Assembling the MEXT Scholarship Application requirements is like a scavenger hunt with secret rules.
The required documents are not simple. In fact, one of the most confusing parts of the MEXT scholarship application is the Letter of Recommendation. Most of the source of the confusion is really bad explanations by Monbukagakusho and the universities. I single-handedly processed over 500 MEXT scholarship applications and I think I’ve seen nearly every question there is. So after reading this article, you should know everything you need to get your application in order.
Required Documents for the University-recommended MEXT Scholarship
Note 1: These are the requirements as listed by Monbukagakusho. The university that you apply to may have additional requirements. If you’re confused about those, please ask in the comments!
Note 2: I am not including the Application Form or Field of Study and Research Program Plan here. Each of those is complicated enough to merit its own article.
- Letter of Recommendation
- Photograph(s)
- Government-issued ID (e.g. passport)
- Transcript/Grades Record/Record of Marks
- Certificate of Graduation or Expected Graduation
- Proof of Outstanding Academic Performance
- Outline of Graduation Thesis
- Objective proof of language ability and/or specialized academic ability
- Certificate of Health
Additional Requirements for All Documents
- All documents must be in Japanese or English or have an official Japanese translation attached.
- To the maximum extent possible, all documents should be typed (not handwritten) and should be printed on A4-sized paper.
*I know that Americans, Mexicans, and others do not typically have access to A4-sized paper. You will not fail the application for submitting on letter-sized.
*Indonesian transcripts and a few others tend to be printed on very long pieces of paper. Those are OK to submit. - Documents will not be returned to you under any circumstances.
- Late and/or incomplete submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances
One more note: “Your Current University”
“Your current university” or “your most recent university” are going to appear several times in these instructions and in the university’s application guidelines. Only universities that you attended for degree programs- specifically, bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD, count. Certificate programs, associates degrees, short-term study abroad, job-related training or anything else does not count.
If you are currently enrolled in a degree program, then “your current university” is obviously the one you are enrolled in- even if you are in your first semester. Even if you plan to quit that university to take the MEXT scholarship.
If you are not enrolled in a degree program, then “your current/most recent university” is the last one that you earned a degree from.
If you are in a dual, triple, etc., degree program, then it’s a little fuzzier, but for convenience, the university that you are attending as of the time of application makes the most sense. (Typically, that would also be the last university in the program).
Got all that? Good. Let’s get in to the documents.
The Monbukagakusho Letter of Recommendation – University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application
Update: The description below only applies to the Unviersity-recommended MEXT scholarship application process. If you’re applying through the Embassy, you do not need to worry about this.
If you are applying to a university, I have a clarification about who needs to write your Letter of Recommendation, based on the relationship between your universities. You can find that clarification in my article about the 2018 University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application Process.
First, forget everything you know about letters of recommendation or letters of reference. MEXT does not care if the person writing it actually knows you or supervised you. All that matters is that it meet three basic requirements:
- Addressed “To The President of [Name of University]” – You MUST have the president’s title in there. I saw a few applicants try to get cute and write the president’s name. Good job on the research, but since they didn’t write the title, it was no good.
- Recommend you for the the scholarship – Somewhere in the letter, it must say that the person is recommending you for the Monbukagakusho Scholarship. This should be obvious, but I still see people leave it out.
- Signed by the Dean or Higher – Vice Deans, Department Heads, Advisors, etc. are all no good.
The Address
Really, as long as the greeting says “To the President of [University Name],” that’s all you need. No fancy templates or formal structures.
Do not write “To Whom it May Concern.” That will not be accepted.
Contents
Include the following sentence somewhere in the letter: “I wholeheartedly recommend [your name] for the Monbukagakusho Scholarship at [the university].” Since some people out there are going to take me too literally, replace the words in brackets with your information. The rest of the contents don’t really matter (but having concrete proof of your merit doesn’t hurt).
Yes, I have seen applicants leave the brackets in before. Don’t be that guy.
How to Get a Letter of Recommendation from the Dean
Point 1: The Dean doesn’t need to write the Letter, he/she just needs to sign it. Here’s how you get that done:
- You write a draft of the letter. Include all the required points (don’t leave room for the Dean to screw it up), and include a few highlights of your academic achievements. Make sure to include the Dean’s signature block (or ask your advisor to put that in).
- Take the letter to your academic advisor. Tell him/her that you need a Letter of Recommendation signed by the Dean of the faculty and show them the draft that you’ve written to make it easier on the Dean.
- Invite your advisor to edit it as he/she sees fit. Then ask her to take it to the Department Head for approval and submission to the Dean for signature
With the possible exception of writing the draft yourself (that’s something I added based on my personal experience), this is how Letters of Recommendation work in Japan. Deans don’t write them (they don’t know most students personally, after all), they just sign it based on their trust of the professor and department head that ask them to do so.
One word of warning: Get started early. I’ve found that Deans and Department Heads tend to be gone a lot to attend conferences or visit partners. MEXT is not going to accept a Vice-Dean’s signature because the Dean was out of the office. In that case, you’re going to need a university president, provost, etc.
Photographs
I’ve seen a shocking number of mistakes on this one in the past, for something that seems to simple. Just make sure you carefully read the instructions. Here’s your checklist:
- 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high. (Portrait style, not landscape!) If you can’t get photos printed in that size, then use a ruler and scissors to trim them to the appropriate size yourself.
- Professionally printed on photo paper. Printing them on printer paper or blurry photos that you printed out yourself will not work
- Formal ID-style photo: It should show you from the armpits up, facing straight forward, with no glasses or hats (religious headwear is acceptable where culturally required).
- Photo must be no more than 6 months old. If it matches your old passport photo, you’re going to get caught!
- Plain, white background. No patterns, designs, crowds of people or anything else.
- Write your name and nationality on the back in ballpoint pen. Make sure it doesn’t show through to the front.
- Send three photos (even if the school only asks for one). You don’t want to have to express mail a replacement if something happens to your only photo.
- Attach one photo to the application form with glue or double-sided tape. Do not staple your photos.
Yes, it really should be straightforward, but I have seen applicants screw up every single one of those requirements in the past.
Government-Issued ID
Basically, this has to show your full legal name (in English letters) and birthdate.
If you have a passport (even if it’s expired and you’re renewing it), send a copy of that. If you don’t, then send a birth certificate, national ID, driver’s license, family register, or any other document that shows your full name and birthdate. Then go apply for a passport.
Certificate of Grades/Marks (Transcript)
All you need here is an original transcript in English. If you can get that issued by your school, then you’re set.
If your school does not issue transcripts in English, then you need both the original document issued by your school and a certified translation.
Certified TranslationsThe best way to get the translation is to have it certified as accurate by an official (e.g. registrar) or professor at your school. If you can’t get that, you’ll need it translated and certified accurate by a professional translator.
Make sure that the translator’s certification is in English! This was a particular problem with Vietnamese applicants in my experience. The accuracy certifications were only written in Vietnamese, so that does no good.
If your school does not issue extra original transcript or if your school only issues “pdf originals”: Take a copy to the registrar and have them sign to certify that it is identical to the original. You should do this even in the case of “pdf originals”, rather than sending them directly to the university that you’re applying to. Japan still doesn’t trust electronic signatures in most cases.
Additional Requirement for Transfer Students
If you transferred schools or participated in a Dual Degree program, you’ll need the transcript from all schools you attended for your last degree.
Less that 2 years of Grades on Transcript? Additional Requirement
The MEXT scholarship requires two years of grades, so you’re going to need the transcript from your previous degree program, too. You will also need the “explanation of the grading system” from your previous degree, which I will cover below.
This is usually a problem for Master’s students who only have 1 year of grades on their transcript at the time of application.
Certificate of Graduation or Expected Graduation
Do not send your only diploma to apply for the scholarship!
In Japan, it’s easy to get extra certificates of graduation (which are not diplomas) saying that you’ve graduated, so they think it will be easy for you too. (And they really don’t care if it isn’t).
If You’ve Graduated Already
Check your transcript. If your transcript shows your degree awarded and awarded date, then it can double as a certificate of graduation (it’s a formal certificate and it shows your graduation).
If your transcript doesn’t show it, then a copy of your diploma that is signed by the registrar as being an accurate copy will work. You could also get a letter from your registrar confirming your graduation date and degree earned.
If You Have Not Graduated
You need a “Certificate of Expected Graduation” that states your expected graduation date, to show that you will graduate before you start your MEXT scholarship.
The problem is that a lot of universities don’t want to certify that you will graduate, because it’s up to your performance, so it isn’t guaranteed. Here’s how to get around this problem:
Your university needs to certify that you will graduate by [date] provided that you complete all of your remaining requirements as expected. Essentially, the university is saying that they know of no reason why you would be unable to graduate by the expected date.
This certificate can (and should) be conditional on your performance.
Proof of Outstanding Academic Performance
In almost all cases, this takes the form of a “explanation of grading system.” Search wikipedia for “Academic grading in [your country name]” to see an example of what this is.
Without it, the Japanese university is not going to have any idea whether the grades on your transcript are any good or not. For example, if you earn a 70% in the US, that’s below average and would correspond to a “1” on the
Monbukagakusho grade conversion
But if you earn a 70% in some universities in India, that is “Outstanding” and would correspond to a “3” on the MEXT scale.
Huge difference.
The thing is, even if the staff at the university know that system, from past applicants, etc., they still need you to submit proof because they need the formal documentation to be able to submit your recommendation to Monbukagakusho.
In many cases, this explanation is printed on the front or back of transcript itself- especially if your country uses a letter grade system, the ECTS system, or a point scale. If that’s your situation, great, you can skip down to the next section.
If your grading system isn’t on your transcript, talk to your registrar and ask them if they have a table or other document that explains in. If they do, get a copy of it and have the registrar sign it.
Another place you can check is your study abroad office. If your university does any student exchange or study abroad, they need to be able to convert grades between your institution and universities overseas, so that office might know how to help you.
In the worst case scenario, I know of applicants who wrote up a chart themselves, based on the model on wikipedia, and got the university registrar or their academic department head to sign it.
Applicants from Marks System Countries
Japan is always going to refer to “grades” but when you hear this, think “marks.”
I know that in marks systems, you add up the total number of marks earned across all classes and then divide that by the total number possible to get your final graduation grade. But Japan is going to convert your grades class-by-class. Monbukagakusho requires that it be done that way.
So if you have a system that looks like:
| Class | % of Marks |
|---|---|
| First | 70+ |
| Upper Second | 60-69 |
| Lower Second | 50-59 |
| Third | 40-49 |
| Pass | 30-39 |
Then the Japanese university is going to go class-by-class through your transcript and convert your grades to the 3.0 GPA system.
Other “Proof of Outstanding Academic Performance”
In the event that you absolutely cannot get an explanation of your grading system, you’re going to face an uphill battle to get consideration from the university, but it is still possible, in theory.
Basically, if you are too “unique” of a situation, or require too much work, the university is going to favor applicants who make it easier on them. So you should do as much legwork as possible and make it easy for the professors and admin staff where you’re applying.
Remember, at this stage of the application, you’re just one of hundreds of people competing for a handful of slots. The university doesn’t know who you are or what you’ve done, so they have no reason to give you special attention. You need to earn their attention.
Other forms of proof of academic performance can include class order of merit, academic awards or other external recognition in significant or international venues. Papers published in known, peer-reviewed journals or presentations in (preferably international) conferences.
Anything that can be evaluated numerically is in your favor: “first place”, “number one”, “top student I have ever seen”, etc., are all good buzzwords.
Still not clear? Hit me up in the comments below!
Outline of Graduation Thesis
If you don’t have a graduation thesis because your degree didn’t require one, then use your most significant paper instead. The paper should be related to the topic you propose in your Field of Study, of course, and should be your best/most significant work.
Unlike this blog post, the outline should be short and to the point. One page is a good target, but I’ve seen 1/2 to 3/4 of a page work just fine. Don’t go any longer than 1 page unless the university specifically tells you to.
Don’t send the whole thesis, either. It’s going to cost you extra postage and nobody is going to bother reading it.
Objective Proof of Language Ability
You want formal international test scores, such as TOEFL or IELTS for English or the JLPT for Japanese.
Do not send institutional tests, such as the TOEFL ITP, a “TOEFL prediction test”, or a test created by a local testing center- nobody is going to trust those as being accurate. The institutional tests say right on the score report: “Not to be used for admissions purposes.”
Don’t even waste your time.
Yes, these tests are expensive, but don’t expect the universities to care. The Monbukagakusho scholarship is a merit-based scholarship, not need-based. If you start complaining to the university about cost at this point of the application, you’re going to poison your relationship and your chances.
The universities in Japan know that, in most cases, you can get an English language proficiency test score (TOEFL iBT) in about 3 weeks, if you’re really trying, and they will look up when tests are offered in your country if you try to claim there is no availability.
Just a heads up. I saw that excuse a lot- and usually wrote those applicants off as too lazy to consider for the scholarship.
What if my Education was in English?
If English is your first language, you can almost certainly get this waived. (There may be one or two stubborn universities that will insist on another form of proof like a GRE English score, but I haven’t confirmed this).
If English is not your first language but you graduated from university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, or the US, most universities will consider that sufficient, although they may ask you to also submit a copy of the proof of language ability you submitted when you first enrolled in that university.
If you’re from India, Bangladesh, Ghana, or any other country where English is not the primary language of daily life, but you attended tertiary education in English, do not expect to get this requirement waived.
By this time, almost every university in Japan has admitted at least one international student who graduated from an English-taught program only to find out that the person has no English ability whatsoever. They graduated from the English program by getting extra tutoring outside of the class in their native language, or because the program wasn’t really all in English to begin with.
Heck, this has been known to happen in “English-taught” classes in Japan, too.
Similarly, submitting grades from English as a second language courses isn’t generally going to work, either. Just because you can pass a class doesn’t mean you have any ability (Japan’s own English language education – one of the worst in the world – proves this).
No Test Score?
If you don’t have a test score and you legitimately can’t get one by the application deadline because there is no test offered, then some schools may allow a workaround. Where I worked, we would allow exceptions as follows:
You need to go the the head of the English language department at your university and have that person administer (or sign off on) a personal examination of your English language ability. The result of that examination will have to be very specific- such as “The applicant has English language skills equivalent to an IELTS band of 6.5 in reading, listening and speaking, and 7.5 in writing.”
Just saying “the applicant’s language ability is sufficient to complete a degree in English” was not enough.
Objective Proof of Specialized Ability
For most applicants, this won’t apply. Don’t send in your Microsoft Word training course participation certificate (yes, I used to get those – and throw them out). Don’t send in your community service participation certificates- unless it was directly related to your field of study.
Relevant certificates are professional or government licenses related to your field of study. For example, if you’re applying for an architecture program and you have passed the LEED Exam, that’s relevant. If you’re applying for a public health program and you volunteered for Doctors Without Borders, that’s relevant.
I processed over 500 of these applications and never once saw a relevant certification. So, if you don’t have one, don’t worry about it.
Certificate of Health
This requirement will vary from university to university. Monbukagakusho only states that “universities are responsible for ensuring applicants are physically and mentally healthy.” It doesn’t require a specific form. However, a lot of universities will use the Embassy-Recommended Monbukagakusho Scholarship health form for the sake of simplicity.
If your university uses the Embassy form form, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Every field is mandatory – double check that everything is complete before leaving the doctor’s office.
- Related to that – the forms is really badly designed, so you might want to consider highlighting the fields for your doctor before going to the exam. It’s easy to miss some of them.
- Don’t forget your name, sex, and birthdate in the top row – I had to send dozens of medical forms back to applicants because their names were missing (how do we know you were the examinee?)
- The X-Ray fields are the ones that trip applicants up the most.
- You must have a chest x-ray, even if your doctor doesn’t think it’s necessary.
- You need to fill in the date that the x-ray was taken as well as the film reference number (the index the doctor would use to look it up again in the future). In some cases, the reference number might just be your name and the date- that’s fine. Leaving it blank is not.
- Do not send actual x-ray film through the mail.
- If you are attaching test results, make sure they’re in English and highlight everything that corresponds to one of the fields on the form.
You’re (Almost) Done!
You should now be ready to collect and submit all of the required documents for your Monbukagakusho Scholarship application. Hopefully, with this list you can breeze through the requirements and spend your time where it’s most needed- on the Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
The only mandatory form that I haven’t discussed yet is the Application Form. That one gets its own article next, and I’ll walk you through the badly-translated and poorly worded questions one-by-one.
In the mean time, if your university requires any other documents that I haven’t mentioned above, tell me about them in the comments below, and include a link to the university application page, if you can!
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!
Ads by Google:
Hello I have several doubts that I’d love you to help me find an answer
1. Do the letter of recommendation has to be signed exlcusively by the dean? does it give an advantage?
2. I’ve used a calculator for the GPA since I live in guatemala and we usually don’t do any range of grading. I found a GPA calculator online and after considering the article linked in that site me score ended up being 3.11 out of 4.00. Does that make me unelegible?
3. Nowhere in the application form does it say my graduation certificate has to be translated, does it? and if so, who has to signed it?
4. When submitting the explanation of the scores, could I use a percentile calculus of the grades instead or beside the academic transcript? Since my GPA seems rather small and that wouldn’t make me competitive against private school (who usually give greater scores to students) would it make sense to make that annotation? is is worth it to give a trnascript of both the plain certificate and the percentile certifiicate?
Thanks in advance
and best regards
Hi Andres,
This article is about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so there are some differences with the Embassy Recommendation.
1. For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, yes, your letter must be signed by the Dean or someone higher. For the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, your academic advisor can sign it.
2. It isn’t possible to determine your eligibility based on GPA scores on a different scale. You need to calculate your GPA on the MEXT 3.00 scale for eligibility and conversions have to be done on a course-by-course basis. Any other method will not give you an accurate number. I have a separate article about how to complete that conversion that should help.
3. In the application guidelines, it says “These documents must be written in Japanese or English, or translation in either of these languages should be attached.” So, a translation is required. In most cases, for any translation of an official document, such as a transcript or certificate of graduation, you would need it signed as an accurate translation by a professional translator, but for translation of university-issued documents, a university official’s signature could also be acceptable if you have translated the document yourself. If you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, they may also allow you to submit a certificate that you have translated yourself without a signature, since they have bilingual staff at the embassy who can verify it, but you should check with them first.
4. You can submit your percentile records, but you must still submit your complete academic transcript of grades, and that should be what is ultimately used for the eligibility verification.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I would like to ask you if someone is high school graduate can’t apply for MEXT scholarship?
if you may where to find recommendation letter?
Thank you
Hi Samuel,
There is a MEXT Scholarship application process for undergraduate scholars, but that is not my area of expertise. If you are interested in that scholarship, I would recommend that you read the application guidelines and also check on the website of the Japanese embassy in your country to make sure it is available in your area.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I have a question regarding the Thesis Abstract for the Embassy Recommendation. I am supposed to translate it to english, but is it OK if I edit the original text so that it is shorter (and maybe fix the structure a little bit)? It would still describe the original work, but I am concerned that it could be a problem if it’s different from the one that my university has.
Thank you!
Hi Pascale,
By definition, the thesis abstract is a summary of a document, not an original work itself, so you are free to edit it as you need to for the application (or create an entirely new English abstract for the purpose of this application). There is no need for it to match any other document – though the contents should, of course, be true and accurate as regards your actual thesis.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
Thank you for wonderful & insightful article. I would like to know that Is MEXT scholarship give degree to undergraduate students? (For those who haven’t graduate)
Hi Namisha behl,
There is a version of the MEXT Scholarship for undergraduate students who want to pursue their entire undergraduate degree in Japan.
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so must of the resources on this site are focused on that scholarship. For information about the MEXT Scholarship for undergraduates, the best place to check is the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for this article. I would like to ask you something about my academic transcript. I was studying abroad the past academic course and I will not have my abroad results written in my transcript until September, which is later than the deadline for submitting the documents. Should I send my transcript without the results from abroad or should I send my official transcript and then my abroad transcript?
Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Pablo,
Your evaluation will be based on the most recent grades available at the time of your application. If your grades from study abroad are not included, then that is not a problem, they would just use the grades that are on the transcript, so do not wait. You need to be sure to submit all of the requirements by the deadline.
If you have a copy of your official transcript from your study abroad in time for the deadline, though, I would recommend that you include that in your application as well. In that case, include a note saying that the credit transfer process is expected to be complete in September, so your study abroad coursework will not be reflected in the home university transcript until then.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you, Travis. Where is it good to include the note? In the application form, in the comments section after the academic part? Or just in the academic transcript copy? Maybe it is very obvious, but I don’t wanna make any mistakes with the documentation.
Thanks again,
Pablo
Hi Pablo,
I recommend including it immediately after both transcripts in your application in all three copies of the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much 🙂
One more question (I’m sorry to bother you again)… My doctor made a mistake when writing my name in the medical certificate (she wrote my given name in the surname field and my surname in the given name field). Then, she realised and crossed them out, correcting them with the good ones. Now this part of the certificate looks a bit messy. So my question is, should I use Tipp-Ex and erase the crossed out errors or should I leave it as it is now? I want the embassy to have a good impression on my application so I am worried because of this kind of silly mistakes. Thanks again and sorry!
Hi Pablo,
I do not think that your doctor’s mistake is going to prevent you from getting the scholarship, so please do not worry about that.
But I would caution you absolutely not to make any corrections yourself to the Medical Certificate, and never use correction fluid/correction pen etc., that hides or erases mistakes. In Japan, the way to deal with mistakes is to cross them out. (Then typically to correct them and sign or seal by the deletion). So, it’s fine if it looks a little messy. That’s normal.
Besides, it’s just your name, not something like the doctor’s assessment of your health. The Embassy is not going to be confused and it should not be a problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSez
Hello!
Thank you so much for this article. I am currently agonizing over my documents. For example, the certificate of graduation. My university only provides a written text saying I’ve graduated in this year with this degree bla bla bla. Would that be enough? In the guide it says “If printing out the certificates from the Internet, print out and submit a page showing the applicant’s name and the details of the relevant qualification (level, score, etc.).” But wouldn’t that be confirmed from my transcript? Or should I write a page including these details? My transcript also says I graduated but I feel like that’s not enough and I still need to provide a certificate. Everything is so vague and confusing and difficult 🙁
Hi Ana,
The letter from your university that you described sounds like it would perfectly meet the requirements of a certificate of graduation, as long as it was on official university letterhead and signed by an official of the university.
The instructions that you quoted about printing certificates from the internet only applies to language proficiency scores, like TOEFL or JLPT, where it is acceptable to submit a copy. You cannot print an academic transcript or certificate of graduation from the internet, because you need to submit an original.
Your certificate of graduation does not need to show your scores – that comment is only about the language proficiency certificates.
If your transcript shows that you have graduated, including the date and the degree awarded, it should be acceptable to serve the dual purpose of a certificate of graduation, if you can’t get anything else, but in that case, you should include a note in your application indicating that your transcript also serves that purpose.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
During pandemic, the embassy in Turkey requested forms and documents to be sent digitally for pre-selection. I wonder how can i submit the letter of recommendation digitally. As far as i know, it should be confidential in order to prevent fraud etc. Will it be enough to send a scanned document of the original recommendation letter with sign and seal of the advisor?
Hi Onur,
The letter of recommendation does not need to be sealed for the MEXT Scholarship application, unless your embassy has specifically said otherwise. However, if your recommender has sealed it, you should ask them for permission before opening it.
I would recommend that you double-check with the embassy for their guidance, but I would think that your alternatives are either to open it and scan it as you have suggested or to ask your recommender to send a copy to the embassy directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you trans, you mentioned that document submitted will not be returned. In the case of degree certificate that is required in original, Do you think I can make a coloured photocopy of it and submit? Please explain better am a bit confused about what to do. Thank you
Hi Abdulhafeez,
You should never submit your only original diploma, etc.
A color copy cannot be accepted, but a certified copy will be accepted as an original. You can get it certified by an official at your school or by a notary, etc. Alternatively, a letter written by an official at your university on university letterhead that certifies that you have graduated, the title of your degree, and the date of graduation, can also be considered a certificate of graduation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am Yuiichi, and I have a question regarding recommendation letter from present employer. Should it be enough to submit the sample format provided by MEXT? The one that needs to be sealed and signed in an envelope? If yes, how could we submit a photocopied then?
Hi Yuiichi,
You can use the sample format from MEXT, but you do not need to follow the directions that say the letter must be sealed. (The sample is from an era when that was the case, but it is no longer in the guidelines).
If your recommender is willing to give you the letter unsealed, then you can make the copies, but if your recommender is insisting that it be sealed, I would suggest asking the recommender to make copies or, if it is too late for that, contacting the embassy for their advice.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Greetings Sir/Madam,
Thank you for the rich information you share with us for free
I am writing with regards to my MEXT application, Research level, 2021 session, which I dropped at the Japanese embassy yesterday.
As a matter of fact, when assembling the required documents I forget to include my passport size picture and I am deeply worried about the situation.
What do your think will happen to my file
Hi Douanla,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
Have you contacted the embassy to ask them what you should do? I think you are going to have to submit those photos to complete the application, but they should tell you how to go about doing it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I’m applying for the Embassy Recommendation MEXT scholarship. Will a recommendation letter from the department head from my university be enough? I’m afraid I might not be able to get one from my academic advisor, and our department head happens to be familiar enough with my research capabilities to write me a letter.
Hi John Thomas,
For the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, they do specify academic advisor, dean, or president, so I think you would have to choose from that list, but you could ask the embassy if they will accept a department head instead.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for all of this, your articles are extreamly helpful !.
I have a couple of questions regarding the Embassy Recommended Application documents:
1. In addition to the recommendation letters from my last advisor and current boss at work, i do have reccomendation letter from the previous Architecture office were i performed my professional internship, the letter was given to me by the end of my internship period hence having and old date but its content was intended to be a general recommendation for me to use in the future and is also related to my research theme for MEXT application. Do you think that i Should add it too or does the Embassy only accepts the letters they asked for ?.
2. About submitting the Recommendation letters, i did contact the Embassy regarding this and they explained that either ask the recommender to put the Original + Two copies in the envolope then seal it and sign Or give me the Original to make copies then take it back to seal it in the envelope. This really confused me as am not fully confident about their explanation. what do you think is better in this case?
Thank you in advance and i look forward to your reply.
Hi Waddah,
Thank you very much for your feedback.
1. You can add a copy of the letter from your old architecture office if you want – it’s certainly not going to hurt you and, in the worst case, it would simply be ignored.
2. It sounds like your embassy is insisting on the letters being sealed. The only question is who makes the copies – you or the recommender – before the recommender seals them in the envelope and signs it. I think that is something that you will have to work out with the recommender.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis, thanks for the good work.
Please i have some couple of questions
1.) I finished upper secondary school in 2014 although am eligible via age, can I apply for the MEXT undergraduate scholarship?.
