Kyoto University

History, Affiliations and Rankings

Kyoto University is a public research university located in Kyoto, Japan that was founded in 1897 under the principles of its motto “Freedom of Academic Culture”. It is one of the former Imperial Universities and the second oldest university in Japan. KyotoU is consistently ranked among the top two in Japan, top ten in Asia and top 50 in the World in institutions of higher education. In order to further promote cooperation with society, especially with the private sector, Kyoto University has a Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation Office (SACI), which connects the research interests and potential of the University to the needs of society. Furthermore, KyotoU has two subsidiary companies, KYOTO-iCAP and TLO-KYOTO, connecting with academic institutions and industry around Japan and the world in different ways to foster innovation. KyotoU is affiliated with Kansai Big Six and ASAIHL.

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

The university has three campuses, namely, Yoshida, Uji and Katsura campuses with Yoshida being the main campus. Its study departments are fractionated into 10 specialized faculties, 18 highly regarded graduate schools and 13 focused research institutes. Its total enrollment statistics is also remarkable. Kyoto University offers a wide range of degree programs for international students, including the ones listed below, which are conducted entirely in English. Entrance examinations, evaluation reports, and support are provided in English as well, so that students with no Japanese language ability can study for degrees while taking advantage of the University’s world-class research facilities and education. Kyoto University has 10 Faculties, all offering undergraduate degrees. The total enrollment as of May 2017 included 229 international students. Kyoto University has 18 Graduate Schools, offering master’s, doctoral, and professional degree programs. The lively cultural atmosphere at the university campus is marked by 86 student athletic clubs, 97 student cultural clubs and a variety of cafeterias. 

Accomplishments and Alumni 

There are 2,660 highly experienced and awarded academic faculty members working. It also boasts of impressive employability rankings with 90% successful undergraduates either joining work or further studies and almost 92% successful post-graduates either joining work or further studies. KyotoU was one of the first three Designated National Universities and is categorized by the Japanese government as a Top Type university in the Top Global University Project.  Kyoto University has generated 5 prime ministers of Japan and 1 president of Taiwan to date, and is famed for producing world-class researchers. As of October 2019, 19 Nobel Prize laureates, 2 Fields medalists, and 1 Gauss Prize winner have been affiliated with Kyoto University, giving it the most Nobel laureates of all universities in Asia. 

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

As of May 2017, Kyoto University’s graduate population included a total of 1554 international students. KyotoU is among the top 50 universities in the world for higher education, and offers few English Language Programs to its Incoming International Students. It even has five accommodations built with the purpose of housing international students, and also aids them in searching for off-campus housing by providing all the necessary information and resources available to them for the convenience of the students enrolled and studying at KyotoU. The University has a huge variety of clubs that promote dialogue between the students and lead to the learning of other cultures, languages and practices and whatnot.