Support

Career Support

Kobe DU is expected to produce work-ready graduates equipped with professional knowledge and techniques. Graduates are actively working at enterprises not only in Kobe, but also in various other parts of Japan and Asian countries. Kobe DU graduates have procured positions at the following companies within the last five years.

Asahi Kasei Homes Corporation; Asahi Production Co., Ltd.; Isuzu Motors Limited; Imayo & Co.,Ltd.; EDELWEISS Co., Ltd.; OSAKA SEALING PRINTING Co., Ltd.; Osaka Prefectural Government; Casio Computer Co., Ltd.; Capcom Co., Ltd.; KARIMOKU FURNITURE INC,; Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd.; KUTSUWA Co., Ltd.; KUMAGAI GUMI Co., Ltd.; Graphic Corporation; Ltd. Kay Uno; K-TEC Corporation; KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.; Kobe City Hall; Comme Des Garcons Co., Ltd.; SANZIGEN Inc.; SANWA SUPPLY Inc.; Zycc Corporation ; J.C.STAFF Co., Ltd.; SHIMANO INC. ;SHARP Corp.; STYLEM Co., Ltd.; Space Co., Ltd.; Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.; Seiban; Sekisui House, Ltd.; Senshukai Co., Ltd.; SEMBA CORPORATION; Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.; Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.; TAKASHO Co., Ltd.; Takisada Nagoya Co., Ltd.; TASAKI & Co., Ltd.; DesignArc Co., Ltd.; DENSO TEN Limited.; TOEI ANIMATION Co., Ltd.; Tokyo eizo bijutu Co., Ltd.; TOKYO BIKO Co., Ltd.; TOLI Corporation; Top sangyo Co., Ltd.; Naris Cosmetics Co., Ltd.; NIKKI ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE INC.; NITTO KOHKI Co., Ltd.; BANDAI Co., Ltd.; The Higo Bank, Ltd.; Hyogo Prefectural Government; HIROSHIMA TOYO CARP Co., Ltd.; Five Foxes Co., Ltd.; Fukuske Corporation; Mizuno Corporation; RUI SEKKEISHITSU Co., Ltd.;
etc.
Corporation and many others.

Certifications

Kobe DU offers courses leading to various types of specialist certifications, including the following:

  • Curator’s certificate (all departments)
  • Senior high school teacher certificate (Type 1) in arts and crafts in Japan (Dept. of Product and Interior Design / Dept. of Visual Design / Dept. of Manga Media / Dept. of Image Arts / Dept. of Arts and Crafts)
  • Senior high school teacher certificate (Type 1) in engineering in Japan (Dept. of Environmental Design / Dept. of Fashion and Textile Design)
  • Junior high school teacher certificate (Type 1) in arts in Japan (Dept. of Product and Interior Design / Dept. of Visual Design / Dept. of Manga Media / Dept. of Image Arts / Dept. of Arts and Crafts) At Kobe DU, students can prepare themselves for government level examinations necessary to obtain the following qualification.
  • 1st / 2nd Class Qualified Architect, 1st / 2nd Building Engineer (Available to Dept. of Environmental Design Students only. For 1st class, applicants must have work experience.)
  • Interior Planner (Available to students in the Dept. of Product and Interior Design. By taking designated subjects, work experience is unnecessary.)

Honors Students

Kobe DU recognizes outstanding students as honors students, and awards financial aid toward their education. Academically (including studio / practical work) outstanding over 2nd year students receive scholarships equivalent to a quarter of the annual tuition. Academically outstanding 1st year students receive, after enrollment, scholarships equivalent to half of the 1st year’s tuition. New students admitted by recommendation also receive scholarships when they fulfill the required conditions. Kobe DU Graduate School offers a 1st year honors student program, which exempts half of the 1st year annual tuition for students selected on the basis of excellent entrance examination results from among those newly admitted to the Kobe DU Graduate School directly from Kobe DU (excluding MEXT scholarship students). For existing honors students, the Graduate School has a program allowing exemption of half of the annual tuition for those selected from among all students already enrolled in the Graduate School, excluding MEXT scholarship students, on the basis of their academic performance in the previous year. ※The MEXT scholarship is offered by the Japanese Ministry (Monbukagakusho-MEXT) for non-Japanese individuals living overseas.

Educational Support Association

Consists of student’s guardians, supporting students by the following:

  • Scholarships
  • Career support
  • Educational parent-teacher meeting
  • Funding support for the graduation party
  • International student support
  • Development and maintenance of the educational environment

Support for Incoming International Students

Kobe DU has accepted approximately 500 international students, including exchange and the MEXT scholarship students, from 37 countries and regions around the world (incl. Asia, North, South and Central America, the Middle East, and Europe). We offer various assistance to international students by providing opportunities for them to experience the daily lifestyles and culture of Japan, so as to make the exchange experience as fruitful as possible.

Student Exchange Program

Kobe DU has partnered with 11 overseas universities, and of those, has established student exchange programs with the following 9 universities listed below. The student exchange program provides students with an opportunity to study arts and design in other countries, and dispatches one student to and accepts one from each partner. The period of the program is for one year or half a year.

  • FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH University of Applied Sciences (Austria)
  • University of Montreal (Canada)
  • Berlin-Weissensee School of Art (Germany)
  • Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia)
  • National University of Kaosiung (Taiwan)
  • National Taiwan University of Arts (Taiwan)
  • National Yunlin University of Science & Technology (Taiwan)
  • Dongseo University (South Korea)
  • Beijing Institute of Technology (China)

Enrolled International Students

Currently, 99 international students from 11 countries study at Kobe DU: China 71 / South Korea 11 / Taiwan 5 / Indonesia 4 / Malaysia 1 / Canada 1 / Austria 1 / El Salvador 2 / Venezuela 1 / Nicaragua 1 / Dominican Republic 1 / etc. (As of Oct. 20 18)

Tutoring

Current Kobe DU undergraduate and graduate students are appointed “tutors” to new international students, supporting their study and campus life.

Scholarships

Public and private scholarship programs are available for international students, and both can be applied for after enrollment.

Housing Assistance

Kobe DU offers international students a furnished university-rented municipal housing and an apartment building dedicated for Kobe DU students. Both are accessible on foot.