Article Updated for 2021/2022
The article below was for the application process in 2020/2021 and is out of date.
Please find the newest update about the scholarship application process for 2021/2022 here.
COVID-19 Impact on 2021 MEXT Scholarship Application Schedule
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MEXT released the application guidelines and forms for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship over a month late on May 22, 2020. The entire application schedule has also been pushed back, including arrival time in Japan.
If you have applied for the MEXT Scholarship in past years, or studied application guidelines from past years, including on this site, here are the important changes that you need to know:
- The Primary Screening at the embassies has been pushed back. Check the website of the Japanese embassy in your country for specific details on application deadlines, but the primary screening process is not between June and October 2020.
- The Deadline to apply for Letters of Acceptance from universities is November 20. In past years, the deadline was in August, but it has been pushed back by three whole months to accommodate a later and longer Primary Screening.
- The deadline to submit the final Placement Preference Form and Letters of Acceptance will be around January. Again, see the embassy’s website for specific details for your country.
- Secondary Screening and Placement Results will be in June 2021. This is about five months later than normal years!
- You can only arrive in Japan for the 2021 Fall Semester. Because of the later application period, spring semester arrivals are no longer possible this year.
*This means that you can only be a non-degree research student for a maximum of 17 or 18 months.
It is too early now to know if these changes will be permanent or only for this year.
What this Article Will Cover
Whether your are applying for the MEXT scholarship for Research Students for the first time, or whether you are a veteran applicant, this article will walk you through everything you need to know for the application process. I will also include links to other, relevant articles that will help you along your way. I will cover the following topics, so if you’re already familiar with a particular section, please feel free to skip ahead.- Available degree levels and programs
- Scholarship benefits
- Eligibility (*Separate article, linked below)
- Where, when, and how to apply
- What you need to submit
- Application timeline
This article is focused on the MEXT scholarship for Graduate Students (a.k.a. Research Students, in MEXT’s terms). There is also an application process for Undergraduate Students, but I will not be discussing that in this article. Undergraduate applicants, college of technology applicants, and specialized training applicants can find this year’s guidelines on the official Study in Japan website.
What Degree Programs are Available?
MEXT uses the word “research student” to refer to all graduate level students. You can apply for any of the following programs:
- Non-Degree Student (also called “Research Student” at most universities)
- Master’s Degree Student
- Doctoral Degree Student
- Graduate-level Professional Degree Student (MBA, JD, etc.)
Fields of Study
You should apply for the field of study that you majored in at university or its related field. If you plan to change fields, you need to be able to show a concrete relationship between your past studies and what you will study in Japan. It is up to you to make this clear!
Your field of study also has to be available at the graduate level at a university in Japan in a language that you speak. If you can find at least one graduate program taught in a language that you are fluent in in Japan, you will be fine.
Programs that require practical training, such as performing arts or programs that require technical training at a factory or company are not permitted. You can study Japanese performing arts from an academic perspective, so long as no practical performance training is required.
Finally, for medical or dental fields, you would not be able to participate in any clinical training until you receive the relevant licenses from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. License exams are only in Japanese and involve significant technical language. This essentially means that you would need native-level fluency in Japanese.
MEXT Scholarship Benefits
- Exemption from paying tuition, entrance examination, and matriculation fees.
*You may be required to pay entrance examination fees in advance, if your MEXT scholarship award is not yet confirmed at that time, but the fees would be refunded to you after you are selected for the scholarship
- Monthly stipend:
- Non-Degree 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, due to high cost of living or seasonal adjustments for winter utilities, etc.
- Round-trip international flight ticket to Japan. 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.
Scholarship Period
The maximum Scholarship period is:
- Non-Degree (research) students: 17 or 18 months, from arrival in Japan until March 2023. If your university’s semester starts on September 1, 2021, you will get 18 months of stipend (including September), but if the university semester starts on September 2 or later, your scholarship stipend will start in October 2021 and you will be eligible for a maximum of 17 months.
- Master’s Degree or Professional Degree Students: 24 months
- Doctoral Degree or Doctoral-level Professional Degree Students: 36 months
*For doctoral students in 4-year programs in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, or pharmacy, the duration would be 48 months.
For students in degree programs, you may also participate in a 6-month preparatory Japanese language program prior to the start of your degree. This program is designed to help you learn basic, survival Japanese, so it is primarily for students with little to no language ability. It is not designed to teach academic Japanese sufficient to study a degree program in that language. If you are assigned to this program, the six months will be covered by scholarship (as a non-degree student) prior to your degree. For students applying as non-degree students, these six months are part of your maximum 17 to 18 months!
It is possible to apply to extend the scholarship if you advance to the next level degree (from Non-Degree Student to Master’s or Doctoral Degree or from Master’s to Doctoral Degree). However, you cannot extend your time as a Non-Degree (Reseach) student and you cannot extend the scholarship period if you fail to complete the degree within the time limit above.
Who is Eligible?
I have written a separate article that covers the Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship eligibility requirements in complete detail.
Where and When do you Apply?
You apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate that serves the area where you live. You can find the list of Japanese embassies or consulates around the world at:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html
I recommend using a Control-F search on that page to find your country. It may not be listed under the region of the world that you are used to.
While I will give the general application deadlines below (updated for the 2020/2021 cycle), each embassy or consulate sets its own deadlines, so be sure to check the embassy or consulate webpage for specific application instructions. Your embassy or consulate will explain exactly what you have to submit and how.
Your embassy or consulate may also have additional eligibility restrictions or required paperwork (for example, pre-screening procedures).
Application Timeline
Step | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|
Submit application to embassies | June-September, 2020 | See the website of the Japanese embassy in your country for specific deadlines! |
Primary Screening | June-October, 2020 | Includes review of submitted documents, language proficiency tests, and interview. |
Apply to Universities for Letter of Acceptance | October – November 20, 2020 | November 20 is the deadline to apply to universities, not the deadline for them to get back to you. |
Submit letters of acceptance and Placement Preference Form to Embassy | January 2021 | See the website of the Japanese embassy in your country for specific deadlines! |
Secondary Screening and University Placement | February – June 2021 | |
Notification of Results | June 2021 | |
Arrive in Japan | September – October 2021 |
What you Have to Submit
Each of the documents below is required by MEXT. However, embassies may ask for additional documents and may ask for each document at a different time, so again, be sure to check the specific instructions for your embassy!
For each document below, you will need to submit one original as well as two photocopies and they must be numbered in the top right corner. I will include direct download links to MEXT’s documents where available. Keep in mind that these are the documents for the 2021 Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship Application for Graduate Students, if you are applying for any other kind of scholarship or at any other time, do not use these links!
I will be posting separate articles soon about the Application Form for this year (in the meantime, here is my guide to last year’s form, which is nearly identical) and about the other required documents. Be sure to subscribe to my MEXT scholarship mailing list to be the first to know when those articles are posted! I will also send you a sample completed application form as a special thanks.
- Application Form with attached photograph* (Excel format from Study in Japan website)
As a special thanks to mailing list subscribers, I will send you a sample of the completed application form that you can use as a guide!
