8.Frequently Asked Questions

I. General Questions

1. How should I contact you?

 For information regarding applications, the program itself, or any other related issue please email: ajinzai@adm.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp. When contacting your prospective supervisor, please also send a mail to the above address so as to make the communication process as smooth as possible.

2. When will the application schedule be confirmed?

 In spring 2009, details will be released on the Asian Human Resource Program website.

3. How much is the scholarship?

In accordance with MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) scholarshipstipulations, the monthly stipend is JPY152,000 for research students, and JPY154,000 for master's students.

4. Is it possible to apply simultaneously for other scholarships?

Applicants are free to apply for other scholarships. However, please understand that, if you accept the Asian Human Resource Program scholarship, we would require you to decline all other offers.

5. Is it possible to apply simultaneously for Asian Human Resource Programs offered by other Japanese universities?

 No. We regret to say that simultaneous applications will not be accepted.

6. Is it possible to apply simultaneously for other MEXT scholarship programs?

No. We regret to say that simultaneous applications will not be accepted.

7. Is it possible to enter Kyoto University as a self-funding exchange student and then, after passing the entrance exam for the master’s course, apply for the Asian Human Resources Program? 

 The recruitment process for program participants from within Japan is scheduled to commence at the beginning of December. Application requirements state that it is limited to students already enrolled in Japanese universities, either as graduate students, research students or undergraduate students. Ideally, applicants will have passed the entrance examination in August, but we also accept applications from students planning to take the examination in February. In the latter case, conditions of eligibility differ according to department. Please make inquiries of your prospective supervisor when first discussing your desire to be admitted as a research student.

8. Is it possible for students who have skipped a grade to be admitted to the program?

Yes. As long as students have completed at the time of graduation what is acknowledged to be the equivalent of sixteen years of Japanese formal schooling.

9. Out of a total of ten applicants, how many does Kyoto University accept?

Kyoto University sets no limit on prospective students. Selection is made on the basis of a careful consideration of all the applications we receive from a variety of countries.

10. How long will the Asian Human Resources Program continue to run?

The program will continue to accept government scholarship foreign students until the 2010 school year (as research students, October 2010).

11. Apart from the Asian Human Resources Program, are foreign students eligible to apply for other master’s courses offered by Kyoto University?

Please email ajinzai@adm.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp with your questions. Information about other educational programs (master’s and doctorate) can be given on an individual basis by the person in charge.

12. Is it possible for students presently enrolled in a master’s course to apply? If so, can grades  gained on the existing master’s course be taken into account in the application?

The program is open to students presently enrolled on master’s courses. However, please be aware that students accepted on the program will be required to first withdraw from their existing master’s course. In this case, the last two years of grades should be taken from one’s undergraduate studies.

13. Should applicants who are presently enrolled on a master’s course apply using their undergraduate subject of study or that from their master’s course?

As such students will be required, for the second time, to take and pass the Kyoto University graduate school entrance exam, we advise giving careful consideration to the field of study and deciding on that basis.

14. Regarding the initial period of 6 months enrolled as a research student,  on top of Japanese language study, is it possible to participate in research activities (e.g. in the supervisor’s lab)?

The period as a research student is intended by MEXT to allow students to concentrate on Japanese language study. Please discuss preparations required for the examination and the possibility of lab-based research activities with your supervisor.

II. Questions about Finding a Supervisor

1. How do I find a supervisor?

Begin by searching on our homepage for a suitable major or research lab, and make a selection from the corresponding list of academic staff members.

2. What happens if I cannot find a supervisor?

First, contact ajinzai@adm.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp. The Asian Human Resources Support Centre has a variety of different ways in which to help prospective students overcome such difficulties.

3. What information should I provide when contacting a prospective supervisor?

Please provide the title and a summary of contents of your intended area of study (about one A4). Furthermore, in order to participate in the Asian Human Resources Program, it will be necessary to supply a record of achievement from your home university (see below). Grades gained on a graduate school entrance exam or in relevant undergraduate subjects are essential to determining whether it is likely you will pass our graduate school entrance examinations. Therefore, upon making inquires of prospective supervisors, please be sure to provide any such relevant information and discuss these matters sufficiently.

4. Is it still possible to be accepted if my undergraduate field of study is different to that proposed for my master’s course (e.g. in China and Japan, there are differences in majors)?

It is possible to be accepted, but it is still necessary to find a supervisor and ultimately pass the entrance examination. Please note that it may prove very difficult to pass the examination in an unfamiliar subject. Therefore, we would advise you to check the application requirements and information as regards the entrance examination subjects etc.  

5. What is the necessary time frame within which I must find a supervisor?

As applications for the next school year are scheduled for April, please aim to find a supervisor by the end of this school year (March).

III. Questions about the Selection Process

(Entrance Exam, Evaluation, Interview)

1. What are the criteria for evaluating applicants?

Our rigorous evaluation process is based on assessment of the application form and how well the candidate performs in interview.

2. How are grades calculated?

On the MEXT Comprehensive Record of Achievement form, grade point averages (of over 2 points for the previous two years and over 2.5 points for the previous one year) should be entered. Please inquire for further details.  

3. Apart from these grade calculations, are there any further requirements for numerical data?

The above grade points are the only numerical data that is required.  Other requirements include the successful completion of the master’s entrance examination. Please make sure to discuss the exam and the level of knowledge it demands with your proposed supervisor, gaining their consent before applying.

4. How do I obtain information (e.g. what subjects are included) about the master’s entrance examination?

Important information (in Japanese) about last year’s application process can be viewed on the Graduate School of Engineering homepage.

5. Are all the examinations conducted only in Japanese?

It depends on the subject. There are departments that will consider specific alternatives should completion of an examination in Japanese not be possible, and there are departments which use TOEFL for the English section. Please try and decide on a department as early as possible and discuss such matters with your prospective supervisor.

6. What level of Japanese is necessary?

There is no necessity for students to have achieved, for example, Level 1 in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. However, as the lectures that you will attend after entrance are primarily conducted in Japanese, a certain level of comprehension is clearly demanded. The university provides six months of preparatory Japanese study to research students. Students successfully completing this six months program should be able to understand a graduate school lecture, which is the minimum level of Japanese language ability required in order for a student to enter the master’s course.

7. Is an English language qualification (e.g. TOEFL) required?

As with Japanese, no formal qualification or precise level is required. However, whether in connection with university research or work in a company, the status of English as global language means that we can assume there will be many opportunities to use it. It is therefore desirable that applicants possess enough English to successfully communicate.

8. Where and when will the interview take place?

The 2008 interviews were conducted in June in Beijing, China. The details of the 2009 interviews will be determined after careful consideration of the various applications.

9. How difficult is the master’s entrance examination? What is the pass rate?

 We regret to say that information on the pass rates is not released.

10. What should I do if my final year’s results are not announced yet?

Please feel free to submit those results that have been released so far. For example, if you only know up to and including the first semester of the fourth year of university, then calculate your grades for one year based on the first semester of the fourth year and the second semester of the third year.

11. In China, an architecture undergraduate course is five years. Which years should I take into account when applying?

Grade calculations are based on the most recent one or two years of university. Therefore, a student in a four year program would use their fourth and third year grades, and a student in a five year program would use their fifth and fourth year grades.

IV. Questions about Work

1. How long am I expected to work for a Japanese company? (In the future, can I return to work in China?)

This program is designed to nurture talented students who, by mediating between Japan and their home countries, will promote mutual understanding and economic cooperation within the Asia region. We would ask all students to note these aims and, on this basis, approach post-graduation employment. The number of years one must work for a Japanese company is not fixed and, though we can assist as an intermediary between companies and students, employment conditions will be mutually decided through negotiation between the place of work and the applicant. The homepages of many Japanese companies contain information about their global employment strategies. We recommend students make individual inquiries.  

2. What happens if I cannot find a company to accept me?

While studying for their master’s, it is vital that students adequately discuss their future employment with their supervisors and the careers advisers. Please note that students who decide midway through the course that they do not wish to work for a Japanese company must immediately leave the Program and will have their scholarships suspended and will be required to pay the rest of all tuition fees. 

3. What is the definition of a Japanese company? (What about a foreign company in Japan? Or a foreign subsidiary of a Japanese company?)

 A foreign company is not acceptable, even if it is operating in Japan. However, a local subsidiary of a Japanese company is permissible.

4. Will I be treated like a Japanese employee by the company?

There should be no discrimination between Japanese and non-Japanese employees. In fact, because of their overseas experience we expect students from this program to play an even more active role than Japanese colleagues in their companies.

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A Profile of GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, KYOTO UNIVERSITY

Kyoto University, established in 1897, is the second oldest national university in Japan. Its strong-spirited identity, which is both a result of its independence from any other authority and its long distance from Tokyo, has long been cherished by the people of Kyoto University. Kyoto itself was the former capital of Japan for over 1,000 years up until 138 years ago. As a result, Kyoto is still regarded by many as the center of Japanese tradition and culture. A number of national treasures are preserved in Kyoto and there are numerous historical places to visit. The ethos and basis of Kyoto University is, therefore, closely related to the long history of both Kyoto and Japan.

To date, 5 Nobel Prize laureates have been produced by Kyoto University, particularly in the field of natural sciences. It is especially impressive that Dr. Ken'ichi Fukui was awarded a Nobel Prize in the field of chemistry while he was a Professor of the Faculty of Engineering in 1981. In addition, Dr. Ryoji Noyori, who graduated from the Faculty of Engineering in 1961, was honored with the 2001 Nobel Prize for chemistry.

The Faculty of Engineering is the oldest academic institution of Kyoto University and was established at the University's inauguration. The main body for research and education was transferred from the Faculty of Engineering to the Graduate School of Engineering with the reform of the university in 1996, and, as a result, an atmosphere in which fundamental studies are highly respected prevails.

Currently there are 17 Departments which accommodate more than 415 academic staff and 1,934 graduate students in the Graduate School of Engineering. They are jointly co-working with the Graduate School of Energy Science, the Graduate School of Informatics and the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, covering every field of engineering. In addition to these, 4,268 undergraduate students are studying in the Faculty of Engineering, majoring in global engineering, architecture, engineering science, electrical and electronic engineering, information and mathematical science and industrial chemistry.

The international activity of Kyoto University is rapidly expanding, with 65 inter-university and 3 consortium General Memoranda for academic exchange with leading universities and institutions abroad having been concluded. Around 1,250 foreign students are studying in the whole of the university and around 300 of these belong to engineering. The Graduate School of Engineering has signed its own international academic exchange agreement with 34 institutions and there are many department-level agreements to promote individual communication and exchange. Furthermore, a special committee is in place, the Graduate School of Engineering's Committee for International Academic Exchange, to take charge of everything concerned with international matters.

From April 1, 2004 national universities gained independent administrative institution status and Kyoto University faces a new era of greater autonomy.

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