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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What types of enrollment are available at KIT?

  • Full-time degree student
  • Research Student
  • Short term exchange student (partner institutions ONLY)

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Q2. How can I apply to KIT?

  • For information on studying on scholarship from the Japanese government (MEXT), contact the Japanese Embassy in your home country.
  • To study based on an agreement of academic exchange between your home university/institution and KIT, contact the international office of your university/institution: ref. Q4, Q5
  • To study at KIT as a self-funded international student, or as a government, corporation or foundation scholarship student, take the Undergraduate Admissions Exams for Privately Funded International Students or International Students Special Entrance Exams for the Admission to Graduate School of Science and Technology. (You are required to come to Japan to take the exam.)
    For details, please refer to Q９. (Note: The exam requirement may be waived for students sent to a KIT undergraduate program by their government.)

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Q3. Are there scholarships for international students?

  • Yes.
    Refer to the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) website for details on scholarships to study in JAPAN:
  • To study on scholarship from the Japanese government (MEXT), contact the Japanese Embassy in your home country.
  • Scholarships may also be offered by the government, corporations or foundations in your country.

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Q4. How can I apply to be a short term exchange student at KIT?

  • Only students of KIT partner universities/institutions can apply to be short term (up to 1 year) exchange students.
  • If you meet this requirement, contact the international office of your university/institution and ask about their student exchange program with KIT.
  • The list of our partner institutions is available here:

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Q5. Do the students of partner universities/institutions receive priority when applying to be full-time undergraduate/graduate degree students of KIT?

  • Yes. Contact the international office of your home institution.
  • The list of our partner institutions is available: here
  • There are special admissions schemes only available for students from KIT partner universities/institutions. Contact the international office of your home institution for information.

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Q6. When does the academic year begin?

  • April is the beginning of the undergraduate academic year.
    Enrollment begins for master’s and doctoral students twice a year in April and late September. Some graduate courses require students to begin in April. Please confirm the availability of a late September start for your program at:
    –Master’s program
    –Doctoral program
    (only in Japanese)

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Q7. Can I transfer to KIT from a non-Japanese institution?

  • There is no special transfer exam for international students. If you are interested in transferring to KIT from your current institution and you have completed a total of 14 or more years of education, you are eligible to take the San-nen ji Hennyugaku Shiken transfer exam. This is the same exam that Japanese transfer students take. See the sannenji hennyu shiken information.(Japanese only)

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Q8. What do I need, to be eligible to take the Undergraduate Admissions Exams for Privately Funded International Students and International Students Special Entrance Exams for the Admission to Graduate School of Science and Technology? What level of Japanese proficiency is required for the entrance exam?

  • To be admitted to the undergraduate program at KIT you must have a current (within the last 2 years), official TOEFL score. In addition, on The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (Nihon Ryugaku Shiken), you must have a score of 280 or more (not counting the 50 points for the writing section) on the Japanese language section and 120 or more on the “Course 2” mathematics section. Persons meeting the above requirements are eligible (as of 2015) to take the KIT Undergraduate Admissions Exams for Privately Funded International Students. Admissions will be decided based on the scores above.
  • Admission to nearly all the master’s degree courses requires an official TOEIC score (within the last 2 years). Admission is based on this score and on your score on one of the KIT International Student Special Entrance Exams for Admission to the Graduate School of Science and Technology.
  • Admission to KIT PhD courses requires a score on one of the KIT International Student Special Entrance Exams for Admission to the Graduate School of Science and Technology.

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Q9. How can I get information about the Undergraduate Admissions Exams for Privately Funded International Students and International Students Special Entrance Exams for the Admission to Graduate School of Science and Technology?

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Q10. Is the entrance exam only offered in Japan?

  • Yes, basically in Japan.
    *To enter KIT as a full-time degree student, you are required to take the entrance exam in Japan.
    However, if you are an applicant for a doctoral course and live overseas, you may upon request, have an oral examination using an online meeting system (Cisco Webex Meetings, Skype etc.). Also exceptions are made for students from partner universities.
    *To enter KIT as a research student, a face to face interview with your proposed instructor is required.
    *Applicants outside Japan should contact the Japanese Embassy in their country regarding procedures for obtaining a temporary visitor visa. Begin the necessary procedures well in advance of the entrance exam or interview.

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Q11. Are classes available in English? Do some research labs provide support or instruction in English?

  • *All undergraduate courses, other than first year language courses, are conducted in Japanese.
  • *Most graduate school courses are conducted in Japanese. Please contact the relevant instructor in advance to inquire about languages used in classes and research labs.
  • *Communication with administrative office staff must be conducted in Japanese. Basic Japanese ability is required of all students.

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Q12. What majors are available at KIT?

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Q13. How can I contact a professor to ask him or her to be my Supervisory Professor?

  • A comprehensive list of researchers and information on the research parameters of individual professors is available here.
  • And the contact information is available online at the KIT webpage shown below. Access the “Announcements (Master’s Program, Doctoral Program)” page:https://ac.web.kit.ac.jp/02/gs_news.php
    and click on “Master’s Program” or “Doctoral Program” at the upper right of the page (in the orange box) to see the “List of Academic Staff”. The International Center and the admissions office do not match students with instructors.
    Published research of KIT professors is available at the KIT Repository.

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Q14. Can I study Japanese at KIT?

  • Basic Japanese language courses “Japanese I through VIII”, are available to international students enrolled at KIT. However, KIT is not a language acquisition school and does not offer a degree in Japanese language or literature. If your Japanese proficiency is not sufficient for university study, please enroll at a Japanese language school prior to KIT enrollment.

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Q15. What fees and tuition are required?

  • Refer to ‘guidelines for applicants ‘ on our web site.
  • For reference, the application fees and tuition for full-time degree students as of November 2016 were as follows:
    -entrance exam fee: JPY17,000 (undergraduate school) /JPY30,000 (graduate school)
    -admission fee: JPY282, 000
    -tuition (per annum): JPY535,800
    Fees and tuition are subject to change.

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Q16. Does KIT ever waive or discount tuition ?

  • Those who meet KIT’s requirements can apply for tuition reductions.
    The selection committee considers Japanese and international students equally. After comprehensive consideration of academic achievement and financial situation, the students are selected for tuition waiver or discount.
    Please keep in mind that all requests are not approved. We advise students not to make budget plans that take scholarship money into account until they have final scholarship approval. Persons applying for a visa may not be issued a visa without first supplying a long-range budget. Prior to enrollment, prospective students are asked to complete a budget for all years they intend to be at KIT.
    Waivers and discounts of tuition are only valid for a single semester and must be applied for again, before the beginning of every semester.

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Q17. How much money will I need for living expenses in Japan?

  • According to data from JASSO’s “Study in Japan“, the average amount spent by international students in the Kinki area is JPY 89,000 per month.

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Q18. Are there scholarships I can apply for after I have enrolled at KIT?

  • For international students at KIT, there are scholarships available from the Japanese government (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or MEXT) and from private organizations.
    For details, refer to “Scholarships for International Students in Japan” issued annually by JASSO.
  • Please note that eligibility requirements for acceptance are very strict and competition is stiff.
    We advise students not to make budget plans that take scholarship money into account until they have final scholarship approval.
    Students must be financially prepared to cover all costs involved in studying in Japan.

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Q19. Is it possible to work while attending KIT?

  • Before international students may engage in part-time work or paid internship programs, they must obtain “permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence previously granted” at the Immigration Bureau. (There is no charge for permission as of 2009.) A permission letter issued by the KIT Director of International Affairs is required for this application.
  • We stress that students must be financially prepared to cover all costs involved in studying in Japan.
    (As the purpose of international students is study, not work, we ask that students carefully balance their priorities. Graduate students will find research work occupies nearly every waking hour.)

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Q20. Are on-campus jobs available?

  • Yes, if you are a graduate student.
    Selected graduate students can work on campus as TA’s (teaching assistants) or RA’s (research assistants). Not all applicants will be able to secure on-campus jobs.

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Q21. Is university housing available for international students?

  • *KIT offers housing for international students at our International House (Marikouji Kaikan). Interested students should apply for a space while understanding that the number of rooms available is limited. The director of the International House reviews applications and makes final selections. The period of residence for international students is up to one year.
  • *Applicants for International House must be international degree students or international exchange students from partner institutions. (This residence is not open to research students.)
  • The residence will accept applications in January and July.
  • *Applicants who are interested in living in the International House should contact International Affairs in January or July even if not receiving word that they have passed the entrance exam.

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Q22. Does the university assist students with finding housing?

  • Not directly.
    We caution students to refer to our list of “Recommended Real Estate Companies.” The companies on this list offer quality apartments with reasonable rents. Ask International Affairs for details after passing the entrance exam.

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Q23. How can I get a visa to study at KIT?

  • Contact the Japanese embassy in your country for information on procedures and deadlines.
    Complete all the procedures well in advance of your date of enrollment at KIT.

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Q24. I’m interested in enrolling at KIT as a research student. What do I need to know?

  • *Research students are non-degree students who undertake highly specified research for a period of up to one year. Persons with university degrees are eligible to apply to become research students. Research students do not receive a degree or diploma.
  • *Applicants must be prepared to focus on research at KIT and must be able to prove access to adequate resources to cover their minimum annual expenses for the entire year.
  • *Research student applications are accepted on a monthly basis. Procedures for obtaining a student visa are time consuming. Please begin the application process as soon as possible.
  • *Applicants residing outside Japan must apply to the research program and pay the entrance exam fee at least 3 months in advance of the month of intended enrollment.
  • *Before applying to become a KIT research student, you must contact your proposed KIT advisor and come to Japan for an interview with that individual. Interviews via Internet are not acceptable. If you are approved, have your professor contact International Affairs to tell us you have his/her permission to join his/her lab and we will send you a research student application.
  • *Tuition (as of Oct. 2014) is as follows:
    -entrance exam fee: JPY 9,800
    -admission fee: JPY 84,600 (Payment must be made before a Letter of Acceptance can be issued.)
    -tuition (per month): JPY 29,700 (amounts are subject to change)
  • *Research students with student visas may not work. Part-time work is not permitted.
    Preparation of sufficient financial support is necessary.
  • *There are no waivers or tuition discounts and very few scholarships for research students.
  • *Research students cannot purchase student discount passes for public transportation.
  • *International student housing (Marikoji Kaikan) is not available to research students.

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Q25. How to get to KIT?

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Prospective Students

National University Corporation Kyoto Institute of Technology

Contact

+81-75-724-7129

Address

Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

606-8585 JAPAN

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