Science is a discipline that studies natural phenomena around us and seeks to reveal the truth behind them. It aims to search for the truth behind natural phenomena and to reveal the universal laws and mechanisms in a reasonable manner. Reflecting on history, most of the scientific discoveries that have had a huge impact on the world stemmed from scientists' pure curiosity to understand the principles behind natural phenomena.

Since our establishment, we have fostered highly original research without being constrained by current trends, while respecting the freedom of individual researchers to pursue their own ideas. All of the faculty members experience profound joy in discovering the true nature and essence of the unknown and are passionately engaged in their pursuits. This curious, unique, versatile, and diverse faculty is what we at the Graduate School and Faculty of Science of Kyoto University are most proud of.

We firmly believe that our research and education can play a significant role in addressing various challenges facing society. Science may not provide direct solutions to the complex issues of declining birthrates, aging populations, climate change, and natural disaster risks, which Japan and the world are currently facing. Science is an exceptionally effective discipline for fostering the ability to gain deep insights, grasp the essence of phenomena, and generate innovative ideas that break free from existing frameworks, which are essential for addressing these challenges. By studying science, students acquire universal 'techniques of knowledge' for exploring nature, empowering them to make bold conceptual shifts essential in various societal contexts. Furthermore, the process of research itself serves as a wellspring of new methods and concepts for information analysis, cutting-edge technologies, and entirely novel ways of thinking, all of which are fundamental to problem-solving. History has shown that the discoveries and inventions that change society often arise from unrelated basic research.

We are continuously evolving to utilize our scientific potential in contributing to society. As part of this initiative, we established the Center for Science Adventure and Collaborative Research Advancement (SACRA) and launched the "Mathematics-based Creation of Science Program" (commonly referred to as the MACS Program) to advance research and education in interdisciplinary fields. Additionally, starting in the 2024 academic year, we established three new interdisciplinary research units within SACRA: (1) Data-Enabled Science Hypothesis Generation Unit, (2) Frontier Quantum Measurement Unit, and (3) Earth-Life Coevolution Research Unit. The units are centered on the next generation of young researchers and aim to accelerate interdisciplinary research.

At the same time, it is crucial to further enhance student diversity to adapt to the environment surrounding the Faculty of Science. To further enhance diversity among our students, we will significantly expand special entrance examination slots and introduce new initiatives to provide more opportunities for women applicants starting in the 2026 academic year. This important step aims to welcome talented students with diverse personalities and abilities from across the nation and the world, bringing a variety of perspectives into learning and further revitalizing the Faculty of Science. From now on, we will continue exploring diverse selection methods to open the door of science to more motivated young people.

Motivated by intellectual curiosity, the Graduate School of Science and the Faculty of Science at Kyoto University will continue to pursue truth and contribute to the future. We sincerely appreciate your continued understanding, support, and cooperation.

Even though we have well equipped　facilities besides our brilliant staff with various charming characters, it is you whom we are most proud of. You are excellent students, who long for our academic culture, with limitless potential and diverse individualities. I expect you to discover new horizons through encounters with the right people, and gain a deep insight into the essence and the truth of things during your school life. In addition, I would like you to join us in making the school more attractive together.

Our undergraduate program offers you a wide range of options. The only required subject is the graduation work whilst you need to earn a certain number of credits from each subject cluster. Once you set your own goal, you will be able to make effective choices among the alternatives to take actions proactively toward the goal along your personal plan.

The other thing is that, I would like to advise you to keep in mind to talk with and listen to anyone around you now and then. Sharing ideas and exchanging opinions not only prevent you from being go-it-alone but lead you to find something new which might enable you to make progress in achieving the goal. If you have any trouble, you could also get professional counseling on campus. I hope you get to know who you are through those interactions.

We invite those who:

Please find details on the website of our admission policy.

Under severe fiscal circumstances, our job duties have been getting heavier and heavier. We have to streamline our operation for maintaining the quality of performance. This is one of the reasons why the SACRA was established. I embrace consensus building in steering GSS while making the SACRA well-functioned, and ask your cooperation for development of the school.

As well as we seek the truth of natural phenomena retaining medium- to long-term vision, we strive to cultivate students’ scientific ground, develop their ability of logical and rational thinking and improve their eyes of perspective and mental strength.

On the other hand, during recent years, we face the downtrend in the scale of budget from the government and in the number of staff. In those harsh circumstances, your support truly helps us. We are deeply grateful for the support of donors.

Furthermore, we express our heartfelt apology for the research misconduct. We will continue to make our best efforts as a whole school to achieve high quality research results. We sincerely request your continued understanding and support into the years ahead. Please keep connected to us on our website or the Science Club Days.