*As of the time of posting this article, the sample form is from the 2020 application process, but the forms are very similar in content. I will be updating that sample file soon, as I write the updated article on how to fill out the form!
* The photograph must be clear, without shadows, no more than 6 months old, show your upper body, facing forward with no hats (except religious head ocverings), and be 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm tall. The photograph can be printed on photo paper or digitally inserted into the application form prior to printing.
- Placement Preference Form (Fillable PDF format from Study in Japan website).
Click here for my article about how to complete this form.
- Field of Study and Research Program Plan (Word format from Study in Japan website)
Click here for my article about how to complete this form.
- Academic transcript for each academic year of university education attended, issued by your university or national government. This must show the grading scale, all grades earned in each class, and the year in which classes were taken. If enrolled in graduate school, you must also submit your undergraduate transcript. If you transferred universities or studied abroad, you will likely also be required to submit your pre-transfer transcript or the transcript from your study abroad university.
- Certificate of graduation or degree. A copy attested by an official at the university will be accepted as an original. Do not submit your original diploma as submitted documents will not be returned to you!
*Certificates of graduation are required for all university degrees earned in the past.
*Applicants who have not yet graduated must submit a certification of expected graduation, instead.
- Recommendation from the president, dean, or your academic advisor at the most recent university where you are/were enrolled in a degree program. There is a sample template available (PDF format) on the Study in Japan website, but a freeform letter is acceptable. Note: The template letter is from previous years and includes out-of-date instructions. You no longer have to submit the letter in a sealed envelope as mentioned in the sample.
- Medical Certificate completed by a medical doctor (PDF format from Study in Japan website)
- Abstracts of graduation theses or published articles, if available
- Certificate of language proficiency (English or Japanese language proficiency test scores), if you have any and have indicated your scores in the application form. No original is required for this item, only 3 copies are needed.
- Recommendation letter from present employer, if employed. The same sample format can be used as for the letter of recommendation from your university
- Photograph(s) or digital audio recordings of applicant’s works, if applying for fine arts or music programs.
Be sure to check with the Japanese embassy or consulate in your Home Country! They may have additional requirements or may require the documents above at different times during the process.
The embassy or consulate is also your only source of information about the application deadline and the means of submitting the application!
Good luck with the MEXT scholarship application in 2021! If you have any questions I didn’t cover, let me know in the comments, below!
Be sure to sign up for my mailing list below to be the first to find out when new articles about the scholarship are available, too.
Want to know more?
My book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship describes the scholarship in detail, including the purpose and coverage, the eligibility criteria, how to develop a successful applicant mindset, and how to craft your application strategy for the greatest chance of success!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon, who help keep this site running through their generous contributions. Patreon supporters get early access to articles, discounts on coaching services/books, and priority responses to questions.
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!
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I have applied for the MEXT 2021 scholarship and mailed them the documents. I have not received any acknowledgment from the embassy. It would be helpful to know, How I will be informed regarding the selection of primary screening.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Hari,
Every embassy operates differently with notifications. Some will not acknowledge receipt and will only notify applicants where there are results to share. In some cases, embassies only notify applicants who have passed the document screening and are invited to the next step.
I would recommend that you double-check the application procedures on the embassy’s website to see if there is any information about how they will notify applicants of their results.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I just wanted to send a message to you and your blog readers. I ended up contacting my consulate for several questions, and when doing so, I asked about the requirements for Document (6) “Recommendation from the president, dean, or your academic advisor at the most recent university where you are/were enrolled in a degree program”.
The informed me that: “Yes, please follow the instructions as stated on the form. The recommendation letter must come in a sealed envelope with the providers name signed across the seal.”
Because my recommendation letter was coming internationally, this posed quite a problem. Fortunately, it has all (seemingly) worked out, but I just wanted to give this heads-up to you and yours readers. I suggest that readers contact their embassy or consulate if getting a signed, sealed envelope could pose any challenges.
In any case, thank you for all your guidance in this process,
Bill
Hi Bill,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience.
This is very much an embassy-by-embassy judgement call, so I completely agree with you that everyone needs to contact the embassy where they will be submitting their applications!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
Last week I mailed my application to the local embassy. I was wondering if you knew the average time it takes an embassy to respond back.
Hi Scott,
There is no “average time”. Each country and embassy is different and it can depend on many factors, like how in-depth the document review is.
Some will respond within a week of the application deadline, others may take several.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello hello Travis! Thank you for taking out your Time to support and guide those applying for this scholarship. I have a little problem with choosing a course and a major, I am applying for software engineering as my major but I went through the guidline and I couldn’t find any opportunity for computer science or software engineering only few engineering courses were included and there for was no option for choosing “other”,should I just go ahead and fill the form ignoring the guideline’s included courses? Please how do I go about this?
Hi Shadrach osazee,
I assume that you must be applying for the scholarship for undergraduates, is that correct? For graduate students, you would be able to apply for any degree at any university in Japan, and there are many in computer science!
For undergraduates, computer science is often included in the field of “Information Engineering”, so I would recommend selecting that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
maybe I got you wrong, but from your posting it says because of the reschedule of arrival in Japan we can only be non degree (research students). I stated on my form that am applying for a masters degree. is it wrong or what? also in the case of recommendation letter from my university, I graduated over a year now and I have my degree and my present employer completed the MEXT recommendation form, so do I still need a letter from my previous university please?
lastly in the case of medical form, am I to drop it now together with the application form or it will be called upon?
thank you.
Hi Rashid,
I think my explanation was unclear. I did not mean to say that you can only be a non-degree student. I meant that if you are applying as a non-degree student, the maximum period of enrollment is now 17-18 months, rather than 24 months, as it would be in a usual year. You can still apply as a degree-seeking student and you can still extend your scholarship from research student to degree student after arrival.
Yes, you still need a letter of recommendation from your last university.
For your medical form, this can vary depending on the country where you apply. Some countries ask for it up front and others do not ask for the medical certificate until after the interviews, etc. I recommend that you check the instructions specific to your country on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello again Travis, hope you are doing well.
The Embassy at my country wants all the documents sent online for the first part of the application. My professor sent me a Letter of Recommendation with email, filled in the official MEXT form. But he didn’t sign it. Now I can not reach my professor and the embassy won’t return to my email. Do you think there will be a problem if I send it like this for the online part, and get it signed if i pass the first screening? Should i state this in my application email or not?
Hi Semi,
I am afraid this reply is coming far too late to help you, but I still want to answer it for the sake of future applicants.
In general, I would recommend that you use every means possible to try to get a signed version of the letter from your professor. But if you cannot, then you would have no choice but to submit it as is and hope that the Embassy gives you the opportunity to replace it with a proper letter at a later time.
I would recommend that you state it in the application email and also explain that you are continuing to try to reach the professor to obtain a signed letter.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Transenz!
I’m having difficulty filling the application form on Excel. It doesn’t show complete and the checkbox won’t show the “tick” sign.
May I ask what tool/software you used to fill yours (sample version)?
Hi Toyin,
I used the “Insert symbol” feature in excel to replace the box with a symbol showing a checked box.
If you can’t do that, then replacing the box that you want to check with a capital “X” could also work.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Mr. Travis, I’m currently preparing my application for MEXT 2021, and your blog has definitely been a big help, your suggestions and sample guides have been very useful so thank you very much.
I’d just like to inquire, in terms of passing the documents to the embassy, do you have a recommended physical arrangement for the documents (i.e., 3 copies of the Application form + 3 copies of the next form, etc [3X3X3]. OR 1 copy of the Application form + 1 copy of the Placement form three times [1X1X1 3 times], I hope I was able to explain that well)? And would we need to label the forms in the upper right corner the same as the KGSP?
Your help is much appreciated, I hope I at least pass the first screening!
Hi Lyen,
I am afraid that my answer is coming too late to help you, but my recommendation would be:
1. First, check the website of the embassy to see if they have specific instructions.
2. If they do not, I would recommend grouping the copies together – so the three application forms, followed by the three placement preference forms, etc. That would seem to make it easiest for the reviewers to quickly confirm that all three copies are present and that they match.
You should number the forms before you make the copy, so the number will be present on each one.
I hope your scholarship application was successful in the meantime!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good Day Sir,
Number 12 on the application form which talks about the field of specialization studied in the past refers to my Undergraduate study right? for me, I am applying for masters and I think number 12 is referring to my course of study in my undergraduate and my thesis. Please I will need more clarification on that. thanks
also for the language proficiency tests, I currently do not have any but I was taught in the English Language during my undergraduate study (in Nigeria). I am thinking of getting a letter from my school satisfying that I was thought in English while I make an effort to take any of the language proficiency tests or do you think it would not be necessary anymore? I look forward to getting your clarification one this too.
Thank you so much. Your contents are really beneficial and valuable.
Hi Prisca,
Yes, the field of study in the past would refer to your previous degree (so, in your case, your undergraduate degree, since you are applying for a Master’s).
For the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, it is not mandatory to submit language proficiency tests to the embassy, in general. There should be an English and Japanese language proficiency test during the primary screening.
(This year, some embassies have cancelled the tests and asked applicants to submit language proficiency scores instead, so it is always safer to have test scores, if possible).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir ,I want to study Japanese language like N4,N3 ect,I have finished N5 in India (Chennai) what is the procedure and application is not avalible I am confused please help me …..I am BE graduate.
Hi Anuah,
Unfortunately, the MEXT Scholarship does not cover coming to Japan to study the language, only.
If you apply for a graduate school program in Japan through the MEXT Scholarship, you can take language courses on the side. But if you just want to come to Japan to study the language, I would recommend looking into applying to language schools. (I am not aware of any scholarship opportunities in that case).
You do have to be careful in that process though, because there are a lot of shady schools out there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey travis, do we have to submit the direct placement form if we have no japanese language ability and our courses are taught in japanese?
Hi Haris,
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so I am not completely familiar with the undergraduate process, but I do know that the Direct Placement form is optional. If you do not already have the required language ability now to start the degree program that you want to apply to, as you described in your situation, my understanding is that you cannot apply for Direct Placement.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey travis, If you could list out the documents needed to b submitted for 2020-21 undergraduate program, it would b a great help. Because the documents mentioned in my embassy website are comparatively less. So i am confused about that part. My consulate is Embassy of japan in india.
Hi Haris,
I can only tell you the documents that MEXT says are required – and those are the documents listed in the official application guidelines.
However, some embassies will add documents to that list, or they may only require that certain documents be submitted at first, then ask for the rest later in the application process. In that case, you should always follow the directions of your embassy. Since you have the list from them, I would suggest submitting what they ask for.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Bonsoire Mr !!
svp moi j’ai déjà ma licence en physique de fondamentale et je veux postuler pour le master ,c’est
étudiant de recherche que je vais postuler ou pour non diplomé ?
svp je vais numerotée tous mes relevées de notes notarisés en écrivant le meme numero là dessus ?
Hi HESSA Chadrac,
I’m sorry, but my French is very limited and I had to run your comment through google translate to try to understand it. I’m still not sure I got your questions right, so if I misunderstood, please let me know (in English).
If you have already completed your bachelor’s degree, then you would be applying for the MEXT Scholarship for Research Students, since that is the scholarship for all graduate level studies, including Master’s degrees.
For numbering your documents, if you are including multiple transcripts as well as translations of those transcripts, then they would all have the same number, since they are the same document category.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I don’t know if I should write about this but I got the MEXT scholarship (Research scholarship) last year and will travel in April 2020, But because of Covid-19, our trip to Japan is postponed. It has been more than 3 months that we have to wait for the announcement from MEXT. And there is no answer from MEXT at all. Right now every one of us needs to study online which is very hard. In addition, we didn’t get 143,000 yen per month. We understand that we didn’t travel to Japan yet, so MEXT assumes that we don’t have any expense BUT in reality, we need to eat and pay for our rent. The hardest part is that MEXT told us that we can travel from April 2020, so we resign from work and be ready to travel to Japan. There is no sign that the situation in Japan will get better. If we have to wait like this, I don’t think we will be able to survive like this. And if anyone says about working, it is unlikely to work when you have to attend 5 days per week online class. MEXT should do something to those who haven’t travel to Japan and not giving only useless hope that is
Hi Koko,
I am very sorry to hear about your situation. I agree that it is certainly a difficult situation. I am afraid that MEXT has a tendency to assume that applicants in your situation will be living with their parents and have support there. They probably have not thought very much about the applicants who were self-sufficient working adults.
But even MEXT doesn’t know what will happen. I have attended a few online presentations with them lately, and they do not seem to have any idea when students will be able to travel to Japan again. That is a decision for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Immigration Services Agency.
The good news is that just last week, Japan has started letting in students who were previously residing in Japan but were overseas when the outbreak (and immigration restrictions) began. I can only hope that will be the first step toward possibly letting in new students.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what to tell you. I will continue to share any information I hear about entry restrictions being eased.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis and Koko, I had the same hopes that you mentioned given the recent news that Japan had allowed the re-entry of foreign residents including students and researchers. However, today almost all the applicants who were supposed to travel for the Fall semester 2020 received an email from the university. It gave us the option either to postpone our arrival to April 2021, or just wait until the travel ban is lifted. In both cases, without allowance. This is a very unfortunate situation. I just wanted to share the news and let’s hope for the best for everyone!
Hi Ayu,
Thank you very much for sharing this news. That is unfortunate to hear and I wouldn’t be surprised if more universities start sending similar messages.
While Japan has finally started allowing re-entry (only for people who left before the immigration restrictions were imposed), allowing new students into the country unfortunately does not look like it will happen before the start of the Fall Semester. The plan was to open up to new business visas, first, before students, and even that hasn’t happened yet.
I know it’s not a great choice facing you, but it looks like many Japanese universities are going to be online for this fall semester, too, so in terms of study opportunities, it won’t change much if you are in Japan or your home country. Not having the financial support is certainly a challenge though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks again for your effort & patience in answering our questions.
I connected with some of my country’s previous MEXT recipients, and they all mentioned that they already had an adviser who was ready to take them in if they pass the initial screening. I for one, don’t have that connection yet. I tried emailing the adviser I’m interested in last year around October, but he didn’t reply unfortunately.
I was just wondering if my case is considered normal for an embassy-recommended MEXT applicant? Or is it really common for applicants to already have an adviser in-contact with prior to the start of the process, and these are the applicants that have the best chance of getting accepted? Based from your experience.
Thanks again. Stay safe.
Hi Sreejith,
Thank you for your patience with my answer. I haven’t been able to keep up with the incoming flow of questions for a few weeks now.
I think it is normal for most embassy-recommended MEXT applicants to be in your situation. Most will be contacting their prospective advisors for the first time during the application process.
While I think that applicants who have been in touch with their potential advisors in advance do earn the scholarship more often, it is not necessary a direct cause and effect. Applicants who have already been in touch with an advisor are typically doing so based on a mutual research interest. They have planned out their research in advance and, in communicating with their potential advisor, have had a chance to refine the research idea and plan. They have probably also started preparing their applications earlier.
You can do all of that without contacting an advisor in advance and have just as good a chance as anyone else, though. It’s not a cause and effect relationship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I hope you are fine. Should we fill application form in Excel or there is any way to change it to pdf?? Because it is hard to do.
Thank you
Hi Sepide,
I recommend filling it in in excel, because I think that’s going to be your easiest option. The only ways I know of to turn it into a pdf are to save the completed excel form as a PDF (after which point it would be difficult to edit) or to use something like Adobe Acrobat Pro to do it, if you wanted to create fillable forms. But when I’ve tried to use Acrobat Pro to do that, it would take me hours to accomplish, so I can’t really recommend it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello again Travis! Hope you are doing well in this ongoing pandemic!
I applied to MEXT last year (2019) and though I got a call for interview and the written test after submitting my preliminary application, I got rejected in the first round.
I am trying my luck again this year. What I would like to know is that would it be OK to submit the application with the same interests of research, or a more or less same research proposal targeting the areas of interest, that I used last year while applying? Or would I have to think of some new research ideas to proceed? Honestly, I did not go anywhere with that research proposal and it is one of me most desired fields that I could be well familiar with rather than anything else and am still hoping to pursue. Would it be fine if I go with it?
Thank you for your time!
Hi Mainak Ghosh,
Thank you! I am fortunately to live in an area that has been relatively unaffected so far, but I hope you are doing well.
It is OK to use the same research topic as in the past, but I would recommend improving your Field of Study and Research Program by trying to tighten the focus, making your topic more appealing, and making it clearer. If you haven’t used it already. my suggested template should help with the organization and presentation.
Also, now you have some experience with the interview, so that will help, but be sure to practice what you want to say there!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
I am applying for a PhD and the professor in Japan already told me that he will accept me if I get the scholarship. Should I include this information somehow on these first papers? In the study plan perhaps?
Also,do you know for sure that the whole (3) study plan must be only 2 pages?
Hi Nick Vou,
Regarding acceptance from the professor, I would not recommend including that in writing, in general, but you would certainly list that professor as your first choice on the Placement Preference Form and mention in the interview that the professor has already agreed to accept you.
If you are only planning to apply to that one university, then you could mention it in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, but I don’t think it really adds much benefit.
As for the FSRPP, yes, the limit is two pages, including the instructions section. But I have never seen a Field of Study and Research Program Plan that needed more than 2 pages to make its point. Remember that your reviewers are going to be going through a ton of these applications at once and will not have that much time to focus on each one. Making your point clearly, in as little time as possible, is critically important.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Transenz,
Quick Question, I got my pictures taken to the right specifications but the place I got them done does not cut them. They said that most embassies take the pictures uncut but I’m not sure. Do you recommend me sending them in uncut or attempting to cut them myself or trying to go to another place to get them cut. Thanks!
Hi David,
I recommend that you trim the photos yourself. Use a papercutter, if possible, to ensure that you get a straight cut. Otherwise, be careful to measure and cut precisely!
Your photo shop was probably referring to photos for visa applications, which embassies will often cut themselves, but the MEXT Scholarship, I think they will expect the photos pre-trimmed.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis
I am a final year undergraduate student and I am doing my Bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering and I want to apply for Master’s degree in a Japanese University. In the application form for the Embassy Recommended MEXT scholarship there are two fields and I am unable to tell the difference between them. The first field asks
“Your research topic in Japan: Describe articulately the research you wish to carry out in Japan ”
And the second asks
“Research Plan/Study program in Japan: (Describe in detail and with specifics — particularly concerning the ultimate goal(s) of your research in Japan)”
Do I have to fill in both of the fields and if yes, what is the difference between them?
Thank you very much
Hi Gautam,
I think you are referring to the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, right?
That form is perhaps the most important part of your application and it is certainly the one that will require the most time and effort. Without a strong Field of Study and Research Program Plan, you really have no chance of earning the scholarship. I have written an entire book on how to go about creating your research plan, but for starters, the link above should give you an idea of what it should contain, including a section-by-section breakdown of the contents. That should help answer your question, but if you are still confused after reading that article, please let me know.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello sir . I want to apply for embassy recommendation research 2021.. and the embassy is asking to submit the preliminary application form and nothing else. But there is a placement preference form within it… and we need to mention the preferred universities and name of professor… in that case do I need to talk to a professor before applying for this program?
Hi Sam,
Have you seen my article about completing the Placement Preference Form? I recommend reading through it, if you haven’t yet.
You do not need to contact the professor for permission in advance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
You doing an awesome job Travis😝.
I am asking you , you know there a 4 pages for the application form, and our academic transcript is in pieces, the question is a we suppose to staple them together or number them and put them in a file. Looking forward to hearing from you.☺️
Hi ABdullahi,
Thank you for your kind feedback.
My advice is never to use staples for anything (unless you are specifically directed to do so). Use paperclips to keep documents together or put them together in a single document protector.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis
Regarding what I would do to help my home country and Japan i said I want to write a book about my experience on how Japan develop quality human capital ( iam applying for electronics engineering undergrad) I will be finishing it by the time I graduate and share it with policy makers educational institutions and organize serminers, I will also start a foundation that brings talents from my country and Japan to come together and inovate solutions to our problem.
To Japan I said I want to inovate a solution that will revive it electronics in dustry like how it was in the 1990s
Do you think what I wrote a bout wath I would do after I graduate to Japan and my home country is ok ( note : my home country I a developing nation with lack of qualified human capital and lots of miniral resources) I need your feed back, thanks allot iam sorry for writing long.
Hi Abdullahi,
It sounds like you’ve already written and submitted your application, so anything I say now can’t really help.
