Applications

Application Guidelines for Working Adults (Non-Students)

The information on this page is for HSI2024. Details of HSI2025 program will be announced in late January.

This section is for high school/ university graduates (i.e., Non-student applicants.)
If you are currently enrolled in University as a degree program student, please refer to the Application Guidelines for Current Students.

Application Guidelines for Non-Students

Please read this application guideline carefully before proceeding with the application process for HSI2024.
*Information concerning applications and courses is subject to change. Please make sure to check the latest information on the HSI 2024 website.

≪Courses≫

【HSI extension/professional program】

This program offers courses for working adults to engage in re-learning as well as the acquisition and development of expertise. If you wish to take typical recurrent courses, please find them in this program.

【Advanced Research Course】

This course offers cutting-edge classes in specific areas of expertise. As lecturers include many researchers from overseas universities and other institutions, their lectures include content that can only be studied at HSI. The lecturers also include researchers in Japan at the forefront of their fields.

【Global Liberal Arts Course】

This course offers classes in interdisciplinary fields and those with liberal arts elements. It requires no expertise and is open to students from a wide array of academic backgrounds, such as liberal arts and the sciences.

1. Application Eligibility

In order to be considered for the HSI Program, applicants must meet all the following requirements*:

  1. 1) [For undergraduate course applicants]
    Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the application and have an academic level equivalent or superior to that of high school graduates.
    [For graduate course applicants]
    Applicants must have an academic level equivalent or superior to that of undergraduate graduates.
  2. 2) Applicants must meet the prerequisites indicated in the syllabus of course(s) they wish to take.
  3. 3) In principle, working adults residing abroad may only apply for online courses. However, this does not apply to those who are working for a government or public organization or educational institution in other countries, or those who have a recommendation from the instructor in charge of the course.
    *Hokkaido University may accept applications from those who don’t meet the requirements above but have an excellent academic/research record and the ambition to pursue their subject at a higher level. For details, please contact the Hokkaido Summer Institute managing office.
  4. Important Note: Only for applicants participating in HSI from outside Japan
    Successful applicants, who live outside Japan and plan to come to Japan and take courses face-to-face, are required to take out insurance covering medical expenses and liability during their stay at Hokkaido University and submit a copy of the insurance policy by the designated deadline after receiving a notification of acceptance. They are not able to take courses without submitting a copy of their insurance policy by the deadline.

2. Online Application Process

  1. Before the Online Application Starts:
  2. 1) Read the application guidelines.
  3. 2) Browse the course information (syllabus and schedule) on each course page and choose course(s).
  4. 3) Prepare your application documents.
  5. During the Online Application Period:
  6. 4) Go to the “Application for Admission” page to create your account.
  7. 5) Log in to your account page and fill out the online application form.
  8. 6) Follow the instructions on the application page and upload all required documents.
    Application guidance notes will be available on the website prior to the start of Pre-application.
  9. 7) Pay the program fee online.
    • Note:
      Applications are considered complete once all documents have been accepted as valid and payment of the program fee has been confirmed by Hokkaido University.

3. Application Documents

  1. 1) Application Form
    Answer all of the questions on the online application form. Applicants who wish to check the contents of the application form before applying online can download the application form from the below.
    Applicants who live in Japan      Applicants who live outside Japan
  2. 2) Photo
    Front-facing, upper body, no hat; 354 x 295 pixels
  3. 3) Copy of employment certificate or employee ID card
    Applicants must submit documents showing they are currently employed by their company.
    Self-employed applicants must submit documents showing they are self-employed.

    • * If you are not currently employed or have no employment history, please mention it on the application form.
  4. 4) Copy of passport
    • * Only for applicants who plan to come to Japan and take face-to-face courses.
  5. 5) Documents showing where you will be staying during your participation in HSI (which must be submitted within one week after notification of the screening results)
    • * Within one week after notification of the screening results, you will be required to submit documents, such as a hotel reservation confirmation sheet or an e-mail confirming the reservation, on your “My Page,” showing that you have secured a place to stay. If you will be staying at your home or other private residence and not use commercial accommodations, please submit the address where you will be staying. Please be advised that if the documents are not submitted by the deadline, you may not be admitted to the program due to insufficient documentation.

