Important Update
MEXT Overhauled its application form beginning with the 2018 Embassy-Recommended Scholarship Application Process, so some of the information below is no longer accurate. Click here for a step-by-step instructions for the new application form, plus a downloadable sample!
The (Old) Form
The English translations on the MEXT scholarship application form are confusing at best- and sometimes downright misleading. I used to have two pages of correction bullet statements to copy/paste and send to applicants (most of which were about question 7).
One mistake on the form might force you to have to re-complete and re-send the form by expensive international express mail, depending on how your university handles it.
By following the question-by-question instructions in this article, you can be sure that your application form will clear review with no problem. So, let’s get started.
Basic Instructions
- Type the application if at all possible. This isn’t only about clarity, but if you type every entry on a page, you can sometimes make corrections by email. If you handwrite any portion of a page, you will have to make all corrections by post.
- If you must handwrite, use block (all capital) letters and black ball-point pen. Other colors are not considered official in Japan.
- Use Arabic numerals (e.g. 1, 2, 3). Do not use any other type or write out numbers in text.
- All years must be in AD (also called CE). This goes for any of your supporting documents, too! If your country uses a different year system (Buddhist, Muslim, Coptic, Japanese, etc), make sure you translate those into AD. (e.g. 2015)
- Do not abbreviate proper nouns (e.g. cities, countries, school names.)
- If you have to make corrections, it’s best to start over and recreate a clean form. But if that’s not possible, cross out the error with two horizontal lines through the text and write the correction above.
- I highly recommend submitting two copies of the form: One printed double-sided, as per the instructions, and one printed single-sided. Having a single-sided version may just save you from having to resend the application by express post in case corrections become necessary!
Application for Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship – Page 1
1. Name in full in native language
- This must match your passport (if written there) or birth certificate. You cannot leave out any names, such as patronymics, “bin” or “binti”, middle names, etc.
- If your passport does not specify surname/family name and given names, then use your own discretion to separate them
- If English is your native language/script, be sure to fill in this blank in English (block capitals!), even if the next line is identical!
- If you can’t type your name in your native language in the form, try to insert it using other software or handwrite it after printing
- Vietnamese applicants: Write your names in the order they appear on your passport, even though that means your “given” and “middle” names will be in the opposite spaces
In Roman block capitals
Same as above. Double-check your passport, especially if you’re from Russia or a former Soviet Republic – sometimes you have middle names that appear only in Cyrillic, so leave those out in the English section.
Sex
Straightforward- just don’t forget to check one!
Marital Status
Make sure to check this one, too.
2-1. Nationality
Enter the name of the country not the adjective. For example, write “USA” not “American.”
If you have multiple nationalities, write the one for the country you live in/ the passport you will use when you enter Japan
2-2. Japanese Nationality
If you have multiple nationalities and one if Japanese, you are not eligible for the scholarship unless you revoke your Japanese nationality.
3. Date of Birth and age as of April 1 [of scholarship year]
For the month, day, and year, use all numbers- do not write out month names.
Age: About one quarter of applicants get this wrong! It is not your current age, but the age that you will be on April 1 of the year you start the scholarship. If your birthday falls between the date that you fill in the form and April 1, you need to add a year to your age.
Note: In Japan, as in most Western countries, you are age 0 when born. If you come from a country that counts babies as age 1 at birth, you are going to need to convert.
Photograph
Please see the instructions in the supporting documents article for instructions regarding the photograph. Paste – do not staple – one photograph in the square given here.
4. Present status with the name of the university attended or employer
This one is also a constant source of confusion. You need to fill in two things here:
- If you are currently enrolled in a university, write “Student at [university name]”
- If you are not enrolled in a university and you are working full time, write: “[Job title] at [company name]”
- If you are not enrolled in a university and not working full time, then your status is “Unemployed.”
Note: “Recent Graduate,” “Fresh Graduate,” etc. are not acceptable statuses.
5. Present address, telephone/facsimilie number, and E-mail address.
Write your present address so that if I write that on an envelope and nothing else, the letter will reach you- that means you need everything from your room number up to your country name
Note: Be sure to write in English! (I used to get addresses in Chinese or people who write an overseas address in katakana – don’t do that!)
Telephone (include the country code!) and email are straightforward. Don’t worry if you don’t have a fax machine- that’s not required.
6. Field of specialization studied in the past (Be as detailed and specific as possible)
The scholarship eligibility criteria require that your field of study in Japan match what you have studied before, so when you fill in this question, write your past studies in such a way as to sound as similar to your proposed field of study as possible.
The biggest problem I saw with this field was leaving it blank. Don’t do that.
7. Academic Background (Page 2)
The academic background table only makes sense if you know how the Japanese education system works and exactly what they’re looking for.Here’s what those confusing directions really want:
Primary Education, etc.
Japan’s education system follows a 6-3-3-4 pattern: Six years of elementary, three each of lower and upper middle, then four years of college.
Regardless of how schooling is broken up in your home country, you’re going to be expected to write it according to the Japanese pattern. It can be 6-2-4-4, 5-3-4-4, or any other pattern, but make sure you divide your schooling into each of the categories on the table- only the “graduate” row is optional.
That means that even if your elementary and middle school was the same school (or if your lower- and upper- middle school) was the same physical school, you should divide it up on the chart.
If you Attended Multiple Schools for One Row:
In the “name” field, write “multiple – see attachment” and attach a paper with an identical style table, but with rows only for the level of schooling you need to explain.
For example, if you attended two high schools, then your attachment would have two “high school” rows and nothing else.
On the attached paper, fill in each of the fields as explained below.
Back on the application form: Leave the “location” blank in the form (fill it in on the attached paper).
Complete the “from” field with the date you started your first school and “to” with the date you finished the last school.
The “Duration of Attendance” should be the total time for all schools attended for that row. Calculate each separately on the attached paper and then add them together here.
In the right-hand column, write that you transferred schools, and the reason. You should also fill in this same information in the attachment.
School Name
Remember, no abbreviating proper names.
Location
Write only the city and country name (still no abbreviations).
Year and Month of Entrance and Completion
The “From” date is the date that the school year started in your first year and the “To” date is the last day of the school year. These dates may not necessarily match the dates you were in class.
Check your transcript and your graduation certificates. If there are dates written on those certificates, then the dates in your form must match!
If you don’t know the exact dates, try to contact the school- most keep that sort of thing on record. In the worst case scenario and you can only find out the month, that should be enough, but fill in the 1st, middle, or last day of the month, whichever is closest.
Haven’t graduated yet? Fill in the month and day that you are scheduled to graduate. This date must match whatever is written on your certificate of expected graduation.
Years and Months
This field is the probably the most difficult to get right on the whole form.
“Years” should be school years. In Japan, the official school year starts on April 1 and ends on March 31 (even though class dates are different). So, in Japan, primary school is exactly 6 years, for example, and Monbukagakusho doesn’t understand any other system, so you should match this style.
If your school year starts in September and ends in June, like in the US, you should still count that as 1 school year when you fill in the table. So, if you started High School on September 1, 2010 and finished on June 30, 2014, that is 4 years and 0 months, not 3 years and 10 months.
“Months” is anything less than a full school year. If you finished a semester early, or a semester late, you would enter that in the “months” category.
Note: The number in “months” should be less than 12. I saw a lot of applicants write “4 years and 48 months.” Don’t do that.
When you add up the total time spent at the bottom of the table, note that there is no months category, so you’ll have to convert months to a decimal. So, 15 years 6 months becomes 15.5 years.
Diploma or Degree Awarded, Major Subject, Skipped Years/Levels
Most people won’t need to fill in anything in this field for Primary or Secondary.
If you skipped a grade, took a year off school, transferred schools, etc., then you should fill that in.
If you went to a specific science high school, or something like that, you could fill that in, too. But in most cases, it’s not necessary.
For the Undergraduate Level (and Graduate Level, if applicable), fill in your Major and Minor and the name of your degree.
Page 3 – The Hard Part is Over, Just a Few Tricks Left!
8. Publications
Only published works should go here. Books, journal articles, or conference presentations that were published in a conference summary publication are all OK.
9. Employment Record
This is one of the rare fields you can leave blank. It won’t hurt you if you do.
List only paid employment here (no unpaid internships) and be sure to begin with the most recent.
For the dates, be sure to write at least year and month (day, if possible).
10. Japanese Language Proficiency
It ismandatory to fill in each row, even if you have no ability. If you have no ability, check “Poor” (the Japanese header actually means “no ability”, so you’re not lying or inflating your ability, don’t worry).
11. Language Ability
Same as above, the first four rows are mandatory. The “fill in your own language” row at the bottom is the only one that can be left blank.
Yes, my university used to send back applications to be resubmitted (and in some cases, resent by post if there was any handwriting on the page) when these fields were empty.
I’m not saying that’s the right way to handle it (I don’t think it is), but be aware that some universities are going to be that strict!
12. Past Awarded Record
If you have received any form of Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship in the past, check yes and fill in the dates (year and month) as well as the university.
Remember from the Eligibility article that you must have at least three years of education and research activities between the end of your last MEXT scholarship and the start date of your new one. Some scholarship categories are exempt, so see the eligibility article for details.
Page 4 – The Signature Page: Make No Errors Here!
13. Accompanying Dependents
If you have a spouse or children that you want to bring with you to Japan, enter their information here.
The form itself, and Japanese universities, are going to advise you to come alone first to Japan and to invite your family later. This is so you can get settled on your own and find appropriate housing for your whole family (careful- it will be quite a bit more expensive than a single studio).
Another practical reason is that the Japanese university and MEXT are not going to help you at all with your family’s immigration paperwork, so you have to be in Japan to do all the Certificate of Eligibility paperwork for them, anyway.
Really, the only important thing about this field is that you cannot have the same person listed in both this field and the next one!
14. Person to be notified in applicant’s home country in case of an emergency
Basically, if you die in Japan, who should the university call to pick up your body and bring it home to your country?
I know that sounds morbid, but MEXT wants a point of contact that is that close to you.
The person should also meet the following criteria:
- Must not be listed in the accompanying dependents question (13) above
- Must have an email address and access to a phone
- Should, if at all possible, have English or Japanese language ability
- Be an immediate family member if possible
When I was reviewing these, any time an applicant wrote “friend,” “boyfriend/girlfriend,” “supervisor,” or anything other than a close family member, we would flag it for follow up. That means that until the applicant replied to explain why they hadn’t filled in a close family member, their application wasn’t getting reviewed.
If you cannot enter an immediate family member, you should briefly explain why in the “relationship to you” line (in addition to writing their relationship, of course!)
For example: “Only English-speaking family friend- will relay messages”, “Closest living relative”, “Only family member with email”, etc.
The only “optional” detail in this question is the fax number. Everything else, must be complete.
Be prepared to face scrutiny on the email address, in particular. If it is the same as your email address, or if it is blank, that will not be accepted.
Caution: Since this field is on the same page as your signature, if you have to make any changes, you will have to submit the whole thing again by post!
Immigration Records to Japan
You will need the exact dates as stamped in your passport.
In the purpose column, include both the type of visa/residence status and your reason for coming to Japan. (e.g. “Short Term Stay – tourism”)
If you are currently in Japan, for example, finishing up an undergraduate degree in Japan and graduating in March, fill in your projected date of departing Japan (within 2 weeks of graduation) and explain that in the Purpose column.
Last Thing: Date, Signature, and Name
Make sure you fill it in! You’ve come this far, don’t screw up your application by leaving this blank. (Yes, I’ve seen it done too many times to count).
Note that your name must be in all capital letters.
You’re Done!
Get the application form together with your Field of Study and Research Program Plan plus all of your other required documents.
Questions?
Before asking any questions in the comments below, please read through the MEXT Scholarship Application FAQ top page and specific FAQ pages to see what I’ve answered already and to find tips about how to get your questions answered faster.
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 to get notified whenever I have updates to any of the FAQs or new articles about the MEXT scholarship!
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Hi Travis,
I am Vinay, and I am doing engineering in my undergrad. But to be honest I am very interested in japanese economy and economic studies in general.
I am thinking for applying for mext, and doing my master in economics in japan.
Does not studying the desired subject in my undergrad hinder my chances or will it be total disaster. Thanks anyway.
Hi Vinay,
One of the requirements of the MEXT Scholarship is that you must apply in the field that you majored in at university in the past or its related field.
So, in order to be eligible, you would have to show how your studies in economics directly relates to your previous studies in engineering, which could be a challenge. But perhaps if you were to try to study the same problem that you approached from an engineering perspective, but this time study it from an economic angle, that could work.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for the insights shared on this website, it really helped my son with getting the important tips and details when he was submitting his application for MEXT Scholarship for Undergraduate Students. We would like to know how long he should wait in order to know if he is short listed from date the application was close? Or how can we check if he’s application was accepted by the embassy? We are from the Philippines and we sent in his application forms and documents via local courier to Philippine Embassy before the given deadline.
Any information is greatly appreciated. More power to you and to your team.
Thank you very much
Hi Ztephen Mates,
I saw your question on another article and answered it there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
It just came to my mind now that I filled the wrong month of my graduation date in the application form. It was supposed to be September (Senate date) and I filled it wrongly as May. Will I get disqualified because of this? I am so worried now. Hope to get some insights from you.
Thanks.
Hi Hazel,
I do not think that would be enough to get your application rejected on its own. However, if the date is in September of the year that you are supposed to start your scholarship and the corrected date is after you need to arrive in Japan, that could impact your eligibility.
If you are concerned, you can contact the embassy to let them know about the mistake and ask how you can correct it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
To whom it may concern,
I am currently a 1st year college student. What should I write in Status and remarks? Thank you.
Hi Dianne,
If you plan to withdraw from your current degree when you get the MEXT Scholarship, I recommend checking “Other” and filling in “Will withdraw to pursue studies in Japan”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
To whom it may concern,
Respected Sir, I have sent all the required documents to the embassy of japan. But unfortunately, I have forgotten to do my signature at the end of application form. Please allow me to share my digital signature via email as I am left with very less time. It would be grateful to you for this favour.
Thank you.
Regards
Ayesha Salar
Hi Ayesha Salar,
I think you need to contact the embassy where you applied. I am just a blogger/coach. I am not officially related to processing the MEXT Scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day!
Hi sir Travis, I am currently a first year student in college. I don’t know what to write in the status under academic section. I’m also worried if its acceptable to pass a certificate of grades for my first semester than to pass an academic transcript record since we just started 2nd sem, I’m looking forward for your response. Thank you!
Hi Dianne,
If you are a first-year student in college and will withdraw from your current university if you are selected for the MEXT Scholarship, then you should select “Other” and in the “Remarks” column, write that you will withdraw to pursue your studies in Japan.
I’m not sure what the difference is between the transcript and certificate of grades in your country’s system, but as long as the document you submit is an official record issued by the college that shows your grades up to the most recent semester, it should be acceptable.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir I hope you are doing well, I’m applying for graduate programs and I have a couple of questions and I eagerly asking you to answer my question asap plz I’m running out of time couple of days left to submit my applications so plz.
1- I want to know where I can find the university in japan here I have to choose three universities plus academic advisors where I can find academic advisors plus how do I know the field of study I want I mean if the university offer that field.
2- where do I came upfield of study plus research them and plus. is it acceptable to put my undergraduate thesis project in these areas.
thanks a lot.
Hi Fatima Liban Ahmed,
I’m afraid my answer is far too late to help you. I was overwhelmed with the number of questions over the last few months and simply could not keep up!
1. I have an article about how to find universities in Japan that teach your field of study in English that should help. (If that isn’t enough, I also have a whole book on the subject!)
2. Your Field of Study and Research Program Plan is your proposal for the research that you want to complete during your degree in Japan, so it should not be about your undergraduate thesis. Just like the question above, I have an article about what the final FSRPP should include and a book that describes the process of developing your research proposal from scratch.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir , I am in 12th standard in India and applying for mext . Please tell me about transcripts . How many and which have to be submitted. And any other documents except health certificate , application form , recommendation letter . Please reply soon . The deadline is only a few days ahead .
Hi Pankaj,
I am sorry this took so long.
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so my articles are focused on that application process, but I recommend that you read the application guidelines for the undergraduate scholarship, available on the official Study in Japan page. That should tell you what you need for the application!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to ask you can I fill the certificate of health in handwriting?
That’s all I need to know pleas answer as soon as possible thanks
Hi mazen rzeigui,
Your doctor should fill out the Certificate of Health by handwriting, but you should not fill it out yourself.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Sir
How do I fill the Mark Sheet (it is a separate document) because personally for me its confusing and do we need to submit all academic transcripts from primary to the current level of study or do we just submit the latest academic transcript?
Hi Tshepo,
The Marks Sheet is not a MEXT document, but it is something that some embassies have created on their own and require applicants to submit (I am aware that Pakistan requires it). The requirements could be different in each country that uses this document, so I am afraid I have to recommend that you read the instructions from the embassy about that sheet carefully and ask them if you have any follow-up questions.
If they cannot help, then please tell me what country you are applying from so that I can check their instructions and try to help.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
I came up with a problem: In Romania Japanese Embassy, I can’t see the deadline for the submission period and I searched throughout the whole embassy webpage and they’re only for the past year, plus I can’t find the completion form for this year yet. Where can I find it?
Hi Alin,
It looks like the Embassy in Romania still has not updated their website, so you might want to contact them directly to ask about the application process and submission deadlimnes.
In the meantime, you can find all of the application guidelines and forms on the official Study in Japan website so that you can get started.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
what will be the best month of arrival in japan whether April or September, October
Hi Sushil,
It really depends on you and the programs that you want to apply to.
First, ask yourself when would be best for you to arrive in Japan, given your schedule?
Then, the second thing to do is to look up each of the programs that you want to apply to and find out when they accept new students. If you consider that you are going to have to take the semester of Japanese language studies before you start your degree, then might want to try to arrive in Japan a semester before your program starts.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir can you tell me a simple thing??😳how i submit my mext application to embassy. I don’t know is there any special mail or normal through the mail.
Hi Lopamudra patro,
Submission instructions can be different for each embassy or consulate, so I recommend that you wait until the application instructions are posted on the embassy/consulate where you will apply and follow their directions for submission. They should tell you what mail/courier services, etc., are acceptable in your country.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thank you for the great compilation.
I wanted to know about the timelines of each process of the selection.
I.e Application : Around mid may
Then how long does it take for the document screening result to come out.
Then what is the next step and how long does that step takes?
my understanding is: Document screening- research proposal submission- english language test- interview- univ/prof selection-final result.
Specifically, I wanted to know how long is the span between each step.
Many thanks in advance
Hi Subash,
It sounds like you’re talking about the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
In that case, you can find the timeline and what the different steps entail in the application guidelines.
Last year, the schedule was thrown off by COVID-19, but you can find the guidelines here.
For a view of what the schedule looks like in a more typical year, check out the guidelines from 2019.
In both documents, the timeline is on page 5.
One thing to note is that the document submission, language proficiency test, and interview are all part of the “First Screening” mentioned in those documents and each embassy sets it’s own timeline for those parts of the application process, so it is going to change from country to country.
The guidelines for the 2021/2022 application should be out by around mid-April, so my best recommendation to you would be to check the guidelines and instructions posted on the website of the Japanese embassy in your country once they are released.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello sir !!
All your articles for of lot of significance for me preparation
But still I have a doubt that is
The undergraduate students also have to ask the professor from particular university where we want to study to recommend as ?
I heard it is not for undergraduate
And thank you sir in advance
Hi Mayank,
You are correct. For the undergraduate scholarship, you do not need to list particular professors, or even the university that you want to study at.
Most of the articles on this site are specifically about the scholarship for graduate students, unless I specifically write that it is about the undergraduate scholarship, so you might find other points, too, where the processes are different.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
So the embassy application forms come out in April/May of every year?
Hi Divya S,
Typically, yes. Last year they were delayed a bit because embassies had to adjust the application process for the pandemic, but in every other year since I’ve been working with the scholarship, guidelines have come out in April or May.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello Travis,
I’m confused about one of the requirements which is the publication list, could you please explain to me what exactly should be written in the form?
thanks in advance.
another question, I’m applying for a master’s program, so do I have to put the translated high school certificate? or is it enough to only submit my bachelor certificate?
Hi Sara,
If you are applying for a graduate program, you do not need to submit your high school records (including your certificate of graduation and transcript).
Only your undergraduate records are required. (Unless the university you are applying to specifically says otherwise).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sara,
If you have any publications (books, articles, published conference presentations) or a thesis, you should list the citation in this space.
If not, I would recommend filling in “n/a”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
does filling in N/A could make me not eligible? as I’m still in my last year at university and I didn’t finish my thesis.
thank you so much for your fast reply, really appreciate it :).
Hi Sara,
No, that would not make you ineligible. You are not required to have any publications or a thesis at this point and it is fairly common for applicants to be in your situation (still in university, no finished thesis), so it will not hurt you at your point in your academic career!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
when will we can apply for 2021?
Hi Shahryar Ahmad,
If you are applying for the MEXT Scholarship for graduate students, then the deadline for the 2021 scholarship has long since passed for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, there may be some universities still accepting applications, but you’d have to check the individual universities for details.
If you have missed those applications, then your next chance to apply should be around April or May of 2021 when the application process will start at Japanese Embassies for the scholarship beginning in 2022.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How can I get the application form and yet I when to the embassy of Japan and then they said no scholarship yet from the Japan people. Help out I am from south 🇸🇸 sudan.
Hi Ariik kook Ring,
I think you would need to wait for the application period to begin. Usually, the application guidelines and forms come out in April or early May of each year, so the Embassy is not going to have the forms available until then.
However, you should certainly start preparing before then, so I recommend that you look at the articles I’ve written here about the application requirements from previous years and start preparing them in advance, particularly the Field of Study and Research Program Plan!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I wanted to ask you what all documents do we need to submit for the scholarship if we are applying MEXT through the Japanese embassy. I would also like to ask at what stage do we need to submit all the documents as I will have to wait a year before the University that I’m studying will give us the Hard copy of the Certificate of Graduation and I would complete my bachelors in March 2021 and will be applying for the scholar in June of the same year so would it cause any problem in the process for applying for the scholarship.
Hi Aditi Singh,
Ultimately, you will get the list of documents that needs to be submitted from the Embassy’s website once the scholarship opens, but in the meantime, I have a list from the most recent application cycle in my article about it. Depending on your country, you might not always need to submit all of the documents at the beginning, but the Certificate of Graduation is usually one of the requirements to be submitted right away.
However, the “Certificate of Graduation” does not need to be your formal diploma. A letter from the registrar on university letterhead that states that you have met all of the criteria for graduation (including the date) should be enough. It would be even better if it mentioned when you were expected to receive your diploma.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
first of all i am thanks full for this jaza / goodness .
i am happy to see this mext uni advertisment of sch for international students .
i want to apply for ms in mext uni japan .
what should i do.
MAY ALLAH HAPPY YOU .
HI Muhammad Yassen,
I would recommend that you read through some of my other articles here on this site to learn about the different ways to apply (Embassy Recommendation and University Recommendation) then decide on which works better for you and start preparing.
Them University Recommendation is likely to be ongoing now or starting soon, so I do not think you would have enough time to prepare, but if you start preparing now for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Application that should be starting next April/May, you should have enough time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, hope you are safe and well.
I’d just like to consult my concern: There is a lab/adviser in a Tokyo university that suits my research interests. However, I’m a bit worried about the cost of living in Tokyo. This is because I don’t come from a privileged family. I’ve been looking it up online and I have seen some blogs and videos showing that the MEXT scholarship stipend is just enough or sometimes not enough vs. the cost of living there per month (around 150,000 yen according to some people on the internet). Have you had any experience living there as a student or do you know MEXT scholars who have studied in Tokyo, and is that true? Thanks so much! Sorry if it comes off as a petty concern. Thanks again.
Hi Bill,
Being able to afford the cost of living is not a petty concern. It is quite important!
I have never lived in Tokyo and personally would never consider it, since I hate being in large cities. However, I have heard of MEXT scholars managing to live there on just the stipend payment. You have to be frugal and conscious about your expenses and, of course, it would not be possible to bring your family with you or support others, but it can be done.
When I was interviewed on the Tokyo State of Mind podcast, both of the hosts are living in Tokyo as MEXT scholars and I think they mentioned it was possible with just the stipend.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the reply, Travis. Really appreciate it. By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, where do you reside in Japan? (if you do?)
Hi Bill,
I think I’ve mentioned it on here before, but I live in Akita now. I’ve also lived in Aomori, Shiga, and Kyoto, though the last was quite brief. Even Kyoto was too big of a city for me to live in comfortably. Great to visit, though!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am High school student from India and I wanna apply for MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship for University in Japan but I will graduate in April 2022 and the scholarship requires me to graduate in March. So what can I do? 🙁
Hi Arnav,
If you want to start in 2022, then you would have to apply for Direct Placement at a university that starts in the fall semester. If you start in the fall, then you have to meet the education background requirements by the start of the program.
Direct Placement requires that you already have the language ability required to start your degree program (e.g. you won’t be spending a year in the intensive Japanese language program).
Your other choice would be to apply to start in 2023.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir, do I get to submit a section for my awards and accomplishments? Or a personal essay?
Hi Saurabh Sharma,
No, neither of those are requirements or among the submission documents, so they wouldn’t be considered. However, there is a section of the application form (refer to my more recent article about the current version of the form) that asks for three essays, so that is the closest thing you have to a personal essay in this application. Do make sure your answers address the form’s questions though.
If your awards are related to your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, you could mention them (very) briefly in that document, but I would not recommend spending too much time dwelling on them. MEXT is interested in your grades from the past to make sure you have the academic chops to complete the degree, but they are more interested in the research that you will do in the future (as a MEXT scholar), so the FSRPP should focus on that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! My name is Tina. It’s my first time applying for mext as a graduate student for master’s degree and i’m really nervous.
I do have one question regarding about ””the first course you plan to take in japan”. It has:
1 – non-regular (non-degree) program.
2 – master’s degree.
3 – professional graduate program.
4 – doctoral program.
At first, I was thinking to fill second one – master’s degree. But then non regular program caught my attention.
So my question is, If i mark Master’s degree in the first course i plan to take in japan, does that mean, i’ll be going to pass university entrance exams right away?
Because i was told we will be there for 6 months as non regular students, studying some japanese and preparing for entrance exams. After those 6 months we will pass an exam for university and then study there for 2 years, while also working on our research plan. And that’s what i wish to do. So please if you can help me, which one should i choose so it can happen this way? non-regular (non-degree) program or master’s degree?
There is also section called: ”term you wish to study in japan” and i chose there: to the completion of master’s degree program.
I hope my question is not confusing 😮
Thank you very very much!
Hi Tina,
This question is not something that you need to stress over, it is just about your intent. It does not necessarily mean that what you fill in will be the final result. For example, you could say that you prefer to start with the Master’s degree, but the university you apply to might only accept you as a Research Student at first. In that case you wouldn’t have any negative effect to your application, but you would start as a Research Student.
The scenario you described, where you start in the language program (this is not necessarily guaranteed and usually only in cases where applicants are relative beginners in Japanese), is a common one, and you could take the entrance exam during that semester then start as a Master’s student at the university. In that case, you would select “Master’s Degree” as where you want to start.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for the answer! ^__^
Hello Travis!
How can I submit my documents? I cannot submit them in person due to the COVID-19 situation. Can’t submit them by post either. I want to submit them by e-mail, but I couldn’t find the e-mail address of the Embassy of Japan in my country (Nigeria). Any tips on where I can get that?
Thank you!
Hi Daniel,
I am afraid that this answer is much too late to help you, but you should submit your documents according to the instructions on the Embassy’s website, only. If the website does not say that you can submit them by email, then do not try to do so.
If you have any questions about the submission, I recommend you contact the embassy directly, since they will make the decision about what can be accepted or not.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Respected Sir/Madam;
am planning to apply for Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship for 2012 (Research student) the guideline requires different application forms for 2021 such :
1. Application form
2. Placement preference application form
3. Field of study and research plan
4. form of medical certificate
Can you help me to find these forms
All the best wishes!…
Hi Fidele Tuyishime,
The best place to find the application forms and guidelines is on the website of the Japanese embassy in your country. I always recommend getting them directly from the embassy or university where you will apply, because that way you will also be able to find if they have any other requirements that you need to complete or special instructions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Bro,
I am having issue with printing form in Excel , when I try to print it its layout gets messed up, like first page 80% gets printed on one page and other 20% on other page, Why 1 page is not taking 100% of my page?
Please help me fix this.
Thank You
Hi Sarwan,
This is more of an excel question than a MEXT question, so I think you might be better off googling for advice on Excel printing settings.
Unfortunately, I do not have excel, so I cannot look at the settings to see what I can recommend. I would suggest adjusting the paper size, margin size, shrink-to-fit settings, etc.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
HEY ,
I AM IN MY EIGHTH SEMESTER OF BACHELOR IN SCIENCE NUT DUE TO COVID-19,I COULD NOT GIVE
MY EXAMS.WHAT SHOULD i WRITE IN MARKS SHEET DETAILS OF BACHELOR.
Hi Dua,
You have to submit your most recent transcript at the time of the application. So if you are missing the most recent semester’s grades because exams were cancelled, that should not hurt you. Just submit the grades that you have.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir!
I am going to apply undergraduate scholarship of MEXT. Actually, I am worried slightly about exam questions. Could you give some advise dealing with how we are able to prepare ourselves?
Hi Orifova Rayxon,
Old tests are available on the official study in Japan site, so I recommend that you use those to study.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
If I forgot to add in the location of one of the school I attended in the educational background section, does this mean I’m disqualified?
Hi Kin,
You should not be disqualified over just that detail. But it might be a good idea to contact the Embassy, point out that you made the mistake and ask how you can fix it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I’m enrolled in university, I study engineering, Ideally, I should be graduating in 3 years. But I have two concerns that I’d like to inquire about:
-Due to current situation I was not able to extract academic transcripts for my years in college because of some employees decreasing their working hours and are occasionally absent. However, I managed to extract a certification of enrollment in the university earlier. Should I send an attachment requesting MEXT committee to consider my application despite the lack of these documents ? How would I send this attachment ? Do I include it in my application PDF alongside the other documents or Do I send it in a separate file ?
-I have taken a 2-year break from college to travel, study art independently, and develop myself in general. How should I mention this in the application ? Will this affect my chances of getting accepted ?
Hi Omar,
I would recommend that you contact the embassy where you will be applying to see if they will be willing to accept your application without all of the required documents (the transcripts). I can’t say for sure whether they will or not.
For your two years off, did it come during the middle of your studies? If it did, then you would have to mention it in the remarks section by saying something like “Leave of Absence [Dates] for travel and individual study”. It might catch the eye of the reviewers and you should be prepared that some might be tempted to see it as a lack of dedication to your studies and ask you about it during the interview. So, you should be prepared to explain it in the most positive light possible so that it becomes a strength.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey. What should I do in the signature? Shoud I type my first name in BOLD or full name or should I normally sign it by pen? Also which date should I enter in the “date of application”?
Hi Rinzing,
Your signature must be written by hand after printing.
The date of application is the date that you submit the application form (whether that is the date that you turn it in by hand or the date that you put it in the mail).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Trevis,
I wanted to ask you smth about the education section, how must I write the years and months, for example I studied bachelor program in Architecture that was a 4 year program, but it took me 5 years to graduate, must i write it as 4 or 5 year, must the end date be my graduation date or when I finished my courses.
Hi Qendresa,
In your case, you would fill in the actual dates that you attended. But I would recommend that you be prepared to explain why you took an extra year.
If there is a date of graduation on your Certificate of Graduation or Academic Transcript, you should write that as your completion date. Otherwise, it would be the final date that you were enrolled at the university.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi!
I filled the MEXT application last year and even reached till interview round. However, i could not clear it.
this year i am applying again. so can i give the same research proposal again?
will it affect my selection?
Hi Shradha,
You can use the same research proposal as in previous applications. Reusing it will not particularly hurt you. But if you did not pass the Primary Screening last year, then I would suggest that you should be doing everything possible to make your application stronger this time, including strengthening the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, since that is one of the most important considerations in your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello sir
I have downloaded the application form as it was available in excel on the embassy website but the file showed nothing as I opened it, all other files in word form are good except this excel file, from where can I download the complete application form ?
Hi Sibtain,
You can also download the application form for 2020/2021 from the Study in Japan website.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How can I put tick mark in the application form I can not do it in Excel.?
Can I fill the form on the computer then print it and make tick marks?
Hi Mohamed Zayed,
You should be able to use Insert > Symbol. Google it if you’re having trouble!
If all else fails, printing it and handwriting checks can also work.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have the same problem with the form?, Do you have any idea to tackle with ?
Hello sir,
I have a question. Should I fill the form through handwriting or computer?
Hi Ali,
I strongly recommend filling out the form on your computer before printing it out, if at all possible!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I’ve attended 6 years school of Farmacy , but I’ve not obtained the degree.
Instead, last month I completed a Bachelor of Science (3 years) , so my question is:
I must mention all years of school I enrolled in the application form?
I must to make an attachment?
Hi Simon,
If the school of pharmacy was also a bachelor’s degree-level program that you started but did not finish, then I would say that you should list it in your application. (If you transferred credits from that program to your BS, then you definitely have to list it). But if it was not a university program, then you can leave it out.
If you do list it, yes, you would probably need to use an attachment to do so.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello sir .l would like to know when can one expect the results to published after attending the oral interview last year
Hi Wilber,
If you attended the oral interview at the Embassy in July of last year, then successful applicants would have been notified of passing the primary screening at the end of July or early August.
That is the only oral interview that I am aware of, so if you are referring to something else, please let me know!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello sir, i’m abit confused in placement preference application form’s point no.5 about five digit course code and teaching field. can you explain with example plz?
Hi Ankur Joshi,
I think you are talking about the scholarship for Teacher’s Training Students. That is not my area of expertise, but I was able to do a little quick research to figure it out.
On the MEXT website (and probably the website of the embassy where you are applying), there is a “URL List of Course Guide of Teacher’s Training Program for 2020 (PDF)“.
If you click any of the links in that document, it will take you to the university’s website for Teacher’s Training Program. Some of the websites are only in Japanese, but that means that their programs are probably only in Japanese, too, so you should skip those universities. Once you find a webpage in English, look on that page for a link that says “Course Guide” (probably another PDF). Inside that link, you will find 5-digit courses for all of the courses available, along with descriptions and the language the course is taught in.
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I live in Jamaica and is planning to become a nurse anesthesist, and I believe this scholarship would really help as nurses are paid poorly in my country, I am interested in applying for the MEXT program for the experience and also for the opportunity to follow my dreams, I have been doing a bit of reading about the undergraduate courses and would like to get more information on how to apply, also I will be leaving sixth form in June 2020 as my C.A.P.E. exams will be ending in that month.
Hi Mya Gordon,
My area of expertise and the primary subject of this blog is the MEXT Scholarship for graduate students. I am less familiar with the scholarship for undergraduate students.
I know that you will apply through the Japanese Embassy in your country and that the application process is typically announced in April of each year with the application being due in May or June. So, the next application will start in April 2020 and then you would start your studies in Japan in April 2021.
To prepare, you can read more about the requirements and process for this last year’s application process on MEXT’s website.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for the detailed guide. I have a question to ask:
For the “NAME IN FULL IN NATIVE LANGUAGE” section, should I write my English name, or my name in Chinese? (I’m a Malaysian national, but ethnically Chinese)?
(I think it should be okay to write my English name there, because my passport only shows my name in English, and it doesn’t show my Chinese name..)
Hi Joanne,
This is actually an old and out of date article. The MEXT scholarship application form has changed since I first wrote it (but I keep it online because of the wealth of information in the comments).
In the current version of the form, there is no longer a line for your name in your native language, so you do not need to worry about that question.
Incidentally, my most up-to-date article about filling out the application form is from the 2019 Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship. (I’m a little behind. . .)
You can find it here:
How to Fill In the 2019 Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship Application Form
Of course, the form may change (again) in the future and I will try to keep the articles updated as best I can.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sorry, I meant the university-recommended MEXT scholarship form, not the embassy-recommended one..
Hi Joanne,
I thought you meant the university recommended application form, but the embassy form is more recent and I have seen a trend that new innovations in the embassy form typically carry over to the next university form, as well. So, I would recommend that you look at the most recent Embassy form as you prepare your application, and make sure that you can answer all of the questions there.
There are some minor differences in the questions, but in general they should be pretty similar.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’m Lydia and have some questions
1)I tried to download the application form online but i couldn’t please how can i do to have it?
2)Please is the deadline for the application the same for every country or each country has it own application deadline
3) I don’t yet have a passport is it still possible for me to apply without it?
Hi Lydia,
1. The application form (the form you will use to fill in your own information and submit) will not be available online until the application procedure officially starts. You will be able to get it from the website of the Japanese embassy in your country at that time. The application process typically starts in April each year, but it has been delayed this year, probably because they are having to make adjustments to account for COVID-19 and social distancing, among other things.
2. The deadline is different for every country and, if there are multiple consulates in a country, it can even be different for each consulate. Be sure to check the information from the embassy or consulate where you will apply to make sure that you have the right deadlines! (When the application guidelines come out, that is).
3. It should be, but you should make sure to contact the embassy about this situation when the application guidelines come out and you start your application process. You will likely need to submit some other documentation, like a birth certificate, so that the embassy can confirm your full legal name as it will appear on your passport when you get it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
I’m preparing my application for the upcoming application period in 2020. However, when I was going over some of the forms with my advisor some confusion came up. For the recommendation letter (LoR) for the Embassy recommended route, does the LoR need to be signed by the Dean of my college (I read on your other article that’s it’s necessary for the university recommended route) or is it fine if just my advisor signs it? Also, my advisor had asked that when he writes the LoR, does he give it directly to the Embassy or does he give it to me, then I submit the LoR to the Embassy with the rest of my application? Plus, I noticed above you had provided a sample LoR form, but would it be possible for my advisor to fill out that form along with a LoR written by him and I submit both of these with my application to my embassy?
Regards,
Scott
Hi Scott,
I saw your question about whether or not your advisor can write the letter of recommendation for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship a few days ago and answered (Yes, your advisor is fine) it on this post.
Your advisor would give the letter to you for you to submit to the Embassy. He can give it to you sealed in an envelope if he prefers that you not see the contents, but that is not necessary. If he does seal it in an envelope, I would recommend that you ask him to include the original letter and two photocopies, if possible, since that is what the Embassy asks for.
I’m not sure what sample form you are referring to, so I hesitate to answer that question. I gave a sample template of what a Letter of Recommendation should look like for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, which I created myself, but the point of that template was to show the necessary address and signature block elements, so it is not really relevant to you. MEXT also has an optional template for the Letter of Recommendation on their website that I have referred to in some articles. Since that template is optional, you can choose to use it (plus add your advisor’s own free-form letter) or not.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be more clear.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
I’m sorry for inconveniencing you. I had an error popup when I posted that question and I didn’t know if it went through or not. Although thank you for answering my questions, I appreciate it. The sample form I was referring to was the sample template you had given as an example. Also no worries. your answers were really helpful!
Regards,
Scott
Hi Scott,
Sorry to hear that you had trouble posting the comment!
I’ve been posting articles on here for several years now, and I can’t always recall what I posted when. I try to make sure everything is up to date, but sometimes there are old posts that I have forgotten about, so that’s why I was worried about the template. Thank you for clarifying!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, thank you for your information. Your information could help me to get Mext scholarship for October 2019 by university recommendation. But I have a question now can my wife apply for Mext scholarship next year because I hear from a family only one person can get Mext scholarship?
Hi Mahmoud,
Congratulations on earning the scholarship and thank you very much for your feedback!
I have never heard a MEXT-level rule that would prevent your wife from also applying for the scholarship in the future. It was not in any of the guidelines that I am aware of.
However, your home country’s embassy might have a rule like that, or a particular university might have a policy not to accept two members of a married couple as MEXT scholarship. That would be determined by each of those institutions, though.
The one rule I am familiar with is that MEXT generally requires that applicants be living outside of Japan at the time of application. So, if your wife is living with you and her address is inside Japan, that could trigger some additional screening and consideration. She would also need a definite plan to leave Japan once before the scholarship starts in order to qualify for it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
The deadline for the initial screening of documents in my country was 6 June – do you know roughly how long it will be until I am informed whether I’ve made it to the next stage (interview)?
Thanks!
Hi Daniel,
Unfortunately, my experience has been that it varies wildly from country to country. Some take only days to finish the document screening, while others take weeks.
My best suggestion to you would be to check their website and see if there was any indication as to when the next step (exams and interviews) would be. You should get the results no less than a week before that date, in most cases.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thanks for the advice. I forgot to indicate my document number. But i believe i aced the rest. What do you think is my fate here?
Thanks
Hi Derrick,
It’s really impossible to say. Failing to follow the instructions could certainly be a mark against you in Japan, but it all depends on the personality of the person who processes the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, thank you so much for this information.
I have a fundamental question, which is related to the documents we are to submit. The original copy of Certification of graduation or degree certificate of the university attended is requested.
And it was stated categorically that submitted documents would not be returned.
I am a bit confused; I have one original certificate, which I might need for verification purposes later in the future.
Hi Samuel,
A certified copy (signed as accurate by someone at your university) can be accepted as an “original”.
Another option is that a letter from your university registrar, etc., stating that you graduated, the name of the degree you earned, and the date of graduation would also be accepted as a “Certificate of Graduation”. It does not have to be a diploma.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
Can you please share a sample or provide link for filling the ” comprehensive mark sheet form”. Thanks!
Hi Faizan,
That is not part of MEXT’s required documents, so I am not familiar with it. I think it is something that is used in some countries (Pakistan?) as part of a preliminary screening. But it is a local form, not something that applies to other countries.
If you have questions about that form, then I would need you to let me know where I can find it!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi!
Please I don’t know how to go about the Undergraduate application to Japan. Each time I try to fill the form, it will bring it out in PDF
Hi Josh,
This year, the application forms are in fillable pdf format, so you should be able to type directly into them using the free Adobe Acrobat software.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz