The 2018 University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application Guidelines are Out!
Most universities in Japan will have already started – and in some cases finished – their application process before MEXT released the official guidelines. To find out how and when each university accepts applications, you’ll have to contact them directly. However, here are the important changes and things to know for this year’s application, whether you’re starting now or already in the process.
University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship for Research Students (Graduate Students)
This article (and every article I have written about the MEXT scholarship to date) focuses on the scholarship for graduate students. There are only seven universities able to recommend undergraduate scholars for the MEXT scholarship in this year’s application process. You can find the list on page three of this document. If you’re interested, please follow up with those universities.
University-Recommended MEXT 2018: Overview
What’s changed this year?
Overall, the application process is very similar to what I have covered in previous articles. However there are a few significant changes. In the interest of getting this out in a timely fashion, I will cover the changes in depth in this article and refer to older posts for the details that have stayed the same. Sound good? OK, here we go.
Changes
I will cover each of these in detail below, but here’s an overview.
- Eligibility Criteria: Key updates/clarifications in academic background, language proficiency, grades, residence in Japan, and nationality.
- Slot Availability Calculation: Some variation from last year. See below for a complete description.
- Priority Graduate Programs are Back: In 2017, MEXT selected a new group of priority graduate programs, which have a pre-determined slot allotment and a much higher chance of earning the scholarship, if you qualify.
- Application Form: Like the application form for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, the application form is now an excel file. It is mostly similar to the Embassy version, but there are several additional questions that I will cover below. I’ll also share a sample filled form.
- Field of Study and Research Program Plan: The FSRPP format now matches the format for the Embassy-Recommended scholarship! That means there’s the additional question about your research in the past. For my tips on how to complete that document, please see the article on the Field of Study and Research Program Plan. I won’t rehash it here.
- Other Required Documents: Clarification about the Letter of Recommendation and ambiguity about the medical form.
OK, now let’s get into the details.
First, What Hasn’t Changed
The award amount. The scholarship benefits are still as follows:
- Exemption from paying tuition
- Monthly stipend:
- Research Students: JPY 143,000/month
- Master’s Degree/ Professional Degree Students: JPY 144,000/month
- PhD Students: JPY 145,000/month
- (Undergraduate Students: JPY 117,000/month)
- Cost of Living Adjustment: JPY 2,000 – 3,000 in selected areas
- Round-trip flight ticket to Japan (covered by MEXT or the university). Note: only the international portion of the ticket is covered. You are responsible for all domestic travel costs in your home country and in Japan, plus the airport usage fees and fuel surcharges.
This is still one of the most generous scholarship packages I know of anywhere in the world.
Most of the Application Process has Not Changed
Most of the articles I have written on the University-recommended MEXT scholarship are still completely valid. I am only going to cover the changes below and refer you to older articles for the rest.
I will update the out-of-date portions of those old articles as soon as possible.
2018 University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Eligibility
For most criteria, there are no changes from the eligibility criteria I described in the past. However, there are some key differences described below:
Birthdate: Update and Clarification
This changes every year, of course. But this year, there is a new exception possible.
The basic requirement is that you must have been born on or after 2 April 1983.
Exception 1: If you previously graduated from MEXT’s Young Leaders Program no more than 5 years prior to the start of your studies and are applying for a PhD, you are still eligible.
Exception 2: New If you were born before the date above but you were not able to apply while you would have been eligible due to one of the following reasons, as approved by MEXT, you may still apply.
- Mandatory military service
- Civil war or rebellion in your country
- Suspension of higher education activities in your country
Note: Exceptions absolutely will not be granted for the following reasons: personal financial situation, family reasons, health reasons, previous education or employment-related reasons.
I think it would be a hard sell to qualify for this new exemption. It probably applies to about 0.001% of potential applicants. But it’s a nice gesture, I guess.
Academic Background: Simplified!
The previous academic background criteria were unnecessarily complex and resulted in thousands of inquiries about eligibility exemption. (I got hundreds, myself, and I don’t even work for MEXT!)
The criteria is now much simpler: You must be academically eligible to enroll in the Masters or PhD program you are applying to, as determined by the university.
This leaves the decision in the university’s hands and does not make them jump through hoops to meet a poorly-defined MEXT rule. Trust me, that’s a good thing!
To find out what the eligibility criteria is for your particular university, you’ll have to check their website directly.
GPA: Change of Evaluation for Applicants Without a GPA
If you earned grades or marks during your last degree, this does not affect you, but MEXT finally clarified how to evaluate applicants who did not earn grades in their previous program.
If you do not have any grades earned in your previous program, then your Letter of Recommendation (more on that below) must state that you are/were in the top 30% in order of merit of the graduating class of your university (or of your college/faculty in cases where this is determined on a faculty level).
Note that the GPA takes precedence. If your GPA is under 2.30 on the MEXT 3.00 scale but you are within the top 30% of your graduating class, you are not eligible.
Proof of Language Ability: Key Clarification
Universities are now required to collect formal language proficiency test scores from all nominees. This means that you have to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores for English or JLPT scores for Japanese. Other official tests may be accepted on a university-by-university basis, but these are the tests pre-approved by MEXT, so if you have a choice, target one of those!
Informal tests, such as TOEFL prediction tests, university course records or exam scores, TOEFL ITP (institutional test), etc., are not going to be accepted and universities do not have the leeway to make exceptions.
However, there is no minimum score. You just have to have a score.
Residency in Japan: Clarification
Another of the most common questions I have seen is, “If I’m living in Japan now, can I apply?”
The criteria for this used to be vague, but this year MEXT has made it clear at last! The newly clarified criteria is (Note: translation is my own):
“You must apply for a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate outside of Japan (in principle, in your country of nationality) and arrive in Japan with a student residence status. Applicants who already hold a residence in Japan such as Permanent Resident, Long-term resident, etc., must surrender that residence status and return to Japan with a student visa. There is no guarantee that persons in such cases will be able to re-obtain permanent residency or long-term residency again after their period of study.”
Furthermore, in principle you must leave Japan and return to your home country at least 2 months before the start of your scholarship and not return until the date designated by MEXT. Universities are obliged to confirm at the time of your application that you have a definite plan to return home by that date, regardless of the outcome of the scholarship application.
Nationality
The application guidelines are only going to say that you must have citizenship in a country with formal diplomatic relations with Japan and that you may not have Japanese citizenship.
But there is something else you should be aware of on the back end: Universities are required to have at least 75% of their nominees come from designated priority countries. So, if your country is not on the list below, you have a much lower chance of getting the scholarship.
Priority Countries
Africa | ||
---|---|---|
Algeria | Angola | Benin |
Botswana | Burkina Faso | Burundi |
Cabo Verde | Cameroon | Central African Republic |
Chad | Comoros | Cote D’Ivoire |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Djibouti | Egypt |
Equatorial Guinea | Eritria | Ethiopia |
Gabon | Gambia | Ghana |
Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Kenya |
Lesotho | Liberia | Libya |
Madagascar | Malawi | Mali |
Mauritania | Mauritas | Morocco |
Mozambique | Namibia | Niger |
Nigeria | Republic of the Congo | Rwanda |
Sao Tome and Principe | Senegal | Seychelles |
Sierra Leone | Somalia | South Africa |
South Sudan | Sudan | Swaziland |
Tanzania | Togo | Tunisia |
Uganda | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
Americas | ||
Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil |
Chile | Colombia | Ecuador |
Guyana | Paraguay | Peru |
Suriname | Uruguay | USA |
Venezuela | ||
Asia | ||
Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei |
Cambodia | India | Indonesia |
Laos | Malaysia | Maldives |
Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal |
Pakistan | Philippines | Singapore |
Sri Lanka | Thailand | Vietnam |
CIS and Russia | ||
Armenia | Azerbaijan | Belarus |
Kazakhstan | Kyrgyzstan | Moldova |
Russia | Tajikistan | Turkmenistan |
Uzbekistan | ||
Europe | ||
Albania | Austria | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Bulgaria | Croatia | Cyprus |
Czech Republic | Greece | Hungary |
Kosovo | Liechtenstein | Macedonia |
Montenegro | Poland | Romania |
Serbia | Slovakia | Slovenia |
Switzerland | Ukaraine | |
Middle East | ||
Afghanistan | Bahrain | Iran |
Iraq | Israel | Jordan |
Kuwait | Lebanon | Oman |
Palestine | Qatar | Saudi Arabia |
Syria | Turkey | UAE |
Yemen |
You can find the original list in Japanese here.
There are several notable countries not on that list, including (but not limited to): China, South Korea, all of North and Central America (except the US), all of Oceania, all of Scandinavia, the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain.
Students from China and South Korea make up nearly 48% of all international students in Japan, but they are not on the list. So if you’re from either of those two countries or from another country not listed above, you’ll be facing an uphill battle to get a slot.
All Other Eligibility Criteria
For all other eligibility criteria, please refer to my previous article on the subject!
Now, speaking of slots. . .
Slot Calculation: How Many Nominees Each University Can Select
The number of nominees any university can submit is based on the number of international graduate students enrolled as of May 1, 2017, multiplied by the percentage change in self-financed international graduate students from 2016 to 2017.
That means, if a university somehow doubled its number of self-financed (i.e. non-MEXT scholarship) international graduate students over the past year, they could get double the slots. Of course, if they lost half of their self-financed international graduate students, they would lose half of their slots, too.
I have not been able to find any data reporting specific enough to determine the number of self-financed international graduate students, so I cannot tell you what that percentage change will be. But if you make the assumption that it is only going to be a few percentage points, you can more or less rely on the chart below, which shows the base slots available.
I have checked the number of international graduate students enrolled as best as possible for several top universities in Japan, so I will list those in the table, as well.
Base Slots
Number of International Graduate Students Enrolled | Number of MEXT Scholarship Slots | Universities in the Category |
---|---|---|
1001+ | 9 | University of Tokyo, Waseda, Tohoku University, University of Tsukuba, Osaka University, Kyushu University, Kyoto University, Hokkaido University, Nagoya University*, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Hiroshima University |
801 – 1000 | 8 | Kobe University |
601 – 800 | 7 | Ritsumeikan University, Keio, Chiba University |
501 – 600 | 6 | Sophia University |
401 – 500 | 5 | Meiji University, Yokohama National University, Kansai University |
301 – 400 | 4 | Doshisha University, Josai International University |
201 – 300 | 3 | Takushoku University, Hosei University |
101 – 200 | 2 | Ritsumeikan APU, Chuo University |
0 – 100 | 1 | Japan University of Economics, Osaka Sangyo University |
*Reporting was not sufficiently detailed for this university, but this is my best guess based on data available.
Additional Slots
Each University may recommend up to two additional nominees if the university is willing to cover their travel expenses.
Maximum Number of Slots
If you combine the figures above, the universities with the highest number of international graduate students are able to recommend up to 11 total students for general category slots. That’s out of all of the applicants, across all graduate schools.
To give you an idea about the competition level, I was responsible for MEXT applications at a mid-high ranked private university several years ago, and we got up to 400 applications per year for the University-recommended MEXT scholarship. So, the competition is intense and you need to be doing everything you can to make your application shine!
Please don’t take this as discouragement. Take it as inspiration to take your application seriously and do everything you can to be one of those 11!
Note for Non-Priority Countries: If you’re going the math, a maximum of 11 slots means that university can recommend a maximum of 2 students from non-priority countries. 3 would be more than 25%. Only universities with 6 slots or more on that chart above can recommend as many as 2, (6 + 2 additional slots = 8), so you are probably best off choosing one of those universities.
Slots Are Not Guaranteed
MEXT does not guarantee that they will accept all nominees, even if they are within the maximum slot number. This is really beyond your control, but here are the things MEXT will consider when determining whether to accept all nominees from a particular university.
- The overall nomination situation across all universities
- MEXT’s budget
- The students’ Field of Study and Research Program Plan contents
- Key university internationalization data, including international partnership activities, number of privately financed students enrolled, number of foreign students earning degrees, ratio of foreign faculty, etc.
