PhD entrance examinations

[thehuman]

Hi all,

I'm planning on enrolling in a PhD program at Kyoto University next year, and I heard entrance examinations will be held prior to acceptance in the program I'm interested in. Has anyone ever had to take those exams and know what they consist in (regardless of their major)?

Thanks a lot.

[kurogane]

Hi all,

I'm planning on enrolling in a PhD program at Kyoto University next year, and I heard entrance examinations will be held prior to acceptance in the program I'm interested in. Has anyone ever had to take those exams and know what they consist in (regardless of their major)?

Thanks a lot.

In short, they consist of the product of months of blood, sweat, toil and tears........

Are you applying as a Monbukagakusho Research Student, or by way of personal application????

I did it, as a Monbusho candidate, but that was back when the Emperor (Gomen-nasai, Heika!!!!!!!!) still had a head of black hair.

Sort of like this:




There have been revisions and reforms to the entrance examination system since then, so I won't bother with any substantive advice, except to say that you should get hold of copies of old entrance examinations going back as far as the time of most recent revision, and work your way through those.

I found it quite difficult, but most of the really hard parts on the one I took were irrelevant to my application in social sciences. They only told me that later.

They claimed I scored perfect on the Japanese part (history, language, society), so that made me happy.

At any rate, study your little bum off.

That's the best advice I can offer.

[Super Grover]

Hi all,

I'm planning on enrolling in a PhD program at Kyoto University next year, and I heard entrance examinations will be held prior to acceptance in the program I'm interested in. Has anyone ever had to take those exams and know what they consist in (regardless of their major)?

Thanks a lot.

And, related to studying REAL hard, as noted above, try to find a juku and/or support network related to your field. Normally you need to show superlative knowledge in / of Japanese, 100 or more on the TOEFL, and a VERY VERY solid (i.e., someone likes it) research plan.

Good luck!

[thehuman]

Super Grover, kurogane,

Thank you both for your answers.

I am applying as a Monbukagakushou regular student. I had no idea there would be a Japanese part in the exam... I guess I'll follow your advice, kurogane, and get hold of copies of old entrance examinations.

Supposedly though, the program I'm targeting doesn't require any particular Japanese skills. However, they do need candidates to have a strong command of English.

Anyway, I'll try to work my way through it..

Thanks again for your time! Appreciate it.

Cheers

[jarjarbinks]

if you're applying with monbukagakusho, you should really get in touch with your adviser professor. he'll give you more information, the entrance examination might just be a formality if you have necessary qualifications and a solid research topic.

[minamon]

PhD entrance exam I did (in a technical subject) waaay back was a formality (just a silly English exam and a presentation of what I wanted to research). All depends on how easy or hard the prof involved wants to make it.

Had some friends who did PhD in Kyoto Uni -- took them longer than other Jp universities (ie, 4 to 6 years).

Also you're probably aware that PhD from Japan would not sound so great to Nth Americans. You could get around that by publishing in well known foreign journals.

[thehuman]

Jarjarbinks, thank you for the information. Getting in touch with him does sound like something I want to be doing real soon.

Minamon, thanks for the insight. I'll remember the advice. I hope it won't take me 6 years to do a PhD though!

Cheers!