The Field of Study and Research Program Plan is the most important part of your MEXT Scholarship Application
Need help with your Field of Study and Research Program Plan? How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan will walk you through choosing a field, developing a research question, and completing the final report to give you the best chance of success!
2020 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship Update
The format of the Field of Study and Research Program Plan changed dramatically in April 2019 with the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application process. If you are looking for information on the old form (valid through the 2019 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application process), you can find it here.
Why the Field of Study and Research Program Plan Matters
The Field of Study and Research Program Plan is the single-most important part of your MEXT Scholarship application at the graduate level. Whether you’re applying for a research student status, Master’s Degree, or PhD, this is the single most important element that you have any control over. So, it’s understandable that most applicants get more anxious about this form and what it should include than anything else in the application process.
Downloading the Form
First things first: If you don’t have the original form yet, the links below are direct to the files on MEXT’s website, so you can download it without having to puzzle through their Japanese website:
Purpose of the Field of Study and Research Program Plan
In Japan, the Field of Study and Research Program Plan (研究計画書 kenkyukeikakusho) is part of any graduate school application. It is not unique to the MEXT scholarship. There is a set format and elements that Japanese universities are looking for.
As a foreigner, you wouldn’t necessarily be expected to know all of the elements of the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, but if you do hit them (and I’m going to show you how, below), you’re going to stand out in a good way. This article comes from over eight months of research into Japanese professors’ websites, university websites, and talking with faculty members at the university where I work. It is the same model you will find in my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, although the book obviously goes into more detail and also helps you develop your research question and subject.
You can find my sources at the bottom of the article, but they’re all in Japanese.
Disclaimer: This is all only my own research and conclusions. It has not been formally vetted by any MEXT officials, Embassy staff, or grad school admissions committees. I did have an applicant in 2018 tell me that his local consulate had recommended a previous edition of this article to him, though!
Field of Study and Research Program Plan: Formatting Notes
As of the 2020 application, the format for the Embassy-recommended MEXT Scholarship application has changed dramatically. This article covers that new format. I do not know yet if the format will also change for the University-recommended MEXT Scholarship application for 2020, but you can find information about the old format in the previous version of this article.
Length: You are limited to no more than 2 pages for the entire form! This is the most significant change from past versions and means you are going to have to be concise and focused.
Font Size: The default font size in the Field of Study and Research Program Plan that you download from the MEXT website is 10 pt Times New Roman, which is small, but given your space limitations, I recommend keeping it at that size. If you have extra space to play with, you can increase it to TNR 12 pt.
Do not bother changing the font size of the instructions – up or down.
Titles and Formatting: As you will see below, I recommend adding a few subtitles within sections to make the text easier to read. I suggest making each of the titles bold and setting them apart on a line of their own. Leave one blank line above each title, if you can manage it. You can also center then.
While you may be tempted to forgo titles and blank lines because of the length limitations, I would suggest keeping them in. White space and organization make your Field of Study and Research Program Plan easier to read. Nobody likes a big old wall of text.
Tables, Graphs, and Diagrams: If they add to the document and are necessary to answer the questions below, you can include them, but I have almost never seen a case where they added any value. The one exception to this is adding your research timeline as a table, with individual steps listed, which I recommend including as an attachment (more below).
Attachments: I recommend two attachments: The research timeline above and a list of references. I’ll get into each section in more detail below. If your particular academic field demands large diagrams or other references that you want to include as attachments, that could be possible, but consider seriously whether they are necessary or not.
Completing the Field of Study and Research Program Plan
1. Past and Present Field of Study
Your past and present field of study refers to your academic majors in any past university degrees, not professional working experience. You can only refer to a field of study from work experience if you worked as a professional researcher and are using that experience to meet the eligibility criteria for your degree program.
Here is what the section should cover.
Research Background
Recommended Heading: None. Since you only have one sub-section in this question, there is no need to add titles.
Recommended Length: 2-3 sentences
Recommended Content: Describe what you have researched in the past that led to your interest in the topic you will pursue in Japan. Since MEXT requires that you study a topic that you majored in in the past, this is your opportunity to show the connection.
Make sure that you describe your interest in terms of what it will contribute to the field. This is not a personal statement. “I am interested in microfinance because my family was poor” is not a good explanation. “Based on my past research into microfinance in developing countries, I became interested in a systematic examination of the impact of microfinance-supported entrepreneurial ventures in former agricultural areas of developed countries has impacted population movements and rural revitalization is necessary to apply effective practices both in Japan and abroad” is better.
To strengthen the statement above, you could add a closing statement about why your research could benefit Japan and your home country and why Japan is the best place to pursue it.
Do not add extra lines to this section beyond what is given in the form. The most important part of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan is still to come in the next section, so you want to save your space for that.
2-1. Research Theme in Japan
In this section, you will cover the title of your intended research (or at least a narrow description of the field), as well as your research theme sentence.
Research Title
Recommended Heading: None. Simply center the text at the top of this section and make if bold.
Recommended Length: Title and Subtitle, like it would be on a completed thesis.
Recommended Content: This is your sales copy. It needs to grab attention so your reviewers read further.
The main title is your overall theme and the subtitle is how exactly you plan to study it. For example:
The Contribution of ‘Outsider’ Expertise to Rural Revitalization Projects: An Exploration of the Yuzu Industry in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture
(JAIST)
You are not locked into using this title. Like almost everything else in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, it will probably change once you begin your research under your advisor. But it’s still important to have a solid idea at this stage.
Research Theme
Recommended Heading: None. Leave one blank line under the title.
Recommended Length: One-two sentences
Recommended Content: This should take a format like “I intend to research [RESEARCH QUESTION] by examining [SPECIFIC EXAMPLE] from [APPROACH] perspective in order to [OUTCOME].” It does not need to be exact, but it does need to cover those elements.
It is important to include the intended outcome of your research. Research itself is not the goal – you should have something you intend to accomplish through it. Returning to JAIST’s example from the previous section:
This study will elucidate how specialist knowledge held by outsiders to rural revitalization projects can contribute to those projects, by examining the example of Yuzu farmers in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture’s contributions to local efforts by way of surveys and interviews, in order to advance the effectiveness of rural revitalization projects across Japan.
(JAIST)
Yes, the original Japanese is also a horrible run-on sentence.
Unlike the title, you should format this section in paragraph format, left or full justification (not centered) and not bold.
This article is only about how to format your form for submission and assumes that you have already developed your research question, example, and methods fully. If you have not done that yet, I recommend my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, which goes into detail on the process of choosing your field of study, developing and refining your questions, and also discusses formatting in much more detail.
2-2. Research Plan
In this section, you will go into more detail on the academic background of your research and how it fits into the field, as well as exactly how you plan to pursue it. This is the core of your plan and should take up the most space – all of the space that you are given on the first page as well as an entire second sheet of paper, or close to it.
Here are the subsections to include. Unlike previous questions, I recommend that you do include the titles for each sub-section. This section is long and having titles on their own lines, preferably centered, will break it up and make it easier for your reviewers to read.
Research Goals
Recommended Heading: Research Goals
Recommended Length: One to two paragraphs
Recommended Content: This is where you describe the academic value of your research and is perhaps the most important section of the entire form.
Your first paragraph should cover the research question you intend to answer and how – an expansion of your detailed research theme. The second paragraph should outline the possible academic and practical benefits of your research.
Remember that not everyone is an expert in your field, so try to keep the jargon to a minimum. You want your research to have value outside of your narrow field, so you have to be able to describe that to non-exerts. At the very least, I recommend opening each paragraph with a strong topic sentence that is jargon-free and understandable to any reader. You can then go into technical detail in the body of the paragraphs.
When discussing the benefits, it would be beneficial to mention specifically how they apply to Japan, your home country, and/or bringing the two closer together.
Existing Research
Recommended Heading: Existing Research
Recommended Length: Two-four sentences
Recommended Content: In this section, you want to give a very brief introduction to the state of your field to show how your research fits into and contributes to it.
Your first sentence should describe the state of the field, particularly the most relevant studies to your own research. For example, if your field is still developing, you would state where current research stands and how you will add to it. If your research is targeting a gap in your field, then you would describe the state around that gap.
Your second sentence should explain how your research will extend knowledge in the field (e.g. by using a new method or approach, examining a different data set, contribute to resolving a conflict or gap, etc.)
Research Methodology
Recommended Heading: Research Methodology
Recommended Length: 1-2 paragraphs
Recommended Content: Describe your research methodology (quantitative, qualitative, hybrid), specific methods, and why you chose them. In the second, optional paragraph, describe the limitations of your research and how you will account for them.
At the end of the Existing Research section, you explained why your research would add to the field. In this section, you will explain how. You should describe why the methods you chose are the most appropriate to accomplish the research goals you set and contribute to the field.
Optional: Hypothesis
Recommended Heading: Hypothesis
Recommended Length: 2-3 sentences
Recommended Content: Present the hypothesis that you intend to test through your research.
This section will not be possible for all applicants, but if it is applicable, I recommend including it.
A hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question that you will test. It is not a certain, final answer and in most cases, should not be correct. Professor Tajima from Keio University wrote in a blog article that if your hypothesis turns out to be accurate, then your research could be considered a 99% failure. (Keio) After all, if you already know the answer before you have even started your graduate program, then there really wasn’t any point in your research.
Specific Research Plan
Recommended Heading: Research Plan
Recommended Length: One full and one partial paragraph
Recommended Content: Description of the research steps that you intend to pursue, from literature review through publication and dissemination of your research, with references to your research timeline that you will include as attachment.
In the past, I recommended including your full research timeline in this section, but that was before MEXT limited the overall form length to two pages. Now, I recommend moving the timeline to an attachment, but you should still include a brief description here with references to more details in the timeline.
The first, full paragraph should describe your research steps in order, as well as the intended timeline for completion. For example, you could say that in your first semester, you intend to complete your literature review, experiment design, and experiment approval. Then you would go on to describe your field research plans and analysis of data. Conclude the paragraph with your goals for how you will disseminate your research, such as publication, conference presentations, and sharing through informal networks, blogging, etc. If you have specific journals or conferences in your field that you want to target, that is great!
There is no need to describe the steps involved in writing and editing your thesis in detail. That is self-explanatory.
The second, partial paragraph should describe how you intend to interact with the community during the course of your studies, such as cultural exchanges with schools and becoming involved with community groups related to your research topic or other interests.
That’s It – Sort Of
The sections mentioned above should complete the two-page form and should stand on their own to present your entire research.
Obviously, your first draft is going to need work. I recommend revising it yourself then getting it reviewed by an academic expert in your field as well as a language expert.
I do offer paid reviewing services where I go through the formatting and presentation to assess if you have presented your proposal well, incorporating all of the elements above. I cannot, however, offer an academic review, so I am probably not an expert in your field!
For more information on my reviewing services, check out the coaching link at the top of this page.
Attachments
I recommend adding two attachments to your FSRPP: Your specific research timeline mentioned above and your list of sources. Each should be its own page and they should be in that order.
Attachments should not be critical to understanding your research plan. They are a place to put space-consuming references that can be understood via a quick scan. They have value in showing your preparedness, but the value is not commensurate with the space that they consume.
Research Timeline
Recommended Heading: Research Timeline
Recommended Length: Table/timeline long enough to cover the content below
Recommended Content: Detailed explanations of the steps you will go through in your research program (2 years for Masters, 3 for PhD).
The level of detail that you go into here depends on your field of study. For example, if you are doing social sciences research and your field research includes two phases of questionnaires and interviews, you can explain that rather quickly.
However, if you are in a STEM field and your research includes a long series of experimental processes or data analysis steps, then you would want to list each of those.
This is also a good place to mention specific coursework you want to take (and why), especially if you have your goal narrowed down to a single university or there are similar courses at each of your target universities.
You should have already described your primary research activities in the form proper, such as what kind of data you will collect and how, but here is where you slot it in to the schedule.
One Keio professor mentioned in his blog that he expects his advisees to do field research twice during their degree. For example, students would do a survey study first then return later for interviews to go into more detail, or do field studies in two places for comparison purposes.
Selected References
Recommended Heading: Selected Sources
Recommended Length: No more than 1/2 page or so
Recommended Content: Bibliographical references for all sources you mentioned in the text of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan (particularly in the existing research section) plus key sources you used in your literature reviews when creating your plan.
List your references in alphabetical order, using the format most common to your field of study.
My Sources
This article is based on Chapter 7 of my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan. The book includes more details on each of the sections above that would be too much for a web article, plus other chapters on how to develop your research idea from scratch, all the way through a completed product!
How to Research and Craft a Research Plan
http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/nifongo/keikaku/index.html
KALS Graduate School Application Prep School application advice article
http://www.kals.jp/graduate-sch/pln/
Keio University Professor’s Blog
http://cce-cmkt-tpro.sfc.keio.ac.jp/tajima_lab/inframe/sonota/01.htm
JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) Application Advice Page
http://www.jaist.ac.jp/~as-asami/exam_research_plan/exam_research_plan.html
Study Channel Research Plan Writing Guide
http://www.study-channel.com/2015/07/research-plan.html
Five Steps to Writing a Lousy Research Plan (University of Tokyo Professor’s Blog)
http://www.nakahara-lab.net/2013/05/post_2004.html
Questions?
Before asking any questions in the comments, below, I recommend reading through the Field of Study and Research Program Plan FAQ. You can ask your questions in the comments here, on the FAQ page, or by email and I will answer them by updating the FAQ and letting you know when the answers are available.
I’d also recommend signing up for my mailing list, below, to get notified whenever I have updates to any of the FAQs or new articles about the MEXT scholarship!
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Hi! Thank you for your information!
My name is Aziza, I am from Kyrgyzstan. I study Journalism and Mass Communications.
I have a question regarding the exam. I’ve passed the first screening and now I’m waiting for the exam. However, my senpai from Kyrgyzstan, who was selected two years ago, told me that I need at least N3 in order to pass the second round, but my Japanese level is N5 or maybe lower. I thought I could handle it without N3. I’m worried now. I still do hope that there is a chance to win without perfect Japanese, cause I’m eager to learn. But still, I want to know your opinion on this. Thank you in advance!
Hi Aziza,
MEXT does not have any specific requirement for applicants to have JLPT scores and universities will only require JLPT scores if you are applying to a program taught in Japanese.
However, embassies are permitted to establish their own requirements. I do not have any insight as to what those might be, so it is possible that the information from your senpai is correct.
I do know that in the language exams you do have to try to fill it out to the best of your ability and not leave it blank. Some applicants were rejected during the secondary screening last year for leaving the Japanese language test blank.
The best thing that you can do at this point is to do your best on the parts of the application that are under your control and not spend time worrying about what you cannot affect.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello 🙂
Thank you very much for writing about this, it helped so much. I do have one question, is there a way to see an example of already written research plan? I feel like i know exactly what to write but i fear to make a mistake 😮
Hi Tina,
Unfortunately, I do not have any samples of a research plan using the current format that I have permission to share.
There are a few samples that past applicants have shared online based on old formats of the plan that may or may not be relevant. The most well-known is Lars Martinson, but he applied well over a decade ago in the field of art.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I see. thank you very much ^^
One more question, if possible.
