Kotaro attended the University of Utah, enrolling in 2005. She had been drawn to the university because her older sister was also attending, and because her mother was doing research in the university's Department of Psychology. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in 2009. She then returned to Palau.[3] Kotaro later attended graduate school in Taiwan, at National Chengchi University, where she obtained a master's degree in Asia-Pacific Studies.[2][3] She received a scholarship from the Palau National Scholarship Board to pursue her studies in Taiwan.[4]
