Washington Accord
The Washington Accord, established in 1989, is an international accord of bodies accrediting bachelor level engineering programs. JABEE became a signatory in 2005.
For the Washington Accord Graduates whose Degree Were Obtained Outside of Japan
The Washington Accord graduates whose degree were obtained outside of Japan are entitled special exemption of First Stage Examination of Professional Engineer Japan.
JABEE is a signatory of the Washington Accord i.e., an agreement for mutual recognition of the engineering education programs at bachelor level accredited by its member signatories, since 2005.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has approved in consultation with IPEJ and JABEE that the expansion of exemption of First Stage Examination of Professional Engineer to be applied to the Washington Accord graduates of who have completed the accredited programs by its signatories within their respective countries or territories. This procedure will start from the Japanese academic year 2022 (Note: applicant must be graduates in the year 2005 and/or later).
As mentioned in the figure above, “Graduates of Accredited Programs by the WA” means that the applicant must be graduates of accredited programs from one of the WA signatories in their respective counties or territories so called “WA Graduates”.
Also, the exemption of First Stage Examination of Professional Engineer path shall not automatically be applied. This measure is on the application-basis so you first have to submit application form for requesting JABEE endorsement letter with prescribed documents.
Notes:
- “Engineer in Training” : If you have passed the First Stage P.E. Exam or you are recognized as equivalent thereto, you are an “Engineer in Training”. No registration is required to bear this title.
- Required years of practical experience to take the Second stage P.E.Exam:
- (1) Minimum 4 years of practical experience as an As.P.E.Jp assisting a Professional Engineer,
- (2) Minimum 4 years of practical experience under supervision of engineer who has min 7 years of practical experience,
- (3) Minimum 7 years of practical experience,
For Engineering Management Discipline, years are required for (1) and (2), 10 years for (3).
-Accredited programs:
- a. Accredited programs by WA signatories: JABEE’s endorsement letter is required to take the Second Stage P.E. Exam,
- b. The MEXT notifies those accredited programs through their HP.
The following are the schedules & procedures comparison chart vis-à-vis JABEE accreditation cycle.
You will receive endorsement letter from JABEE which states that JABEE confirmed the applicant as a graduate of the program accredited by one of the WA signatories within their respective countries or territories if successful.
Applicant has to pay its fee (USD500 + VAT) for JABEE to proceed the process. For detailed instruction, please click here
When program information of your accredited program is uploaded on the MEXT website, the IPEJ approves you to take the Second Stage Examination of Professional Engineer with exemption path ONLY if you file application to the IPEJ with JABEE endorsement letter.
To download request to issue the endorsement letter, click here
- Note IPEJ conducts all the process including filing application to taking examination in Japanese language -ONLY.
- Although JABEE recognizes academic qualification of the WA graduates as substantially equivalence to the JABEE graduates, policy of license for practice is jurisdiction-oriented matter therefore, the WA graduates before 2005 produced by the signatories shall not be able to take this exemption path.
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