4. Tuition Fee

Advanced Research Course, Global Liberal Arts Course HSI extension/professional program(Relearning Type) HSI extension/professional program(Professional development type)
Japanese English Japanese English
Non-students 52,800yen
67,600yen		 38,000yen
62,500yen		 38,000yen
62,500yen		 76,000yen
133,750yen		 76,000yen
133,750yen
Non-students
Advanced Research Course,
Global Liberal Arts Course		 52,800yen
67,600yen
HSI extension
/
professional program
(Relearning Type)		 Japanese 38,000yen
62,500yen
English 38,000yen
62,500yen
HSI extension
/
professional program
(Professional development type)		 Japanese 76,000yen
133,750yen
English 76,000yen
133,750yen
  • * Upper row is for 8 class hours (Experiment/Practical training: 15 class hours) lectures.
    Lower row is for 15 class hours (Experiment/Practical training: 30 class hours) lectures.

The tuition fee for the HSI extension/professional program vary depending on the courses offered. Please refer to the each course pages on the website for the tuition fee.

Payment will be made by credit card only. Tuition fee that have already been paid are non-refundable. (Except if Hokkaido University issues a policy of refunding (due to infectious disease, disaster, etc.).

5. Application Period

Application Period Courses Available
1st Application Period March 1－11 All courses
2nd Application Period April 12－22 All Courses starting on or after July 1
*All courses only for working adults residing in Japan
3rd Application Period June 27－July 7 All Courses starting on or after August 1

Note:

  • ・Application submission opens at 12:00 on the first day and closes at 17:00 on the last day of the application period. [Japan Standard Time]

6. Accommodation

Due to the lifting of COVID-19-related entry restrictions and the recent popularity of summer tourism in Hokkaido, commercial accommodations are expected to be crowded, so applicants should make reservations for accommodations well in advance, either at the time of application, or when considering application. In FY2023, there were cases of students who only started looking for accommodations just before coming to Japan, and who then had difficulty securing accommodations, forcing them to pay for expensive accommodations. Information on commercial accommodations that have been used by past participants is available on the HSI website. Please refer to this information to make your accommodation arrangements.
Please note, use of the accommodations listed on the HSI website is not arranged by the university, and the university is not responsible for reservations, cancellations, or any other problems concerning the accommodations.
HSI participants are not allowed to stay in Hokkaido University dormitories.

7. Steps after Submitting the Online Application

After submitting the online application, you will be notified of the screening results according to the following schedule:

Deadline of Application Notification of Screening Result
1st Application Period March 11 Beginning of April
2nd Application Period April 22 End of May
3rd Application Period June 7 End of June

Successful applicants will be provided with their own “My Page” on the website. The following information will be available on each applicant’s “My Page” on the website. The subsequent flow depends on the type of participation, domestic or international, and the type of course, so please follow the appropriate procedure to prepare you’re your participation.

-Registered information (Personal information, courses, fee, etc.)
-Request for invitation letter (For visa application)
-Student handbook (HSI participation guideline)
-Event information

■Applicants who live in Japan
Once your application is completed, your enrollment will be confirmed as soon as you receive an email from Hokkaido University regarding your enrollment approval. No special procedures are required after the course has confirmed.
Those who have applied to take a course at Hokkaido University are responsible for making their own arrangements for airline ticket, etc. Course registration procedures will be announced on the My Page.

■Applicants who live outside Japan and will be taking face-to-face courses
1) Start admission procedures on “My Page.” (Visa documents request, etc.)
2) Make travel arrangements. (visa, flights, etc.)
3) Buy insurance. (mandatory)
4) Register necessary information on “My Page.”
5) Participate in the HSI 2024 program.

■Applicants who live outside Japan and will be taking online courses
Once your application is completed, your enrollment will be confirmed as soon as you receive an email from Hokkaido University regarding your enrollment approval. No special procedures are required after the course has confirmed. Course procedures will be announced on the My Page.

■Visa, Air ticket, and Insurance【Only for applicants who live outside Japan】

– Visa
Program participants who stay in Japan for up to 90 days will require short-term visas, with the exception of those from countries and regions with which Japan has visa exemption arrangements. Overseas applicants should be sure to check the list of such countries and regions on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website below before submitting application documents. Non-student program participants (credited auditors) are not able to obtain a student visa.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/

– Air ticket
Program participants, who plan to come to Japan and take face-to-face courses, must submit a copy of the e-ticket for the flight to Japan and back on “My Page”.

– Insurance
Program participants, who plan to come to Japan and take face-to-face courses, must take out travel insurance to cover possible accidents, injuries, illnesses or other incidents irrespective of their period of stay. Hokkaido University is not responsible for any unforeseen contingencies in which they may be involved. As such, they must follow the necessary procedures prior to departure from their country. Their insurance must cover death and medical care expenses due to sickness as well as accidental injury. Personal liability must also be covered by insurance in the event of an accident that results in injury or property damage for which they will be held legally responsible.

8. Points to Note

  1. 1) In principle, applicants may not add and change courses after submitting their application. Therefore, applicants should carefully consider their course selections before applying.
  2. 2) Some courses, where the number of qualified applications reaches full capacity, may not accept applications in and after 2nd application period.
  3. 3) Each course has a targeted level. Before submitting an application, applicants should check the table below to see which level’s courses they will take:
High School graduates Undergraduate graduates Master’s course graduate
Undergraduate
level		 check mark check mark check mark
Master’s
level		 check mark check mark
Graduate
level		 check mark check mark
Ph.D.
level		 check mark
    1. 4) Successful applicants may be contacted by relevant course instructors before classes start.
    2. 5) Successful applicants who decide to cancel all or part of their courses after submitting an application should contact the Hokkaido Summer Institute Managing Section via the Inquiry Form or e-mail. In principle, tuition fees that have already been paid will not be refunded, except if Hokkaido University issues a policy of refunding (due to infectious diseases, disaster, etc.).
    3. 6) Hokkaido Summer Institute reserves the right to cancel the course due to unforeseen and/or unavoidable circumstances. In this case, any expenses (air ticket fee etc.) incurred including program fee will not be reimbursed. In addition, Hokkaido University is not responsible for any costs associated with cancellations of airline tickets or accommodations. Applicants should keep this in mind when making travel arrangements.

9. Handling of Personal Information

  1. 1) All personal information collected by Hokkaido University (hereinafter referred to as “the University”) will be completely protected in compliance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, the EU’s General Data Production Regulation (hereinafter referred to as “GDPR”), and other related acts and pursuant to the Hokkaido University Personal Information Management Regulations.
  2. 2) Names, addresses, and other personal information provided to the University through the application process will be used solely for (a) enrollee selection, (b) the announcement of exam results, (c) admission purposes, (d) surveys and research on enrollee selection methods, and (e) related processes.
  3. 3) Personal information obtained through the application process will be used only for those who are admitted for (a) school administration purposes (student registration, etc.), (b) student support services (health management, participation in events, etc.), and (c) tuition fee, and other administrative purposes.
  4. 4) The University also collects technical visitor information on the website, such as the date and time of access, the domain from which access is made, and the cookies (small information file stored on the hard drive of the computer used to access a website.) This information is not linked to individuals and cannot be used trace the identity of a visitor. The data collected and stored is used for statistical analysis of site usage and enhancement of the website.
  5. 5) Some of these processes may be outsourced by the University to a contracted service provider (hereinafter referred to as “the Contractor”). All or some of the personal information provided by applicants may be provided to the Contractor only as needed to perform the tasks for which it has been contracted.
  6. 6) The University processes applicants’ personal data with their consent. (GDPR, Article 6, Paragraph 1 (a)).
  7. 7) The consent set forth in 6) may be revoked at any time. However, it will not affect the lawfulness of their personal data that has already been processed with their consent prior to the revoke.
  8. 8) Personal data collected will be kept for 10 years counting from the subsequent fiscal year (from April to March) after the fiscal year their data was collected.
  9. 9) Data subjects (individuals whose personal data is collected, held and processed) have the following rights as stated in GDPR, as well as other related laws and regulations:
    To access their personal data / To have their inaccurate personal data corrected / To have their personal data deleted where appropriate / To restrict the processing of their personal data / To object to the processing of their personal data / To transfer their personal data to third-party entities.
  10. 10) If they are not happy with the way their personal data is handled, or the response they received from the University, they have the right to file a complaint to a supervisory authority defined in GDPR (Article 51, Paragraph 1).
  11. 11) The University is governed by the Incorporated Administrative Agency (IAA) Personal Information Protection Act. The European Commission’s adequacy decision is not applicable to the University.

10. Application Guidelines (for download)