Requirements
Bachelor's (Kyoto iUP)
Applicants need to have completed, or be on track to complete, 12 years of school education by the programme's enrolment date, through a recognised national curriculum or an internationally recognised qualification. No Japanese language ability is required at the point of application; the preparatory course teaches it from the ground up.
Master's and PhD
Admission is set by the individual graduate school; a relevant Bachelor's degree (or Master's degree for doctoral study) recognised as equivalent to a Japanese degree is the general baseline, with specific academic and language requirements published separately by each department.
Documents
For Kyoto iUP: an online application form, Form A (certificate of graduation or expected graduation), Form B (an evaluation completed by a teacher or school official), Form C (English proficiency, either a test score or a statement that instruction was in English), Form D (a personal essay), and academic transcripts, plus the JPY 9,800 application fee. For graduate applications, requirements are set individually by each graduate school and generally include degree certificates, transcripts, a research plan, and a language test result.
How to apply
- Confirm you meet Kyoto iUP's schooling requirement and gather your transcripts, essay and English proficiency form.
- Ask a teacher or school official to complete Form B on your behalf.
- Submit the full application online within the published window (for October 2027 entry, 2 November to 3 December 2026) and pay the JPY 9,800 application fee.
- Wait for the admission decision; if selected, confirm your place.
- Once accepted, Kyoto University's international office helps arrange your Certificate of Eligibility; use it to apply for a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate before travelling.
- Arrive in Kyoto for the six-month Japanese-language preparatory course ahead of starting your chosen major.
English test waiver
Kyoto iUP states no fixed minimum English test score; instead it publishes the typical range of successful applicants, IELTS Academic around 6.5 and TOEFL iBT around 90. Applicants who are native English speakers, or who have completed or will complete secondary education taught in English, may submit an alternative form instead of a test score.