- Whether the university has been responsible for students who became illegal overstays in the past
- If your universities have a formal partnership agreement: Any formal letter of recommendation will do! (Note: the Japanese university may still ask you to meet the criteria for #2 below, since they don’t know the relationship when you apply. If they ask in their application guidelines, you should be prepared to follow through.)
- If your universities do not have a formal relationship, but have a history of academic cooperation: The letter must come from the President of your home university or a Dean or higher.
- If there is no relationship or history of cooperation between your universities: You must obtain a letter of recommendation from the president of your home university.
Priority Graduate Programs are Back!
This year, MEXT revived the Priority Graduate Program Scheme, which could be great news for you!
Priority Graduate Programs are programs that have passed a screening by MEXT and are appproved to receive a specific number of slots each year for a three-year period.
The good news is that if your application falls under one of these programs (listed at the link above) then there is a significantly greater chance of getting selected. Instead of a competing for a maximum of 11 slots to be spread out across the university, you’d be competing for slots that are earmarked for a specific degree program.
The downside is that these programs often have more specific eligibility criteria that are not always public. For example, I know of programs in the past that were only available to Master’s level students who were taking the degree in Japanese, or were only open to nationals of two select countries (Note: These are both programs that no longer exist). Some universities may publish this information publicly. If so, great! But there’s a good chance it will not be available, as well, so it’s a gamble.
Even if you are targeting a Priority Graduate Program, you should be prepared to fall back on a general category slot (university-wide competition) if you don’t meet the eligibility criteria, so you need to focus on making your application as powerful as possible.
The Application Form Has Changed
The Application Form for the University-recommended MEXT scholarship has changed significantly from last year. If you’ve already applied this year for the scholarship, the university probably had you use last year’s form, so they’re going to need to ask you to resubmit this year’s form, instead.
Most universities, though, won’t ask you to resubmit this year’s form unless there’s a decent chance that they are going to select you as a nominee for the scholarship. So if you get that request, it could be good news.
OK, on to what’s changed.
The new form is similar to the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application Form, which I wrote about in detail earlier this year.
For the most part, I recommend following the instructions in that article. I am only going to talk about the changes here.
Biggest Change: Increased Emphasis on Avoiding Dual Awards
I think this has been the most significant mentality shift by MEXT for this year’s process. They are putting a lot more emphasis on making sure that universities do not recommend students who have earned MEXT scholarships in the past three years and are not applying for multiple scholarships.
MEXT is making universities ensure that their nominees are not applying simultaneously for the Embassy-recommended MEXT scholarship or for the University-recommended MEXT scholarship at another university.
There is a whole page in the application form dedicated to making sure you are not applying for two scholarships at once!
Past Japanese Government Scholarship Receipt
In the Embassy Form, MEXT asked about previous scholarship receipt, but they’ve made that question easier to answer this time around. Instead of making you fill in the type of scholarship you earned, you now get to select from a series of checkboxes. (By the way, click here to find out how to insert checkboxes in Microsoft Excel).
If you have received a scholarship in the past (other than Japanese Studies Students or Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for The Students in Science and Engineering Departments), there is a section to fill in your education/research background since the end of your last scholarship. Although that will apply to a very small number of applicants, it should make it easier for those applicants to figure out if they’re eligible or not.
Most of you will be able to skip that chart!
Applying for Multiple Scholarships
Questions 9 and 10 ask if you are applying for another MEXT scholarship or a scholarship from any other organization, including your home country government.
You are not allowed to apply simultaneously for multiple MEXT scholarships – including university and embassy recommendation, so if you check “Yes” in question 9, consider yourself out of the running. The university will likely contact you to tell you that you have to choose only one.
Obviously, you have to be honest here (any falsehood on your application is cause for disqualification and, if discovered after your arrival in Japan, may require you to pay back any scholarship money already received). So, you have to make a choice.
If you’re applying for the Embassy recommended scholarship and you’re waiting on the results of the secondary screening, know that at this point of the application, your scholarship is practically guaranteed, so there is no reason you should be applying for the university-recommended scholarship, as well.
If you’re applying at two different universities for the MEXT scholarship – even if one is a general category and the other is a PGP – you have to choose just one.
Scholarships from other organizations: If you’re applying for other scholarships as a back-up plan, for example a government scholarship from your country or a scholarship at a university in another country, that’s not a problem. You just have to check the box acknowledging that you will immediately cancel that application and award if you are selected for MEXT.
Other Minor Changes to the Application Form
They added a section to the educational background to ask what degree you earned at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Fill that in with your degree type (e.g. BA, MS, BBA, etc.) and field, as shown on your diploma/graduation certificate.
Unlike the Embassy-recommended application process, there is no option to choose what month you want to arrive in Japan. University-recommended MEXT scholarships always start in the fall, except for some PGP programs with a spring start. In either case, the start date is pre-determined and out of your hands.
Sample Application Form
If you’re already a member of my mailing list, I have sent you a copy of the sample application form, so check your email.
If you have not yet joined, they I will send you a sample copy of the University-recommended MEXT application form and the Embassy-recommended application form when you sign up!
Note: This is a pdf sample form for the application for graduate students showing you how to fill in the answers. You should get the fillable form from the university where you’re applying, since they may have additional instructions or requirements.
Other Required Documents
There are no changes to the other required documents, but I have a few clarifications about some of the documents that cause a lot of confusion.
Letter of Recommendation
This only applies to the University-recommended MEXT scholarship application process. The requirements for the Embassy-recommended application process are significantly different.
The letter of recommendation is a free-form letter and I have written about it extensively in the article above. But I have a clarification about who needs to write the letter: It depends on the relationship between your current/most recent university and the university in Japan.
Remember to check the other requirements in the article above.
Those are all the changes for this year.
be sure to sign up for my mailing list to download the sample form and get updates whenever I have new information or guides about the MEXT scholarship.
If you have any questions, please ask in the comments, below. I can not answer questions sent by email.
Good luck with your applicataion!
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Hi, Travis,
Hope you are doing well. I have a question, I have been nominated by MEXT university recommendation and I got to know that my application stood on top among all other candidates, so could you please tell me what are the chances to get MEXT? or I should try for other options? I’ll appreciate your feedback. Thank you!
