Degree opportunities

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Master's, doctoral, and professional programs

  1. When is the enrollment period?
  2. Can I take courses in English?
  3. I would like to enroll in a master's program at Kyoto University (professional degree or a doctoral degree program). What are the procedures for this?
  4. Is there a special selection for international applicants?
  5. When is the exam?
  6. I have questions about application qualifications.
  7. Do I need to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)?
  8. Other than the university entrance exam, are there other tests I need to take, such as TOEFL and IELTS?
  9. What does the graduate entrance examination consist of?
  10. Are questions from past entrance exams available?
  11. Do I have to go to Japan to take the entrance exam?
  12. What should I do to get a visa to take the entrance exam?
  13. How do I get an application?
  14. Can you send an application overseas?
  15. Do I have to go directly to the university to get an application?
  16. Can I apply online?
  17. I would like to become a Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) scholarship student. How should I apply?
  18. I would like to apply for the MEXT scholarship through Kyoto University. What are the procedures for this?
  19. I am applying for the MEXT scholarship, and would like to receive an acceptance letter from Kyoto University.
  20. What should I do if I want to study for a doctoral degree or become a research student under the Chinese Government Graduate Student Overseas Study Program ( 国家建設高水平大学公派研究生（公費派遣大学院生）項目 )?
  21. I graduated from a university outside Japan and would like to enroll at Kyoto University as a research or graduate student. What are the procedures for receiving certification by the Admission Assistance Office (AAO) before applying for my desired graduate program?
  22. What is the phone number of the Admission Assistance Office (AAO)?

1. When is the enrollment period?

The enrollment period for master's and doctoral programs begins in April, but some graduate schools accept students in October as well. Please check the website of the graduate school where you wish to enroll.

2. Can I take courses in English?

There are degree programs conducted entirely in English at Kyoto University. Please visit the following page for details.

Classes other than those of English-taught degree programs are taught in the Japanese language, unless specified otherwise. Those wishing to enroll in a general undergraduate or master's program must have sufficient proficiency in Japanese upon enrollment.

3–11. Application procedures, eligibility, and the selection process

Application qualifications, selection methods, granting of degrees, etc vary by graduate school. Please refer to the website of the graduate school where you wish to enroll, and contact its administrative office if anything is unclear.

Graduates of overseas universities wishing to enroll in a Kyoto University Graduate School as a research, master's, or doctoral student are required to contact the Admissions Assistance Office (AAO) for a preliminary review before submitting application documents.

12. What should I do to get a visa to take the entrance exam?

In order for international applicants to enter Japan and sit Kyoto University entrance examinations, they must obtain a Temporary Visitor's Visa (Tankitaizai) through a Japanese diplomatic mission in their country. Temporary visitors are not allowed to engage in any paid activities. Inquire at a Japanese embassy or consulate for details.

13–16. How to request, obtain, and submit application forms

The application distribution period and the procedures for requesting and submitting applications vary by graduate school. In addition, preliminary eligibility screening may be conducted prior to the submission of application forms. Please refer to the website of the graduate school where you wish to enroll, and contact the graduate school office directly if anything is unclear.

Graduates of overseas universities wishing to enroll in a Kyoto University Graduate School as a research, master's, or doctoral student are required to contact the Admissions Assistance Office (AAO) for a preliminary review before submitting application documents.

17. I would like to become a Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) scholarship student. How should I apply?

Pre-arrival applications should be made (1) through a Japanese embassy or consulate (embassy recommendation) or (2) through a university in Japan (university recommendation). Please visit the following page for details.

18. I would like to apply for the MEXT Scholarship through Kyoto University. What are the procedures for this?

Applications for a university recommendation should be made through a graduate school in which applicants wish to enroll. Please contact the graduate school office for the application process. Applications for university recommendation (general program) usually begin between late November and early December. Note that a preliminary AAO review might be required before application.

19. I am applying for the MEXT Scholarship, and would like to receive an acceptance letter from Kyoto University.

If you pass the first screening by the Japanese embassy/consulate in your country and require an acceptance letter from a member of the University's academic staff, first choose a prospective academic advisor. Details of the KyotoU academic staff can be found via the following pages: "Graduate Schools" and "Activity Database on Education and Research" (links below). Prepare the following documents and send them to the prospective advisor's graduate school, mentioning that individual's name.

Required documents (not returnable):

  1. Certification of preliminary selection issued by the relevant Japanese diplomatic mission (original)
  2. An official Letter of Acceptance (in the prescribed form)
  3. Photocopies of the documents you have submitted to the Japanese diplomatic mission in your country
  4. Any additional documents requested by the prospective advisor or the administration office concerned

20. What should I do if I want to study for a doctoral degree or become a research student under the Chinese Government Graduate Student Overseas Study Program (国家建設高水平大学公派研究生（公費派遣大学院生）項目)?

Please read the application guidelines, available via the following page.

21. I graduated from a university outside Japan and would like to enroll at Kyoto University as a research or graduate student. What are the procedures for receiving certification by the Admission Assistance Office (AAO) before applying for my desired graduate program?

Please refer to the following page.

22. What is the phone number of the Admission Assistance Office (AAO)?

Questions concerning AAO procedures are only accepted via email; inquiries by phone or in person are not accepted.

Before inquiring, please be sure to thoroughly read the AAO application procedures (PDF), available on the page below. The email address is noted in this document.