SOPHIA UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS

MASTER’S PROGRAM IN LINGUISTICS
TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
上智大学 言語科学研究科

言語学専攻 英語教授法コース

APPLICATION BOOKLET
Academic Year 2023

2023年度入試要項

M.A.

Sophia University
Admissions Office
7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-8554, JAPAN
Tel: 81-3-3238-3517
Fax: 81-3-3238-3262
Email: admission-g-co@sophia.ac.jp
 CONTENTS

1. Number of students to be admitted---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

2. Eligibility ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

3. Application procedure-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

4. Application schedule for April 2023 entry----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

5. Application fee ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4

6. Application documents-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4

7. Entrance examination--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6

8. Notification of the results----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6

9. Matriculation procedures----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6

10. Scholarship information----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

11. Housing-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

12. International students coming to Japan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

Published by Admissions Office

Sophia University
May 2023

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. However, subsequent to the date of publication, unavoidable
circumstances may result in changes in this document. The university reserves the right to make all such changes, including those in the program of
study, courses of instruction, fees, and officers of administration and instruction, without notice.

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1．Number of students to be admitted
Master’s Program in Linguistics: 33 students
This is the total number of students to be admitted every year to the four courses within the Program in Linguistics: Linguistics, Research
in Communication Disorders, TESOL and TJFL (Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language). Each course does not specify the number of
students it accepts.
Students are accepted to the Program once a year, to begin their studies from the Spring semester (April). No September entries are
accepted.

2．Eligibility
Those who meet one of the following criteria and two of the following prerequisites can apply to the TESOL Program:

【Criteria】
(1) Applicants who have graduated, or are expected to graduate from a university in Japan before entering the Master’s program.
(2) Applicants who have completed, or are expected to complete, 16 years of formal education at a foreign educational institution
before entering the Master’s program.
(3) Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent awarded by a foreign educational institution which requires at least
three years of study for graduation.
(4) Applicants who have successfully completed a postsecondary course at a specialized training college designated by the Ministry
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) after the date designated by the Ministry, or are expected to do
so. The course must have at least a 4-year study duration and meet the requirements specified by the Ministry.
(5) Applicants deemed eligible by the MEXT.
(6) Applicants aged 22 or above, whose academic ability has been judged by Sophia University as equivalent to that of a student
who graduated from a university.
Applicants without a bachelor’s degree, who fall under (2), (5) or (6) above are required to go through an eligibility screening
process. Please contact the Admissions Office no later than one month prior to the application submission deadline.

【Prerequisites】Applicants must meet prerequisite #1 below and one of the prerequisites in #2.
1. [For non-native speakers of English only] TOEFL® scores higher than 550 (PBT) or 79 (iBT), IELTS (Academic) scores higher than
6.0 or First Grade of the Jitsuyo Eigo Gino Kentei (EIKEN, Test in Practical English Proficiency). These tests should be taken within
two years of the application deadline. TOEFL® ITP (Institutional Testing Program) scores are not accepted.
2. Applicants should meet one of the following four criteria:
(1) The applicant holds a teacher’s license.
(2) The applicant is expected to obtain a teacher’s license before entering the Master’s program.
*Even though applicants may have been accepted to Sophia University on the basis of their expected obtainment of a teacher’s
license, failure to obtain a teacher’s license or have the results submitted before our deadline (March 31, 2022) will result in
cancellation of their acceptance.
(3) At the time of application, the applicant has experience of teaching a foreign language for one year or more at educational
institutions and companies in Japan or in other countries as their principal occupation.

*Private tutoring does not fulfill the one-year teaching experience requirement.

(4) The applicant holds a CELTA certificate.

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3．Application procedure
Application is accepted through the following steps. Make sure to CHECK and COMPLETE each step.
A. Prepare the following.
-Application materials (see 6. Application documents)
-Digital face photo (color)
-PC and printer

B. On the on-line application website, register the following to create your “My Page.”
-Email address
Note: Important information including the reference number will be sent to the email address registered until enrollment in
Sophia. Make sure to use an email address which will always be able to access even after leaving your current school.
-Face photo
-Basic information
For more information about the application website, refer to the guide on the following website:
https://www.guide.52school.com/guidance/net-sophia/

C. In your “My Page,” enter all the required application information.

You can update information during the on-line application period only!!
D. Pay the application fee (see 5. Application fee) and submit the application online.
This step DOES NOT FINISH the application. Go on to the next step to complete the application.

E. Send the printed application forms and all the other documents listed on 6. Application documents to the Admissions
Office of Sophia University by post mail.

Important notes:
-Applicants must use a trackable shipping service.
-Application forms cannot be revised once application fee is paid. To change information on the forms, please write correct information in red
directly on the print-out forms.

-Test scores must be sent directly to Sophia University (see 6. Application documents).
-Documents sent directly from schools are also accepted.

Medical attention
Any applicant with physical conditions that might require special attention when undertaking university work should notify the Sophia Admissions
Office in writing before the application period.

4．Application schedule for April 2023 entry

Applicants can apply during either or both of the two application periods below.
Only applicants who hold valid status of residence in Japan can apply to February Examination.

September Examination February Examination

*only applicants who hold valid
status of residence in Japan
Online application period June 15 - June 29, 2022 November 16 – November 30, 2022
Deadline for submitting the application
June 30, 2022 December 1, 2022
documents1
Examinee ticket download date September 6, 2022 February 7, 2023
Oral examination date September 14, 2022 February 15, 2023
Notification of results on the website 10:00 a.m.(JST*), September 28, 2022 10:00 a.m.(JST*), February 27, 2023
Matriculation deadline October 19, 2022 March 6, 2023

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 *All the dates and time are based on Japan Standard Time (JST).
¹For applicants sending documents from abroad, the package must arrive by this deadline. For applicants sending documents from
within Japan, packages postmarked with the deadline date are accepted.

5．Application fee
35,000 yen
On-line payment handling fee of 990 yen will be charged in addition to the application fee.

Please follow the guide on STEP 3 on “My Page” to complete the payment1.
Payment should be made by credit card, at a convenience store (inside Japan)2, via Pay-easy, or via on-line banking during the
application period. Payment must be completed by 11:59 p.m. (JST) of each application deadline. After the deadline, the application
will not be accepted. The application fee is non-refundable once it is paid.

1In case the window shuts down during STEP 3, go to STEP 4 to continue the payment process.
2The name of the payer does not need to match the applicant’s name. Please note that the payment at a convenience store could take a while to
complete.

6．Application documents
All application documents must be original, unless indicated differently (see note 2).
The following documents 1 to 9 (with the exception of the TOEFL®/IELTS official scores and official documents from
schools/recommenders sent directly to the Admissions Office) should be enclosed in an envelope and sent to the following address
by express trackable mail or international shipping service. They must reach Sophia Admissions Office by the deadline of submission.
Late applications may be refused. Official test scores (TOEFL®, IELTS) must be delivered directly to Sophia University from the testing
service by the application deadline.
For shipping inside Japan, please print out the mailing label available on STEP 4 on “My Page”. For shipping outside Japan, please
make sure to write the Admissions Office address on the envelope:

SOPHIA UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS OFFICE 102-8554 東京都千代田区紀尾井町7-1

7-1 KIOI-CHO, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 102-8554 JAPAN or 上智大学入学センター
TESOL APPLICATION 言語学専攻 TESOLコース 出願書類在中

Important notes:
1. Documents printed in languages other than English or Japanese should be translated into English and certified by a school official or an
official agency, such as an embassy or consulate.
2. If an original document cannot be reissued, a copy certified by the school official (Principal or Registrar) or Sophia University Admissions
Office is acceptable.
3. The application documents once submitted will not be returned.
4. Applicants who use different names in their application documents must submit a copy of their Family Register (Koseki Tohon) or other
applicable documents.

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 Application forms should be filled out through the on-line application website
https://www.guide.52school.com/guidance/net-sophia/ and printed out after the
1 Application Forms (2 pages) application fee payment.
Application forms cannot be revised once application fee is paid. To change information on
the forms, please write correct information in red directly on the print-out forms.

Applicants should submit ONE of the following:

(1) University/college issued certificate of a degree or official letter (original copy)
(2) Transcript indicating degree received and date of conferral

2 Proof of Graduation Note: Applicants who have not completed their final semester at the time of
application must submit as part of their application an official document from their
school indicating their expected date of graduation. Such applicants should then
submit either (1) or (2) to the Sophia Admissions Office by March 31, 2023. An
applicant who does not submit this document in time could be denied enrollment.
Official transcripts showing all undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) courses
taken and grades received, including the list of courses you are currently attending,
3 Official University/College Transcript(s)
must be submitted. The transcript(s) should be certified by a school official.
Photocopies are not accepted.
・One letter of reference from the applicant’s instructor at university/college or a
supervisor at work. The form provided on the Sophia University website should be
used. The letter must be signed and sealed. Recommendation letters from members
Recommendation Letter (IKEN-SHO) of staff teaching courses in the Graduate School of Languages and Linguistics at
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*use a provided form Sophia University will not be accepted.
・Online submission is also possible. In that case, the recommender should use the
provided form and send it directly by email to the Admissions Office (email:
admission-g-co@sophia.ac.jp)
An English essay of 2,000 words or less, giving the applicant’s reasons and purposes
5 Essay
for wishing to study in the TESOL course.
Either a TOEFL® official score (including Special Home Edition), IELTS
(Academic) official score or a test certificate of the First Grade of Eiken.
We only accept exams taken within the past 2 years from the application period,
and the exam results must arrive before the application period deadline. For
information on how to submit the exam results, please refer to the notes below.
<How to submit the official test score>
・For the TOEFL®, attach the Test Taker Score Report (photocopy accepted) to the
application, and arrange to have ETS send the Institutional Score Report to Sophia
University (University Code 0819). The Official Score report must be delivered to
Certificate of English language Sophia University by the application documents submission deadline. We accept
proficiency (TOEFL®, IELTS, EIKEN) neither MyBest™ scores nor the TOEFL® ITP (Institutional Testing Program) scores.
*Not required for native speakers of ・For IELTS, attach the Test Report Form (photocopy accepted) to the application,
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English and arrange to have the testing institution send the official Test Report Form to
*Score prerequisites apply for non- Sophia University. There is no code number for Sophia University. Please make sure
natives to specify Sophia University, the university’s mailing address and other necessary
information so that the official Test Report Form will reach our university.
・For EIKEN, attach the Official Score Certificate to the application.

Note: If the official score has not been delivered by the application deadline, the
application will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised to order the delivery of the
official scores well in advance.
・This requirement is waived for non-native applicants who have obtained
a bachelor’s degree from an institution where all their courses were taught
in English (and English is the official medium of instruction), or who have

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 completed at least two years of graduate education in a program taught in
English and received the MA degree or the equivalent. In such cases, an
official document from their institution attesting to this is required.
One of the following should be submitted:
(1) a photocopy of the teacher’s license
Certificate for【Prerequisites】2 (2) a certificate of expected acquisition of the teacher’s license
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(See【Prerequisites】on pg.2) (3) a certificate of employment：the certificate must clearly state that the applicant
has experience of teaching a foreign language for one year or more.
(4) a photocopy of the CELTA certificate
*Only for international students who apply to February Examination.
8 Photocopy of Residence Card in Japan This is to check the applicant’s status of residence. Please submit a photocopy of
your residence card (face up).
Application Materials Checklist Check the items you enclose in your application. The form provided on the
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*use a provided form Sophia University website should be used.
*The forms of recommendation letter and application materials checklist are available on the following page:
https://www.sophia.ac.jp/eng/admissions/graduate_p/english_g2/english_tesol.html

7．Entrance examination（consists of an oral examination conducted in English）

1. Procedure
-The examinee ticket (JUKENHYOU) will be available on your “My Page” on the designated day (see 4. Application schedule for
April 2023 entry). Please print out the examinee ticket yourself and bring it with you on the examination day. The examinee
ticket will not be mailed to you.
-The entrance examination will be held at the Yotsuya campus. The examination room will be announced on the bulletin board
at the Gate on the day of the examination. Please be seated in the examination room 30 minutes before the exam starts.
2. Examination schedule
Date Time Exams Details
Refer to pg.3 10:00 a.m.～ Oral exam Interview in English

8．Notification of the results

Applicants can confirm their acceptance/rejection from “Admissions Decision” on “My Page” through the following website:
https://www.guide.52school.com/guidance/net-sophia/
from 10:00 a.m. (JST) on the designated day (see 4. Application schedule for April 2023 entry).

