The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics

What The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics does

The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI) is a private professional graduate school in Kyoto, Japan, operating under Educational Corporation Information University (formerly Kyoto Computer Gakuin) and part of the broader KCG Group, which traces its origins to 1963 as Japan's first computer education institution. Established in 2003 and admitting its first cohort in April 2004, KCGI holds the regulatory designation of Japan's first IT professional graduate school (IT専門職大学院) under MEXT approval and awards the Master of Advanced Information Science (情報技術修士) over a two-year professional degree program.

Its core offering is a curriculum organized around nine concentration tracks (Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Web Systems Development, Network and Security Management, Global Entrepreneurship, ERP, IT Manga and Anime, Tourism IT, IT Entertainment) plus five industry-applied course groups (Finance, Agriculture, Marine, Medical and Health, Education). The program is delivered through a proprietary four-mode hyperflex e-learning system — in-person classroom, high-flex hybrid, synchronous real-time online, and asynchronous on-demand — operated via an in-house Learning Management System and a Cyber Campus platform that links the main Kyoto Hyakumanben campus with satellite campuses in Sapporo, Tokyo, and (as of May 2026) Athens, Greece. KCGI also offers an English Mode for full-degree English completion, an Evening Study Option for working professionals, and SAP certification preparation that has produced over 300 certified exam passers.

KCGI generates revenue primarily through annual tuition for the two-year professional degree, supplemented by SAP and other vendor certification exam preparation, customized corporate training programs (including an ongoing cybersecurity program for the Kyoto Prefectural Police since 2024), short-term seminars and workshops, and management of the .kyoto geographic top-level domain via its Cyber Kyoto Laboratory. The institution serves four primary customer segments — working IT professionals seeking career advancement, career changers from non-IT backgrounds, international students from 15+ countries, and recent IT undergraduates — with a 2024 admission capacity of 1,000 students, more than twelve times its original 2004 capacity of 80. Beyond academic programs, KCGI operates the Future Environment Lab for IoT and AI research, the KCG Computer Museum (a designated Information Processing Technology Heritage site), and the .kyoto domain registry, making it the only educational institution worldwide to manage an ICANN-approved geographic top-level domain.

Name

The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics

Legal name

学校法人情報大学 (Educational Corporation Information University)

Website

https://kcg.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI) is Japan's first IT professional graduate school, offering a two-year Master of Advanced Information Science through a four-mode hyperflex e-learning system serving working professionals, career changers, international students, and recent IT graduates. It operates satellite campuses in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Athens and uniquely manages the ICANN-approved .kyoto top-level domain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Graduate School Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition and fees for professional graduate degree programs (情報技術修士). Students pay tuition per academic year for the 2-year professional degree program.
2. SAP Certification Exam Preparation: Revenue from providing specialized ERP education and certification preparation courses, with SAP certification exam fees separate. KCGI has produced over 300 SAP certification exam passers.
3. Evening/Working Adult Courses: Specialized evening courses for working professionals pursuing career advancement or career change, with weekend attendance options combined with e-learning.
4. Customized Training Programs: Short-term specialized training programs for corporate clients and working professionals, including open seminars and workshops for general public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KCGI is Japan's first IT professional graduate school, offering a 2-year Master of Advanced Information Science (情報技術修士) degree combining ICT technical skills with business management (MOT) education. The school delivers instruction through a proprietary high-flex e-learning system supporting four attendance modes (in-person, remote, synchronous online, asynchronous on-demand), serving working professionals, career changers, international students, and recent graduates. KCGI also operates adjacent services including SAP certification preparation, English-mode degree completion, and management of the .kyoto geographic top-level domain.

Product overview

The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI) operates as Japan’s first IT professional graduate school. Its core offering is the Master of Advanced Information Science (情報技術修士) degree, a 2-year terminal professional degree program. The institution delivers its curriculum through its e-learning Cyber Campus system, which supports four attendance modalities: traditional in-person, high-flex hybrid, synchronous online, and asynchronous on-demand. The program is organized around 9 specialized concentration tracks (Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Web Systems Development, Network & Security Management, Global Entrepreneurship, ERP, IT Manga & Anime, Tourism IT, IT Entertainment) and 5 industry-applied course groups (Finance, Agriculture, Marine, Medical & Health, Education). KCGI also offers an English Mode for degree completion entirely in English, an Evening Study Option for working professionals, and SAP certification preparation. Beyond its academic programs, KCGI manages the .kyoto geographic top-level domain through its Cyber Kyoto Laboratory (CKL), operates the KCG Computer Museum (a recognized information processing heritage site), and maintains a Future Environment Lab for IoT/AI research. The institution has satellite campuses in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Athens (Greece), and operates e-learning infrastructure originally developed under a 2006 MEXT-supported program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IT Professional Graduate School Program (KCGI Main Program) Japan's first 2-year Master of Advanced Information Science (情報技術修士) degree program combining IT and management skills, with 9 concentration areas (AI, Data Science, Web Systems, Network Security, Global Entrepreneurship, ERP, IT Manga/Anime, Tourism IT, IT Entertainment) and 5 industry-applied course groups (Finance, Agriculture, Marine, Medical & Health, Education). Curriculum requires 44 credits. Aimed at working IT professionals, career changers, international students, and recent graduates.
• Evening Study Option (イブニング履修) Evening-based study option enabling working professionals to attend courses on weekdays (6th-7th periods) and Saturdays, combined with e-learning, offered at the Kyoto Ekimae Satellite. Designed to allow full-time employees to pursue the graduate degree without leaving their jobs.
• English Mode Program (英語モード) A mode of instruction allowing students to complete the entire KCGI program in English, with courses taught by internationally recruited faculty. Designed to develop global IT professionals and accommodate international students and bilingual Japanese students.
• SAP Certification Preparation SAP-certified exam preparation courses embedded within the curriculum, using a full SAP R/3 educational system to provide hands-on ERP training. Has produced 300+ SAP certification examination passers as of November 2025. SAP certification exam fees are separate from tuition.
• .kyoto Domain Management Service Geographic top-level domain (.kyoto) registration and management service, with KCGI serving as the management and operation entity (registry) approved by ICANN. Only educational institution worldwide to manage a geographic TLD. Aims to build a clean domain free of phishing and adult content while promoting Kyoto commerce, tourism, and regional revitalization.

Quantifiable outcome

• SAP certification passers: 300+ (as of November 2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waseda University: A leading Japanese private university with extensive graduate programs including IT and computer science. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering IT-adjacent graduate education, competing with KCGI for top-tier students and faculty.
• Benesse Corporation: A major Japanese education services company offering K-12, language, and corporate training. While focused on lower levels, Benesse's corporate training and language schools overlap with KCGI's international student and working professional segments.
• Sophia University: A Japanese private university with extensive graduate programs and strong international student base. Comparable to KCGI in the international student market in Japan, with a broader program portfolio but less specialization in IT professional degrees.
• Keio University: A top Japanese university with strong IT, computer science, and business graduate programs. A broader incumbent competing for KCGI's prospective students and corporate partnership budgets, with substantially larger scale and resources.
• Recruit Holdings: Japan's largest human resources and education services conglomerate (operating Indeed, LinkedIn Japan, and study abroad platforms). A broader incumbent in education and workforce development that competes for the same working-adult upskilling wallet share as KCGI.

Direct peers

• Temple University Japan: An American university's Japan campus offering graduate programs in business and IT. Comparable to KCGI as an international graduate education provider in Japan competing for English-speaking and international students pursuing advanced degrees in Tokyo.
• Digital Hollywood University: A Japanese professional graduate school focused on digital content, IT, and creative industries. Digital Hollywood is the most direct peer to KCGI in Japan's professional graduate school category, competing for similar working-professional and career-changer students seeking IT-related advanced degrees.
• Lakeland University Japan: An American university's Japan campus providing graduate business and IT-adjacent programs for working professionals. Comparable to KCGI's evening and English-mode offerings for working adults pursuing graduate credentials in Japan.
• Digital Hollywood STUDIO: The corporate training arm of Digital Hollywood, offering bootcamp-style IT and digital content courses for working professionals. Directly comparable to KCGI's corporate training and SAP certification offerings, with overlap in the target customer base of Japanese working professionals.
• Heidelberg University Japan: A German university's Japan campus offering graduate programs aimed at working professionals. Directly comparable to KCGI's model of blending international credentials with evening/online delivery for Japanese and international working adults.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KCGI_PR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/kcgedu
• Facebookfacebook.com/kcgiKyoto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E9%99%A2%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcgi_pr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics