Kobe University Admission Requirements 2027 for International Students

Requirements

Bachelor

Most undergraduate places at Kobe University are taught in Japanese and require Japanese language ability sufficient to follow lectures, alongside the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) or a faculty entrance examination. Kobe has not published a general English-taught bachelor's degree with an international application deadline.

Master

KIMAP (Economics, Law, Business Administration) and GSICS admit international students to English-taught master's programmes. Applicants need a bachelor's degree or equivalent, a research plan or statement of purpose, academic transcripts, letters of recommendation and an English test score (TOEFL iBT, TOEIC or IELTS). No minimum score is published; the faculties review applications holistically.

Documents

Academic transcripts and degree certificate (or proof of expected graduation), a research plan or statement of purpose, at least one letter of recommendation, a valid passport copy, and an English proficiency test score report (TOEFL iBT, TOEIC or IELTS). GSICS additionally asks for a detailed research proposal. Some programmes require a Letter of Consent from a prospective academic supervisor before application; KIMAP has said this requirement is being phased out from the AY2027 examination.

How to apply

1. Identify the graduate school and programme (KIMAP Economics, Law or Business Administration, or GSICS) that matches your field.
2. Contact the relevant office or a prospective supervisor if the programme asks for one.
3. Prepare transcripts, research plan, recommendation letters and an English test score.
4. Submit the online application within the stated period and pay the entrance examination fee.
5. Attend document screening and, where required, an interview.
6. Pay the admission fee and first tuition instalment after an offer to secure the place.

English test waiver

Kobe University's English-taught graduate programmes (KIMAP in Economics, Law and Business Administration, and GSICS) ask every applicant for a TOEFL iBT, TOEIC or IELTS score, but the university publishes no pass mark. The Faculty of Economics KIMAP admission and finance page states English ability may also be shown by a bachelor's degree taught in English or by being a native speaker. Selection is a holistic review of transcripts, research plan and interview, not a single cut-off score.