Hi Baiz,
If the university has nominated you to MEXT, then you are almost certain to receive the scholarship! (The only exception to this was the year MEXT slashed budgets and halved the number of scholarships midway through the process, but since the current number of scholarships already matches the post-cut number, I do not anticipate any further cuts.)
Each university knows in advance how many scholarships they can receive that year and would not nominate more than the number allowed by MEXT. It will take a while for the administrative processing before you hear a final answer, but there should be no question about the result.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the detailed article! Do you have information about the base slots in Hitotsubashi as well?
Have there been instances were applicants who were nominated by the university ended up not getting the MEXT scholarship? What is the likelihood of that happening?
Hi Jen,
This article is several years old now and the numbers are out of date. My most recent article about the university-recommended MEXT Scholarship, including the number of places and links to current PGP programs can be found here.
While the figures for 2022 arrivals have not been released yet, for 2021, the maximum number of places available at any university was 3, and that was applicable if the university had at least 200 international students enrolled in its graduate school, as of May 2019 (they’re still referring to pre-COVD-19 numbers). The article I linked above has the most recent chart. I haven’t looked up Hitotsubashi directly, but I think they should fall into that category. If you can find their international graduate student count, you’ll be able to check for certain.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Please how much is the estimated cost of all your books or atleast the most important ones I can use for MEXT University recommended scholarship. I have a big chance as things stands and I don’t want to screw things up at all. I have a Professor that is ready to go to extra miles because of me. So please help me Travis. I am willing to buy the books you will be recommending and I will also appreciate necessary tips, thanks
Hi Olowoniyi Johnson,
I am glad to hear that you already have a professor in Japan that is willing to support your application. In that case, you would not need my most recent book about how to find professors!
As for the other books, it really depends on what you need to help you with the application process. The first book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, includes an overview of the scholarship, but the main value is in helping you create your application strategy. The second book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, is all about how to develop your research idea, evaluate it, and turn it into a complete research plan that will make a strong impression on your reviewers.
I also have many free articles with tips about the different parts of the application process that should help, as well!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the information, it has really been very resourceful and helpful. However, I will like to ask questions about my prospective University which is Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. How many MEXT slots (University recommended) do they have per year because it is not on the list of the Universities you have listed, thanks
Hi Olowoniyi Johnson,
This article is several years old now, so the slots mentioned here no longer apply. As of the 2020/2021 application cycle (the most recent), the slot calculation for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship is as follows:
Number of Self Financed International Graduate Students -> Number of slots
0-10 -> 1
11-200 -> 2
201+ -> 3
To find the number of slots available for the university you are interested in, you would need to find out how many self-financed international graduate students they have enrolled and check that chart.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
HELLO SIR
HOW TO SEND APPLICATION FORM TO OUR EMBESSY.
Hi Muhammad Taimoor,
You should check the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country for their submission instructions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir what about middle name if the applicant have not any middle name.
Hi MUHAMMAD TAIMOOR,
In that case, you can leave it blank!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Regarding the university recommendation letter, is it possible to have both my professor and the dean sign it? My econ professor is happy to write a recommendation letter based off the template I sent him but getting a signature from the dean is tricky. Steve, the professor said this: “Would they be okay with me signing it, and the Dean co-signing as well? That way he’d be simply testifying as to my legitimacy, rather than to the content of a letter that he doesn’t have personal knowledge of.” Is the Dean co-signing a problem?
Thanks,
Noor
I realize I just sent a comment but, my situation is a bit confusing. I am applying through the embassy recommendation process and their application process is more like the university process but still a bit different. I emailed them about their requirements being over and above what MEXT requires of embassies and they said that their documents are all required. So… they seem to trump MEXT? I just received less than two minutes ago confirmation that it is acceptable for my letter of recommendation to be signed by my professor even though my university does not have a bilateral agreement with my chosen university in Japan. What do I do?
Hi Noor,
The requirements from MEXT are the minimum requirements. If the embassy or university where you are applying asks for additional documents or is stricter, you must meet the requirements of the embassy/university, as well!
I’m not sure what specific process you are applying for, but if you are applying for anything other than the scholarship for graduate students (which is what most of my articles are about), please be aware that the requirements may be different.
In any case, you must meet every requirement and follow every instruction given by the embassy in your country, even if it is over and above what MEXT has stated.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Noor,
Yes, a letter written and signed by your advisor and co-signed by the Dean should be perfectly acceptable, and I have recommended that approach in the past.
In that case, though, be sure that your dean’s signature block is included, so that the university knows who signed it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey!
I want to apply for btech in computer science in Japanese University. Can i apply for MEXT scholarship?
Hi Shweta,
Yes, that is one of the allowable fields for the undergraduate MEXT scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi..I am planning to travel to Japan in July 2021 and before going to a university I will first attend a language school. So I will finish language school in April 2023. An I am planning to start the university life from October 2023. So when should I apply for a scholarship and can I have a scholarship for a language school too?
Hi Yomashi S,
I’m not sure what type and level of scholarship you intend to apply for, so it’s difficult to answer your questions, but I’ll try to explain as much as possible.
If you are applying for the undergraduate scholarship, then you would only be able to arrive in April and you would go through a year of intensive Japanese language training before starting your degree (with the idea that you would then be ready to study for your degree in Japanese). That year would be covered by the MEXT Scholarship.
If you apply for the graduate scholarship (Masters or PhD), through the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then if the university that you are to be placed it deems it to be necessary, then you would go through a semester of Japanese language training upon arrival in Japan. In that case, the program is not designed to get you up to the level of being able to study in Japanese, just to get through daily life.
If you attend a Japanese language school on your own, you cannot get a MEXT scholarship to cover it.
In general, if you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship (for undergraduate or graduate), your application would start around April – May of the year before the year that you arrive in Japan. (So, April 2022 for an April or October 2023 start to your MEXT Scholarship). This year, the application process was delayed due to COVID-19, but I anticipate that it will return to the regular schedule in future years.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I’m Pasindu and I’m from Sri Lanka.. Thank you for the extremely helpful blog. I’m currently studying at the Ritsumeikan APU and just started my second year here at APU today. is there any possible chance for me to be a MEXT scholarship recipient. Thanks in advance.
