Apply to SDS

SDS welcomes curious, creative, and motivated individuals from all backgrounds—whether you studied engineering, design, philosophy, economics, art, computer science, or something entirely different. You don’t need to fit neatly into a box. What matters most is your desire to work across disciplines, your eagerness to collaborate, and your commitment to building systems that make a real difference.

If you’re excited by questions without easy answers, interested in designing your own path, and ready to learn through real-world projects with faculty and peers, SDS might be the right place for you.

Master’s students who complete our program will be awarded a Master of Engineering degree by Chiba Institute of Technology. While the degree is formally situated within the field of engineering, the program itself is deeply antidisciplinary. Typically, we will consider students for a PhD track after they finish the Master’s program.

The application provided on this page is a merit-based evaluation that serves as both the preliminary consultation and preliminary qualification review, as defined in Chiba Tech’s official application guidelines. Specific details about the official Chiba Tech application—including required documents and submission instructions—will be provided individually to applicants who successfully pass SDS’s merit-based evaluation.

While we have carefully presented all necessary application information, some wording on this page may differ slightly from Chiba Tech’s official guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at sds-admissions@chibatech.dev.

Demonstrating English Ability

Because SDS conducts all coursework, research, and discussions in English, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. You can do this by submitting a short self-introduction video in English as part of your application, or even test scores (if you have them). Additionally, applicants will participate in a live virtual interview conducted entirely in English.

Transcripts

For this application cycle, official transcripts (domestic or international) must have been issued within the last three months—that is, dated May 3, 2026 or later.

International Transcripts

For the purpose of the June 30, 2026 pre-application deadline, English language transcripts are sufficient.

For top candidates with Chinese transcripts, CHSI certificate will be required (which might take 1–2 weeks) by August 3, 2026, the official Chiba Tech application deadline.

For top candidates with non-Japanese/English transcripts: Translation verified by a public institution (e.g., an embassy or consulate), a Japanese-language school, etc., and bearing the institution’s official seal, etc. must be submitted by August 3, 2026, the official Chiba Tech application deadline.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Individuals who have graduated from a university or expect to graduate from a university by March 31, 2027.
2. Individuals who have been awarded or expect to be awarded an undergraduate degree by March 31, 2027, pursuant to the stipulations of the School Education Act, Article 104, Clause 4.
3. Individuals who have completed or expect to complete 16 years of school education in a foreign country by March 31, 2027.
4. Individuals who have completed or expect to complete 16 years of school education by taking correspondence courses offered by a foreign school in Japan, by March 31, 2027.
5. Individuals who have completed a program recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) at an educational institution in Japan that is affiliated with the education system of a foreign country, and that has a university program in that foreign country (only if those who complete the program are treated as having completed 16 years of school education in that foreign country), or who expect to complete such a program by March 31, 2027.
6. Individuals who have completed a specialized program at a specialized training college (only those with a standard term of four years or longer, and that meet other standards established by MEXT) recognized by MEXT on or after the date determined by MEXT, or who expect to complete such a program by March 31, 2027.
7. Individuals recognized by MEXT.
8. Individuals who have been enrolled in a university for three or more years as of March 31, 2027, and who have been deemed by this Graduate School to have earned a prescribed number of credits and excellent grades.
9. Individuals who were enrolled in another graduate school pursuant to the stipulations of the School Education Act, Article 102, Clause 2, and who have been deemed to have academic ability suitable for receiving a graduate school education at this Graduate School.
10. Individuals who are recognized by this Graduate School as possessing academic skills equivalent to or greater than those of a university graduate based on an individual application qualification review, and who will be 22 years of age or older by March 31, 2027.

Note: Individuals applying based on criteria 8–10 (“exceptional eligibility criteria”) will be required to undergo a preliminary qualification review. Applicants who specify this condition in their application will be automatically subject to review.