Application and Admissions

| About the Admissions Process | Admissions Schedule |Application Guidelines and Materials | Information Sessions (Registration Required) | Supplementary Applications | Applications to Enrol in Individual Courses

About the Admissions Process

HBL welcomes applications for admission into its Masters of Business Law program twice each year (for admission in the spring semester and autumn semester respectively). Student numbers are capped at 36 for the year.  

The key criteria for admission to HBL are: 

Students applying to the Global Business Law program also need to demonstrate strong English language skills.

For non-native Japanese speakers, strong Japanese language skills will be required if the student also wishes to take classes taught in Japanese (note: it is not necessary for students in the Global Business Law program to take classes taught in Japanese, but doing so expands the student’s educational options).

Application materials (Japanese only) can be accessed here.

Admissions Schedule

  Masters program
Automn Application Period Winter Application Period
Application Period 19 September 2025 (Fri) – 2 October 2025 (Thu)
(postmarked by deadline)		 22 December 2025 (Mon) – 8 January 2026 (Thu)
(postmarked by deadline)
First examination
(review of application materials)		 Notification of decision after 24 October 2025 (Fri) Notification of decision after 27 January 2026 (Tue)
Second examination
(oral interview)		 EITHER 8 November 2025 (Sat) OR 9 November 2025 (Sun) EITHER 7 February 2026 (Sat) OR 8 February 2026 (Sun)
Notification of Decision 14 November 2025 (Fri) 13:00pm 19 February 2026 (Thu) 13:00pm
  Doctoral Program
Application Period  22 December 2025 (Mon) – 8 January 2026 (Thu) (postmarked by deadline)
First examination
(review of application materials)		 Notification of decision after 27 January 2026 (Tue)
Second examination
(oral interview)		 EITHER 7 February 2026 (Sat) OR 8 February 2026 (Sun)
Notification of Decision 19 February 2026 (Thu) 13:00pm

Application Guidelines and Materials

Masters Program (Spring and Autumn Semester)

Reference on applicant’s work experience and abilities (Word, Japanese only)

Advice on how to prepare a Research Plan (PDF, Japanese only)

Research Plan Form (Word, Japanese only)

Rationale for Applying (Word, Japanese only)

NB: Applications must be submitted via the web portal. See further the application guidelines and submission procedures (PDF, Japanese only). 

Doctoral Program

Rationale for Applying (Word, Japanese only)

Advice on how to prepare a Research Plan (PDF, Japanese only)

Research Plan Form (Word, Japanese only)

NB: Applications must be submitted via the web portal. See further the application guidelines and submission procedures (PDF, Japanese only). 

For Your Reference 

Emeritus Professor Zen’ichi SHISHIDO, a long-serving academic at HBL who has supervised research theses for forty years, prepared a manual on “How to Write a Research Thesis” to accompany his lecture. It is known as the Shishido Red Book. 

It explains to working professionals how to approach writing a masters of doctoral thesis. Please use this red book for advice on how to select a research topic and develop a research plan.   

NB: You do not need to prepare a research plans in accordance with the format specified in this manual. Your research supervisor will guide you on your master’s and doctoral theses. Please do not reprint or redistribute this document.

Information Sessions (Registration Required)

2026 Information Sessions

Dates 

  • First Session: 30 July 2025 (Wed) 19:00–21:00 (hybrid)

  • Second Session: 24 September 2025 (Wed) 19:00–21:00 (online)

  • Third Session: 26 November 2025 (Wed) 19:00–21:00 (hybrid)

Venue

 

  • Chiyoda Campus Lecture Room (for 30 July and 26 November sessions)

    National Center of Sciences Building, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

    (about three minutes from Jimbocho or Takebashi Stations)

  • Zoom (for 24 September session)
program 

Welcome to HBL Video

(You will receive a link to the video upon registration and can view in advance of the information session)

  • Explanation of the HBL programs, their distinguishing features and curriculum

  • Student testimonials

Information Sessions

  • Whole-of-cohort Q&A session on application procedures and criteria

  • Small group consultations in discipline-specific areas with the responsible professors (two periods during the hybrid sessions and once only in the online session)

Please understand that there may be changes to the actual program.
Registration forms
  • Register here for Session 1: Wednesday, 30 July 2025, 19:00–21:00 (Hybrid)
  • Register here for Session 2: Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 19:00–21:00 (Online)
  • Register here for Session 3: Wednesday, 26 November 2025, 19:00–21:00 (Hybrid)

Supplementary Applications

IF HBL does not reach its student quota, it may issue a supplementary call for applications. However, there is no call for supplementary applications at this time.  

Applications to Enrol in Individual Courses

Students may apply to enrol in individual courses in HBL as an alternative to enrolling in a degree program.  

Student Numbers: Limited to a few students each semester

Eligible Students: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

(1) Those who have completed or partially completed a business law program in either the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy  or the Graduate School of Law at this university or those who expect to graduate in March or September of 2025. (NB: Students who expect to graduate in September 2025 may only apply during the summer application period.) 

(2) Those who have completed a law degree at the Graduate School of Law at this university, or those who expect to graduate in March or September 2025. (NB: Students who expect to graduate in September 2025 may only apply during the summer application period.) 

(3) Other university graduates or those recognised as having academic abilities equivalent or superior to a university graduate and who are assessed as having the academic skills to successfully complete the requested courses.

Eligible Courses: 

See Appendix 1 for the courses available to students who meet the first criteria above. 

See Appendix 2 for the courses available to students who meet the second criteria above.

See Appendix 3 for the courses available to students who meet the third criteria above. 

NB: The semester, day, and time of each course are subject to change. Please contact the email address listed in the appendix before applying. 

Application Periods: 

Winter: 12 December 2024 (Thu) (Thursday) to 9 January 2025 (Thu) (postmarked by deadline) 

Summer: 12 June 2025 (Thu) to 18 June 2025 (Wed) (postmarked by deadline)

Selection Criteria: 

Admission decisions will be made based on the results of the first examination (review of application materials) and the second examination (oral examination). NB: students may be excluded from the second examination and will be separately notified accordingly.

Guidelines and Forms: 

Please download