I have written an updated version at a new link!
Please click here for the updated version of this article: How to Apply for the 2021/2022 University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
I have left the old article in place, as you may find useful information in the comments below, but please refer to the newest version.
Old Article
MEXT has released the application guidelines and forms for the 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application for research (graduate) students!
If you have not started your application yet, now is the time to get moving, even if you are still waiting for the official guidelines from the university where you will apply.
Here’s what this article will cover:
- The scholarship types available (General Category and PGP) and number of slots.
- What the scholarship offers
- Scholarship eligibility
- Links to other articles about the forms you will need to complete
MEXT Scholarship for Research Students: General Category and PGP
These are the two primary types of scholarship places available. The primary difference between the two is that PGP programs are very narrowly defined, but have more scholarship places available and therefore a much higher chance of success. On the other hand, General Category scholarships are open to all applicants but there are very few places available, so expect competition to be high.
(There is also a third major type, Top Global University scholarships, but that process is rather different, so I will cover it elsewhere).
What are the MEXT Scholarship PGP Programs?
Almost every year, MEXT reaches out to universities and gives them the opportunity to apply for a certain number of scholarship slots for one of their graduate or undergraduate programs in advance. It’s a tough screening process, but if approved, then that university is guaranteed to have a fixed number of scholarship places available for a period of three years.
What does this mean for you? Simple: PGP programs are your best chance to get a University Recommended MEXT Scholarship if you are eligible. It’s not even close. I have seen programs in the past that had 10 scholarship places available for one PGP program each year. However, outside of that program, the university only had 5 scholarship places for all of its other graduate schools and programs. In that case, there were 11 applicants for the PGP program, with a nearly 90% success rate. Meanwhile, there were over 200 applicants for the general scholarship, with a 2.5% success rate.
How to Find PGP Programs
PGP programs are pre-approved by MEXT to have a certain number of scholarship places available each year for a period of three years. So, any of the programs approved over the past three years (2017-2019 as I write this) would still be available.
You can find the PGP program information at the links below (all PDFs on MEXT’s website):
- 2017: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2017/12/01/1398647_1.pdf
- 2018: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2018/12/04/1411539_1.pdf
- 2019: https://www.mext.go.jp/content/1423005_1_1.pdf
MEXT Scholarship PGP Program Eligibility
The biggest problem with the PGP program is that it might not be possible to find out in advance if you are eligible. When universities apply to MEXT for approval for a PGP program, it typically needs to be very precise and focused. For example, I knew of a program once that was only available to applicants in the field of life sciences from Thailand or Malaysia at one particular university. It can be that narrow, but universities will not necessarily make those eligibility criteria available. So, even if you find a PGP program from the lists above, there is a possibility
that you will not be eligible. That is just a risk you have to take.
Priority Countries
The Japanese government has identified a list of priority countries and universities have to ensure that at least 75% of their nominees come from a priority country. That means that if a program has fewer than 4 total slots available, they cannot recommend any students from a non-priority country.
You can find the list of priority countries in my article about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process from last year.
General Category Scholarship Slots
In contrast to the limited PGP programs, in general any university in Japan can nominate students for the General Category MEXT Scholarship and there are no restrictions on nationality or major. (The only exception is that universities whose international students became illegal overstays over the previous two years are ineligible to nominate students – but that should not be a problem with any reputable universities.)
The good news is that anyone can apply. The bad news is that anyone can apply. That means that the competition is going to be intense! You will need to have top grades as well as a laser-focused, well-crafted Field of Study and Research Program Plan in order to have any hope of success.
Slots Available for the 2020 MEXT Scholarship General Category
The number of slots available to any university is based on number of privately funded (e.g. non-MEXT Scholarship) international students enrolled in the university’s graduate school, as follows:
Number of Self-Financed International Graduate Students Enrolled | Number of MEXT Scholarship Slots |
---|---|
200+ | 3 |
11-199 | 2 |
0-10 | 1 |
If you have been following my articles on this scholarship from the past, you will see that this is a significant reduction in numbers! Last year, universities could recommend up to 9 applicants in some cases. With the numbers dramatically reduced, you can see that competition for success will only be that much higher!
(Actually, in the 2019 cycle, even though universities were told that they could recommend a higher number, in the end, MEXT ended up cutting the slots at the last minute, leaving many applicants who thought their scholarship was assured with an unfortunate result. This year, by starting with a lower number, I think they will avoid having that same problem again).
What the MEXT Scholarship Offers
The scholarship benefits are unchanged from last year:
- 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.
How to Apply for the 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship
Every university in Japan sets its own application process for students. In some cases, the application period may already be over before I have posted this article.
Some universities will select their MEXT scholarship candidates out of the pool of general applicants and others will have a specific application process. Once you have selected your university, as I describe below, you will need to check their website for more information. I recommend searching google for the name of the university and “University MEXT Scholarship” to find the guidelines quickly.
Technical Differences between the Embassy-Recommended and University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship
If you have applied for the Embassy Recommendation in the past there are a few key differences in the scholarship that you should be aware of. (If you haven’t you can skip down to the next section).
- You can only apply to one university.
- You can only arrive in the fall semester – except for PGP programs that start in the spring.
- There is no Japanese language training semester.
- In most cases, the university will decide if you are allowed to start as a degree-seeking or research student. If they accept degree-seeking students in the fall, then you will almost certainly start as a degree-seeking student. If they do not, then you would have to start as a research student.
Choosing Your University – The Most Important Decision
You can only choose one university to apply to, so this decision is critical and must come very early in your application process.
I have written another article about how to search for universities in Japan with English language programs in your field of study that should help you figure out which universities are even possible.
Focus on Partner Universities
However, keep in mind that you should select a university that has a partnership with your current university if at all possible. Some Japanese universities will only accept University Recommendation MEXT scholarship applications from graduates of partner universities.
Partner University Benefit: You have to submit a letter of recommendation as part of the application process. If your universities have a formal partnership, any faculty member can write the letter. If the universities have an informal partnership and history of interaction, then your letter must come from the Dean or higher. No partnership? Your letter of recommendation would have to come from the president of your university.
Even if you do find a university that accepts applications from anyone, having a partnership connection helps you stand out over the competition, makes one of the application requirements a little easier, and also makes it easier for the university to accept you, since they are under pressure by MEXT to nominate students from partner universities and have to report that partnership status.
Another advantage of applying to a partner university is that it may be easier to learn their exact application process. As I mentioned above, not every university makes this clear or public. If there is a direct connection between your current university and the university in Japan, such as a connection between professors or between international offices, then you can use that to ask about the application.
Even if there is no formal partnership agreement between your universities, the existence of informal cooperation is also beneficial. Check with your university’s international office or international planning office to see if they can provide you with a list of all the Japanese universities that your university has partnered or worked with.
Applying to Non-Partner Universities
You cannot control what partnerships your university has in Japan, so you may find yourself in a situation where applying to a partner university is not an option. That doesn’t mean that you should give up! It just means that you’re going to have to work a little harder.
If you do not have the partnership connection, it may be harder to determine which universities will accept non-partner applications. So, even though you can only apply to one university, at the research stage, I suggest you come up with a list of several Japanese universities that you would like to apply to and follow-up to find the application process for each one. (I will cover that below).
If you are interested in a more detailed description about how to research and approach universities, I covered that in last year’s article about How to Apply for the 2019 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so I recommend referring to that article for more details. The process has not changed.
Follow the Application Guidelines to the Letter!
As I described above, the competition for this scholarship is incredibly fierce. There could be hundreds of applicants for a mere three scholarship places. So do not expect the university to have any patience with incomplete applications, documents that do not meet their requirements, or requests for exceptions to the rules. The universities will be actively looking for ways to pare down the pool of applicants that they have to seriously consider, so do not give them any excuse to discard your application.
I do offer coaching services to review your application to determine if it is complete and make recommendations for corrections/fixes, but this service has a fee. If you are interested, you can find more information at the Coaching Services link at the top-right corner of this page. Be aware though, that this service is first-come, first-served, and my queue fills up quickly.
University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship 2020 Eligibility Criteria
The requirements below are for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship. As I detail in my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, there are differences between the eligibility requirements for University and Embassy Recommendation. I have published another article about the eligibility requirements for the Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship as of the 2020 Application Cycle that you can find at the link above.
These are also the eligibility requirements for the MEXT Scholarship for Research (Graduate) Students. I do not cover the requirements for undergraduates below.
Disclaimer
The eligibility requirements I describe below are the requirements set out by MEXT. However, universities may have their own, higher eligibility requirements, as well. If you find that the university you are applying to specifies higher requirements than what I describe below, you have to meet both sets of requirements. Do not bother trying to argue with the university that MEXT’s standards are lower. That won’t work!
You may also find requirements below that are higher than what the universities require, or completely new. Even if there is some discrepancy, if you do not meet the MEXT requirements, the university cannot recommend you for the scholarship, period.
Minimum GPA
You must have a minimum 2.3 / 3.0 GPA on MEXT’s scale over the most recent two years of your degree-seeking studies. For more information on how to correctly calculate your GPA, refer to my previous article.
Nationality
You must have the nationality of a country that has formal relations with Japan (e.g. not Taiwan or North Korea) and must not have Japanese Nationality, including dual nationality. If you currently hold Japanese nationality as a dual national, you must give up your Japanese nationality prior to arriving in Japan.
Age
As of the application for the 2020 scholarship, applicants would need to have been born on or after April 2, 1985.
Exceptions
There are only two exceptions to the date of birth above
- Inability to apply during the ages when you would have been eligible due to the situation in your country, such as compulsory military service or the total suspension of higher education due to war, as approved by MEXT. (Exceptions will never be granted for personal reasons such as family reasons, financial difficulties, health, etc.)
- Applicants who are graduates of the Young Leaders Program and applying for a Doctoral-level program that will start within 5 years of the end of the YLP.
Academic Background
For the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship, MEXT requires only that you meet the admissions requirements established by the university recommending you.
Field of Study
You must be applying within the same field that you studied previously at university or a related field. Your field of study must be available at the university you are applying to.
I have discussed the meaning of a “related field of study” in detail in past articles as well as in my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, but here is a brief summary:
A “related field” is a field of research that falls within the same discipline as something you majored in previously. If your past and future fields could conceivably be majors in the same faculty, or if one is a subset of another, they are related. For example, international relations and political science are clearly related. The same could be said for media studies and communication, or mechanical engineering and robotics. If you come from a multidisciplinary field, such as area studies, then any of the related fields are fair game.
If your fields are not so obviously related, then you have to sell the connection in your Field of Study and Research Program plan by clearly showing how research in your past field provided you with a natural transition to the future one.
Language Ability
For both Japanese and English, you have to meet the language ability requirement at the time of formal enrollment into the degree program, not at the time of application as in the past. However, if you fail to meet the language ability requirement when you progress to the degree program, you would forfeit the scholarship. So, my guess is that regardless of MEXT’s relaxed timing, universities are still going to want to see that you have the requisite language ability at the time of application, in general. They do not want to lose one of their scholarship recommendees later!
Here are the standards you have to meet for MEXT. You only need to meet the language requirement for the language that your program will be taught in! So, if you are applying for a program taught in English, the Japanese language requirements are irrelevant to you.
Japanese Language Ability Requirement
You must meet one of the following (in addition to meeting the admission requirements for your degree program, of course).
- JLPT N2 or higher at the time of starting the degree program
- Completed your qualifying degree* in Japanese
- Have equivalent or higher ability in Japanese language to a person meeting criteria 1 or 2 above, as determined by the nominating university.
*Your “qualifying degree” is the degree that you earned as a prerequisite to the degree you are applying for. If you are applying for a master’s degree, your qualifying degree would be your bachelor’s degree. If you are applying for a doctoral degree, then your qualifying degree would be your master’s degree.
English Language Ability Requirements
You must meet one of the following (in addition to meeting the admission requirements for your degree program, of course).
- Have a formal language proficiency test score in English equivalent or higher to B2 on the CEFR scale at the time of starting the degree program.
- Completed your qualifying degree* in English
- Have equivalent or higher ability in English language to a person meeting criteria 1 or 2 above, as determined by the nominating university.
*Your “qualifying degree” is the degree that you earned as a prerequisite to the degree you are applying for. If you are applying for a master’s degree, your qualifying degree would be your bachelor’s degree. If you are applying for a doctoral degree, then your qualifying degree would be your master’s degree.
CEFR B2 Equivalency Table
Here are the scores that MEXT has determined to be equivalent to the CEFR B2, based on the PDF linked above:
- Cambridge English (Preliminary, First, Advanced, Proficiency): 160 or higher
- Eiken (Jun-1 kyu, 1 kyu): Any passing score
- GTEC (Advanced, CBT): 1190 or higher
- IELTS: 5.5 or higher
- TEAP: 309 or higher
- TEAP CBT: 600 or higher
- TOEFL iBT: 72 or higher
- TOEIC L&R/TOEIC S&W: 1560
The requirements above are only MEXT’s minimum requirements. Universities are well within their rights to establish higher standards.
Health
Must be fit to study in Japan as determined by the nominating university. In general, this means that each university will have a medical form that they require you to have completed.
Even if you have a pre-existing medical condition, in general you would only be disqualified for medical reasons if your home country doctor was unwilling to sign off that you are fit to study abroad in Japan. If your doctor agrees that you can continue your care or medication regimen in Japan, then there should be no problem.
Ability to Arrive in Japan on Designated Date
You must be able to arrive in Japan during the period specified by the nominating university, no more than 2 weeks before or after the official start of the semester. Failure to arrive by the end of the designated period will be considered voluntary withdrawal from the scholarship. In the event that nominees arrive prior to the designated period, their travel fees will not be paid.
Essentially, you need to follow the arrival dates designated by your university. The “2 weeks” mentioned above is an instruction for the university’s reference as to when they are allowed to set your arrival date. Arriving late will mean that you lose the scholarship. Arriving early is possible, but you would forfeit the travel benefits.
Visa Requirement
In principle, you must apply for and obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country where you hold nationality then arrive in Japan using that visa. Applicants who already hold other residence statuses in Japan, such as “Permanent Resident”, “Long-term Resident”, etc., must give up that status, apply for a “Student” visa, and return to Japan with that visa. After completion of your degree, it is not guaranteed that you would be able to reobtain a “Permanent Resident” or “Long-term Resident” status again, even if previously held.
Applicants who arrive in Japan without a student visa will have their scholarships suspended.
Disqualification Criteria
Anyone meeting any of the criteria below is ineligible to apply for the scholarship:
- Active duty military or military-employed civilian at the time of arriving in Japan or at any point during the scholarship award period.
- Unable to arrive in Japan by the deadline determined by MEXT or the nominating university.
- Previous recipient of the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship (including those who withdrew from the scholarship in the past after arriving in Japan). However, applicants who have over 3 full years of education or employment history between the month after the end of the previous scholarship award and the commencement of the new award are eligible to apply. Past recipients of the Japanese Studies MEXT Scholarship who returned to their home universities and graduated after receipt of that scholarship (including those expected to graduate before the start of the new scholarship), past recipients of the Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments, and past recipients of the Young Leaders’ Program scholarship are eligible to apply. Past receipt of the MEXT Honors Scholarship does not disqualify applicants.
- Applicants who are simultaneously applying for any other Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship to begin in fiscal year 2020. (e.g. the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship).
- Applicants who are already enrolled at a Japanese university with a residence status of “Student” at the time of application or who will enroll in a Japanese university prior to the start of the scholarship award period. However, applicants who are currently enrolled in a Japanese university (or who will enroll in a Japanese university) as fee-paying students and who have definite plans to complete their studies, return to their home countries, and obtain a new student visa before returning to Japan are eligible.
Essentially, this requirement means that you cannot be enrolled in a Japanese university with the intent to quit if you receive the MEXT Scholarship. The exception applies to students who enrolled in Japanese university (or language programs) and will complete their course of studies/graduate before the start of the scholarship.
- Applicants who are projected to receive (have been accepted/approved to receive) a scholarship from any other source, including their home country governments, after the commencement of the MEXT scholarship payment period.
- Applicants who have not yet graduated from their qualifying degree at the time of application and who fail to graduate before the start of the scholarship award period.
If you have not graduated, you are still eligible to apply and would have to submit a “Certificate of Expected Graduation” instead of a Certificate of Graduation. However, if you do not graduate as expected, you would lose the scholarship.
- Applicants who have dual nationality, including Japan as one of the nationalities, at the time of application and who fail to renounce their Japanese citizenship prior to the start of the scholarship.
- Applicants who intend to conduct fieldwork or internships outside of Japan or take a leave of absence during their studies for a long period of time.
“Long period of time” is undefined, but I would interpret this as meaning any period of time that interferes with coursework during the semester or the MEXT Scholarship payment cycle (one month). Fieldwork outside the country could be possible during vacation periods, for less than a month, but if you fail to sign in at your university each month, you would forfeit the monthly scholarship payment for the months that you do not sign.
- Applicants who intend to study only as non-degree students and do not plan to advance to the degree program. Applicants who have already obtained a doctoral degree and do not intend to earn another degree (e.g. post-doc research).
Willingness to Participate in Intercultural Interaction
During your studies in Japan, you must be willing to actively participate in interaction events with schools and communities to contribute to the strengthening of relationships between your home country and Japan. After graduation, you must remain in contact with your university, participate in follow-up surveys and studies, and join in activities conducted by the Japanese diplomatic mission in your home country to promote relations with Japan after returning home.
Of course, this is unmeasurable, but stating your willingness/excitement to participate in such activities during the application process where possible would help you application.
How to Apply
As mentioned above, the application guidelines will be different for each university, so you’ll need to check with the university where you will apply. They may have a different process, more forms you need to complete or even ask you to submit forms at different times during the application process.Ultimately, though, here are the documents that you will need to submit by the end of the application. This is the list of documents that MEXT requires universities to obtain. I have written in detail about each of these documents in the past, so I will include links to those previous articles for your reference.
- Application Form: The 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application form is essentially identical to the 2019 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application form. You can find my article about how to complete that form at the link above and, of course, if you have joined my mailing list (see the link at the bottom of this article), I have already sent you a link to download a sample form. You should get the official form from the university that you are applying to, but you can also find it on MEXT’s website in Excel format for the general category scholarship or PGP.
- Field of Study and Research Program Plan: The Field of Study and Research Program Plan for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship is the same as last year’s University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, and you can find my article about it at the link above. If you applied for the 2020 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you’ll know the FSRPP format was different for that application. If you have purchased my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, the chapter about formatting your final plan is based on the embassy format, but you can still use if for the University format! Simply move the “Research Goals,” “Previous Research in the Field”, and “Existing Research” to question 2 and move the rest to question 3.
The rest of the documents below are described in my article University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application 2019: Application Documents
- Passport Copy or Government-Issued Identification Record
- Certificate of Grades from last institution attended
- Certificate of Graduation from last institution attended
- Proof of outstanding academic achievement from the last institution attended: Usually, this is simply an explanation of the grading system at the university.
- Certificate of Graduation from last institution attended
- Letter of Recommendation
- Abstract of Thesis: Either your graduation thesis from your last degree or a thesis from a capstone course
- Proof of Linguistic Ability
There will probably also be some form of proof of medical health. While MEXT does not have a specific requirement for this, they do require that universities confirm that applicants are sufficiently physically and mentally healthy to be able to study in Japan, as I described earlier. Many universities will use the Certificate of Health form from the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, though this is by no means necessary.
When will the application results be out?
Application results for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship come in two stages: University Selection Results and Official MEXT Results.
University Selection Results
Universities must select the applicants that they are going to accept and nominate to MEXT and submit those nominations by March 26, at the latest. That means that universities must finish their internal selection procedures, inform applicants of the results and confirm that all applicants are still willing to participate in the scholarship no later than the beginning of March, in general. The results may be even earlier if the university has not yet asked you to submit all of the documents above and need to ask you to send them after the results are out.
Because of those facotrs, different universities may release their initial results at different times. Do not get discouraged if you hear that results are out at different universities, but not at yours. However, if you do not receive a notification from the university by mid-March that you have been selected and nominated to MEXT for the scholarship and their final decision, then I’m afraid that means you were not successful this year and you should start preparing for the next Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, which will likely begin in April.
Caution: Results Notification
In some cases, I have seen situations where individual faculties at the university each select one candidate and then that candidate is sent forward to a university-wide screening board for final decision about the university’s nominees. If you are informed that you were selected as the faculty’s candidate and that they will then screen your application at the university level, that does not mean that you will ultimately be selected for the scholarship.
Final Selection Results
After universities select their nominees, they are sent to MEXT for final screening. MEXT claims that results will be out some time in June, but I have never known them to be on time over the last 10 years of following the scholarship. So, expect the results to be released in early to mid-July. That is also the date when results are released by MEXT to the universities. It may take universities another few days to communicate those results to their applicants. Again, this may take some universities longer than others, so if other applicants have heard their final results and you have not, that might be the cause.
Since universities know in advance how many nominees they can have accepted each year, usually all nominees receive the scholarship in the end, but this is not a guarantee. Last year, due to budget problems, MEXT ended up cutting down the number of slots at the last minute, so some applicants received the shocking news that they were not accepted. This year, the maximum number of slots is already quite small (maximum of 3 instead of 9!), so I do not think this should be a risk this time, but nothing is sure with MEXT, anymore.
Want to Maximize Your Chance to Win the MEXT Scholarship?
As I’ve described above, the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship is especially competitive. If you want to increase your chances of earning the scholarship, my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, breaks down the scholarship details and application process and also includes chapters on developing a successful applicant mindset and an application strategy that will help you stand out from the crowd. You can purchase it in ebook or print format – or ask your university library to stock it, instead! The information you need to request it at your library can be found at the link above.Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon who help me cover the costs to keep this website and my email list running so that I can share these articles and advice with you! You can show your support for TranSenz on Patreon for as little as $1 (0.08% of a MEXT monthly stipend) per month. If TranSenz has helped you in your application process and you want to “pay it forward” to keep this site running to help future applicants, every contribution helps!
If you want to show your support but Patreon is out of reach, I’d appreciate it if you say hi on social media or in the comments below to let me know if you appreciate these posts. You can find me on facebook at @TranSenz or on Twitter at @tagsenzaki. I look forward to saying hi!
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
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Hi Travis!
Thank you very much for all the shared information!
I want to ask regarding the student exchange program. If, for instance, I have a plan of taking the 1 sem student exchange program sanctioned by the university (through their partner university abroad), will my stipend be suspended? The context btw is that I will be under (hopefully) the University Recommended MEXT scholarship.
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Pao,
Unfortunately, MEXT Scholars cannot participate in exchange programs. You must be physically present in Japan throughout your studies and have to sign in at the university each month. If you participate in the exchange and miss your signature for three months, you would lose the scholarship (not just suspended, but cancelled altogether).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for this, Travis!
More power!
Hi Travis,
It seems like I will need to reach out to the Dean of my department as soon as possible. From your experience, what would be the most appropriate way to reach out to the Dean, especially at the month of the deadline? Thanks again!
Hi Jimmy C.,
That really depends on the structure of your university and your relationships, but if you don’t have a way to get in touch with the Dean directly, my best suggestion would be to contact your advisor and ask for their assistance in getting the Dean’s signature.
One option would be to submit a letter written and signed by your advisor and counter-signed by the Dean.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I was wondering if it is appropriate to state inside my research proposal that I have had experience working at my target research lab? I want to briefly mention this inside my methodology or motivation as part of my reasoning for choosing this lab. I know that the lab has the resources I will need because I was once a study abroad student there. Thank you. (By the way I managed to reach out to my Dean! My letter is already completed and sent)
Hi Jimmy C.,
I think it’s a good thing to mention, probably under the “Past and Present Field of Study” question in the FSRPP, when you are describing what you have researched in the past.
Congrats on the Letter, as well!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you again for the help. Apologies if I’ve been asking too many questions lately, I want to clarify everything since my deadline is coming up! For the University Recommendation application I am doing, the application form is not in the style of FSRPP like you mention in your other articles. The application form just says to write your proposal within 2000 words. In that case should I just write my proposal in a more standard thesis proposal format? (Introduction, literature review, methods, conclusion, sources)
For your reference the information for my program can be found here: https://www.es.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/admission-aid/mext-granted/index.html
Hi Jimmy C.,
Thank you for the clarification.
I understand that your program has its own research plan form. That does give you more freedom and you could choose the normal format you have seen in your previous research in your field, etc. Since you don’t have the MEXT format, you would not necessarily need to include the Past and Present Field of Study section.
However, the sections that I proposed in my articles about how to write a Field of Study and Research Program Plan were not specific to the MEXT Scholarship. I based the content on what universities said they wanted to see in their research proposals, then wrangled that to fit the form and length requirements of the MEXT form. So, you don’t have to stick to that format, but I would recommend including those sections.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
My university (one of the University of California’s) is a partnered school with Osaka University, the Japanese university I am applying MEXT for. Osaka U has an University of California office in their Toyonaka Campus: in fact I went to Osaka U as an exchange student last summer through an official exchange program between the two schools.
Given this is the case, would I need to notify Osaka U’s MEXT department that my recommendation letter will be signed by a faculty member instead of the Dean, or is it safe to assume and use the faculty signature without clarification with Osaka U? At this point it is very difficult for me to obtain the Dean’s signature on time. Thanks!
Hi Jimmy C.,
I would recommend that you confirm with the university.
Based on the MEXT guidelines, a letter from a faculty member should be safe, but the university might have its own policy.
From what I saw on the Osaka University website, it looks like the application for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship usually occurs in December/January, so if that is the case, you should still have plenty of time to get a letter from your Dean. If you can, that would of course be safer!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am applying for the Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, and their application deadline is 11/30, which is within the month. In that case, what is the best way to ask their MEXT office about this? Specifically, what should I tell them if they ask me why or how I assumed that faculty signature is fine, what are my resources, etc. Thanks!
Hi Jimmy C.,
Thank you for pointing me in the direction of the grad school and their guidelines.
The application guidelines clearly say that they want a Letter from the Dean, so I would recommend that you pursue that letter if at all possible. (If they had said that they would accept a faculty letter in the case of a partnership, then that would be a different story). I never recommend asking for – and especially never assuming you have – an exception to the written guidelines.
I cannot advise submitting a faculty letter under these circumstances.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, thank you for the website. I have a question about Research and Master’s Programs. The embassy application did not mention anything about master’s or research, they just asked us to write a research plan. When I send out emails to professors, they also do not ask whether I am applying for a research or a master’s program. One of the universities I am applying to has an application that I should fill, they ask whether I want to research or do a master’s program. If I say master’s, does this go against the MEXT scholarship? Does this defy my research plan since I already picked a subject I want to know more about? It is quite confusing even on the website of universities itself. Can you help?
Hi Zayna,
There are two different terms in Japanese that are translated as “Research Student”, and I think that is probably a significant cause of your confusion. When MEXT says “Research Student” for the scholarship type, that refers to all graduate students. (“Graduate student” would be a better translation). So, you can use the MEXT Scholarship to apply for a Master’s or PhD program.
However, when a university says “Research Student”, especially as opposed to “Master’s Program”, they are referring to a non-degree student. Many MEXT Scholars start out as a non-degree research student for a semester as they settle in to their studies in Japan and take the entrance exam to get into the degree program, but you can start either way. (Ultimately, it will likely be the university that decides if you start as a research student or master’s student, so you do not need to be too worried about this.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir Tranz,
Thank you so much for all your helpful articles and advices for us MEXT Research Applicants. I just finished my interview with the Embassy a few days ago. I am not sure when results will be out and what is our next step cause we didn’t have an exam (direct to interview).
Now, my dilemma is that the document screening took more than 2months for the result. I worry that the interview result would take a month or longer too. I am currently in contact with a potential professor and he has already helped me with the initial requirements for my application to the university – English Certification Exemption and others. I approached this professor assuming that there is a huge possibility that I didn’t get shortlisted cause of the long wait (they don’t notify you got rejected or failed in my country). The University Application (along with their MEXT application) deadline is in less than 2 months. I am not sure if I should mention this conflict to my potential professor or not (for possible retraction of application in case I pass the first screening). Would this be rude? Or should I just wait patiently for the results and forego the University Recommended Track since it’s my Plan B?
Hi Kate,
You should certainly have the results of your interview in under a month. Most applicants would have already been eliminated before the interview stage, so there will be fewer results to review.
Besides, the deadline for applying to universities for Letters of Acceptance is November 20, so they need to get you your results by then!
There should not be any conflict in the dates for you. You will know the results of the Primary Screening before the university deadline and you will be able to make your decision at that point.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good morning,
I wasn’t able to obtain the Embassy recommendation MEXT, so I’m trying to get a MEXT through University recommendation, but the University that I’ve contacted didn’t know how the University pathway works.
– Actually, it seems that there are no international students in the whole University, so I’d like to know how MEXT University pathway works; will the University have to provide possible candidates to the MEXT or should they already have an agreement with the MEXT to propose a candidate ?
– Then, taking into account that I’m italian (non-priority country) will I be able to compete for the MEXT through the University ?
– Last, if I’ll be the only applicant for a whole university, will I be sure to get the MEXT ?
About the University pathway, which are the deadlines to submit the application and how the process of selection works in details.
I earned a Master at maximum score and I want to enrol in a PhD program on a slightly different areas.
Thanks for your attention
Hi Riccardo,
I am sorry to hear that you weren’t able to earn the scholarship through the Embassy.
If the university that you want to apply to is not familiar with the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, I do not think you will be able to apply there since you are not from a priority country and the math is against you.
While any university can nominate a student to MEXT, the maximum number of students that they can nominate is determined by the current number of international graduate students enrolled at the university. If there are none, then the university would only be able to one candidate. (This is also true in cases where the university did not recommend any candidates in the previous year).
The problem is that you cannot be that one candidate. When universities nominate candidates to MEXT, at least 75% of their nominees must be from priority countries. So, that means that the university must be able to and must actually nominate at least 4 candidates in order to be able to nominate a single candidate from a non-priority country. Therefore, you cannot apply to a university that has fewer than 3 nomination slots. Essentially, you are going to be limited to applying to universities that have PGP programs available in your field with more than 4 slots in them.
The application timeline and process is going to be different at each university, so you would need to find out from the university that you will apply to, once you have decided on a program.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your reply,
but actually the maximum number of slots for this year is 3, as you previously stated, so only priority country students will be able to obtain the MExT ?
For example, if we suppose that an University has 3 slots, due to previous years enrolling, but this year has only 1 non priority international student enrolled, won’t he be able to apply for the MEXT university recommendation ?
Finally may I ask if you have the contacts of MEXT scholarship office, I’d like to get in touch with them to have more infos.
Thanks for your help and time
Hi Riccardo,
The maximum number of slots for this year has not been determined yet (usually, the number comes out after universities start their application process, since the MEXT guidelines are often late), but it was three last year. So yes, in that case, only applicants from priority countries could be nominated. Last year, that was explicitly stated in the guidelines to universities.
However, that number of slots is for the “General Category.” There are also programs called Priority Graduate Programs, which are selected for a period of three years. Those programs have a specific number of slots assigned per program that they can nominate each year, and it can be more than four. I would recommend trying to target those programs, if there is one in your field.
The rule is that no more than 25% of nominated students can be from non-priority countries. If a university nominates three students, then one non-priority country student would represent 33% of the nominees, which is not allowed. There is a chart in the instructions to universities showing this breakdown.
Unfortunately, I do not have any contact information for MEXT for applicant inquiries. Since MEXT does not handle applications directly from applicants, I have never seen them publish that information and I would think that they would direct you to contact the university or embassy where you plan to apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for all your help
I received the information that I didn’t pass the first screening for the embassy recommendation. I was wondering if I would still be eligible to apply for university recommendation? Or do you think I don’t even have a chance?
Hi Paige,
I am sorry to hear that your application was not successful.
