A wide variety of scholarship programs are available for international students wishing to study at Kyoto University. The selection processes are highly competitive, however, and in most cases applications are accepted only after matriculation. It is therefore advisable that students secure sufficient financial resources before coming to Kyoto.
For more information, visit the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) website, and click "Pamphlet Scholarship for International Students in Japan".
Scholarship programs accepting applications before matriculation
Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships
Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships are funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan. Applications should be made before matriculation, either through a Japanese embassy or consulate (embassy recommendations), or through the host university in Japan (university recommendations). Most of the MEXT Scholarship students at Kyoto University earned their scholarships through embassy recommendations.
For more information, see Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship.
Student Exchange Support Program (Scholarship for Short-Term Study in Japan)
International students who have been accepted into a Japanese university under a student exchange agreement are eligible to apply for the Scholarship for Short-Term Study in Japan, administered by JASSO. This scholarship consists of a monthly stipend of 80,000 yen, provided throughout the period of stay in Japan.
Applications should be made to Kyoto University through the student's home institution, together with those for the exchange program itself. Direct applications from the students themselves, to either Kyoto University or JASSO, will not be accepted.
Scholarships from private foundations
The application process for private scholarships varies by program. Some programs accept applications from students themselves, while others require submission through the students' home universities.
Kyoto University annually selects and nominates candidates for approximately 60 private scholarship programs. Each program typically offers a scholarship of between 30,000 and 180,000 yen per month to one or two students. Applications are generally accepted following matriculation (some programs accept applications from those who have been accepted into a university, but have not yet matriculated).
Please note that many of these scholarships expect applicants to have a certain level of Japanese language proficiency.
A list of programs that accepted applications through Kyoto University during the previous academic year is available via University-nominated scholarships.
For information on scholarships accepting direct applications from students, visit the JASSO website mentioned above.
Foreign government scholarships
Some international students fund their studies with scholarships from their national governments. To learn about the application periods, benefits, and other details of such programs, please contact the relevant agency in your country.
China Scholarship Council's '国家建设高水平大学公派研究生项目' (state-sponsored postgraduate study-abroad program)
This program finances Chinese students' postgraduate studies in other countries, including Japan.
Doctoral students
Kyoto University previously exempted tuition for doctoral students studying for degrees under this program, but has suspended this practice1 beginning with October 2022 admission except at its Graduate School of Engineering2. This change does not affect those already accepted to or enrolled in the program.
Visiting students (联合培养博士研究生)
Prospective 'visiting students' – those considering studying at Kyoto University under this program as non-degree students – are advised to follow the steps outlined below:
- See whether there is an academic exchange agreement between the home university and Kyoto University (university-level partnership) or between the home graduate school and a Kyoto University graduate school (department-level partnership). Lists of such universities and graduate schools are available via:
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Those from the universities or graduate schools included in the above-mentioned lists may apply for admission as 'exchange students', usually eligible for tuition exemption. Contact the relevant office at your home institution to learn about the application process (for admission and tuition exemption), obtain a university recommendation, and complete other necessary procedures. One of the final steps is requesting a letter of provisional acceptance from Kyoto University. This requires contacting the University's student exchange division through the relevant office at your home institution.
Those from other universities or graduate schools may apply for admission as 'research students', who are not eligible for tuition exemption. See the following for details:
Research Students
Reference: China Scholarship Council (in Chinese)
Taiwan Kyoto University Scholarship: Doctoral Scholarship Provided in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Taiwan
The Taiwan Kyoto University Scholarship was jointly established by Kyoto University and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. The Scholarship is for Taiwanese students who wish to study at Kyoto University as degree-seeking doctoral students. The scholarship and exemption from entrance/tuition fees are provided for up to four years.
For further details, please see the website of the Ministry of Education in Taiwan.
For information regarding Graduate Schools / Entrance Examinations eligible for the Taiwan Kyoto University Scholarship, please refer to the website of Division of Graduate Studies.
Other scholarships
Scholarships accepting applications after matriculation
Privately financed international students who are currently enrolled at Kyoto University and interested in scholarship opportunities are advised to refer to Scholarships for privately-financed international students. Please note that some programs accept applications before matriculation as well.
Inquiries
International Student Division (ISD), Kyoto University
Email: intlstudent*mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (replace * with @)
- Inquiries must be made in either Japanese or English.
- The message must include the following:
KyotoU faculty/graduate school and degree program concerned