The following scholarships are available for those wishing to study at Kyoto University. It should be noted, however, that the selection processes are very competitive, and in most cases applications are only accepted after entrance to the university. It is generally necessary, therefore, to have sufficient financial resources prior to entering Kyoto University.
For more information on scholarships, please visit the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) website below, and click “Study in Japan” → “Scholarships” → “Scholarships for International Students in Japan.”
Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship
School Fees: Examination, admission and tuition fees are exempted.
Traveling Costs: One round-trip ticket is provided.
Scholarships: The amount is subject to change depending on the annual budget.
(As of March, 2013)
|Undergraduate Students||¥ 117,000|
|Japanese Studies Students|
|Research (non-degree seeking) Students||¥ 143,000|
|Master’s Students||¥ 144,000|
|Doctoral Students||¥ 145,000|
Students who study in certain designated areas will be provided an additional monthly stipend of ¥ 2,000 or ¥ 3,000.
There are three ways to application for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships: embassy recommendations, university recommendations and domestic selection. Pre-arrival applications should be made through a Japanese embassy or consulate (embassy recommendations) or through a university in Japan (university recommendations). Most MEXT Scholarship students at Kyoto University are awarded the scholarship through embassy recommendations.
The first screening of embassy recommendation applications is conducted after the applications have been accepted via the Japanese embassy or consulate. To apply through an embassy recommendation, please contact the appropriate Japanese diplomatic mission in your country.
In case of university recommendation, Kyoto University screens the applications of research students whose institutions have a student exchange agreement with Kyoto University, and selects candidates to recommend to MEXT as research students, master’s students or doctoral students. To apply through a university recommendation, please contact a Kyoto University faculty member whom you would like to have as academic adviser, and consult him/her to apply.
Domestic selection is only available to privately financed students who are already enrolled in a Japanese university. Such applications may only be submitted after entering the university. Applications are usually accepted in October. For details, please inquire at the administration office of your faculty or graduate school.
Foreign Government Scholarships
Foreign government scholarships are a further scholarship option. As of May 2012, there are students at Kyoto University from Brunei, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Mongolia and Vietnam receiving such scholarships. For further information on application periods and benefits, please contact the appropriate agency in your country.
Privately financed international students studying at a university in Japan are eligible to apply for an Honors Scholarship offered by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). As of April 2013, undergraduate student awardees receive ￥48,000 per month, and graduate student awardees receive ￥65,000 per month. Applications are generally accepted following admission to the university.
Scholarships from Private Foundations
The application process for scholarships from private foundations varies. Some can be made directly by individual students, and some must be made through the applicant’s university.
Each year, Kyoto University selects and recommends international scholarship candidates to approximately 50 private foundations based on an intra-university selection process. Each organization commonly offers a scholarship of between ￥30,000 and ￥180,000 per month to one or two students. Applications are generally accepted following admission to the university. (A few scholarships accept pre-entrance applications from prospective students who have already passed the entrance examination and are intending to enter the university.)
Currently enrolled students who wish to apply for such scholarships are advised to regularly check the bulletin boards etc. of their faculty or graduate school for announcements. Please note that some of the scholarships require applicants to have a certain level of Japanese language ability.
Information on scholarships which can be applied for directly is available from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) website:
Scholarships for Study in Japan
Scholarships for International Students in Japan