You can still apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship this year. As for your chances, I would encourage you to take a look at your application and see what it is that you can improve. Ultimately, there are a limited number of places, so your chances depend on your competition. If you can figure out what might have been your weak points in the application process and correct for them while enhancing your strengths, then you should be able to increase your chances for next time!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
I really love your posts, they are really helping!
I have a short question and I really appreciate if you anwer it.
Will applicants from university recommended compete with applicants from embassy recommended? In above post you mention about available slots for any university, are those for university/embassy recommended awardees only or for both? (e.g 3 slots for university recommended and 3 slots for embassy recommended, or 3 slots for both of them)
Thank you for your time
Hi Afif,
No, the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship and University Recommended Scholarship are completely different application processes, so they are never in competition with one another. This article is about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship and the slots I referred to are only for the university recommendation. There is no limit on the number of Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholars that a single university can host. For the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, the slots are allocated to the embassies. It would be technically possible for every embassy scholar to apply to the same university in Japan.
Of course, universities in Japan (and individual labs) have an overall maximum number of students that they can enroll per year and at any time. That number includes both types of MEXT scholars as well as Japanese students and other privately financed international students, but you generally shouldn’t have to worry about that!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much!
Hi,
I have a question In case of a university recommended MEXT scholarship, should I have to email professors as ‘research student’ or ‘master’s student’?
Hi Labid,
I would recommend stating your intent to be a Master’s student. If during the conversation with the university/professor, it is decided that you would be better off starting as a research student for the first semester, that’s fine, but I think it is important to tell them from the outset that you are aiming for the Master’s program.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I trust you are doing well. Yesterday I contacted Japanese embassy in my country for visa application, but they replied that I should inform my university that they are not going to issue me any visa and also they are not certain up to when this situation will continue. Could you kindly help me what steps I should take next? Should I email university that they should shift the period of my scholarship from October to November for December, or…..
Before starting my PhD studies, I must complete a one-year research student period where I do not have any class to continue online. Best Regards
Hi Qasem,
I am sorry to hear that Japan is not issuing visas in your country. I had heard that they were going to start issuing visas for MEXT scholars in some countries this month, but I do not think that it will be worldwide.
In any case, this situation is not unique to you. The university probably has many MEXT Scholars in similar situations and they should be working on a policy for what to do in that situation. So, I would recommend emailing them, explaining the situation, and asking them what your next step should be.
They may offer you to shift the start of your studies to next April (the start would be delayed by a semester, not just a month or two), or the possibility of starting your studies online this semester, though in that case, you would most likely not receive any stipend during that time, based on what I saw happen with the applicants who were supposed to start last April.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir ,
I have one question about the mext University recommendation .
If I have connect one professor for guidance and consent letter and he did not give me reply after several mails, is it possible we have connect different professor from same University ?
Hi Kaushal Vora,
If the professor has not responded to you, then I would recommend moving on and trying somewhere else. Reaching out to another professor at the same university is possible, but I would recommend sending one last email to the first professor thanking them for their consideration but stating that you have decided to contact another potential advisor, instead. You do not want that professor to suddenly start replying to you after you have moved on, so it is courteous to close the conversation.
However, when you contact professors, make sure you are doing so in accordance with the university’s instructions for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application. I would not recommend just contacting professors out of the blue and asking them to support your application for the MEXT Scholarship unless the university has specifically told you to do so.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I hope you are doing well. Thank you for your reply.
I have contacted a professor from a Tohoku university, he told me his retirement is in the next 3 years so he said that you should contact this professor for Tokyo tech university as pre my research plan, but I have already contacted one professor from Tokyo tech university and he didn’t give me a response. Is it alright after thanking the contacted professor I should contact the professor, given by the faculty of Tohoku?
Hi Kaushal,
If you are planning to contact a second professor from the same university, then I would recommend that you first contact the original professor, thank them for their time, but tell them that you understand that they are not interested in supervising your research, so you will be reaching out to someone else.
Of course, the way that you reach out to professors could also impact whether or not you get a reply. If you have already passed the Primary Screening, then it is OK to explain up front that you are a MEXT Scholarship candidate and need a supervisor (though I would still recommend that you focus on your desire to work under that professor and why you chose them). If you have not yet passed the Primary Screening, then I would not recommend mentioning the MEXT Scholarship yet, just that you want to research under them.
Some universities have a policy not to reply to any Embassy MEXT Scholarship inquiries until after the applicants have passed the Primary Screening.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I hope you are doing well.
I have a question about the considerin the professor.
I have contacted a professor from Tokyo tech and he told me that I am Transferring to Kyushu University in April 2021, So for mext university recommendation, I have to apply to Kyushu university. But Is it possible I have the right to contact another professor from Tokyo Tech and after his answer, I have given my answer to the Transferring professor?
Hi Kaushal Vora,
Sorry, when I replied to your last message, I thought you were applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, since this is currently the season to apply for that scholarship and letters of acceptance.
If you are more interested in studying at Tokyo Tech than you are in studying under that professor moving to Kyushu, then yes, you can try to get feedback from another prof. first then give your answer to the transferring professor, but don’t wait too long.
On the other hand, the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship is highly competitive, so having a supporter on the inside is valuable. It sounds like you were introduced to this transferring professor so he might be more invested in working with you. That’s not an asset to lightly discard unless you have a good reason why you don’t want to work with that professor.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello dear,
Hope that you are well.
Apparently it is seen that, MEXT 2020 scholars can enter japan by October according to authentic newspaper sources. But the question is, are all countries eligible for this exemption? Some countries’ embassy have sent email to MEXT scholars 2020 to shift the enrollment even after the published news of travel exemption for MEXT scholars. Does it mean that, only selected countries students can enter?
Hi Rani,
I have seen articles to the same effect, but from what I understand, not all countries will be allowed in at once. It will likely be done in phases and will be based on the COVID situation in the respective countries.
I will say that as a university employee, I have yet to see any specific guidance from MEXT about students returning into Japan. I hope to see some concrete details soon, and will share them when I can.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Is there any updated news about which country will not be allowed for visa issuance for mext scholars? Many scholars asked their universities and all universities said that mext scholar will get visa regardless nation. Kindly need your comment.
Please share if you have any other updates.
Thanks in advanced
Hi Rani,
I have not heard anything official from MEXT yet, or other sources in Japanese. Your news is new to me!
I will keep my eyes open, but in the meantime, if anyone else has any information about the situation, please share!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good morning!! I´ve just found your website and im in love with it :3. I´ve been thinking about appliying to the MEXT scholarship for a long time, but Im not optimistic. Im from a non priority country (Spain), and im graduating in October from Computer Science.
I read that there´s only 3 Scholarship slots in the General admission that I can´t get in, Would you recommend me appliying to a PGP??
Thanks for everything!!!!!
Hi Juan,
Thank you for your kind comments.
The University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship can be tricky if you are not from a priority country. Is it too late to apply for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship in your country this year?
If you do apply for the URMS, then you are essentially going to be limited to PGP programs, I’m afraid.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
My recommended University finally emailed me around a month ago that I successfully passes MEXT selection. Thank you so much for helping me alot. They mentioned that MEXT will contact me for further process, but there’s around a month that I have not heard from them. I have worries that my scholarship might postpone due to COVID-19 outbreak. Should I still keep hope for entering Japan in early October?
Hi Qasem,
Congratulations on your selection!
Right now, neither universities nor MEXT itself know what the immigration restrictions will be for new students arriving in the fall, but it does not look like we are headed in a positive direction. There is a very high chance that immigration restrictions will still be in place.
In that case, what I understand will happen is that you will have the option to start your first semester online from your home country. You would still get the tuition exemption in that situation, but you would not get the cost of living stipend, at least based on what has happened to students who were supposed to arrive in the spring.
In any case, I hope you get official word soon!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Hope that you are doing well.
I am writing to you to know about the entry of new students.
It is seen that, Japan is now allowing re-entry of old students. That’s a good news. But MEXT is still silent about entry of new students. As a recipient of MEXT scholarship for October 2020, I am concerned about my departure. I asked several times to my departmental office and professors but no one knows nothing. Here, in my country I quit my study and can’t apply for any job as I am expected to depart this October. If there is any updated news from your side, please let me know.
Moreover, if Japan plans for online classes, I am afraid of about my research works as my work will be totally lab based with very few lectures. What will be Japan’s plan for research students?
Hi Farhana,
I saw your post on another post and answered it there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for the valuable information. I applied for the MEXT scholarship through university recommendation route this year. My university informed me that I am ranked the 4th and not selected for the list of candidates.
Would there be a reconsideration of the applications before releasing the final list of scholars? Is there any second chance for me?
Hi Thil,
I am sorry that this reply is coming too late to help you.
Unfortunately, if the university informed you that you were not selected, then there would be no remaining chance for reconsideration at that point, as far as I know.
Sometimes a university will inform a candidate early in the selection process that they are an alternate, and in that case, the candidate has a chance to get selected if another nominee drops out, but by July, the final selection would have been made.
I am sorry that you were not selected this time, but I hope you can consider applying again in the future and that your application will be successful then!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for your unconditional effort.
I have a query:
I was nominated as MEXT scholar by a renowned Japanese public university for October 2020 session. As you mentioned in your post that the final results are expected to be released in early to mid-July and it’s already 13 July but I didn’t get any confirmation email from neither the embassy nor the university, I am afraid that I have lost it this time. On the other hand, two of my relatives got their conformation by the end of June although their universities were different. Would you please tell me whether all the university recommended MEXT results have been published or there are some left???
Hi Sristy,
I’m very sorry that this reply is coming so late. I fell badly behind with the volume of comments and questions that were coming in in July, so I am still catching up.
I assume that you had your final answer a long time ago, but for the sake of anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation in the future, my first suggestion is to check your spam mail to make sure the results didn’t end up there. The university should contact you with the final answer, regardless of what it is, so there should never be a situation where you simply don’t get a message at all.
If there is no message in your spam box, either, then you could try contacting the university. It might annoy them slightly, but at this point, you wouldn’t risk losing the scholarship over a little annoyance, so you should be OK!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi.
I have recently received my final confirmation for University recommended MEXT scholarship.
I have several questions.
1. Is there any update about lifting immigration restrictions for international students?
2. Is there any possibility to shift our enrollment from October to April,2021?
3. At the time of my application, I submitted my expected graduation date certificate. But now I received my final BS honours result. I couldn’t get my certificate of graduation for the lockdown. (Still it is hard for me to go to the register building and arrange my certificate as the office is open in limited way).
May I have to submit my original certificate after entering Japan? Though I couldn’t get my certificate, I have my all academic transcripts. May I submit photocopies of my transcripts instead of certificate as a proof of my graduation?
Hi Rani,
I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this question.
Congratulations on your final confirmation of earning the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship. That is fantastic!
1. When you originally asked this question, no, there wasn’t. But recently, the Japanese government has talked specifically about opening up to MEXT Scholars for the fall semester. I think it is going to be a phased process and some countries will be allowed in earlier than others, based on the local situations, but it is better than what I had hoped for.
2. I have also heard of some universities asking their students if they want to defer enrollments until April 2021 or start their studies online. You should hear more from your university directly.
3. I would imagine that there will be some special consideration if you cannot get the certificate on time because the university is closed. If your transcripts show that you have completed all requirements for graduation and the date that you earned your degree, those could be considered a Certificate of Graduation. However, I think you will need an original/certified copy, not a photocopy. I would recommend that you consult directly with the official that you are supposed to submit the transcripts to for specific details in your case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I have found this news recently on the website of my university (https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/admission/scholarship.html) regarding the changes in the eligibility criteria for the Fall 2020 enrollment and it looks like MEXT has decided that only people with a nationality mentioned in the list of priority countries are eligible for the scholarship with university recommendation – general category. Do you know if that also applies to PGP slots? I got admitted to a PGP programme for next September but my country is not on this list, should I worry?
Thanks for your reply!
Hi Maria,
In general, MEXT requires that no more than 25% of a university’s nominees for any program come from a non-priority country. Since the maximum number of general program nominees last year was 3 per university, it is impossible to get under 25%, so essentially, universities were not allowed to nominate anyone from a non-priority country for the general category. However, some PGP programs have 4 or more places available, so in that case, it would be possible to nominate one person from a country not on that list.
If you were admitted, then you have nothing to worry about! They would not have selected you for nomination if you were not eligible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Hope you are well.
I would be grateful in case you know for a consultation on the following question:
– May one be eligible for MEXT SGU, PGP, and university-recommended scholarships for 2021 academic year, if received the last MEXT embassy-recommended scholarship in June 2019?
Hi Lily,
One of the eligibility requirements is that if you have received the MEXT Scholarship in the past, you need to have a minimum of three full years of working or education experience between the last month that you received the scholarship and the month that you will arrive in Japan for your next scholarship. So, if June 2019 was the last month that you received a scholarship stipend payment from MEXT, you would not be able to start a new MEXT Scholarship until Fall 2022, at the earliest, and that is assuming that you have been consistently employed full time or enrolled in a full-time degree during the interim.
However, if the last MEXT scholarship you received was the Japanese Studies Scholarship, then that does not count. For more information, I would recommend that you read my article about the eligibility criteria for the 2020/2021 application cycle.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hallow body,
I would like to know the situation regarding MEXT Scholarship, what was arising in 2011 due to the Tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
My queries are that at that year weather MEXT announce the scholarships on time and does all the student able to join their university in their expected date or they had to join in the following year or MEXT cancelled all the chances?
Hi MJ Khan,
Unfortunately, I started working with the scholarship in the Fall 2011 semester, after the effects of the 2011 disaster would have been over. I am not sure if MEXT allowed students who were supposed to arrive in April of that year to defer to the fall or not.
I understand that already for the COVID-19 situation, students who were supposed to arrive in April 2020, but could not due to immigration restrictions, etc., have been deferred to a Fall 2020 arrival. However, if if becomes impossible for students to arrive in the fall, as well, it is hard to tell now whether MEXT will defer to next April (a new fiscal year in Japan) or not. I will be keeping an eye on this decision though and will let you know as soon as I learn anything.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have been following your suggestions from the very first of my Mext uni recommend application and I am accepted as a Mext candidate (PGP) from a National uni in Japan.
We all are going through a great crisis. My professor mailed me few days ago and informed me that there will be a possibility of postponement of my October enrollment. My question to you, is this postponement has already finalized?
Another question is, Japan banned more than 100 countries where visa application process for students are suspended till end. How long this will continue? or Japan is planning to ban all international students for 2020?
I am really very worried of the future of my scholarship. Should I plan for an alternative?
Hi Rani,
Congratulations on earning the MEXT Scholarship!
As far as I know, the postponement of scholarships is not official yet. But right now, universities across Japan are struggling with the same question you have (this includes me in my day job!)
Like you said, there is an immigration ban in place against 111 countries at this time, so students from those countries would not be able to come to Japan unless the immigration restrictions are lowered. I heard that the government was going to start talking about allowing immigration again in certain categories and from certain countries over the summer (student visa holders were part of that group), but the article I read said that they planned to start discussing the issue in June, so nothing is sure yet.
I am hopeful that a solution will be found for student visa holders in time for the fall semester, but it is very difficult to say right now because there is so little information. I would suggest that you wait a little while longer to see if progress seems to being made toward allowing student visa immigration for the fall, or not.
I am sorry that I don’t have anything more concrete for you, but all of us working in international offices at universities in Japan are also desperately seeking more information and have nothing that we can go on at this time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Have the results for 2020 university recommended scholarships been released?
Hi Sam,
No, not as far as I know. Universities should have released the results to applicants about whether or not they were nominated to MEXT, but the projected date of the final results release is typically in late June (and MEXT almost always misses that date and releases in early to mid-July). This year, there might be additional delays due to the chaos from the COVID-19 situation, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Hope you are doing well. I have received my University Recommended Mext scholarship final announcement. It’s really a good news for me. But still I am worried about my departure on time. Japan Government hasn’t clear anything about students’ entry. Is there any latest information about students’ entry? Or is there any chance to shift my enrollment in April,2021?
Hi Rani,
Congratulations! I am very happy for you.
As you said, there is no information now about when the immigration restrictions to Japan might be lifted. Even MEXT doesn’t know, at least they didn’t when I attended a lecture from them a week and a half ago.
From what I understand, applicants who were supposed to start in April of this year have started their studies virtually from home, so that is a possibility. I think MEXT is going to need to make their decision soon. If I hear anything from them, I will certainly share it as soon as possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I have received my final confirmation. It’s really a good news. But now I am worried about my departure. Is there any updated information for international students regarding travel ease? Is there any chance to postpone our enrollment till April 2021?
Hi Rani,
Congratulations on earning the scholarship! That’s great to hear.
I think every MEXT Scholar out there now is worried about their departure. Unfortunately, I don’t have any updated information, and it does not seem like MEXT does, either. Immigration restrictions are out of MEXT’s control.
I know that for the students who were supposed to have started in April 2020, many, if not all, have started their studies online (most Japanese universities went online in the spring semester, and it looks like many will in the fall, as well). During that semester, it seems like they did not have to pay tuition, but they also did not get the living stipend. It is very possible that, in the event that students are not able to arrive for the fall, MEXT will do the same thing, now that they have established that pattern.
If I learn anything new, I will share it here!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’ve been reading your blogs and I’m wondering if you have any information about the number of slots or the acceptance rate for the MEXT scholarship recommended by a national Japanese university for English undergraduate programs (g30). The university I’m enrolling to is a national university and told me that I was a ‘successful candidate’ of the scholarship. I’ve asked them if it is guaranteed and they only answered that I shouldn’t worry because I ‘can’ get the 4-year scholarship and that there are no further screenings.
I have a friend who is also a successful candidate in Nagoya Uni and when they asked the same question, they were told not to worry because 100% of those in the past who were recommended got the MEXT scholarship.
Thank You.
Hi Janice,
To the best of my knowledge, the only undergraduate scholarships available through the University Recommendation are part of the Priority Graduate Program or the Top Global University program. In both of those cases, MEXT assigns a specific number of scholarship slots to the university in advance and the university conducts the selection. Like your university told you, there is no further screening. MEXT conducts a final double-check to make sure that the university has submitted all of the paperwork properly and that you haven’t violated the eligibility criteria (i.e. by being recommended by two universities in one year), but that’s it. It’s basically a rubber stamp and 100% success rate.
Last year, there was a situation where some university-recommended candidates did not receive the scholarship because MEXT had a budget cut and had to reduce the number of scholarships at the last minute. But this year, the number of scholarships was already reduced from the start of the process, so if you have made it this far, you should have nothing to worry about!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thank you for your reply 🙂
Janice
Hi Trevis, I just found this amazing scholarship and wanted to let you know that I graduated in my country Tajikistan and accepted as an exchange student(FLEX program) in America,so I studied there for 8 months but my school doesn’t give diploma for exchange students. Is there any possibilities me applying for this. Thank you.
Hi Shahboz,
Any studies that do not lead to a degree (e.g. your 8-month program) would not be factored into your qualifications for the scholarship, but you can still reference what you accomplished there.
So, in terms of meeting the eligibility criteria, you would only be able to reference your grades and the years of schooling accomplished, etc., from your studies in Tajikistan. But if you continued studies related to your major during your exchange in America, then you could certainly make a brief reference to what you accomplished there in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan as well as during the scholarship interview. (They typically ask about how you think you would be able to adjust to living in Japan, and you can show them that you already have experience living long-term in another country and adjusting there).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I just found this amazing blog and I can’t stop reading it. Thank you so much for giving us so much information and advices.
I wanted to know your opinion on my current situation:
I’m currently finishing my 3rd year of university (Electrical Engineering) in Spain, and I wanted to start planning everything a little bit in advance so that I have the highest chance possible of being selected for the MEXT scholarship. I would ideally want to enroll in an english-taught graduate program because I just started learning Japanese a year ago.
I was wondering if applying for the university recommendation this fall would be too early for me. I say this because I still haven’t started with my bachelor’s thesis, so I don’t think I have enough research experience to ellaborate a good research plan. Other than that, my MEXT GPA is around 2.7-2.8 and I have 111/120 on the TOEFL-iBT, so I don’t think I am lacking in the rest of requirements.
Should I wait and apply for the Embassy recommendation next year? It is a plan that I don’t especially like because if I don’t get chosen, I would have to wait until spring 2021 to know the results for the next university recommendation application. If i failed at both of them, I would probably apply for a master’s degree here in Spain, but with this last schedule I wouldn’t enroll before fall 2021, which seems a bit of a waste of time (I could work in a company during that time obviously).
Thank you in advance,
-Aingeru
Hi Aingeru,
I am very happy to hear that you have found the site to be helpful!
I would recommend that you start with the Embassy Recommendation application process that should be beginning any time now, if you can. Even if you think you don’t have enough research experience right now to do well, at least you will gain experience in the application process and trying to write a Field of Study and Research Program Plan with the assistance of your faculty members would be a good experience.
Many applicants are in the same position as you are and have not started their bachelor’s thesises when they start the application process (or in some cases, they are in programs that don’t require a bachelor’s thesis, at all).
My suggestion would be to start with the first application process available, if you can. At this point, that is the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2021. Usually, the application starts with the release of the guidelines in April, but this year it has been delayed, so you have a little extra time to prepare. I have heard conflicting suggestions that the guidelines might be out this month or next.
In any case, the Embassy Recommendation that will be starting soon and the University Recommendation this fall are both for the scholarship that will begin in 2021. For the Embassy, you would know the results of the Primary Screening around July or August 2020 (depending on the delay) and have your final results around January or February 2021. With the University Recommendation, you would have your initial results (the university selection process) around next February or March with the final results around July 2021.
I hope that helps! Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
That was very helpful, thank you so much Travis!
I will be graduating around June 2021, so I don’t know if I would be on time to go to Japan if I applied for the embassy recommendation now (I would have to go to Japan in April 2021, right?). Maybe the arrival date is delayed because of the current situation, so I might be lucky.
Either way, I will talk with a professor that I am doing interships with, in order to get some advice on my research plan. I think it’s a great idea to start thinking about the research proposal as soon as possible, so that I have time to come up with a well polished proposal.
Thank you once again,
Aingeru
Hi Aingeru,
If you apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship this year, you would be able to start your studies in Japan in either April 2021 or in September/October 2021. There are some programs (many of the programs taught in English) that will accept new students to start in the fall. In your case, since you are not graduating until July, you would have to arrive in the fall semester, but that is not a problem. It is a fairly common situation.
Yes, it is never too early to start thinking about your research proposal! I’m glad to hear that you have a professor that you can confer with about it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello again Travis,
As you may know, the Embassy Recommended guidelines are out in many countries now. I was thinking about applying, as you told me, because the deadline to submit application documents has been extended until early september. The problem is the interviews are on early october, but I will be abroad on an exchange program from september to december so I wouldn’t be able to be present physically.
I have talked about it with the embassy and they don’t accept any kind of online interviews.
I guess I should go for the University Recommended scholarship, right? To be honest, I could try to go to the embassy interview, but I would lose quite a lot of money and almost a week of classes, without having any guarantees of getting the scholarship. On top of that, they told me there are only 8 slots available so even if there aren’t many candidates, there will be a lot of competition.
What do you think?
Sorry for annoying you with so many comments.
Thank you,
Aingeru
Hi Aingeru,
Yes, I have seen the guidelines being released little-by-little in a few countries over the last week.
I’m sorry to hear that the timing does not work for you because the interviews overlap with your study abroad program, assuming that you are still going on that exchange (at least at my university, and most of the universities that we partner with, all student exchange has been cancelled in the fall).
Like you said, there is no guarantee that making it to the interview stage indicates that you have a strong chance to get the scholarship in the end, so it is a risk. However, I would say that having 8 slots available is quite a large number compared to many other application methods, so the competition is not especially high, relatively speaking. (For the university recommended MEXT scholarship for example, the most slots any university had last year was three or four).
If you are certain that your exchange program will go on in the fall and don’t want to shoulder the expense and risk of returning for the interviews, then the University Recommended MEXT scholarship or waiting until next year would seem to be your best options. However, if you think there’s a chance that your exchange could be cancelled, then it might not hurt to prepare for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship now so that you can submit your application if you do find that you are going to be in the country.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I want to ask regarding the effect of COVID-19 to mext scholarship especially university recommendation. Many applicants in the FB group who waiting for the final announcement from mext are worrying about the announcement would be delayed. Some applicants also anxious the scholarship uni recommendation for this year might be canceled. I believe postponement is more possible but I don’t think it would be canceled. How do you think about this? Thank you.
Hi Putri,
I can certainly understand your concern. It’s hard to tell what the situation will be like this fall. Though there has been some carefully optimistic news about other countries’ progress over COVID-19, such as lifting some lockdown measures, Japan is well behind the rest of the world. (We haven’t even started a lockdown yet).
Like you, I think that postponement is more likely than cancellation at this point. If the immigration restrictions have not lifted by summer, it would not surprise me to see the scholarship start pushed back by a semester or year. My understanding is that this already happened with the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholars who were supposed to start their studies this April. After all, Japan postponed the Olympics by a year but did not cancel them, so I am hoping that will be a trend.
The key information to monitor over the next few months will be whether Japan’s immigration restrictions stay in place or not and how it’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rates the infection risk level for other countries. Right now, the immigration measures are supposed to be in place through the end of April, though it seems likely that they will be extended. The question is for how long.
I manage a student exchange program for a university here, so I am focused on this on a daily basis. I will certainly post here and share with my mailing list when I know anything about the fall!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Putri,may i know the FB group you mentioned? Imam interested to join as well
Find the FB group here https://web.facebook.com/groups/111139462302653/
Dear Transenz,
I want to ask about the current condition about MEXT scholarship. Is the registration closed regarding to Outbreak of Corona Virus? Because in Japan embassy website in my country not open the application this month (there are no notification about opening the MEXT program). Thank you.
Hi Pedro Novida,
There has been no official announcement about the MEXT scholarship one way or another for the 2021 application cycle. I am looking every day to see if one arrives and will share it as soon as I can.
It’s certainly later than usual this year, but when the scholarship application does go forward, MEXT is going to need to adjust the application process to avoid interviews and other in-person contact, so I imagine it may be taking a while to get the guidelines revised.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you TranSenz for the informative write. I would like to apply for APANESE GOVERNMENT (MONBUKAGAKUSHO: MEXT) SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2021 POSTGRADUATE (RESEARCH STUDENTS). However, I have few things that still unclear. So I would like to ask:
1) Is it compulsory to have a respective future supervisor from university or I can directly apply without any supervisor and if yes, what shoule i write in part Proposed Study Program IN Japan.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Kit,
You must know what you want to study in Japan and you should also have identified one (preferably three) universities where you would be able to study it, as well as identifying professors who could be advisors for your research.
You do not need to have contacted the professors and gotten their approval to supervise you at this point, but you do need to do the research to make sure such professors exist and list them in the form. (Of course, if you can get in touch with them, that is always better, but it is not required).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello TranSenz!
Thanks for your posts! I just have a quick question. If I am applying to the MEXT scholarship via embassy recommendation, who can write me a letter of recommendation? On the application guidelines it says the Dean or an academic advisor. I was planning on getting one from an academic advisor but I am not sure if that means more of a university counselor or a previous mentor/teacher. The person I had in mind for my letter of recommendation is a professor, whose class I’ve taken. I believe they could write me a good letter because they know me well, but any more information on the requirements for letters of recommendations would really help me out. Thanks!
Hi Dave,
As of the last application cycle, a Dean or Academic Advisor (or the President of your University) were both acceptable.
In the Japanese university system, each student typically has an academic advisor who is a professor in their field of study that helps them select classes and stay on course for graduation. If you wrote an undergraduate thesis, then your thesis advisor would also meet this description. In either case, though, it is a person who has a specific role in overseeing your academic progress toward graduation, not simply someone that you have a relationship with that you can go to for advice.
Is there someone like that in your university system?
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Unfortunately, I did not write a thesis so I do not have an academic advisor in that sense, but my school does have academic advisors who sign you up for classes and electives. Would they count? Also, I have only interacted with them once, so my concern is that they may not be able to answer the questions included in the recommendation form, questions on personal character, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, etc. Do you have any advice on how to approach this situation? Appreciate all your help!
Hi David,
It sounds like you don’t have anyone equivalent to what would be considered an academic advisor in the way Japanese universities mean it. An advisor should be a faculty member who guides you through your entire academic career, or at least the end of it, after you declare your major. In that sense, they would have a sense of your overall academic progress, abilities, etc.
Since you do not have someone like that in your system, then I would recommend trying to get a letter of recommendation from the Dean of your faculty. Most likely, the Dean does not know you personally either, but a letter from him or her would carry weight. As with any letter of recommendation request, you should provide that person with a list of achievements, actions, etc. that display your character, leadership, academic ability, ability to work in groups, and so on. If you give them specific examples, they don’t need to know you personally to write the letter. (You can even offer to write a rough draft of the actual text for them).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have applied for University recommendation MEXT scholarship , general slot through, Hokkaido University. I submitted all my documents including, the original signed application form and pledge in around Feb. My professor told me that she had submitted my documents at the office and I shall expect an answer in Mid-May about the fellowship selection. However, I do not know if I have been nominated by the University for the scholarship. I wanted to know if Universities email each and every student who has bern nominated personally? I do not know if I made through the nomination but my professor at the time of application told me that results will be declared in mid May. What should I conclude?
She also wrote to me at the time of application that I have quite good scholar record and that I may have some good chance to get it but at the same time other students applying have good record and she doesn’t know what criteria selection committee will use to choose the student they accept? What does this mean?
Hi Divyanshi,
In general, Japanese professors and university administrators will try to avoid promising anything that they cannot guarantee. So, this message sounds kind of standard to me – the professor sounds like she is trying to express that she thinks you are a very strong candidate, but at the same time that the final decision is out of her control. She is trying to encourage you, but at the same time, avoid the situation where she seems to promise success to you, just in case things do not go as she expects.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Divyanshi,
I am not aware of any MEXT selection processes that occur in May. However, I do know that for the standard University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, the deadline for universities to submit nominations to MEXT has already passed in March and MEXT’s final decision is not expected until June (or likely July, since they are consistently late).
On the other hand, the “Top Global University” category of the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship requires that universities submit nominations in June, so it is possible that Hokkaido University will complete its internal screening in May and contact applicants then. Right now, that seems like the most likely possibility.
I could not find any information about the specific application process or guidelines on Hokudai’s website that might offer a hint.
In any case, yes, the university should contact every applicant who they plan to nominate before the submit the nomination. They would want applicants to know that they have been nominated, to reconfirm their intent to continue the application process, and to commit to coming to Japan if they earn the scholarship. So, if you have not received a nomination confirmation by this time, I would assume that you have not yet been nominated.
On the other hand, universities should (though they do not always) contact unsuccessful applicants, as well, to let them know so that they can move on. So, since you have not received a notice that you were not nominated, I can only conclude that the decision has not yet been made.
Given the information I have at this point, that is my best guess.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I applied for University recommended scholarship but the university has not informed me yet. I wrote to my Professor and he said it will announce in June. Does it mean that I passed the first screening and already recommended to MEXT?
Hi Heather,
Do you know what category of MEXT Scholarship you were applying for? The easiest way to distinguish between the two is whether or not your travel to Japan is covered by the scholarship or not.
If you were applying for the “standard” University Recommended MEXT Scholarship (travel fees to Japan are covered), then the university should have already selected it’s nominees and submitted them to MEXT. The projected final results release date is in June (though it is usually late).
If you were applying for the “Top Global University” University Recommended MEXT Scholarship (travel fees to Japan not covered), then the university will not submit its selection to MEXT until June.
Unfortunately, both options above have a June date, so I can’t tell which one you might fall under. If the university had selected you for nomination, though, I think they would have told you that, so my best guess would be that you call under the Top Global University category.
If you can find out the scholarship category from the university, that might give you better insight.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for answering my question. I really appreciate it. Actually, I applied for General Category, and my case is pretty smilar to Divyanshi’ s case. I hope the university will notify us soon.
By the way, ıf I got rejected, my Proffesor would know it, right?
Thank you again for your time.
Hi Heather,
I hope you will find out soon, as well!
If the university did not select you for the nomination, your professor should know that. However, if the final formal selection has not occurred yet and won’t occur until May, then your professor is probably in limbo waiting for the answer as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I have applied for uni. rec. for Kobe University. I send the documents mid/ end of Feb 2020 and asked them then should I expect and answer from the university ( if they will send my documents to MEXT). I was told as soon as they know ( the business school knows) they will let me know. I have heard nothing from them. Wrote them an email on Friday do see what is going on no response. Wrote to my professor on Monday morning and still no response. Will you be able to let me know what is your opinion on this? Why are they ignoring my emails? What are the chances of m them ignoring me because I didn’t get the scholarship.
Thanks
Hi Tom,
The university should know by now. The period to submit nominations to MEXT is March 16 to March 26 for 2020, and the university should have reached out to all selected applicants to confirm that they are still willing to accept the nomination before sending the documents in.
If they have not informed you by now that you were selected, I am sorry to say that I do not think that your chances look very good.
As for not responding to your emails, first I would suggest checking your spam filter, as sometimes university messages get stuck in there. But if that doesn’t yield anything, there is a possibility that the university is planning a single mass reply to all applicants and so they’re putting off responding to individual inquiries (or that they’re simply too overwhelmed by the Coronavirus situation to have time to do anything else). It’s not the most polite treatment, certainly, but both of those are possibilities.
My best suggestion would be to try to get them on the phone if you have a way to make cheap international calls (VOIP services like Skype Out, etc.). But in any case, I’m afraid it probably will not be good news.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello TranSenz
Hope you will be fine. Excuse me Dear i have got an acceptance letter from a professor there at University. Is it important for Mext scholarship. And how can i apply to the Scholarship? Beacuse i don’t know the proper procedure. Can i apply to the concern University from which i got an acceptance letter? Or directly apply to the Government scholarship
Hi Habib,
There are two ways to apply for the scholarship: via Embassy Recommendation and via University recommendation. Both have unique processes and timelines that you will have to follow.
I suggest you start with my article introducing the basics of the scholarship and how to apply, and that you focus on the procedures for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, since that will be starting next (usually in mid-April, but you’ll want to start preparing before that.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I had already been asked to send in signed forms of MEXT application and asked to send in the signed pledge for nomination as well, does that mean that I am nominated?
Hi Hafiz,
I cannot be absolutely certain, but I cannot think of any other reason the university would ask you to send in the original, signed forms at this point in the application process!
The formal applications to MEXT are later this month, so it makes sense to me that they plan to nominate you and that is why they need the forms now.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there Travis!
I already got an email that my university had determined that I am the final candidate of MEXT sxholarship and told me i passed informally.They also told me since MEXT determines the scholarship students, my formal acceptance n0tice will be much later.
Thank you Travis for your answer, and all of the helpful info you shared in this blog. It helped me a lot during the whole application process.
Hi Hafiz,
Congratulations!
I wish you good fortune in the final results, as well. Please let me know how it goes!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you! Hopefully there is no budget cuts this year like what had happened last year, given the situation of the outbreak in Japan right now.
Hi Hafiz,
I agree! I don’t think the program can really afford more cuts at this point.
Last year, the Japanese government put in a plan for free kindergarten and free higher education for some families, and I suspect that was the biggest reason that the budget was cut – both of those free education programs mean that the subsidies come from MEXT’s budget. But I think the COVID-19 situation, on the other hand, will be largely handled through emergency appropriations, rather than coming from the standard budget. At least, that is my hope!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for all the valuable info you provided us. With the current situation surrounding the outbreak of coronavirus in Japan,in your opinion, how would it affect the MEXT scholarship? Is is possible that the number of university reccomended MEXT slots to be slashed again this year? I had been interviewed by the professors and went through an online examination at Osaka Uni and had been notified to have passed both of them. However, I was only asked to send in my signed documents for MEXT application early Feabruary and was told the unofficial final decision will be emailed to me within the month of February, and I haven’t received any emails yet. I am quite worried about my situation.
Hi Emily,
I do not expect the coronavirus situation to result in a slashing of the number of scholarship places (I do think it might result in a large number of applicants voluntarily withdrawing, though, but that has nothing to do with MEXT’s decision).
However, one thing is practically certain: It is going to lead to MEXT being late with its schedule and decisions. MEXT is responsible for all education in Japan and the government just made the decision to shut elementary, middle, and high schools two weeks early for the end of the school year this year, so I imagine MEXT is fully occupied with that process and other routine work, like the MEXT scholarship application process, is getting delayed.
Universities, too, are spending a significant amount of time now preparing for the impact of the Coronavirus on the new school year – it’s probably more than 50-60% of what I deal with every day in my university day job (and others are dealing with it more). So, I would anticipate slow replies there, as well.
But a delay does not mean a cancellation. It just means that everyone’s hands are full right now and they haven’t had time to communicate the results yet.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank You TranSenz for this invaluable information. I had a quick question. I currently have my bachelors degree but am enrolled in an MD program in the US. My program allows us to take a leave of absence between 2nd and 3rd year of medical school to get either a Masters degree, PHD, or just do research. My question is whether the MEXT scholarship would require me to apply for a PHD degree since I am currently in a MD program or if I could also apply for a masters degree or research as my current highest completed degree is a bachelors. Again thank you for this resource!
Hi David,
Since your highest degree earned would be a bachelor’s degree and you would be on a leave of absence status from your MD (considered a professional degree program in Japan), I do not see any reason why it would not be possible for you to enroll in a Master’s degree program as a MEXT scholar. If you apply as a research student, your situation would be a little more vague, but it should still be possible, to the best of my understanding.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank You! This is really helpful! I just had one last question. If my school year ends in July and I want to arrive in Japan around September or October should I only apply for programs beginning in September/October? Or should I apply for programs in April for sufficient time to take language courses? I was a little uncertain how to plan this out.
Hi David,
You cannot arrive in Japan to start your studies (even your Japanese language program) before you finish your previous degree. So, in your case, you would have to select only a Sept/Oct arrival.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
TranSenz,
Thank you for your help!
– David
Hello Travis,
Can I still withdraw my application to the MEXT Scholarship by University Recommendation [Master’s, Research Student] if the university has already submitted my documents for approval? I was not informed that I had been selected and that they would proceed with nominating me, I just found out that I “cannot withdraw” anymore when I emailed them that I would like to accept a scholarship offer elsewhere. From what I know, each university only has limited slots, I already took one nomination slot, and they cannot replace my name as their nominee, but can you give any advice about what is the best course of action?
The university is threatening me with unspecified “punishment” from MEXT to their university, me, my current undergraduate university, and my country because I signed a “pledge” addressed to the president of the university stating that, “I have read and understood the following: … I shall necessarily enroll in [university] in [start date] in case that I have been nominated as a successful recipient of MEXT Scholarship.” Is the pledge binding even if I am the only signatory? Thank you!
Hi Aguhon,
If you sign an agreement that you are going to accept the scholarship if nominated, you should have committed at that time to follow your word. Of course you should never sign anything without considering it to be binding. It’s no surprise that the university would be upset.
Obviously there is nothing they can do to force you to take the scholarship and come to Japan, and their ability to punish you is limited to perhaps preventing you from being able to apply from the scholarship in the future or to enroll at that university. However, the threat to your undergraduate university is more significant. It is certainly well within their ability to disadvantage, or even not consider, applicants from that university in the future because of you.
Nothing is going to hold up in a court of law, but your actions will certainly have repercussions. I would suggest that the best course of action would be to abide by your word, but either way, think about the effect you are having on others as you make your decision.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear travis
I really appreciate your help and support.
during MEXT scholarship process you are the only torch that lighten our way. I have one question if you kindly answer I would be really grateful.
My wife has been accepted for MEXT embassy recommendation 2020 and I have been recommended to MEXT by one of Japan Universities for MEXT scholarship for October. Do you have any information if there is any regulation for mext to don’t allow Us as couple to award The Scholarship?
I heard from one of embassy members that he think it might be forbidden for both spouses to get scholarship.
Best wishes
Hi Hemen,
Congratulations to your wife on being accepted for the scholarship – and thank you for your kind words!
As far as I know, there is no specific rule against MEXT awarding you both the scholarship. However, it could be counted against you if you were applying for the scholarship while your wife had already received it and started her studies in Japan, especially if you were to be living there with her already. In that case, either the embassy or the university, if they were aware of the situation, would probably prefer to use the scholarship slot to bring someone to Japan who was not already able to be there. The idea is to bring as many promising scholars to Japan as possible, so if they saw that you could already get to the country as your wife’s dependent because she was living there, that could be counted against you. It is also significant that you are being recommended by different institutions.
However, as I understand it, when you submitted your application to the university, your wife had not yet been confirmed as a recipient of the scholarship, so in your case, that would not apply, and there should be no problem.
Overall, my suspicion is that the same university or the embassy would most likely not recommend a couple simultaneously and would not recommend a spouse if the other spouse was already a scholarship recipient, but since I have never seen that written as a scholarship rule, my understanding is that it would be the policy of the embassy or university.
Again, this is just as far as I know from my experience. There could be rules that I was never exposed to, so I can’t guarantee that you are in the clear, but as far as I know, there should be no official problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis.
Currently, I applied the MEXT University Recommendation for Ph.D. passed the preliminary screening and still waiting for the university selection results by mid-March. May I ask your opinion about how the university committee deciding/judging the candidates? what criteria they’re looking for? as far as you know (especially for Ph.D.) thanks a lot.
Hi Putri,
In my experience, the two most significant factors are your grades from your previous degree (since that’s an objective comparison), and the quality of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan. If there’s an interview phase, your results there can also be a factor.
In the field of study and research program plan and interview, they are looking for a compelling research topic that is going to excite your potential advising professor (e.g. something with synergy with that professor’s research) and also has the possibility to lead to valuable results for that field. At the university level, I think the contribution to international relations between your home country and Japan is slightly less of a factor, since there are no diplomats involved in the screening, but contributing to your academic field and society are both important.
It’s likely that the university first has screenings in each graduate school, then comes together to compare the results from each school and narrow down their numbers to the final number of places they have available, so at that point, you would be competing against applicants from other fields. The stronger your graduate school advocates for your application, the better.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you for your response also for all the valuable information in this blog, it really helps. I just got email notification from student section, they have been nominated me for MEXT scholarship for Ph.D. They also asked me to wait for the official announcement from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in July. May I assume that I will truly get the scholarship?.
Hi Putri,
Congratulations on earning the nomination!
