APPLICATION TIME FRAME
ENROLLMENT APRIL 2025
You must submit your application via the Admissions Assistance Office (AAO) system between

October 1 and 15, 2024
and send necessary documents via postal mail between

November 1 and 20, 2024
IMPORTANT NOTE
Please make sure that you have read the JDTS APPLICATION FAQ before applying for a place inthe Joint Degree Master's Program in Transcultural Studies. If anything remains unclear, pleasecontact the JDTS coordination office (apply[a]cats.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp).
The following dates are all based on Japan Standard Time.

Admission Procedures
We only accept applications for the spring semester of each year. Please follow the steps andsubmit the necessary documents listed below.
The admission process utilizes the online application system of the Admissions Assistance Office(AAO). Please follow the instructions below.
Please refer to the Admission Policy (English translation) at the Graduate School of Letters for
information about the selection process.
Number of positions in the program: 5 students/year.
1. Admissions Assistance Office (AAO) Screening (Oct. 1-15, 2024)
Indicate your intention to apply for enrollment in April 2025 to the Admissions Assistance Office,AAO, by submitting the indicated documents no later than October 15, 2024. The office will
check your eligibility for enrollment at both universities, Kyoto and Heidelberg. Thus, research
students already enrolled at Kyoto University, and graduates from Japanese universities need to go
through AAO for their eligibility to enroll in Heidelberg, too (and to submit further materials).
You will receive the results of your degree equivalence screening by October 31, 2024.
Please follow the instructions in the "JDTS AAO Guidelines" and submit the indicated documentsvia the AAO system (certificates as scans/in digital form) and follow the given file naming
convention (incorrectly named files may cause a delay in processing your application or in theworst case that it is not considered).
Please submit the following items through the AAO system.
•
A scan of the signed application form to be downloaded here [see also note 1].
•
A scan of a certified/official English translation or certified copy of the degree certificate
of your B.A. (and M.A./M. Phil if applicable) [2].
•A scan of a certified/official English translation or certified transcript of academic recordsof your B.A. (and M.A. / M. Phil if applicable) [3].

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Scans of certified copies of language certificates (English plus two additional languages) .
You may include your respective mother tongue language as one of the two additionallanguages. In that case, a certificate for the mother tongue language is not required. [4]Letter of motivation (as PDF, in English; min. 800, max. 1.000 words) [5].
Scan of the formal statement confirming that you wrote the letter of motivation yourself
without the help of others and that you have properly acknowledged the use of all ideas
from additional sources [5].
A photograph [6]A scan of your Certificate of Residence or your passport (international students andJapanese nationals) [7].
One to two writing samples (e.g., your B.A. thesis or term papers) [8].
Two letters of recommendation [9].
Scan of your high school diploma and transcript of records(Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) [10]2. Document Submission (Nov. 1-20, 2024)
If the AAO screening based on the submitted documents determines that you can apply to theJDTS, please pay the application fee and submit the following documents via postal mail to
the Graduate Academic Affairs office by November 20, 2024. If you send your documents before
November 13 and submit the tracking number to apply[a]cats.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp, documents
arriving a little late will still be accepted.
•The original signed application form, which you submitted via AAO in October.
•Certified/official English translation or certified copy of the degree certificate of yourB.A. (and M.A./M. Phil if applicable).
•Certified/official English translation or certified transcript of academic records of yourB.A. (and M.A. / M. Phil if applicable).
•
Certified copies of language certificates (English plus two additional languages). You may
include your respective mother tongue language as one of the two additional languages.
In that case, a certificate for the mother tongue language is not required.
•A formal statement confirming that you wrote the letter of motivation yourself without
the help of others and that you have properly acknowledged the use of all ideas fromadditional sources.
•The "Evidence of Payment of Application Fees" [11].
We will inform you of the result of the first application step in early December. The initialassessment is based on your submitted documents, focusing on your letter of motivation.
3. Interviews (Dec. 13-17, 2024)
Applicants who passed the AAO screening and the first selection step will be asked to participate
in interviews (using video-telephony). Please ensure that you are available during the indicateddates. Time zone differences will be taken into account as much as possible, but we cannotguarantee you a specific slot.
The interviews focus on the applicant's submitted writing samples, language capabilities, andcritical thinking. The interviews will be conducted in English but may also include questions inother languages depending on an applicant's certified language proficiencies.

24. Results and Visa Preparations (Jan. 23, 2025)
We will inform you of the final selection result by January 23, 2025. International students willsubsequently be advised on visa application procedures if they do not reside in Japan already.
5. Enrollment Procedures and Fees (March 2025)
You will receive your enrollment documents and student I.D. at the end of February/beginning ofMarch. You will also be asked to pay admission and tuition fees during these procedures. [12]Academic Affairs Submission Address
Please submit all required forms and documents to the Graduate Academic Affairs Office of theGraduate School of Letters within the November application period:
Kyoto University, Graduate School of Letters, Graduate Academic Affairs Office (第二教務掛)
Yoshida honmachi, Sakyō-ku, Kyoto
606-8501
JapanNotes[1] Clearly fill out all required items on your computer and submit a scan of the signed form via
the AAO system. If you pass the AAO screening, please send the original to Kyoto University
together with the other required documents in November. Once the application documents havebeen accepted, no application revisions can be made.

Personal Information and Disclosure to the Partner Institution

Your personal information (including grade information) will be used only for the purpose ofadmission selection and, upon successful application, for the administration of your studies. By
submitting your application documents and signing the application form, you also agree that yourhome institution (Kyoto University) may disclose your personal data, as provided by theapplication form and obtained by your home institution as a result of your enrollment, for thefollowing purposes in accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held byAdministrative Agencies (Law No. 59 of 2003, Japan), the State Law of Baden-Württemberg on
Higher Education (Landeshochschulgesetz, LHG), the Directive of the Ministry of Science on theCollection and Processing of University Applicants' Personal Data for University Administrative
Purposes (Hochschul-Datenschutzverordnung, HSchulDSV BW), the State Data Protection Act ofBaden-Württemberg (Landesdatenschutzgesetz, LDSG), and the data protection policies of Kyoto
and Heidelberg University:(a) the processing of your application to the joint degree program; and(b) the administration of your enrollment at the partner institution, including exchanging
information regarding grades and credit points (provided your application is successful).
[2] [3] Applicants for the Joint Degree in Transcultural Studies must fulfill any of the following
two requirements by March 31, 2025:• Must have graduated from a Japanese university and hold a B.A. degree or equivalent (cf.
provisions of Article 104, Paragraph 7 of the School Education Act) in a discipline of thehumanities, cultural or social sciences with an above-average grade. A B.A. degree from aso-called professional university might be acceptable if the respective study program was
research-oriented (see FAQ 11).

3••Must have graduated from an overseas university (or equivalent institution of highereducation) or an overseas institution located in Japan after at least 16 years of school
education (including undergraduate studies) and hold a B.A. degree or equivalent in adiscipline of the humanities, cultural or social sciences with an above-average
grade. Please see the information concerning the degree equivalence screening provided
by the Admissions Assistance Office, AAO. We will inform you of the result of thescreening via email.
An above-average grade refers to a total GPA equivalent to or better than a 2.0 overall
grade in the German system (85% or better, ECTS grade B or better, GPA 3.0 or better ina system with 4.0 the maximum). As a joint degree program, candidates must fulfill thisrequirement from Heidelberg University (see, [link to MATS requirements]).
IMPORTANT: If your transcript of records does not include a total GPA (in your homecountry’s system or the ECTS system), please provide a separate document issued by youruniversity that clearly states your total GPA (see also FAQ 13).

Students already enrolled at other universities or graduate schools after April 1, 2025, will not beadmitted (no double enrollment; students in the Joint Degree Program will, however, be enrolled
at a later date also at Heidelberg University). Furthermore, those who are employed bycompanies, public corporations/organizations, government offices, research institutes, etc., must
submit a letter of consent from the relevant director at the time of the enrollment procedures toensure that any other duties do not interfere with academic work. If you run a business or have ajob, but a company does not employ you, please submit a written pledge to dedicate yourself tostudying at the time of enrollment.
Note on B.A. degree equivalence: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, andTechnology (MEXT) also recognizes as equivalent applicants who graduate from specializedcourses at vocational schools or applicants who have only studied for three years at a university
but have earned excellent grades (see provisions of Article 102, Paragraph 2 of the School
Education Act). However, Joint Degree students will also have to enroll at the partner, Heidelberg
University, where such achievements may not be recognized as equivalent. If you cannot submit aB.A. degree certificate conferred by a Japanese or overseas university, please contact the JDTS
coordination office (apply[a]cats.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp) no later than October 1, 2024.
[4] Applicants need to prove very good proficiency in English, i.e., at least level C1 according tothe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), by means of either oneof the following tests:• a minimum score of 90 in the TOEFL iBT• a minimum score of 6.5 in the IELTS• a CAE – Grade C/ FCE – Grade A
Alternatively, a certificate from your university's language department stating your proficiency
level of at least C1 according to CEFRL will also be accepted.
Furthermore, good knowledge of two more languages (at least level B1 according to the CEFRL),
including the respective mother tongue, is mandatory.
Language certificates should not be older than four years. A certificate for one's first mothertongue is not required. MyBest Scores in the TOEFL iBT cannot be accepted as proof of language
proficiency (see FAQ 19).

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If your certified English language proficiency was below 100 TOEFL iBT (or 7.0 in the IELTS; orequivalent) upon enrollment in Kyoto, you must pass the course "Advanced Skills for Humanities
Research in English" before you go to Heidelberg (or provide a certificate of proficiency of at least
100 iBT or equivalent).
[5] The letter of motivation must convincingly explain the specific motivation to apply for theJoint Degree Master of Arts in Transcultural Studies based on the applicant's thematic andregional areas of interest. How do your interests relate to the program's contents and aims? What
study focus (KBR, SEG, VMC) would you like to choose and why? In addition, the letter must
detail the language proficiency and methodological qualifications of the applicant that will equipthem for the program. How do you want to build on and possibly expand these qualifications inyour studies? What do you seek to gain from studying at the respective partner, Heidelberg orKyoto?
You need to submit a formal statement via postal mail confirming that you wrote the letter ofmotivation by yourself without the help of others and that you have properly acknowledged theuse of all ideas from additional sources (e.g., via citations).
[6] Submit a head-and-shoulders photograph of yourself (without head covering) taken no morethan three months before the date of applying (photo size: 4 cm high x 3 cm wide).
[7] An international student living in Japan should submit a Certificate of Residence issued by themayor of their city, ward, town, or village of residence (or a scan of each side of their residencecard) if they currently live in Japan. International students and Japanese students must submit ascan of their passport (necessary for procedures in Heidelberg).
[8] If your B.A. thesis is not yet completed by the time of application, please submit a thesis
abstract in addition to two writing samples. Such writing samples can be term papers (in English,Japanese, or German) you wrote during your undergraduate studies. Please submit as PDFs. Pleaseprovide samples of a total length of ca. 30-40 pages (ca. 10-12.000 words), up to a maximum of 60pages. For further details, see FAQ 24.
[9] Please submit letters of recommendation from two referees (e.g., professors from yourundergraduate studies), ideally using this form. Please inform them well in advance that you
would like them to act as your referees. If your referees prefer to send the letters to us directly,
please upload their names and email addresses as a PDF in the AAO system instead. Make sure tolist their institutional email addresses (no gmail, hotmail, or other private addresses) and ask themto use those addresses to contact us. Letters of recommendation not submitted via the AAO
system should be sent to apply[a]cats.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp by the referees no later than November
10, 2024. Applications without such reference letters cannot be considered for this program.
[10] Directly after enrolling at Kyoto University, you will be asked to prepare also the enrollment
process for Heidelberg University and the visa application for Germany (if necessary). For
enrolling at Heidelberg University (regardless of the study program, undergraduate or graduatestudies), the law asks for the submission of a student's university entrance qualification("Hochschulzugangsberechtigung," e.g., the high school diploma). For this purpose, please submit
scans of the following items in the AAO system and prepare originals or certified copies in case
you pass the AAO screening:• your high school graduation certificate, and5

a transcript of academic records (high school).
Both documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. If you needto pass a general university admission exam in your country's education system in addition tograduating from high school (e.g., kyōtsū test/center shiken in Japan or the Spanish University
Entrance Examination (SUEE) in Spain), please also provide documentation for this exam.

•[11] Make the payment of the application fee using the web form, and submit the "Evidence ofPayment of Application Fees" via postal mail. Exam fee: JP¥30,000 (+JP¥650 handling), transfer
period is between November 1 and 20, 2024.
After the application is accepted, the examination fee will not be refunded for any reason. Papers
submitted for application will not be returned.
[12] Fees for 2025.
Admission fee: JP¥282,000
Tuition fee: JP¥267,900 for one semester (JP¥535,800 per year)
The admission and tuition fees are estimated amounts and may be subject to change.
In case of changes at the time of enrollment or during enrollment, the new admission fee and thenew tuition fee will be applied.
On successful application, you will also receive information about possibilities for the exemption
and deferral of fees. For more information, please see the central web pages of Kyoto University(EN | JP).
You will not have to pay tuition fees to Heidelberg University during your stay in Germany.
Note: MEXT scholarship holders are eligible to enroll in the J.D. program once the program
accepts them. However, the MEXT scholarship payments will be suspended while respective
students are in Germany (see FAQs 5 and 9).
For further information, please refer to the JDTS APPLICATION FAQ!

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