International Researchers

Many types of foreign nationals with varying academic status work at Kyoto University. Here, we describe the three kinds of foreign academics working in the Graduate School of Engineering: "Guest Scholar," and "Guest Research Associate."

In addition, there are other job categories at Kyoto University, including "Researcher" and "Program-Specific Researcher," and many foreign nationals are engaged in projects and other kinds of research in one or more of these capacities.

Because the terms are similar, care is needed to avoid confusion between job categories and academic status. Applications for any of these positions are made through the relevant laboratory, department, or attached facility.

Academic status specific to foreign nationals

Guest Scholar

Guest scholar is an academic status granted to a person who meets the following conditions, after passing necessary meetings in the relevant department, in accordance with the Kyoto University Guest Scholar Acceptance Guidelines.

1. A person who is not a visiting lecturer or visiting research scholar, as defined by Article 14 of the Regulations of the National University Corporation Kyoto University Organization (2004, Public Notice No. 1)
2. As a rule, a person who contributes to the research and education of the department for a period of at least one month.  The minimum period of engagement for this status is a stay of two weeks.
3. A person recognized to have equal or better qualifications than professors, associate professors, or lecturers at Kyoto University

Guest Research Associate

Guest research associate is an academic status granted to a person who meets one of the following conditions, in accordance with the Kyoto University Guest Scholar Acceptance Guidelines.  Unlike guest scholar, this status is strictly for persons invited to engage in a particular project, and is not granted to persons who are staying in Japan at their own expense.

1. An international researcher invited as part of an international exchange project of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
2. An international researcher invited on a Follow-up Research Fellowship of the Japan Student Services Organization
3. An international researcher invited as part of a funded project by the Kyoto University Foundation to promote international exchange
4. An international researcher invited on a grant-in-aid for scientific research
5. An international researcher invited on another kind of international exchange project
6. The minimum period of engagement for this status is a stay of two weeks.

Common job categories of foreign nationals

Researcher and Program-Specific Researcher

Many researchers who are engaged in projects and other kinds of research have the job category of researcher or program-specific researcher.

A researcher in this sense is someone employed on a part-time basis and paid at an hourly rate, according to the National University Corporation Kyoto University Rules for Hourly Rate Employment of Academic Staff.

A program-specific researcher is employed with an annual salary, on a five day-per-week basis, with flexible hours (equivalent to 40 hours per week), according to National University Corporation Rules for Specified Fixed Term Employment of Academic Staff.

Researchers and program-specific researchers can be of any nationality; however, foreign nationals must have the status of residence that allows them to work in Japan as a researcher.

> Living in Kyoto