In the past, I would have said “Yes! Your scholarship is essentially guaranteed!” But last year, for the first time I have ever seen, MEXT cut the number of scholarships relatively late in the process, shocking some universities and applicants, so I really can’t be as certain as I was before.
I will say this, though: For this year’s scholarship, MEXT already started out with a much lower scholarship quota than last year (i.e. the numbers have already been reduced), so I would not expect them to reduce the numbers once again. You should be destined for a scholarship slot when the final announcement comes out this summer!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you so much for your thoughts about that. The student section said that “normally it seems those who recommended by the University may get approved by MEXT”. Then I should keep waiting and hope everything goes well. Thank you!
Hi Travis,
Yesterday I got the final/official announcement from my grad. school and they said I have successfully passed the selection for the MEXT scholarship, I am so grateful and I also thank you so much for your guidance on this helpful blog.
Hi Putri,
Congratulations!
I am very happy for you and I am glad that you found the blog helpful along your application journey.
Good Luck with your studies in Japan. I look forward to hearing about your future success.
– Travis from TranSenz
Is the 144 000 yen monthly stipend enough to live in Suita, Osaka? I am currently preparing for my interview with Osaka University this upcoming Saturday for the university recommended scholarship and wondered whether that amount of money would be enough for a month? Can anyone from Suita share their experience?
Hi Hana,
I have never lived there, but many MEXT scholarship recipients have in the past. I would think it is enough, but you may have to live frugally (as is usual for a grad student in any part of the world).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you sir for the guideline.
I am a level 2 student in the university majoring in the field of Electrical engineering and I will like to know if it is possible for me to apply at a Japanese university for completion of my bachelor degree. That is for one year.
Hi Lacmago Pepa,
The MEXT scholarship is not for transfer students. There are versions for undergraduate students and graduate students (I specialize in the latter), but it is for earning your whole degree, start-to-finish in Japan.
My recommendation to you would be to finish your current bachelor’s degree and apply when you are ready to move on to your master’s degree.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Oddly, my advisor has actually suggested me to apply for the University-Recommended MEXT Research Student Program (which I assume is under the General Category) instead of the PGP program as he told me that the PGP program is a lot more competitive than the former.
He also told me that I’m eligible for the University-Recommended MEXT Research Student Program as my university is a partner institution of them (the website of the program also states that only candidates from partner universities can apply).
Does that mean that there are less applicants for the University-Recommended MEXT Research Student Program compared to the PGP programs?
Now I’m very worried about my chances..
(Currently waiting for the nomination results from the university)
Hi Joanne,
The “University Recommended MEXT Scholarship” encompasses both the general category and PGP. Where I worked, we did not ask applicants to distinguish which they were applying for. We took their applications and, if they were eligible for the PGP we considered them under that scheme, but if they were not, we considered them under the general category. Of course, other universities might be different.
I am not aware of any situation under which the PGP would be more competitive, unless it had a very very small number of slots for that particular program, but there is no way that I can be familiar with every university’s situation, so there could easily be something that I am overlooking. Following your advisor’s advice is probably best! Unfortunately, without inside knowledge of the particular university that you’re applying to, I don’t think I can offer any more helpful advice than that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz,
This question is not exactly about the University-recommended MEXT scholarship but I wanted to post this question here because this is the most recent post.
Technically, the exact amount of MEXT scholarship allowance for the 2020-2021 academic year is yet to be announced as of 2020 Jan 14, is this correct? Or has it already been announced? Also, would you know, when was the last time the scholarship allowance went up? I know that it’s been the same since 2015, but maybe it’s been the same for years before that? I am wondering because I am currently a MEXT scholar and I just arrived last September. I am well aware that consumption tax in Japan recently went up and I just saw an announcement that the boarding / dormitory rental fees of my university will be tripled this coming April. When I was applying for the scholarship I took the dormitory cost into account to calculate if the stipend will be enough for my monthly expenses. However, due to these higher expenses, to be honest, I will no longer be able to afford living in Japan with my scholarship alone if the allowance (or at least the adjustment for students living in Tokyo) does not increase. I understand that this is not a straightforward question but I think it is a concern that prospective MEXT scholars should be aware of. Like most students seeking for a scholarship, I am from a developing country and I honestly do not plan to become any poorer while trying to get myself post-graduate education. Do you have any thoughts on this? I’m sorry, I know this comment sounds a little bleak but I think this is an important topic.
Hi Janessa Louise Roque,
As far as I can remember, the MEXT scholarship stipend has been the same since I started working with the scholarship in 2011, though I have not researched it historically beyond that.
As of this time, the projected scholarship stipend for FY2020 (which starts in April) was included in the application guidelines for the Embassy and University Recommended MEXT Scholarships, but with the caveat that it could change in future years based on MEXT’s budget. (There is no mention of the scholarship amount changing to account for cost of living, though). In my experience, it should be sometime between now and mid-March that the stipend amount for next year is confirmed.
Unfortunately, I do not think we can anticipate it going up, though. If your housing costs are going to triple, then that is something specific to your university, so I would recommend that you check with the international office there to see if they have anything set up to assist you or any other option – if you are having this problem, then there’s a good chance other MEXT scholars and international students are, too!
If that fails, my only suggestion would be to look for a different housing option, maybe sharing an apartment with several friends/colleagues to keep your expenses down.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for this Travis
I got a question tho , I looked up the link for the program fields for the pgp programs , and I couldn’t find anything about architecture . Does that mean its not included in the scholarship program ?
Hi Marwa,
Each PGP program is a completely separate program. If you have looked through each of the lists and found no architecture programs, that means that no universities have created/applied for PGP programs for architecture.
In that case, you can still apply for the university-recommended MEXT scholarship via the general category.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Respected Sir/Madam,
I just request to you please send me the information about MEXT scholarships 2020 both university or embassy recommended that application will open now, and any other scholarship or foundation that give admission in Master in civil Engineering in Japan please guide about those too.
waiting for your kind reply.
Best Regards
Umair Sajjad
Hi Umair Sajjad,
This article already provides the information about the MEXT scholarship for 2020 for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship. The Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process for 2020 ended a long time ago, but the application process for 2021 will start around mid-April 2020 and I will post about that as soon as I hear any information. If you are on my mailing list, you will know as soon as that information comes out!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir
I want to know if each and every university has a different duration of application through university recommendation MEXT procedure and they separately release them? Because I want to apply through Hokkaido University and I didn’t find any notification of their guidelines on their university page yet .. while other universities’ like Tokyo has released it. Also, my prospective supervisor didn’t send me the application documents yet … But for other universities’ the last date to send the form is 24 January 2020?
Hi Divyanshi,
Yes, for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, each university sets their own timeline and process. Universities have to make their final nominations to MEXT by mid-March, so as long as they finish their process by then, they can do it on any timeline that they want.
Hokkaido is a little unclear on the application procedures for MEXT scholarships, at least at the university-wide level (general category). If you are applying for one of the PGP programs – and even if you aren’t – I recommend that you look carefully through the application instructions for that specific graduate school or program for information on their procedures to see if you can find something open.
Not all universities will have an open application process, either. Some might just select the top candidates from their regular admissions process, or limit applications to programs offered to partner universities. So, I would recommend that you confirm whether there is even an open application process for Hokkaido as soon as possible, so that you can redirect your energies if necessary.
If you are already in touch with a prospective supervisor there, that person may be able to help you get more information, too. University administrative staff should be back to work today after the New Year break.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz
Thanks for the update on the 2020 MEXT guidelines, I appreciate the hard work you put into helping all the applicants.
I am applying to Tohoku University and the professor is recommending me for the MEXT scholarship. I am applying to the Graduate school of Life sciences for a doctoral program.
My university has a student exchange program with Tohoku university but, the exchange program is specifically for the college of engineering. Could you tell if this partnership helps me in any way during the application because at my university I belong to the College of food and Agriculture.
Also, could you tell me what the certificate of excellence could contain. I come from an American university and all we have is a GPA. I have however obtained a few merit scholarships and Dean’s list awards over the years. I also have 5 co-authored publications in international journals and 1 first author publication in an international journal. Is it possible to use these for the certificate of excellence?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Shankar Chereddy,
Since an exchange agreement exists, that should put you in the category of a partner university student, even if the agreement is specific to one faculty. That will help get your foot in the door, but I wouldn’t anticipate it being a huge help. Keep in mind that many other applicants will likely be coming from other partner universities, too.
If you earned your last degree at a US institution, then your GPA should be all you need as proof of outstanding academic achievement. (If your degree is cum laude, etc., or your graduation order of merit is printed on your degree, that could be further proof). You do not need to submit any other certifications, but indicating that you have won merit scholarships certainly can’t hurt.
Your publications would not meet the certificate of excellence criteria, but would certainly be relevant/helpful in your application form “list of publications” and you should be sure to include abstracts of them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your effort 🙂
I’m planning to apply for the embassy scholarship but I wonder what is the best time to start with the preparations because I feel if I waited for the official announcement I won’t be able to finish everything.
For example, would it be acceptable if I take the (recommendation letter form) from the past year and send it to my past professors to give them the time to finish it?
Hi Autumn Bird,
I certainly recommend starting months in advance, but I would suggest that you should start first with writing your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, as well as narrowing down your search for a university and potential professors in Japan (which is a necessary part of writing that plan, anyway). The letter of recommendation is not that urgent to start early, unless you attended university in a foreign country and need more time to get the letter from them.
If you do want to start the LoR early, too, then yes, the form typically does not change from year to year. I would just recommend that you make sure there are no references to the year number in the document, itself.
Again, though, it is much more important to start working on your FSRPP at this point. Writing a good Field of Study and Research Program Plan can take months of research and writing.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Are you sure the cut off birthdate is still April 2nd 1985? Because you said that that was for 2019.
Hi Jason G.,
Thank you for your close read! I am certain, however, that it is 1985 for the 2020 application cycle – I double-checked the official guidelines.
(I checked my article about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2019 and I had written 1984 there – but if you saw that I got it wrong in another article, please let me know which one and I will fix it.)
I always appreciate the fact checks. Would not want to give anyone wrong info!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Ok good thanks, Travis. I was referring to your mentioning 2019 with 1985 in this article.
Hi Jason G.,
Thank you! You are right, I had written 2019 instead of 2020 in this article. I have fixed that.
Thanks again and good luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you TranSenz for this elaborate and awesome work you are doing. I wanted to read this as I want to apply for 2021, as I’ve said before in our correspondence.
Things seem to be tough this year, we’ll see what the next year has in store for us.
My sincere gratitude for your work, I hope you are doing great.
Hi Joel,
Thank you very much for your feedback and kind comments!
I am always happy to hear that someone is preparing this far in advance. But do keep in mind that if you’re planning to apply for the Embassy Recommended Scholarship for 2021, which starts in a few months, the application form, Field of Study and Research Program Plan, and some of the guidelines will be different.
I will have more on those, soon.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz