Location
  • Japan
    • Kyoto
Term
Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Anthropology Arts Asian Studies Cultural Studies Film Geography History Language Studies Religious Studies

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Dormitory
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE! Our high-quality programs include tuition, housing, on-site airport pick-up, field trips and cultural activities, 24/7 on-site professional staff, and automatic iNext insurance. There are no hidden charges or surprises when you arrive, and scholarships opportunities are available!
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Classes Travel Insurance
Jul 14, 2022
Feb 05, 2023
5 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

No place is more quintessential Japanese than Kyoto. The former capital city is lined with ancient palaces, traditional teahouses, and peaceful Zen gardens where students can ponder which amazing noodle house to dine at for an unforgettable bowl of ramen. Add in cultural activities and excursions and studying abroad in Kyoto will be an experience students will remember forever.

CIEE Kyoto is students’ home base, a safe zone for them to learn, grow, communicate, and collaborate.

Courses are available in English and Japanese.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • CIEE Kyoto is conveniently located in the city of Kyoto with easy access to the city’s comprehensive train and bus networks.
  • Day-trip to Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital, to see eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Nara Park, the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple, and the Kasuga Grand Shrine.
  • Explore Iwatayama Monkey Park and feed monkeys, taste local specialties from Nishiki Market, and enjoy local festivals and celebrations, like Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri, in and around the city.
  • Take a guided tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the former residence of the Emperor of Japan, and stroll the surrounding imperial buildings and gardens.

Popular Programs

CIEE Kyoto Summer Program

As the ancient capital of Japan, it remains the premier hub of traditional Japanese culture and visual arts, and attracts visitors from around the globe to its palaces, temples, museums, theaters, and excellent restaurants.

CIEE Kyoto Semester Program

Explore the dynamics of Japanese language and culture in one of the most celebrated historical cities in the world. As the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto remains the premier hub of traditional Japanese culture.

CIEE Kyoto January Program

Bring your interest in Japanese Manga and Art to the ancient capital of Japan this January. Kyoto is the premier hub of traditional Japanese culture and is filled with palaces, temples, gardens, museums, and theaters.

kyoto

With CIEE's Open Campus Block Programs, you can design your very own study abroad program to include up to three different locations for 6, 12 or 18 weeks.

Stay in one city the entire time or spend other blocks at our other Open Campus Block locations in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dublin, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Monteverde, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, or Sydney.

Scholarships

CIEE

CIEE Scholarships and Grants

CIEE’s need-based grants offer support to students who face financial barriers to studying abroad. CIEE awards need-based grants based on students’ EFCs and program selection. The Gilman Go Global Grant offers students $750-$2,000 toward airfare, plus $2,500 toward semester program costs, or $1,000 toward summer program costs.

Value
$500 - $2,500

Program Reviews

4.75 Rating
based on 4 reviews
  • 5 rating 75%
  • 4 rating 25%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 3.25
  • Support 4.75
  • Fun 4.75
  • Housing 4.5
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Default avatar
Athina
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Good social experience. Not great academic experience

The CIEE staff are really over worked, there are too many programs going on at the same time. The professors were not organized and one professor was completely unhinged and made me feel unsafe. The student life staff was extremely accommodating and invested in our success. The housing was really nice and the location was incredible. My positive of the experience is I got to immerse myself in Japanese culture. I loved being in Kyoto, I think it’s a fabulous place to stay over Tokyo and Osaka. I loved my classmates, it was super easy for me to make friends. I wish I grew professionally a bit more and gained more academic and transferable skills. The classes simply were not what I expected for a college level. They were very informal.

Pros
  • The area of the housing
  • Fellow students
  • Dedicated student life staff
Cons
  • Professors
  • Communication
  • Feeling ignored due to staff being over worked
5 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Adnan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A challenging but very rewarding experience

January in Kyoto was a life-changing experience that presented me with lots of first experiences in my life. For starters, this was only a three-week program, so everything was very fast-paced. This isn't a bad thing though, as it makes you strategically plan out your limited time in Japan and makes you plan to see the sights and even go to Tokyo or Osaka. If you do the research you'll find so many things to do and you'll never run out of new things to experience, ideally something new every day! If you have a good balance between your academic and adventurous side, then this is the perfect program for you!

Pros
  • Amazing city/environment
  • Amacing food
  • Never running our of things to do
Cons
  • Very time limited
  • Class can be a lot sometimes
  • Not much flexibility with class schedule
6 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Zack
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The History of Anime & Manga

David and Karen are the two coordinators for the CIEE branch in Kyoto and they are incredibly kind and fun. I took the history of anime and manga course during the J-Term which covered from the ancient Buddhist art to scroll paintings to modern animation. They brought in two professional artists who showed how they work and gave us an unlimited pass to the international museum of manga in Kyoto. They also organized a few side trips with local activities! Being right in the heart of the city, there are many restaurants and shrines nearby, and the famous Fushimi Inari mountain shrine is a short subway ride away!

What would you improve about this program?
We had two professors for the course which made the academics a little confusing. I would prefer if we just had one professor.
36 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jack
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing time in kyoto

CIEE in Kyoto was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Not only was the staff amazing but the housing was great as well. With everything that CIEE put in place for us it allowed us to have an amazing even life changing experience even in just 3 weeks. Getting to explore all of the things kyoto as to offer was amazing. Kyoto also is the #1 place to travel since it is not too crowded but still provides all of the amazing experiences a city in Japan has to offer! The city really gives you a place to bond with your classmates! Highly highly recommend!

35 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers