Kyoto University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Most scholarships connected to Kyoto University assume you will be an on-campus student (because applications are handled through Kyoto University and many programs require you to be physically in Japan for exams).

Both exist. Kyoto University offers multiple degree options “conducted entirely in English,” with entrance exams and support available in English for those programs. At the undergraduate level, Kyoto University also explains that “classes are generally taught in Japanese” except for specific English-taught degrees and Kyoto iUP.

From a recipient’s perspective, Lubanda (Luyando) Hamweendo (MEXT, Kyoto University) shared that “many graduate-level research programs and seminars for international students are conducted in English,” while some lab/admin tasks can be bilingual.

Kyoto University-administered scholarships vary by program, and many do not publish a single university-wide age cap. However, major external/government scholarships commonly used at Kyoto University do have age rules.

For example, the official Study in Japan (MEXT) guidance says research-student applicants must be “under 35 years of age,” and the MEXT (University Recommendation) guidelines also specify birthdate-based age eligibility for research students.

Generally, scholarships follow your admitted degree program, so funding can apply across STEM and non-STEM fields. Kyoto University spans humanities and social sciences (e.g., Letters, Law, Economics) and STEM (e.g., Science, Engineering, Informatics, Agriculture), plus professional/health fields (Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health).

Medicine: Kyoto University has a Faculty/Graduate School of Medicine, and MEXT even explicitly lists longer scholarship durations for medicine-related undergraduate tracks. That said, Kyoto University also cautions that, outside designated English-taught programs, undergraduate classes are generally in Japanese—so medicine is typically most realistic for international students at the graduate/research level unless you have strong Japanese.

Engineering: Kyoto University highlights an English-taught undergraduate degree option in Civil Engineering, and engineering is also a major graduate pathway.

Business: Kyoto University includes Economics and a Graduate School of Management, where scholarship options may be available depending on route and timing.

Kyoto University hosts scholarship routes that are broad (open to many international students) and others that are nationality- or region-linked (depending on the funding body).

For government scholarships like MEXT, the guidelines state that applicants “must have the nationality of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan.” As a real example of breadth, Lubanda (Luyando) Hamweendo studied at Kyoto University on MEXT as a Zambian scholar.

It depends on the program. For Kyoto iUP, Japanese proficiency is not required at application, and applicants may optionally submit JLPT for reference. For English, Kyoto iUP accepts only TOEFL or IELTS (or a designated alternative form for native speakers), and it publishes typical successful-candidate scores (e.g., TOEFL iBT 90 / IELTS 6.5), while stating there is no single minimum score requirement.

For other degrees, requirements vary by faculty/graduate school. Some graduate programs explicitly require TOEFL/IELTS documentation in their application procedures.

Scholarship-wise, requirements vary by route. Lubanda noted that “we also had to take the English and Japanese tests prepared by the Embassy,” and added, “I had to write TOEIC” because proof of recent English proficiency was requested in her process, so having valid test results can directly help for scholarships even when a program itself is flexible.

Kyoto University does not publish one universal “minimum GPA” for all admissions; selection depends on the faculty/graduate school and can include entrance exams, document screening, and interviews. Kyoto iUP, for example, frames expectations as “high level academic excellence” rather than a single global GPA cutoff.

However, some scholarship tracks do set grade thresholds. The MEXT (University Recommendation) guidelines state that “international students with outstanding academic achievements” must have a GPA of 2.30 or above (per MEXT’s scale) to qualify and maintain eligibility.

A strong profile usually combines academic strength, fit for the program, and a clear purpose. Kyoto iUP explicitly expects “high level academic excellence” and strong English competence.

In a research scholarship example, Lubanda emphasized that aligning with supervisors and presenting a focused proposal mattered: she described reading supervisors’ work, emailing with a concise research idea, and writing “a clear research proposal and a strong statement of purpose” tied to real clinical problems.

It varies by status (undergraduate, graduate, research student) and by faculty, but common documents include transcripts, graduation/expected graduation certificates, recommendation letters, and identification documents.

For example, Kyoto University’s international research-student guidance lists items such as an application form, graduation certificate, academic transcript, a recommendation letter, and a passport copy. Kyoto iUP’s application guidelines similarly emphasize official transcripts across your full secondary schooling (and higher-education transcripts if applicable).

From experience, Lubanda summed it up as: “I prepared and gathered supporting documents early: transcripts, recommendation letters, a polished CV, and any required certificates.”

Yes. Kyoto University’s official FAQ lists examination fees of JPY 17,000 for undergraduates and JPY 30,000 for graduate students (with some cases of reduced graduate examination fees depending on screening method). Check the latest guidelines for updated information.