Kyoto University
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto University is a national research university in Kyoto, Japan, founded in 1897 as the country's second imperial university. It offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes across the humanities, sciences, engineering, medicine, and the social sciences, with selected English-taught pathways such as the Kyoto iUP that do not require prior Japanese proficiency. International applicants should confirm current eligibility, deadlines, tuition, and entrance requirements on the official university website before applying.
Last updated
Location
Kyoto
Established
1897
Degree levels
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Instruction
English-taught
Rankings
Rankings are published annually by their respective organisations and change every year. Confirm the current-year position on the official ranking website before relying on it.
How to apply
Direct via university
Region
East & Southeast Asia →Admission tests
Requirements change from one intake to the next — confirm the current ones on Kyoto University’s official site (opens in a new tab) before you apply.
Applying to universities in East & Southeast Asia
- Application platform
- Direct via each university (no single regional platform; Japan via university portals/JASSO, Hong Kong undergraduate via JUPAS for local students)
- Intakes
- Varies by country — Japan: April & Sept/Oct; Singapore & Malaysia: Aug/Sept; South Korea & China: March & Sept
- Student visa
- Student visa / pass (varies by country)
- Working while studying
- Varies by country — many allow limited part-time work during term (for example Japan up to 28 hrs/week with permission; Singapore restricted); verify current rules on the official source before relying on them.
Official sources: Study in Japan — Government of Japan · Study in Korea — Government of Korea · Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore. Visa and work rules change — verify on the official source before relying on them.
Popular fields of study
Source: Kyoto University official website. Details here are for guidance only — tuition, deadlines, rankings and eligibility change every academic year, so confirm on the official university site before applying.
Related / Next steps
Osaka University
Osaka
The University of Tokyo
Tokyo
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
National University of Singapore
Singapore
Admissions guides
8 min read
Living as a Student in Kyoto: Housing, Transport and Daily Life
Living as an international student in Kyoto, Japan — dorms, share houses, apartments, the bus and subway network, cycling and daily admin.
8 min read
Doshisha University Admission Guide for International Students
Doshisha University admission guide for international students in Kyoto: the English-taught Institute for the Liberal Arts (ILA), its video interviews and tests.
9 min read
Ritsumeikan University Admission Guide for International Students
Ritsumeikan University admission guide for international students: its five English-medium undergraduate programs, including the Global Studies major and ANU dual degree.
9 min read
Okayama University Admission Guide for International Students
Okayama University admission guide for international students: the Discovery Program for Global Learners, its four clusters, and the April vs October language rules.
9 min read
How Japanese University Admission Works
How admission to Japanese universities works for international students — national vs private, EJU, English-taught routes and the research-student pathway.
8 min read
Kanazawa University Admission Guide for International Students
Kanazawa University admission guide for international students: the official international admission routes, the EJU, English-taught study and what to verify.
Thinking about Kyoto University?
Ask GSB how to build a competitive application for this university.
Ask GSB →Studying in East & Southeast Asia
Continue exploring East & Southeast Asia
Universities, entrance tests, costs and visa facts for East & Southeast Asia — all in one place, each linked to its official source.
Popular topics · East & Southeast Asia
Popular guides
View all →