But I would recommend in general that you work toward one single goal that will benefit both countries, not two completely unrelated ideas. I would also recommend that your idea for the steps toward achieving your goal be as specific as possible. So, rather than reviving the electronics industry as a goal, a more specific example would be to talk about wanting to contribute to the development of a (specific) new technology that could help regenerate the electronics industry (and hopefully one whose development would be relevant to your home country).
What you’ve written isn’t bad, but for the sake of future readers, I wanted to suggest the improvements above.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is there any extra steps to be done, if my degree for undergrad is acquired in foreign country(i am from Nepal and i’ll have my degree from Indian university). Thank you!
Hi Suraj Belbase,
There is nothing extra that you have to do if you have acquired your degree in a different country, but it could take you more time/work to do the same steps, since you’ll need to get documents and a Letter of Recommendation from that university.
Unfortunately, I heard that the Japanese Embassy in Nepal has cancelled the MEXT Scholarship application this year, but I hope you will be able to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship when that process starts!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
My question is hanging up three
Hi Abdullahi,
I’m afraid I do not understand what you mean. If you were complaining that I had not answered your question yet, please understand I am getting more than twice as many questions each day as I can answer and I am getting to them as quickly as possible. But in most cases, the answers are already somewhere on this website, so in the meantime, I recommend reading through the articles to see if you can find answers on your own.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to know if been a PhD student will be an obstacle for me to get MEXT scholarship knowing that I have master degree and now I’m PhD student expecting to graduate in 2022 or 2023 but I’m going to drop out if i get the MEXT scgolarship (should I mention that I’m PhD student or it’s better for me to not mention it specialy the first course I plan to take in Japan is non degree program)
Hi Darren,
You are required to report your entire academic background, including degrees in progress, so you don’t have a choice about mentioning your current PhD program or not. You will need to figure out how you are going to explain to the reviewers why it is important for you to abandon that degree and start fresh in Japan, though, so I would recommend that you be prepared for that. It would be best if your explanation centered on why Japan is a better location for your research or to connect to your future goals of contributing to society.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I had another question, I’ve written what basically would be considered as an undergraduate thesis, albeit it’s wasn’t officially part of the program and was done as a requirement for a subject consisting of 3 units.
Since it basically has all the characteristics of an official thesis, do you think I can add it to the application form and note that this isn’t and official “thesis” based on different interpretations?
Hi Ami,
If it isn’t a graduation thesis and it wasn’t published or presented at a conference, then it wouldn’t count for what they’re asking for when they ask for a thesis.
Not having a thesis is not going to hurt you – it’s part of your degree characteristics, not something you can control – so I do not think it is worth the effort to shoehorn it in.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I’m planning to apply for a masters degree, and I’ve already been accepted in a similar program in my home country (considered a prestigious university here). So I was wondering whether I should or should not mention this in the application form. Do you think it would be advantageous?
Also would being an honors student (or something similar) considered a plus? Should I mention it?
Thank you
Hi Ami,
You can mention both of those facts, if you like, but they aren’t likely to be significant factors. Your grades earned in your previous degree and the strength of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan would be much stronger.
If you mention your acceptance to a prestigious school in your country, then you will also need to explain why you would be turning that down to study in Japan instead.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for all your hard work. I have bought your books as well in an attempt to be better prepared. I do have a couple of questions however.
1. I have one official transcript that has been sealed by my college. Do I need to open it and scan it, or is there a different procedure in place to handle official transcripts so I won’t have to break that seal? Also after scanning what is the best way to number the pages?
2. Would a spare copy of my diploma serve as a certificate of graduation from my undergraduate program? I already have an extra diploma.
Thanks in advance
Hi Larry,
Thank you for your feedback and for letting me know that you bought the books. I hope that you have found them helpful so far!
1. In general, MEXT does not require that transcripts be sealed. I would recommend that you double-check with the embassy first, to be sure, but you should be able to open the envelope and make the copies. As far as I know, every embassy still requires submission of physical documents, so you would simply assemble the pages in the order that they should go in and clip them together with a paperclip, etc. Even if you were to submit them digitally, that would be even easier, since you would scan them into a single pdf with the pages in order.
2. A “certificate of graduation” is any official document issued by your university that shows that you have completed your degree and graduated as well as when that happened. It could be a letter written by your registrar, your transcript, if that states the fact of your graduation and the date, or your diploma. A copy that is certified to be correct by an official at the university is generally acceptable as an “original” since it has the original certification of accuracy. I recommend obtaining a copy like that, if you can. You should never submit your only original of any document.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am filling the 2021 research main application form. Its in excel format. The whole part of the form is absolutely editable apart from the part where we are to append our signature… Pls, I can’t edit it, neither can I alter the form. Pls can I write in a black ball pen my full name at my signature point?
Secondly, the research form is just two pages, but my research plan despite everything enters 3 pages after continuous removal of valid points! What is your advice to me Sir?
Hi Daniel,
Yes, you do have to write your signature by hand after printing the form. A digital signature would not be accepted.
Regarding your field of study and research plan, it is not possible to put all valid points into the document, so you have to choose which are the most relevant to making the case that you want. I have a suggested template that shows how much space I recommend spending on each aspect of the plan that may help you. If you are really stuck, I also offer a paid review service of your plan and will help suggest ways to shorten the length.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis,
Thank you so much for the effort ! Your articles are so helpful.
I have a couple of questions regarding the Embassy recommended MEXT scholarship:
1. In my country (Tunisia) Architecture is a single 6-year curriculum to obtain the “National Degree in Architecture” . We don’t use the Undergrad/graduate system in Architecture school but it’s somehow considered to be equal to a master’s level. How should I include this in the academic record in the application form? Should I put all 6 years in Undergrad or should i skip Undergrad and put all in Grad ? or split accordanig to cycles ? (ps: i am aiming for non-degree program first in mext )
2. Regarding the recommendation letters; in addition to letters from my advisor and my current employer, i do have a recommendation letter from the architecture office where i performed my professional internship abroad two years ago. I got the letter directly after i finished the internship so it does have an old date but the content was intended to be general in order for me to use in the future and also is relevant to my research theme for MEXT scholarship. Do you think that i should add it to my application or that the Embassy only accepts the letters they asked for?
3. Regarding the format in which i should submit the recommendation letters: i did contact the Embassy, and they mentionned that I need either to ask the recommender to make the two copies and put everything in a sealed envelope or to send me the letter to make the copies myself and then take the letter back to seal it. This really confuses me as I am not sure what to do (they seem to ask for a sealed envelope either ways).
Thank you in advance !
Hi Waddah,
1. In similar cases in the past, like veterinary programs, I have seen applicants put all six years in undergraduate and then mention in the remarks that the degree is a six year program and equivalent to a Master’s degree. You might want to double-check with the embassy for their guidance, but I would suggest that approach should work fine.