So we leave everything as it is? For example the form has ”Guide for Creating a Field of Study and Research Plan Sheet”. we don’t need to erase it right? 😮
Just fill Past and present field of study and Research theme and plan in Japan
Hi Tina,
Right, you should not delete any parts of the form or its instructions. You are free to add space to the various questions as needed, though, so long as you do not go over the two page limit.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
There is a small space left at the end of my research plan, do you recommend me to fill it and write more or it won’t be a problem ?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Ela,
It is not a problem to have a little white space as long as you have clearly covered everything the plan is meant to convey!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again, Travis. Thanks for answering my previous question! So, I’m now wondering about the level of specificity that I should go into when writing my research plan for research in neuroscience. At the moment, I’ve stabilished enough knowledge of my research area: to write an introducion with the current state of the art on the theme; define what would my experimental subjects be (mice); what is the precise neurological and behavioral phenomena that I’ll do research on; what are the key neural pathways and brain structures of interest; a short list of two or three likely experimental instruments/interventions; and what are the questions that I want to answer with my research.
What that said, I’m still not decided concerning specificities like exact experimental procedures, for example. Do you think that level specificity should be included in this type of plan? I know for a fact that, during a master’s course, we are supposed to read piles of books and attend to hundreds of hours of lectures, and that our exact methods will be decided alongside PhDs that are experts on the area, along with other research colleagues from the lab that will co-author or final paper. So, I’m inclined to think that I don’t have to relate absolutely everything. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks in advance.
Hi João Pedro,
While I am not an expert in your field, it sounds to me like you have enough specificity included already. For the experimental procedures, you could list one or two as examples that you might use, but also mention that you will determine the final procedures in consultation with your advisor, like you suggested. That would be perfectly reasonable!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis ,
Firstly ,Thank you for your effort , you make the process much easier for me .
I’d like to ask if I should be an expert on the research topic I choose , I’m a computer science fresh graduate and I’d like to publish a paper on Artificial intelligent, I took some basic courses in this field, would my lack of expertise be a problem ? 🙁
Thank you in advance .
Hi Ela,
You’re not expected to be an expert in your field before starting a Master’s Degree, but you will be expected to have a clear idea of what you want to research in the field and to perform the necessary background research and literature reviews to develop your research question and approach.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Again, thanks so much for the great guides and answering my other question on GPA.
My research goals are highly theoretical (topological quantum computing) which means essentailly my entire research plan is to study topological insulators, study quantum computing, then combine the two. Should I be including all sub-areas of those topics in my research plan? I am afraid I have included too much jargon in my plan, but if I use less jargon, my research plan won’t be as detailed. What do you suggest?
Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Since your research plan is limited to only two pages, I would consider that to be guidance that you do not need to go into too much detail. In general, I recommend stating the objective of your research and the steps you will take to get there in the minimum amount of detail necessary to get the point across. (Pardon my lack of understanding of your field) If you were to say “I plan to study issue X in quantum computing by testing the application of different topological insulators, to maximize energy efficiency. To test the topological insulators, I will [examples of specific research steps]. . .” That type of phrase would introduce the point of your research for non-experts and then, by giving an example or two, show that you know what you’re talking about to experts.
I hope that helps, but without understanding the field, I’m afraid my examples may not be that relevant.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis! I hope you’ve doing well lately, despite current circumstances. Anyways, I’m currently working very hard to secure a scolarship, and I’m glad to have wandered into your page. Concerning the initial screening for the Embassy-Recommended Scolarship: my country’s Japanese embassy’s instructions page asks for a four-pages-max research project/plan, which should countain a Title, Abstract, Introduction, “Main-body”, Methods (optionally) and References. There’s also some deviance from these instructions as presented by the consulate, which also conducts the selection for the Scholarship separately from the Embassy. That leads me to believe that there’s plenty of difference from what is to be expected from the plan I’ll be presenting to the one as per the form you made available here. What would be your recommendations for preparing to write this specific “type” of plan?
Hi João Pedro,
The plan and format that I have presented here are the format required by MEXT, per their guidelines, so I would assume that you will need to complete it eventually.
However, many countries also include their own separate requirements or conduct pre-screenings, which seems to be the case for you.
Unfortunately, I cannot keep up with all of the country-specific requirements. However, it looks like the contents of the plan required by your consulate contains many of the same sections. Since you have more space, you would simply expand on the level of detail, and perhaps add more citations and references. I’m afraid that is the best suggestion that I can offer.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
Firstly I really want to thank you for advising us on this wonderful journey. There are several pages on the web that manage how to applied effectively and definitively this is the most accurate that I have found.
Travis, I have a simple question: ¿What is the difference between the benefits that you specify on the Research Background section and Research Goals section?
I’m kindly asking you this because the fact that the relations of both countries are strengthened due to research is a way of benefit isn’t ? for that reason it could be filled in both sections that kind of benefit?
Again, どうもありがとうございました。greetings from Colombia!!!
Hi Andres,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback.
The primary difference in the description of benefits between the two sections is the level of detail. Also, it is not strictly necessary to include that content in both sections, so you could choose only one, if it makes sense for your plan.
In the “Research Background”, my suggestion is to describe in a single sentence or less how your research topic could benefit Japan and your home county. For example, if you were researching ultralight alloys, in the Research Background, you could say something like “developing lighter alloys without losing strength could benefit automobile manufacturers in both countries. By the time you get to the Research Goals, you will have described your specific research in more detail – for example, maybe you want to experiment with creating new aluminium-based high entropy alloys. So, in that case, you would be more specific about how your specific research will contribute to the field of developing new alloys, then tie that back to the original practical goal.
Does that make sense?
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Very glad for your answer.
Thank you Travis
Dear Readers,
can you share with me a format of research plan? or how best can we choose a research theme?
Hi Sylion Muramira,
This article is an example format for the FSRPP.
I do not have an article yet about how to choose a research theme, though I cover it in detail in my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan.” However, if you don’t want to buy the book, then I would recommend talking to an academic advisor at your current university in your field to ask for their help.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi!
I still have not clear if I should send this document with my initial application? or only after I have passed the first screening.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Lorena,
It all depends on your country and their rules. In most countries, you need to send this and all of the application documents at the same time for the initial submission, but other countries only ask for a smaller set of documents as a preliminary screening. Please refer to the Japanese embassy where you will apply for the specific instructions in your case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! Thank you so much Sir for the informative article! I have 2 questions
Is it necessary to add research timeline in research plan question?? As there is a limitation of two pages so i find it difficult because one page is for research theme question and i also have to briefly explain my research plan in just 1 page so it is difficult for me
What happen if our research plan exceed than 2 pages?
Kindly help me in this regard thanks!!
Hi Haroon,
No, the research timeline is not a requirement. In many cases, it is a convenient way to express your exact research steps clearly, but if you can do that in the context of the paragraph, then you do not need the timeline.
The research timeline should also never be essential to understanding your Field of Study and Research Program Plan. Ultimately, it is an attachment, only. It can be used to add detail, but your plan should be comprehensible without it.
Yes, there is a limitation of two pages. If your plan is longer than two pages, you will need to condense it by focusing on what it is that you need this document to convey. I have reviewed dozens of research plans since the two-page limit was imposed and have never seen a FSRPP that actually needed more than two pages to make its point!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your excellent Travis!
Is it necessary to add timeline section? I almost reached 2 pages in research theme section!!
Hi Haroon,
No, the timeline is not necessary, but I find that it is often an easy way to display your research process.
If you cover the content of your research process in the text, then you can also include the timeline as an additional attachment (not counting toward your two pages), but that only really works if it is a visual representation of what you have already discussed. If you use the timeline as an attachment, then there shouldn’t be anything in there that is original and critical to understanding your research proposal.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Trans, my school is refusing to give me another original copy for submission, they are charging me my final year school fee before releasing another copy will be be signed and stamped. The figure is extremely high, so am planning on submitting a scanned copy to the embassy. I hope it will fly
Hi Bogema,
I think you will have already turned in your application for now, so I hope your solution worked out.
Since your school fee is something that you would have to pay, anyway, to proceed with your education and graduate (and thereby qualify for the MEXT Scholarship), I would have recommended paying it and getting the official form, but if your solution worked, that’s great.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz