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For the second time, the Kyoto University European Center organized an online event for students and of our European partners. The Meet & Greet under the Camphor Tree 2021 took place on 8 September. In addition to an Information Session, we also organized a Network Session as a platform for participants to exchange their thoughts, ideas and experiences. Thanks to the wide social network advertisement by Kyoto University, more than 100 participants — even some from Asia — registered to our event.
Prof. Mika Yokoyama (Director of Kyoto University European Center & Deputy Executive Vice-President of Gender Equality and International Affairs) opened the first session with a welcome address. She thanked everyone for joining this event and expressed her hope that — since vaccinations are widely available — easing of travel restrictions would gradually allow international students to return to Kyoto. In the following presentations, staff from Kyoto University International Affairs Division and International Education and Student Mobility Division showed the beauty of Kyoto City, introduced Kyoto University as one of the world’s leading research universities and presented study opportunities for students, explaining the study abroad system and necessary procedures for successful application.
After the presentations, five former exchange students of Kyoto University from Universität Hamburg, Vienna University and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) shared their experiences. Together with a student from Kyoto University, who studied in Great Britain, they praised the great variety of courses, the excellent student-professor-ratio and Kyoto University’s atmosphere, which encourages freethinking and enabled them to build lasting friendships. They also eagerly engaged with students in the chat counseling other participants, answering questions and recommending their favorite ramen shops.
The Information Session ended with a Q&A in which frequently asked questions that could not be addressed in the chat were also answered by staff from Kyoto University’s International Education and Student Mobility Division.
For the Networking Session, many of the participants and staff moved to a platform that allows users to move freely and interact via avatars. In the virtual coffee shop with games and a piano or under a virtual Camphor tree amidst gardens, the participants chatted lively, exchanged experiences and asked questions personally or in the groups. In the Alumni corner, students old and new met, reminisced about their time in Kyoto and built new networks with each other.
We thank all the participants and the staff for their support. The Kyoto University European Center continues to make efforts and explore new ways to show the presence of Kyoto University in Europe and to promote the interests in studying at Kyoto University even under the situation which actual in-person contacts are . Regardless of the circumstances, student and researcher support in Europe is also always available by Kyoto University European Center’s Office in Heidelberg (Germany).
 Information Session via ZOOM |
 Networking at Kyoto University European Center’s Gather Space |
Presentations
Questions & Answers
| Program/ Position | Questions | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| M.A. Student | Current situation (corona) and spaces for Business Administration students (study abroad)? | We have been providing vaccinations for students, faculty and staff members at the university hospital who wish to receive them. As for the Business Administration programs, we have two MBA programs (which taught in English) in the Graduate school of Management. Please visit their website for more details. https://www.gsm.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/ |
| B. A. Student | Physics masters program | You can pursue Physics in the Division of Physics and Astronomy, Graduate School of Science. Please visit their website for more details. http://www.sci.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/divisions/phys-astr/ |
| Foundation student | 1.May I know the scholarships offered for students from Europe and Asia who wish to continue the studies in Kyoto University? 2.Second, may I know is the engineering course offered there will be taught in English? 3.Third, is the students overseas require to sit for Japan's Universities Pre-entrance national examination before enrolled into any public universities (including Kyoto uni)? Thank you in advance | (1st question) Kyoto university does not offer scholarships for students. There are scholarships offered by the Japanese government (MEXT) and private foundations. Furthermore, it is not a kind of scholarship, but students seeking a degree at the university, not research student or exchange student, are able to apply for exemption of the admission and tuition fee. (2nd question) There is an English-taught undergraduate course in civil engineering. International Course in Management of Civil Infrastructure in the Department of Civil and Earth Resources Engineering and International Course in Urban and Regional Development in the Department of Urban Management have an English-taught program in master. Integrated Engineering Course, Human Security Engineering Field has an English-taught program in master and doctor. (3rd question) Application requirements vary depending on which faculty/graduate school you intend to apply for. Please check our website, or if you would like to enrol in a graduate program, check application guidelines of a graduate school you wish to enrol. |
| B. A. Student | How hard is it to find somewhere to live in Kyoto ? | Kyoto University has around 10 international dormitories on or off campus. So far, exchange students are entitled to live in one of such dormitories owned by Kyoto University or managed by cooperation with affiliated organizations. Monthly rents are 100-350 euro. No room sharing. Students can apply by online system. Please visit the website below for more details. (Housing Guidebook) https://kuiso.oc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/files/housing_guidebook.pdf |
| M.A. Student | A semester abroad in Kyoto, what you'd have to watch out for | You may feel mixture of traditional culture and cutting edge advanced technology. |
| B. A. Student | my most important question: what is the probability that I will be accepted? And how many students can study at most? | If we tell about exchange students, most of applicants will be accepted. Research only exchange students may be rejected if they can not find a suitable host professor whose specialty is similar with them and who can supervise their research. By university wide Student Exchange Agreements, we accept around 250 students in a year before COVID-19 appeared. |
| M.A. Student | Is it possible to do a Ph.D at Kyoto University and what are differences to a Ph.D in europe? | We have 18 graduate schools including 16 graduate schools which are offering doctoral degree programs. We are not sure the differences about Ph.D between Japan and Europe. Please visit our website ( https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/education-campus/education-and-admissions/graduate-degree-programs/graduate-schools2 ). |
| B. A. Student | Medical internship at Kyoto University | If it indicates activities to work at private companies or at public sectors during their enrollment, Kyoto University does not have such system or students' status to let them do so, in university wide fixed scheme. Depending on circumstances, Graduate School (and Undergraduate Faculty) of Medicine may offer such chances by accepting students as some kind of non regular students including Short-term International Students. You should direcly consult with the School / Faculty. |
| Administative Staff | Possibilities for Incoming students to take pedagogy courses at Kyoto University (in English) | We have a Graduate school of Education. However, they do not offer the English taught degree program. So students are required to have Japanese proficiency except those who wish to enroll as doctoral students. |
| B. A. Student | Is it possible to study chemistry (more specific chemistry of food) at the Kyoto University | Graduate school of Agriculture has the special Course in Agricultural Science - For the Global Future of Life, Food and the Environment-. Please visit their website for more details. https://www.kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp/english/international/global30/ |
| B. A. Student | I've seen the short-term international students program for 3 month but it said you don't gain any credits for your attended courses. Is it possible to study a single semester or maybe two semesters while also getting credits for the courses? | Short-term International Students can not take any course or credits because courses of Kyoto University complete in 15 weeks while they can stay within 90 days. Students who need credits should apply to be exchange students. Exchange students may choose to stay only for a semester or for 2 semesters with approval by Home University and can get official credits issued by Kyoto University. |
| B. A. Student | Current researches going on in the field of nanotechnology ? | Please find the potential supervisor from the website ( https://iso.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/intl-admissions/find-supervisor/#/ ) who researches your interested field, and please check his/her website for more details. |
| M.A. Student | Is a research internship in a chemistry lab in Kyoto University possible during the next year? | Kyoto University does not have official system or students' status to let them do internship but students in graduate schools at Home Universities may apply to be General Exchange Special Research Students (GESR), one of categories of exchange students at Kyoto University. GESR students can concentrate on their own research under supervisions by host professors without taking any courses lectured in classrooms. Short-term International Student is also a possibility to do some kind of research activities if host faculty approved. |
| Ph.D. Student | Legal exchange and financing possibilities | JASSO Scholarship may be offered for exchange students. 80,000 JPY per month. Highly competitive. Numbers of recipients differ year by year. Kyoto University chooses recipients based on their GPA at Home Universities. |
| B. A. Student | Maybe something about multidisciplinary study courses at the Kyoto University | The Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (GSAIS) is a 5-year Graduate School, aiming to produce top-level global leaders who can resolve complex and diversified social issues with a strong sense of responsibility, humanity and morality. We also have a Division of Multidisciplinary Chemistry. They flourish in the intersection of chemistry and physics, carrying out fundamental research in cooperation with the other divisions to enhance the scientific value of materials development. |
| B. A. Student | I would like to know more about how Kyoto University handles Corona and if the lectures and seminars next spring will be online or in the classroom. Also I would like to know more about how likely it will be that abroad mobility will be possible next spring considering that Japan hasn't lifted its strict travel restrictions. | As for the lectures and seminars, basically, Kyoto University provides face to face lectures and seminars. However, as you know, entry into Japan by foreign nationals newly arriving from all countries and regions has been suspended, hence, we provide online or hybrid lectures for international students. It depends on the lecture, so please confirm the professor who manages the lecture that the lecture is available for online or hybrid. We are not sure about the prospects that the Japanese government will continue border controls next spring, such as entry restrictions and visa restrictions. Concerning the COVID-19 vaccination, Kyoto University has been providing vaccinations for students, faculty and staff members at the university hospital who wish to receive them. But we are not sure that providing vaccinations for students is available for next spring enrollment students. |
Answer (or Information) is as of 8th Sep, 2021