Hi Pasindu Jayalath,
The MEXT Scholarship application processes I talk about on this site are for students who have not yet enrolled in university in Japan, so they would not apply to you, unless you were to apply for one when you are about to finish your degree at APU and seeking a scholarship for a Master’s.
In the past, there was a possibility to be selected for the Domestic Selection MEXT Scholarship, for students who were already in Japan, but to the best of my understanding, that scholarship category was cut and is no longer available. If it is available, then it would be through the semi-annual unified scholarship application process for international students conducted by your university.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! and thanks a lot for your helpful blog and the efforts you put for helping us.
I’m in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa), and I intended to apply for MEXT through Embassy recommendation next year, since the application has been cancelled this year in our country due to the corona virus. But now I’m wondering if it won’t be a great idea to apply through University recommendation at first and then through Embassy recommendation in case if the first option doesn’t work. What do you think about that? And can the different periods of application allow me to do that ?
Hi Ouiya Jean,
Since you can’t apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship this year, applying for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship seems like the next best option.
If you apply for the University, you should find out by next January or February if the university is going to recommend you to MEXT for the scholarship. If they don’t then you would still be able to apply for the Embassy MEXT when it starts up later in that year, because at that point, you would no longer have two applications going at once.
If the university does recommend you to MEXT for the scholarship, then you would not be able to apply for the Embassy MEXT next year, since you would still have the University application ongoing, but at that point, you would already have a very high chance of receiving the scholarship through the university, anyway, so the embassy application would not be necessary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much!
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for sharing this information.
I am a bit late to the application process and was wondering if you could offer some advice as to whether I should apply to MEXT via Embassy or University recommendation.
The deadline for my local embassy’s recommendation is in one month. I am not confident that this is enough time to prepare, but understand that I might have a better chance through this route as I will not be competing with international students from other countries.
As for the University recommendation route, I was previously an Amgen Scholar at the Japanese university I am hoping to apply to and hence have some tangible connections. I will also have more time (4 months total) to prepare my application.
I will be extremely grateful for any advice you can provide!
Additionally, my understanding is that I can’t apply for both routes – but please let me know if it is possible to apply via Embassy and, if I don’t make the first screening, to then apply for the University recommendation route.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Hi Amanda N.,
Typically, I recommend applying for the Embassy Recommended Scholarship if you can, but it really depends on how much work you need to do within that month. The most important question is how far along you are with your Field of Study and Research Program Plan. That is the most time-consuming part of the application, so if you haven’t started developing your research idea yet, it could be tough to complete a quality plan in time.
Another consideration, particularly in this COVID-19 era, is if you need to acquire documents from your past universities, etc., whether or not you can get them in time.
If you can make it for the Embassy deadline, I still recommend giving it a shot, but if you think it’s not going to be possible, then the university route is a good back-up plan.
Most years, you have the option to apply for the Embassy and learn the results of the Primary Screening prior to the start of the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so you can apply to both if you do not pass the Embassy’s primary screening, but this year, the timelines have changed, so you do need to choose one or the other.
I’m sorry I can’t say for certain that one is better than the other for you, but I do recommend that the most important decision factor should be whether or not you can prepare in time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, your information is doing a lot to help me prepare my MEXT application. Thank you for that. I wish to apply in 2021. I’m interested in doing my master’s research program in film. Sadly, master’s in film programs are not offered by most universities. So far the university that appeals to me is the Tokyo University of Arts. I am not seeing it on your list of universities with MEXT Scholarship Slots so I’m worried. Also, I am Jamaican and my country isn’t on the list of prioritized countries. I apologize for doubting myself but I would like to know from someone such as yourself who has handled MEXT applications, Will my application be considered? I’m willing to go the extra mile to ensure that I stand out.
Hi Othneilia,
In my list, I have only included the universities that enroll the largest number of international students and, therefore, have the largest number of slots available for the scholarship.
Since you are from a country that is not on the priority countries list, you would only be able to apply to a university that had 4 or more scholarship slots available, since at least 70% of nominees must come from priority countries. Unfortunately, with the recent reduction in slots last year, I do not know if there will be any universities that have 4 places available.
If possible, I would recommend that you apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, which is going on now. That application will allow you to apply for any university in Japan. You can find more information about the application guidelines for Jamaica on the website of the Japanese embassy there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, I’m applying for the MEXT Scholarship for 2021 but I’m a bit confused with some of their terms used. They are as follows:
1. Non-regular students and regular students. Is it suppose to be a non-regular student then I extend to a regular student in master’s course… could you please clarify?
2. Field of specialization studied in the past.
3. Past and present field of study.
4. field of study in Japan.
5. Detailed field of study in Japan.
P. S. I ‘m applying as a Research Student with no Japanese language proficiency.
Hi Akwasi Nettey,
1. A “Non-Regular” student is a student who is not enrolled in a degree program. They are just taking courses and conducting research. If you start as a non-regular student, then you can take the entrance exam to the degree program and apply to extend your MEXT scholarship to cover your full Master’s Degree. In that case, you may also be able to transfer credits earned as a research student to count toward your degree.
2. This would be your major and your focus within the major (e.g. your graduation thesis, if you had one). I have covered this as well in my article about how to complete the application form.
3. This is what you majored in/what your research topic was in your previous degree(s) – similar to 2, above, but the purpose in this case is to connect it to your research proposal in Japan. I have explained what you need to do with this section of the form in my article about the Field of Study and Research Program Plan
4./5. Please see my article about the Placement Preference Form for my suggestions on how to fill in these questions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Professor I wrote to said that he is interested in taking a PhD student to his Laboratory, When I told him that i expect to apply for university recommended MEXT scholarship for funding, he said that I need to apply for graduate school admission and pass the entrance exam. He is from University of Tsukuba and the graduate entrance exam will only be held in the university premises. Is it worth travelling there and attend graduate school admission, when I am not sure whether I would get the scholarship later. Can I ask for a skype interview/exam instead of travelling to Japan. Are all universities have the same procedure when applying for university recommended MEXT.
Hi Subhashini,
That doesn’t sound right at all to me and I would never recommend that you travel to Japan to take the entrance exam for the MEXT Scholarship. I think the professor might not be fully familiar with the process.
Instead, I would recommend that you apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. That application process should be able to be completed entirely in your home country via the Japanese embassy or consulate. Plus, it should be starting sooner (usually mid-April) and generally has a higher chance of success.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Thank you for all the information you provide. I just want to know, if I am selected by the University through the University Recommendation route, do I just need to contact MEXT to say I have been accepted in order to gain the scholarship?
Kindest regards,
Hi Kristy,
No, you would not need to contact MEXT. The university does that when they send in the official nomination, plus all of the documentation that MEXT requires. Once you are accepted, you have nothing else to do but start packing!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Please with regards to the placement forms, i just wanted knowing do i fill in the Universities, name of graduate school and advisors names before submitting all my documents to the embassy or after i have been selected from the first screening. Because i saw an instruction not to fill in any university you have been rejected ?
Hi Ibrahim,
In general, you should fill it in once before the primary screening, but after you pass the primary screening and apply to universities for letters of acceptance, you will have to resubmit it, including only the names of universities that offered you a letter of acceptance.
(Of course, I would also recommend that you double-check with the Japanese Embassy in your country, since sometimes, they ask for documents in different orders.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello gives how can i have the link and the procedure to apply for Mext university please i need your urgent respond
thank yo
regards
omar
Hi Omar,
The University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application typically does not begin until the fall. You will find the application guidelines on the website of the university that you want to apply to, when they are ready to release them (if they conduct a public application process). Since each university has the freedom to modify the application process, as long as it meets MEXT’s minimum requirements, their sites are really the only place to get the most accurate information.
My posts (including this updated one about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship) give the basic instructions and MEXT requirements, so that’s a start.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can I reject Masters scholarship and accept MBA scholarship if I got both?
I am working professional. I want to study either MBA or Masters in Engineering through MEXT. My first preference in MBA, however there is time till applications open up for MBA. I know getting even any one of them takes a lot, but just considering my interest. I want to study in 2020.
Hi Avinash Kumar,
You can only apply for one degree program at one university each year under the MEXT scholarship, so you would have to choose one of the two paths you mentioned. If it helps you to decide, MEXT requires that you apply in a field that you previously studied in university.
By the way, the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process should be accepting applications now for studies beginning in 2020!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi. I am one of the nominee of Kyoto University for 2019 MEXT – University Recommendation. I would like to ask what will be my next move? Thanks
Hi Yus,
If Kyoto University has notified you that they have nominated you to MEXT for the Scholarship (Congratulations!), then all you can do at this point is to wait for MEXT’s final results to come out in late June or July. In the meantime, I would recommend that you continue any pre-research for your studies and stay in touch with your professor at Kyodai to get his or her recommendation for how you should best prepare yourself.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you so much for answering my questions. May I ask, is there any possibility that MEXT will not grant me the scholarship eventhough I am one of the nominee?
Thanks!
Hi Yus,
I have never heard of the case that a nominee was not awarded the scholarship in the end, so I think you should have nothing to worry about.
As long as you have not violated one of the key rules, such as being nominated by two different universities, then you should be fine.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you very much for answering my question. Your blogs really help me pass through the screening process. I will just wait for the MEXT decision. Your blogs are really nice, detailed, and helpful. Thanks for the advice!
Best,
Yus
Hello dear Yus!
Hope to be fine and healthy.
Can you explain your all process that you have faced in MEXT scholarship I mean if you don’t mind , can you give information about research study plan, because I am also one of the candidate for this scholarship.
Hi Nasratullah,
I have an article and and entire book dedicated to exactly that topic. You can find the article (with the book link) here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz,
happy to have discovered your blog. Never have I encountered such a detailed description of rule changes, factors affecting admissions and prospects. We’re very grateful that you took out this time to write such a blog, and to reply to every comment <3
I was initially planning to apply through Embassy Recommendation because of the greater acceptance chances, but the thing is I will be outside my home country when the first screening tests will be conducted 🙁
I wonder if there's a way around this, like writing the test in the country I will be in in the summer, but it kinda seems unlikely.
Now I came across this blog about University recommendation and you seem to have mentioned that we can only apply to one university for university recommendation at a time. If that's true, then it cuts my prospects by a huge margin, because that would be choosing one university among the whole of Japan, and if you don't get that you have no backup 🙁
Do you know anything that could help my situation?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Uddeep Chaudry,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
Unfortunately, I am not aware of any way around being in your home country to physically attend the tests involved in the primary screening. If you are able to travel back to attend those tests, that would be my recommendation. I have never heard of anyone being able to take the tests remotely, and that would certainly not be possible for the interview.
While choosing one university does leave you without a backup, on the other hand, it also allows you to focus and to create an application package that is specifically targeted to that university and to a particular professor there (not to mention that you also only have to try to build a relationship with one professor in advance), so you can use that as an advantage. A focused application that is designed to appeal to one particular professor and university is going to have a higher chance of success than something general that could work anywhere.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the prompt reply!
The way you put it was very encouraging, that makes me feel a bit better on falling back on university recommendation option.
And there’s still a chance that my summer internship dates will fall outside the MEXT test dates, so at the moment anything is possible.
Thank you for your wishes! Will update you on any good news from my side.
With warm regards,
Uddeep.
Hi Uddeep Chaudhury,
Thank you very much for your reply!
I hope the dates will work out for you for the Embassy Application process, but in either case, please let me know how it goes. I’ll be rooting for you!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Transenz,
Your answer give me relaxation.However,i would like to know thing that i did honestly mistake on date (from elementary school to high school level) in the application form ,thus from international office sent me mail to know about it and i told them i did honest mistake the date for elementary school to high school and i sent them correct date as i did mistake on application form ,hence MEXT will reject me after uni recommendation ?I am worried .
Hi Mamun,
As long as it is an honest mistake and after the mistake you still meet all of the eligibility requirements, then I do not see any reason why MEXT would reject your nominations. You should have nothing to worry about!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear TranSenz
Thank you very much.
Dear Travis ,
Can you tell me that MEXT declare the result together or separately?If MEXT release the result together ,then all university will get together and will release as soon as possible.However, nowadays i am seeing few universities such as osaka prefacture , shimane,Iwata prefacture university all ready released their final result but high ranked university such as Tokyo Uni.Tokyo Tech.Kyoto University ,Osaka Uni,Hirosima did not release their result but i expected that as high ranked university ,they will release first and then others .For instance ,can you tell what can be the possible reason ?it is that they did not get result?
Hi Mamun,
In general, MEXT releases all of the results for each scholarship type to the nominating universities at once. They may release the General Category, PGP, and Top Global University Scholarship results separately, though.
After that, it is up to universities as to how quickly they turn around and release that information to their nominees. They might have some internal processes to go through first.
Your comment is the first time I have heard of any results being released so far this year! I haven’t even seen anyone talking about it in the usual forums I check. Unfortunately, since I haven’t seen any of it directly, I can’t say for sure what the reason might be, but my best guess is that there are different kinds of scholarships being released at different times.
If you can point me in the direction of any of the ongoing conversations about the results, I would appreciate it very much!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I just found your blog and it is really nice and helpful for the applicants. It’s a shame that I found it after my application to the university.
Recently, I applied a doctoral course at Kyoto University with special admission for MEXT scholarship. After going through documents screening and interview, I got a letter from the school that I have passed their entrance examination, together with notices for successful candidates for further process. And, I am currently waiting for the official confirmation result from MEXT for scholarship. My question is that, in field of study and research plan, under research topic section, I only mentioned the research need and Tokyo would be my case study area but not described why the research must be done in Japan; so in that case, could it affect to the chance of getting scholarship?
Thanks,
Hi Yin Mon,
It sounds like you didn’t need my blog!
Based on what you wrote, is sounds like Kyoto University has selected you as one of its candidates to nominate to MEXT. If you have made it that far in the application process, then you are already past the phase of competitive screening, so you do not need to worry about what you wrote about the need to do your research in Japan in the Field of Study and Research Program Plan. (Even if you did, writing that Tokyo would be your case study area should imply the need to do your research in Japan, anyway, so you would be covered).
MEXT’s official results won’t be out until June or July, but that is just because their processing is slow. At this point, once the university has recommended you, you should have no need to worry about your final outcome!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for your reply. Do you happen to know whether MEXT has already announced the results of University Recommendation for April 2019 intake or not yet? The university I applied mentioned that the results will release in February 2019 when they call for applications; but I haven’t heard any information yet.
Thanks,
Hi Yinn Monn,
The vast majority of University Recommended MEXT Scholarship slots are for September/October arrival, not April. There are only a few April arrivals, and those are for PGP programs.
That said, the deadline for universities to decide who they were going to nominate for the April arrivals would have been in the third week of January (so you would have already heard the results from the university before then) and MEXT will release its final results by the end of this month.
For September/October arrivals, Universities have to decide on their nominees and submit them to MEXT by March 28, so you would hear back from the university before then. MEXT’s final decision in that case would not come out until June.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I would like to ask you the process that I’m supposed to follow in order to get a University Recommendation for MEXT scholarship as a Researcher student. I wish to start by September intake or the following one (April 2020). which document m’I supposed to submit? where and when? thank you for your support.
Hi Uwamariya Placidie,
I have covered application timing and how to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship in a few past articles that should help you get started. My article on the Basics of the MEXT Scholarship discusses application times and this article, as well as my updated version for the 2019 application cycle, cover how to apply, plus I have another article describing all of the MEXT Scholarship application documents.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
What are the requirement for undergraduate students for MEXT scholarship. How can you apply and when is the application going to open. Where can you get the form for your application
Hi Mamadou Samba Jallow,
I write about the MEXT Scholarship for graduate students. To find out about the scholarship for undergraduates, you would have to check the website of the Japanese embassy or consulate that serves your area during the application period. That application typically starts in mid-April.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
If you were KGSP(korean program) granted can you still apply for MEXT? or is it not a good idea?
Hi Kfm,
If you received a Korean Government scholarship in the past, that would not affect your eligibility to apply for the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship. However, if the scholarship payment periods overlap, that would be a problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks.
I also would like to know if its possible to apply even if you’re living outside your home country example(korea).I mean after finishing my KGSP granted period.
Hi Kfm,
You can apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship while living outside your country, but to apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you would need to visit the Embassy in your home country several times during the application process, so that might be difficult.
In either case, you would have to return to your home country and be living there in the months before your scholarship starts in order to be eligible for the travel to Japan paid by MEXT. (They will not pay your travel expenses from a different country).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I have a question about the application guidelines for Embassy recommendation scholarship. It stated that
“Applicants should apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. Moreover, the fields of
study must be subjects which applicants will be able to study and research in graduate courses at Japanese universities.”
Does this mean that if I am studying in Journalism and Mass Communication for my bachelor degree, I will not be able to apply for other subjects other than Journalism and Mass Communication? I want to study multi-cultural communication for my master but I don’t know if it is related to journalism and mass communication or not.
Thank you
Hi Eriko Koko,
It seems to me that Journalism and Mass Communication and multi-cultural communication would clearly be related fields! They fall within the same academic discipline of “communication” and I think that you should be able to establish a clear connection between them in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
An example of unrelated fields would be if you wanted to study Life Sciences in graduate school with your background.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Thank you very much for the impressive, exhaustive effort you have put into helping us students. I am currently a 2nd year MBA University-nominated MEXT candidate (Masters program). I wanted to apply for a Doctoral program in my same university beginning October 2019 (I complete my Masters in August 2019), but I was told that I couldn’t apply for extension as MBA was in a restricted category of courses. My question is 1) Will I be eligible for a second time nomination from the university’s side, incase I get accepted for the Doctoral program starting October 2019? 2) Am I eligible to re-apply via the Embassy route for my Doctoral program? (though not sure if Embassy takes this application for Doctoral program). 3) Is there ANY WAY I can be eligible for a second round of MEXT Scholarships?
Hi Ramesh,
At most universities, an MBA is a terminal degree, so that is probably why they are saying there is no opportunity to move on.
1) If the university is not willing to nominate you for an extension of your scholarship, then you would not be able to apply again for a new one for at least three years. If you were to apply for an entirely new MEXT scholarship, you would have to have a minimum of three years or research or education experience between when your first scholarship ends and the second begins.
2) Same answer – not for three years.
3) If you pursue three years of further education, either in Japan or abroad, then you would be able to apply again once those three years are up.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello again,
I have contacted my professor and he asked me if I was willing to start as a “research student” before taking the entrance exam and join Master program. So, I have many concerns about this situation as follows:
1. If I applied as a research student, and after that, move to the Master course, will the MEXT be still available for Master or stop when I become a Master student?
2. The same as the previous but now: if I finished the Master, will the MEXT extend to PhD course? If not, could I apply again to extend it?
3. I don’t understand much about the position as a “research student” because in my country, we don’t have this concept. Why can’t I apply right away for the Master?
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you very much for your time, Travis.
Hi Mani,
Starting as a research student is completely normal, so don’t worry- there is a system in place for it!
1. Yes, when you pass the entrance exam and matriculate to the degree program, you will be able to apply to extend your MEXT scholarship to cover the degree, as well. It is all-but certain that you would be able to extend your scholarship from research student to degree student.
2. Maybe. Since you wrote this comment on an article about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, I am taking that into account. In terms of the scholarship rules, overall, yes, it is possible to extend. However, the university may choose not to allow it. (If they offer you a scholarship extension from Master’s to PhD, then in some cases it would take away a slot that they could otherwise offer to a new student, so each university sets their own policy.)
3. A “Research Student” is essentially a pre-graduate student, in your case. There are three primary reasons why you might start as a research student:
a) Some degree programs only accept new students once per year. So, if you wanted to apply for a Master’s program that starts only in April, but you plan to arrive in Japan in the fall, then you would have no choice but to spend the first semester as a research student while waiting for the degree to begin.
b) Some programs have an actual entrance exam that you have to sit for in person. In that case, you would not be able to take the exam before you arrive in Japan. Since it would be expensive and difficult for you to fly to Japan just to take that exam, it makes more sense to arrive as a research student, take the entrance exam during your research student semester, then start the degree.
c) If the professor feels that your academic preparation might not be sufficient, they may suggest that you spend the first semester or two as a research student to catch up on some coursework or prep before starting the degree. Once you start your Master’s degree as a MEXT scholar, you have to finish it within 2 years, but time spent as a research student doesn’t count toward that degree, so you can use that time to prep and catch up to speed.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for your details, Travis.
I think the reason why they want me to start as a research student is (a). Because my professor told me that: “Even though you start from September 2019, I suppose we do not have so much capacity at that time because of our limited human resource already supporting several foreign students from April. Unfortunately, we do not have specific budget to financially support you.”
But what makes me confused is that he also said that: “If you pass our internal processes (recommendation letter review; interview), we can recommend you for the MEXT scholarship to the University this December.”
Thus, I think that I may have a chance to become a research student first, but if they recommend me for MEXT, that means I would start the 1st semester as a master student after taking the entrance exam in September. If so, which period am I considered as a research student, is it before September? Because I cannot cover the fees and living cost without scholarships. If I become a master student in case they still don’t have any capacity, does that mean I am not an official student and cannot join a research project? What is your advice in this conflict case?
Because for me, nothing is pretty sure now. If I joined this program, I might not be eligible for applying for another programs for a whole next year and I would miss many other opportunities while pursing as a “research student” and not sure about being considered as degree student.
I know that it is complicated and takes your time but I’m eager to receive your reply. Thank you very much again for your kind support.
Hi Mani,
Based on what you shared with me, it sounds like they want you to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship this cycle but apply to start in Sept 2019 as a Research Student. They can recommend you to MEXT as a research student – you would not have to start as a degree-seeking student just because you are a MEXT scholar. You would be a MEXT-financed research student in Sept 2019 then take the entrance exam and apply to extend your scholarship so that you would become a MEXT-financed degree-seeking student in April 2020.
The reference to limited human resources probably means that they do not have many professors who can teach in English and they can only offer specific coursework in English once per year, so that is why they want you to start the degree in April 2020. It would not impact your ability to join a lab or start researching – you would be able to do both of those things as a research student.
You would not miss out on anything as a research student, it is just a status you have to hold for one semester until they can admit you into the degree program. I have never heard of a MEXT scholar who started as a research student and was not able to move up to a degree-seeking student, so do not worry about your status being in question. It is just an administrative reason that they want you to do it this way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Travis, thanks a lot for your time and supportive explanations. It helps me calm down so much. Now I can confidently move on the application.
Hello Travis,
I have received the approval from my prospective advisor after the interview. However, their department cannot accept Master students at FY2019 and they are trying to open the course for 2020. If they still cannot open, they will introduce my to other lab to help me pursue the Master there. So, I have no choice but start as a non-degree student. I wonder that if I applied as a research student, is my chance to MEXT Uni Recommendation lower than others applying as Masters? Is the process to extend MEXT from research student to Master easily and does it depend on the slots of the University?
The entrance exam is on August 2019, so I think if I take that entrance, I could start as a Master student, and it would be different from what I ticked in the Application Form (non-regular student). It makes me confused about the timeline :(, that means I just write on paper about the period of being a research student but when I come to Japan, I take the entrance exam right away.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
I know that my questions are very complicated. Thus, I do appreciate your time to answer this. Thank you very much, Travis.
Hi Mani,
Thank you for the clarification.
Applying as a research student will not lower your chances – especially since there is no way that you could apply as a degree student in that field! The decision of who to nominate is made by the university, so they should understand the situation.
It is relatively easy to apply for an extension from research to Master’s and as long as you have been working hard in your studies, it should be no problem to get approved. There is a slot limitation, but it does not take away from new slots, there are slots assigned for extensions.
Once you arrive in Japan as a research student, the university will be able to give you more guidance about the application process for taking the entrance exam and extending your scholarship. It should certainly be possible, but I would probably count on being a research student for at least the 2019 fall semester and starting no earlier than spring 2020, as you mentioned.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for your words, Travis!
Wish you have a nice day.