Regarding your other questions, I saw them on another article and answered them there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I want to ask you about my field of study. Actually I want to apply the embassy scholarship in Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences and School of Agricultural Sciences, however the laboratory that I will choose is about Organic chemistry. Therefore, for filling the field study in the form should I write agriculture or chemistry? I am so confused about this. I hope for your help regarding this problem. Thank you
Hi Pedro Novida,
Are you referring to the field in the Placement Preference Form? In that case, in general I would recommend that your “Field of Study” be the name of your graduate school or department, so “Bioagricultural Sciences” would be fine. If you want to specify “Organic Chemistry”, you can do that, too. You are not limited to a single word.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I’m applying for a MEXT Scholarship, PhD level. The thing is that I’m already doing a PhD (now on my 2nd year) in my home country, but the access to resources, bibliography and the tutors’ knowledge is very limited. Thus, I decided to look for better options and make a fresh new start, Do you think it’s ok if I mention that on my MEXT application form? I would use all my previous research to enrich my new thesis, and I understand that I would have to leave all my PhD progress behind, since I don’t think I’ll be able to transfer any credits. Would they see it as a positive thing that I’m actually looking for a better opportunity/future? Or would I look like someone who doesn’t commit with what he has already started? By the way, my research topic revolves around Archeological Heritage Sites Management in Peru.
Thank you!
Hi Luis,
I think you can make a convincing case for why you need to suspend your current PhD and start fresh in Japan. Your explanation about the resources not being there to support your research goals seems perfectly reasonable to me.
You would need to mention in your application that you are currently enrolled in the PhD, so you’ll have to explain the change in the most positive way possible. Talking about the past research experience and data you will bring to Japan could help you, as well.
Don’t be apologetic about the change, approach it with confidence and focus on the positives, and you should be fine.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello to everyone! I am a new subscriber and new to MEXT scholarship! Travis-san thank you so much for all your posts they are a life savior for me! Please keep up you are doing a great job!
I just wanted to ask the same question I did to my Japan embassy advisor that didn’t gave me a straight answer only her concerns. Well I have a bachelor in Media, Communication and Culture (with journalism concentration) and I wanted to apply for a Master in Film Studies (which will among other beneficial things depthen my previous classes at culture, film history and documentary I did during my bachelor degree) but I am afraid that these fields aren’t that much related even if I try my best to explain it at the Research Plan and also I am afraid that I won’t be eligible for this scholarship since I read at a previous post of yours that “Traditional Japanese performance arts, such as Kabuki and Japanese Dance that require studio training are not permitted under this scholarship. You would be able to study kabuki, etc., but not participate in a program that was designed to train performers. Similarly, degrees that require technical training at factories, etc., are not covered by this scholarship”.
What are your thoughts of this matter?
Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Hope,
Your undergraduate field of “Media, Communication and Culture” seems like it is very closely related to Film Studies and I do not think you would have any trouble at all showing the connection, especially if you took courses in culture and film history.
The eligibility requirements say that you cannot study performing arts as a practitioner or enroll in a program that requires practical on-the-job training, but you should still be able to enroll in a film studies program, depending on what your angle is. If you are analyzing films or media techniques, then that would be perfectly acceptable. But if your focus is training to be an actor or camera technician, that would not be permitted under this scholarship. Essentially, your degree needs to have an academic focus.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much! Your answer helped me so much!
But I have 2 more questions – sorry taking up your time –
1. Well I am from Greece and I have Michigan Proficiency in English (C2). I know that preferably they want higher level of certificate for MEXT scholarship and I would be glad to take TOEFL or higher exams if they want me to, but for now there is no time before the final date to apply. From my research at the universities I want to apply they dont mention exatcly what certificate of English they prefer for their graduate students to have somewhere at their sites so maybe they wont mind my “low” certificate. I just want to mention that English exams were mandatory in order to pass at my ungergraduate university and I also had courses in English during my bachelor degree which I will mention in the interview if I ever get there. I am concerned if they will reject me because I dont have a TOEFL degree. What are your thoughts?
2. Concerning the numbering at the top write page of the applications forms that it is referred to the table at the application guidelines .
For example the 1. Application Form printed out it is 11 pages. Should I write the number 1. at the top of each 11 pages? And so on for the other applications forms?
Hi Hope,
I am sorry for the late reply this time.
1. As far as I know, C2 is the highest level of proficiency on the CEFR scale, but I am not familiar with the Michigan Proficiency Test. In general, Japanese universities will want to see the results of an internationally-accepted test that is clearly mapped to the CEFR by objective research. The embassy does not require a certificate of English language proficiency for the application in most cases, but you will have to go through a language proficiency there – typically before the interview. (I have heard that some embassies cancelled the language test due to COVID-19 and asked for an external certificate, instead, though).
Usually, in my experience, universities do not ask Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship so submit proof of English language proficiency, since that is handled at the embassy level.
2. Your application form should not be 11 pages long. Be sure to print it so that each “page” of the form covers only one page of paper. But in any case, unless your embassy has instructed otherwise, I recommend writing the number on the first page and clipping all pages of the form together with a paperclip.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, thank you for your guides and hope you are doing well;
I recently graduated from university with a Bachelor’s degree in computer science and want to apply for MEXT scholarship. I have couple of questions:
1-) I want to apply for a PhD, In the official list of prerequisites for application, doctoral course is divided into two phases (Doctoral course first phase and second phase) and they have different preconditions to apply. I searched the internet a bit and found out first phase is kind of like master’s, but i’m still very much confused.
If you apply a Doctoral programme in USA with a Bachelor’s degree, it’s usually a given that you will get a Master’s degree than you will do your PhD. Should i directly apply to a Doctoral programme, or do i need to apply for Master’s first? Should i choose Master’s Degree Program or Doctoral Program in the application form?
2-) My field of study and especially the research area i’m interested in requires a great amount of knowledge at graduate level to make a detailed research theme and plan. Even if i knew who will be my advisor, it will still be close to impossible for me to create a plan at the scale of Field of Study and Research Plan from where i stand. I find it very weird that they ask something like this, Usually (i mean for every single graduate school i’ve seen) you only need to discuss general topics you are interested in with your supervisor, then you will build up an idea on the way while you are taking graduate level courses. I checked your guide for Field of Study and Research Plan and it seems way too detailed and spesific. What should i do? Will it hurt my application if i write something too general, like showing that these are the topics i’m interested in doing research?
Regards,
Hi Semi,
1. If you have a bachelor’s degree, you would have to apply for a Master’s Degree, first. There are some “five year integrated doctoral programs” in Japan that you would be able to apply to, kind of like the doctoral programs in the US that do not grant an interim Master’s, but in that case, your initial MEXT Scholarship would only cover the first two years (corresponding to the Master’s-level portion) and you would need to apply for a scholarship extension to cover the final three years, just as you would if you started in a Master’s program and wanted to apply to a doctoral program.
There are some Japanese programs that refer to a Master’s program as “Doctoral Program – First Half”, but it’s still the same as a Master’s degree.
In your case, you would list that you were starting with a Master’s program and that you want to stay through the end of the doctoral program.
2. The purpose in asking you to write a detailed field of study and research program plan at this point is to prove that you can. Of course the topic and details are going to change once you start working with your advisor. But from what I have seen, this approach is fairly standard at top-level programs. I was participating in a graduate studies forum a few weeks ago at work, and the admissions counselor from National University of Singapore said that they would expect this level of detail from any applicant. You need to have a clear idea of what you want to research and why. (My own graduate program in the US, not exactly a top program, did not ask for this level of detail, but they did ask me to lay out my goals and how my research and studies would serve them).
Keep in mind that at this point, you are only writing your FSRPP for your Master’s level research.
I do think that being too general will hurt you, because you are going to be in competition with applicants who have very specific research plans about a specific problem that they want to approach or solve. They might not have all of the methodology down, but at least in the FSRPP, they are doing their best to propose potential methodology to solve that problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for helping students like us by providing information and guidelines on how to apply for the MEXT scholarship. But, sadly, there are only a few articles regarding undergraduate students. I hope you can help undergraduate students too. Especially details regarding recommendation letters and course planning
Hi Abin,
I still haven’t finished all of the research and guides that I want to provide for graduate students, so it will be some time before I am able to move on and cover the undergraduate scholarship in more detail, I’m afraid. I will look into it in the future, but in the meantime, I hope you are able to find someone else who can help you now.
Or perhaps, if someone reading this would like to write a guest post about their experience with the undergraduate scholarship, I would be happy to consider that!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey,
I am applying to hopefully obtain master’s degree,
I know that Master’s degree students are first enrolled as “non-degree” students, so i guess that would make me tic (non degree) for: “The first course you plan to take in Japan”
now for: “Term you wish to study in Japan”…..do I choose (only a non degree student term) or (up to the completion of master’s degree program) ?
Thanks a lot in advance and for all your efforts
Hi Salma,
It is not necessarily required that Masters students start as non-degree students. That is a choice, though I do recommend that choice. You can also apply to start directly as a Master’s degree student. In that case, though, you would have to meet all of the university’s requirements for admission prior to starting your scholarship, which in some cases means that you would have to travel to Japan to take an entrance exam in person. That is one of the reasons why I recommend starting as a non-degree student, unless you have a specific time restraint that means that you have to start with the degree.
For the “Term you wish to study in Japan” check the name of the final degree you want to earn in Japan. If you are starting as a non-degree student and want to earn your master’s, then you would check master’s degree. If you want to earn your masters then continue on to a PhD, you would check the doctoral degree. In any case, the box that you tick here is not a final commitment and MEXT is also not committing to accept you for that entire period. (You still need to apply to extend your scholarship every time you change levels). It is just a point of reference.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
mine CGPA is 2.96 should i apply??
Hi Anizey,
That’s really not enough information for me to be able to tell you if you should apply or not. If you have a strong motivation to pursue a specific research topic in Japan and to contribute to the relationship between Japan and your home country in the future, and you meet all of the eligibility criteria, then you should certainly consider applying!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good evening Sir. I am applying for the Japanese Mext 2021 Research scholarship application through embassy Recommendation. In the guideline for submission, the recommendation letter is expected to be one original document and two photocopies( That is for the form as provided but am confused on how to go about the recommendation form as my Dean is recommending me and the recommendation is sealed in an official envelope as written by him on the official school letter head, how then do I make copies? Or do I just submit the single letter of recommendation without copies since its not the conventional mext 2021 form? If yes, then how do I number it having at heart that I mailed the Japanese embassy in my country severally and they never replied my mail through their contact form!
Pls, I would appreciate having your guideline on how to make copies of the Recommendation letter
Hi Daniel,
It sounds like you already have the letter in a sealed envelope, is that right?
Usually, I would recommend you follow the guidance from the embassy, but since they’re not responding, here’s my best suggestions: There is actually no requirement for it to be sealed anymore. However, if your Dean has already sealed it, I would suggest that you ask his permission before unsealing it to make copies. If he givers permission, you are fine. If the Dean does not want you reading it, then you could ask if someone in his office, such as a secretary, open the letter, make two copies, and reseal it).
In that case, when you submit it to the embassy, I would recommend including a sheet explaining that your Dean has enclosed an original and two copies in a sealed envelope so you were unable to number them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Here’s a question I don’t think has been asked before. If I’m chosen as a MEXT scholar, am I allowed to go back home to my home country during the duration of the scholarship (say, 2.5 yrs for the master’s degree)? For whatever personal reason, with me naturally shouldering the travel costs for it.
Thanks alot for all your help!
Hi Cedric,
You are allowed to leave Japan during the course of your studies, as long as you are not gone for a month or more and your absence does not cause you to miss any classes or fall behind on your academics.
As you said, you would, of course, bear all expenses.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you very much. Your blog was really helpful from the first moment I dreamed of Japan. I applaied for MEXT scholarship for Teacher Training Program 2020 last January and I passed the first screening from my country (Embassy Recommendation) and still waiting for the result of the second screening from Tokyo. For this scholarship, the last couple of years the results appeared in the middle of June. If they accepted me, I have to arrive in Japan next September or October 2020. Do you think they will : cancel it due to COVID-19 , postpone it or keep it at the same time? Also do you know anything about the expected day of getting the result. Thank you so much in advance
Hi Manal,
Thank you very much for your feedback, and congratulations on making it this far in the application process!
Right now, I don’t think anyone knows for sure what will happen for the fall semester. There are still immigration bans in place against 111 countries, so there would have to be a change to those rules over the next few months for it to be possible for your to arrive. I hope that if it is not possible for applicants to travel to Japan that they will offer you the option to defer until next year, but at the moment, I really cannot tell.
I will be continuing to follow any information I can find and will share it with you when I learn anything.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much Sir. I really appreciate your response. I’ll keep following your blog and your twitter account to get the news.
Hello,
I have noticed that there is a new addition to the Research Scholarship application of some essay style questions:
1) What was the trigger for having an interest in Japan?
2) Why do you choose Japan as a destination to study graduate-level education?
3) What kinds of things do you think you can contribute to Japan and your home country through your experience of studying in Japan?
Is there anywhere you have provided a sample for how to answer these questions (such as for the Undergraduate or Japanese Studies version of the application)? I only received your sample for the old Research applications (when these questions were not included), so that may be why I missed it.
Hi Vera,
If you’ve been on my mailing list for a while (since before March of this year), you would have originally gotten the old application form. Since March, I’ve added the new form with sample answers to those questions, and I also sent it out to everyone who was already on my mailing list on March 8 in an email titled “Are you preparing for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application?”. I’ll resend that message to you separately.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have a question, I have a recommendation letter that dates to 2019 do I have to request a new one
that dates to 2020 or the old one will suffice (cause it’s a pain to ask for a recommendation letter every freaking year)
Hi Aaron,
In general, you should obtain a new letter of recommendation specific to the MEXT Scholarship application. An old letter will raise eyebrows and get unwanted attention. I know that when I reviewed these applications, we would not accept old letters. (If an applicant wasn’t willing to go through the trouble to get a new letter specifically for this application, the perception was that the applicant really wasn’t all that dedicated.)
Also, the Letter of Recommendation has to be original, so it wouldn’t be possible to submit the same one in multiple years.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, another question
I have 3 very good publications as the first author. All of those publications were published in the top 10% journals and one of them is in the top 3%. I believe one of the things that the interview panels are trying to judge is the applicant’s research potential. During the interview, I want to say something like ‘If you pick me as one of the scholarship recipients, you are not picking someone based on his/her potential, but you’re are picking someone with an established research record and someone who is proven to be able to do high-quality research’. Do you think this is a good idea?
Hi HAF,
I think you can certainly mention that you have a proven track record in research and publications, but the review and interview really are focused on what you will do as a MEXT scholar, so you don’t want to dwell too much on past accomplishments. Mentioning your publishing success once would be enough. From that point on, I would suggest that you focus on the future. You need to have a strong research plan for your time in Japan as well as a plan for how you will contribute to the relationship between Japan and your home country in the future.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thanks for the reply. My research proposal is highly relevant to the future of Japan and the ambition of my home country. It is about the production of hydrogen and electricity from solar energy and Japan has plan to be a hydrogen-based economy by the year of 2050 [1] and also looking to build a supply chain of hydrogen supply overseas. My home country (Malaysia) also has plan to increase power trough renewable energy generation in the country. I’ve mentioned how important the research is to Japan and how it can lead to the improvement of the bilateral relationship between the two countries and how trough this research, Malaysia can be a supplier of hydrogen to Japan so that Japan can realize its hydrogen energy ambition. Hopefully, by combining my well-establish research prowess and the importance of the research, I can get the scholarship.
I have one question though, is it ok if I bring some papers during the interview process? I want to bring a poster of the Japanese government’s plan to realized its hydrogen-based economy ambition so it would be easier for me to explain the importance of the research. The poster is in the reference [1] below:
[1] https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2017/pdf/1226_003a.pdf
Thank you very much!
Hi HAF,
I’m actually not sure about bringing visual aids to the interview. There is no publically available policy on it, so it might be an embassy-by-embassy judgement call.
I would suggest that you include the poster as an attachment to your Field of Study and Research Program, though. Your reviewers will most likely have that document in hand during the interview, so that would make it easy to refer to it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I did a master by research program which has no GPA and the embassy told me that I must sent the transcript of my master’s and bachelor’s degree and they’ll calculate it. The problem is now, i’m not sure whether I’m eligible of the scholarship or not.
And also, how does MEXT calculate the GPA for those who has two master’s or two bachelor’s degree? Thanks!!!
Hi HAF,
Typically, only the GPA for the most recent degree is considered.
In the case of a program with no GPA, they typically look for concrete evidence that you were in the top 30% of your graduating class. But if that is also not possible, I do not know what the next step would be, since I never had to resort to additional measures when I was processing the scholarship.
They may use the GPA from your second-to-last degree (since that would be the last years for which you do have grades available), if there are no other options, but I am not sure. At least at this point, the important thing is that they are willing to accept your application and sound like they are able to calculate your grades somehow.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thanks for all the valuable info and efforts regarding Mext.
Regarding the recommendation letter to be submitted to the embassy, I graduated in another country, do they accept a letter which was emailed to me by my supervisor ? or they need the original one sent to me by post ? (taking into consideration there might be delays in international mail wit current pandemic)
Thanks buddy in advance.
Hi Momo,
Normally, they would require a letter sent by post, with the original signature. A document sent by email cannot be considered an “original” because it is a scan of the true original document, which makes it a copy by default.
However, the Embassy might be willing to make an exception if the international postal service is not operating in your country or your former university’s country. I would suggest that you consult with the embassy as soon as possible for their advice.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir,
I am willing to apply for research student program, is it considered as a master degree or not?
Hi Sibtain,
The MEXT Scholarship for “Research Students” covers non-degree graduate level students, Master’s Degree students, and Doctoral Degree students, as well as Master’s and Doctoral-level professional degrees (e.g. MBA).
So, you would apply for the scholarship for research students and in the application form, you will indicate what level of degree you want to apply for.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello sir,
As soon as i got to know about mext scholarship, few things have been bugging me especially with this research thing, i really hope you can help me in this. We have to apply as research student for masters degree. How does this research student serve in japan, i mean how is this different or related to masters in there? What do we do until we pass entrance for masters?
Hi Belbase,
The MEXT Scholarship for “Research Students” covers all graduate level studies. As far as MEXT is concerned, a “research student” is a “graduate student”. However, universities use the same word to mean something different.
At the university level, you can also be a “research student” or “non-degree student” when you start your scholarship, then extend the scholarship to cover your Master’s degree. As a research student (non-degree student) you would still be able to take courses and start your research, working with your professor. The only difference is that your credits and semesters of enrollment wouldn’t count toward the requirements for your degree.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thank you very much for this article. I just started filling my application form, but, due to the pandemic the senate at my school haven’t been able to sit on our results (I finished my undergraduate studies last December), so I can’t get an official transcript. My Part Adviser said he could generate a statement of result of sorts. I don’t know if that’ll be accepted by MEXT. What do you think I could use instead?
Hi Oreoluwa,
If your statement of results is an official document issued by the university, has a seal or your advisor’s signature, and otherwise meets all the requirements of a transcript (shows the grades taken for all courses in all years as well as the grading scale), then that could work. I would recommend also including a letter from your advisor explaining the situation and why you cannot get an official transcript, if possible.
Before you submit that to the embassy, I would recommend calling them directly to explain the situation and suggest that submission approach to make sure that they will accept it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hey Travis, I hope you’re doing well,
the Japanease embassy in my country has just announced the scholarship, Unfortunately, only master is available in research category (there’s no Phd). I already hold a Masters degree (graduated in June 2019). So my question is;
1- is it possible for me to apply for a second master ?
-if yes:
2-do you think, this will play against me and make my application disvantegeous (since Im
already holding a master )?!
3- should I join my masters documents to my application or only send Bachelor docs ?
4- Can I apply for another major that is very close to my previous one ( knowing that, my master’s thesis was in that field that Im planning to apply for ) ?
Thank you sooo much
Hi Imen,
I saw your questions on another page and answered them there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I currently have a job, but I’m considering not putting it on the application. Do you think having or not having a job affects your chances in the application?
Thanks for all your hard work!
kind Regards,
Unimke from Nigeria.
Hi Unimke,
If you are employed full-time, then you would have to put that information in the application form.
Overall, I do not think that having a job or not plays any significant role in the application (though if you are employed, you will need a letter of recommendation from your employer). However, if you have a long period of unemployment when you weren’t working or enrolled in school, that might raise questions with the reviewers and you would need to be able to explain it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Help me for the updated process so that i can easily apply. I am so interested. Thanks.
Hi Faya David Tonguino,
That is exactly what I hoped to do with this article. I hope it helped!
For more details about the application process in your country, I recommend that you refer to your local Japanese embassy, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I want to know if i am eligible to apply for MEXT scholarship with 69.44% in bachelor degree from my academic history ..
Regards,
Hi Susmita,
Unfortunately, you cannot simply convert your final average grade. I have an article all about how to convert your GPA to see if you are eligible that should help you do the conversion and check if you meet the requirements.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz