pdf) (1 page) (Please click to download)	– The Reference Form needs to be filled out by the sending university staff (e.g. Study Abroad Advisor) to confirm that the nominated student meets AIU eligibility requirements. It must be either physically or digitally signed and dated by the Referee.
5. Proof of English Language Proficiency (pdf) (Non-native speakers, only)	– TOEFL, IELTS™, TOEIC scores that meet our requirements. – AIU-Approved Alternative: Ask your study abroad advisor to contact AIU for details about alternatives before application submission
6. Digital ID-style photo (jpg or png) (for Certificate of Eligibility application purposes)	– Taken within 3 months of submission – At least 800 px x 600 px, jpg or png format – Front-facing, showing from the shoulders up – Clear, high resolution – No hats, glasses, etc. – Plain white background – Color or grayscale is acceptable – No shadows   *Please refer to this webpage for the Photograph requirements.
7. Photocopy of passport (pdf)	– A valid passport that covers the entire duration of your study abroad program – Information page(s): photo, name, etc. – Entire page, including all edges – ALL information must be clearly scanned and readable – The copy of your passport will be used for confirmation and visa preparation at the Immigration Services Agency, so it must meet all of the above requirements.
8. Proof of Financial Resources in English (pdf)	– Be sure to read the instructions below – Insufficient documents will NOT be accepted by the Immigration Services Agency.

Proof of Financial Resources

Acceptable Documents (Submit 1 and/or 2)

1. Bank Account Balance Statement
Required if you will be supported in whole or part by “personal savings” or a “financial supporter.”

• Must be dated no more than 1 month prior to submission.
• Account must belong to you or your financial sponsor.
• Must show account holder’s name and balance on the same page. *Internet-printed statements are acceptable only when the account holder’s name and account balance are shown on the same page.
• Bank Name, Account holder’s name and Final balance amount must be highlighted.
• Must be in English or accompanied by a translation.
• If you do not wish to disclose the balance, a letter from the bank certifying that you have at least the minimum amount of funds, according to the table below, with an original signature or bank official stamp is acceptable. The amount from the table must be specified in the letter.

2. Proof of Scholarship/ Financial Aid/ Student Loan/ etc.
Required if you will be supported in whole or part by “scholarship/ financial aid.”

• Must show the amount and period of award.
• Must show that you are the recipient and that the award is final.
• Recipient’s name, Total amount, and Period of Award must be highlighted.
• Award must be for the semester(s) you will be at AIU. Scholarship letters from previous terms CANNOT be accepted.
• Must be in English or accompanied by a translation.

The Following Documents are Not Acceptable

• Salary letters or statements of income
• Tax records
• Credit card statements
• Stock certificates, real property, or corporate assets, which may lose value, or property that cannot be converted into cash

Minimum Amount

To meet Immigration Services Agency standards for student visa processing, your Proof of Financial Resources must show at least the minimum amount listed in the chart below. Please be sure to convert your local currency into Japanese Yen (JPY).

	Exchange Students	Fee-Paying Students (Including Partner Institutions)
One semester	700,000 JPY	1,000,000 JPY
One semester + Winter Program	1,000,000 JPY	1,300,000 JPY
Two semesters	1,200,000 JPY	1,800,000 JPY
Two semesters + Winter Program	1,500,000 JPY	2,100,000 JPY

If you have any questions about the validity of your documents, please contact AIU in advance.

For more information about the visa application process, please see our Immigration Information page.