Note: ・Servers may be slow if too many people access at the same time.
・The email address and the password will be required to log into “My Page.”
・No physical materials will be sent to applicants from the Sophia Admissions Office. A letter of acceptance can be printed out from “My Page”.
・Sophia University will not disclose the results of an application by letter, telephone, fax or e-mail.

9．Matriculation procedures
To secure admission, a newly admitted student must pay the fees prior to University entrance and submit the necessary documents to
the Sophia Admissions Office by the matriculation deadline (see 4. Application schedule for April 2023 entry).
Failure to meet the matriculation deadline will result in cancellation of your acceptance. No exceptions to this rule will be
made.
<Instructions for matriculation>
1. Click “Entrance Procedures” on “My Page” to download the booklet of “Entrance Procedures.”
Please read through all the information and follow the instructions in this booklet to secure admission.
2. Choose the program to start entering the required information and upload a face photo online.
3. Print out the designated documents (payment slip for payment in Japan, Student Record / Pledge).
4. Complete the payment of the fees and post mail the required documents by the matriculation deadline.
Information concerning tuition and other fees for the 2023 academic year have not yet been decided. The information will be informed

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to accepted students. For your reference, fees for the 2022 academic year were as follows:

M.A.
Entrance Fee* ¥200,000 (Once at matriculation)
Semester Enrollment Fee ¥30,000 (Per semester)
Tuition Fee** ¥240,000 (Per semester)
Education Enhancement Fee ¥90,000 (Per semester)
Premium for Personal Accident Insurance for ¥1,400
(Once at matriculation)
Students Pursuing Education and Research (2 year period)
Tuition fee (Spring Semester) ¥561,400
Tuition fee (Autumn Semester) ¥360,000
Tuition fee (Annual) ¥921,400

*Students who graduate from Sophia Undergraduate/Graduate Program in September 2022 or March 2023 will not be charged the Entrance Fee.
Students who graduated from Sophia Undergraduate/Graduate Program in and before March 2022 will be charged a half of the Entrance Fee.
**Tuition fee is revised annually based on the inflation rate.

Note:
The fees due prior to University entrance are not refundable. However, if a student notifies Sophia University of his/her intention not to attend by the
appointed deadline, these fees, with the exception of the Entrance Fee and a handling charge, may be refunded. For details, please refer to the “Entrance
Procedures” instructions guide.

10．Scholarship information
Various types of scholarships and financial aid are available. Scholarships that can be applied at the time of admission application are:
1) New Students Scholarship: The grant varies from one-third to the full amount of the tuition fee for the first year.
2) Adachi Scholarship for students from Southeast Asia and Africa: Equivalent to the full tuition and education enhancement fee for
the first year.
The application forms for those scholarships are available from the following website.
www.sophia.ac.jp/eng/studentlife/scholarships/
Other scholarships are also available after entrance to the University. For more information, please refer to the above website.

11. Housing
Sophia University has several off-campus dormitories and offers affiliated housing options. For more information, please refer to the
following website.
www.sophia.ac.jp/eng/studentlife/housinginfo/

12. International students coming to Japan

Students coming from abroad to study at Sophia University must have a college student status of residence or any other appropriate
status of residence such as a diplomatic, official, or dependent status. A temporary visitor status is not acceptable. Before you apply
for a college student status of residence, you need to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued by a Regional Immigration Bureau.
Additional information, please refer to the guide for “Entrance Procedures” (available for accepted applicants) on your “My Page”.

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