Admission and Application Materials

In principle, Keio Law School limits admissions to a total of 10 students per semester from schools that have an existing exchange relationship with Keio Law School.

Exchange students are admitted for both the Spring and the Fall semesters. It is possible to spend up to two semesters at Keio Law School.

With the formation of Keio Law School in 2004, Keio's legal education is divided into separate organizations. The Law School offers J.D. and LL.M. programs of study. The J.D. program qualifies its graduates to sit for the Japanese bar examination and become lawyers, judges or prosecutors. The LL.M. program in Global Legal Practice offers a graduate level program with instruction entirely in English. You are reading information about potential exchange to the Law School.

For exchange students to the Law School, we typically admit students from overseas J.D. programs or similar level. In some jurisdictions (such as Germany) where those seeking admission to the bar study law primarily as an undergraduate course of study, we have in some cases made an exception to admit exchange students who are in their final year of undergraduate university study and whose applications demonstrate an ability to study at a graduate student level.

Please read the information posted on this website carefully, and contact the correct application address. Please note that we will not respond to applications submitted after the deadline or those submitted to the wrong address.

Partner schools must indicate the number of spring semester and full-year (Spring 2027/Fall 2027) exchange nominations that they request.

KLS will respond and indicate the number of spring semester and full-year (Spring 2027/Fall 2027) exchange nominations that we can accept from each partner school.

Actual nominations and student applications must be received at KLS, in numbers that do not exceed the indication given by KLS in B. above.

Announcement of the document screening results

Partner schools must indicate the number of fall semester and full-year (Fall 2026/Spring 2027) exchange nominations that they request.

KLS will respond and indicate the number of fall semester and full-year (Fall 2026/Spring 2027) exchange nominations that we can accept from each partner school.

Actual nominations and student applications must be received at KLS, in numbers that do not exceed the indication given by KLS in B. above.

Announcement of the document screening results

Please check the list of Partner Institutions and visit Programs for Exchange Students at Keio University.

For information on applications, please see below.

For students coming from a Law School Partners, the application process is as follows: Please check the list of Partner Institutions.

If you are planning on taking law courses in Japanese, a certification by a fluent Japanese speaker (preferably someone who has taught you Japanese) stating that your Japanese language ability (reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension) is adequate for studying at the professional school level.  

If the original document is not in Japanese or English, you also have to submit a Japanese or English translation verified by an official organization such as your university office.

Type in the application form in Excel format. This form is required by the Japanese Immigration Bureau and MUST be completed exactly as instructed. Refer to "SAMPLE" before you fill out the form.

Note: Items (B) and (G) through (J) are required by the Japanese Government in order to obtain a visa.

Students coming from Partner Institutions will usually pay tuition to their home institution and will not be required to pay tuition to the Law School. Some minor fees and expenses at the Law School will be charged.