2.) Can i use the MEXT letter of recommendation (sample) downloaded from their site as the letter of recommendation which am going to submit along with other documents?
3.) The part where they asked of academic records, since i haven’t been admitted into a university in my country, is it safe to just leave the space provided for tertiary/university just blank?
4.) They said we should insert our recommendation letter into the provided envelope marked “confidential”, please how and where can i get the confidential envelope?, From the embassy? Or can i just use any envelope for it?
Am looking forward for your replies, thanks alot.
Hi Richie,
I saw your question on another post and answered it there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
The doctor told me that he does not need to fill in the laboratory test( Urinalysis, Anemia test, LFT) if I do not have a past illness record. I would like to know if it is true.
Hi Coral,
No, that is not true. Doctors cannot choose to leave sections blank.
You can double-check with the Embassy to see if it is acceptable to leave anything blank, but in my experience, a form with any blanks is going to be treated as incomplete and you will be sent back to have the remaining sections filled in. At least, that is how it worked with the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship at my university.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your reply. I’ll tell the doctor.
Hello,
I was curious about what you said, “The description below only applies to the University-recommended MEXT scholarship application process. If you’re applying through the Embassy, you do not need to worry about this.” since in the list of required documents for the Embassy-recommended application for the most recent year (https://www.mext.go.jp/content/1415359_02.pdf), I have seen that it also requires a “Recommendation letter from the president/dean or the academic advisor at the current or last university attended”. I wonder if it is better to play it safe and still get a letter from the dean rather than an academic advisor? Do you think it would be acceptable to write a complete full draft (as a letter) rather than bullet points when consulting an academic advisor to edit it before getting it approved by the department head, etc.? Or would it be seen as too cheeky?
Thank you!
Hi Vera,
For the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application, a letter from your Academic Advisor is perfectly acceptable and will not hurt you. The detailed requirements I described in this article (e.g. must be addressed to the President of the university you are applying to) do not apply to the Embassy application, so you do not need to worry about that. A “standard” letter of recommendation will be fine.
If you can get a letter from your Dean rather than your Academic Advisor (or signed by both), that is generally stronger, but if you can’t, the advisor’s letter is fine.
When you approach your advisor or Dean, I would recommend including a list of bullet points in your initial request and offering to write a draft of the letter if they prefer. That wouldn’t be cheeky at all.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis, I’ve been reading your blog religiously and I want to thank you for what you do.
I have a question. In this article, you explicitly say that my recommendation letter should be from the most recent institute I attended. I am currently studying for a masters degree and I will not have graduated by the time I apply. My undergraduate degree is MUCH more prestigious and my graduate school is not recognized by the ministry of education in my country. So I asked this guy who holds info sessions on the scholarship at the Japan embassy in my country whether it’s ok to get this letter from a professor at my undergraduate school and he said that’s fine. But this contradicts what you’re saying. The guy at the embassy is not involved in the decision making of who gets the scholarship. He’s simply a past recipient of the scholarship and he answers the questions of students about the scholarship and he does it at the Japan embassy so he is pretty legit. But I just have a feeling that not all he says is true and your article made this suspicion worse. Should I listen to what he says or should I follow your advice? I’m more inclined to follow your advice and ignore what he said. But then that would put me in a difficult position. He’s the only person at the embassy who can help me with this stuff and if his information is wrong, then I’m screwed. What do you think I should do?
Thank you for your time
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your kind words!
If you will have graduated from your master’s program by the time you start your scholarship in Japan, then you would need to submit the letter of recommendation from there, because that will be your “last institute attended.” However, if you will quit your master’s program, then in that case, your letter should come from the undergraduate program.
I am not aware of any exceptions to that rule, and I don’t know where the advisor at the embassy got his information to say otherwise.
But in either case, prestige really shouldn’t make a difference in your application. Regardless of the level of prestige of different universities, a Master’s Degree is a higher level of study than a bachelor’s and anyone reviewing your application is going to want to read more about how you do at that level of study, since it would be a better indicator of your performance.
Overall, though, I am not of the opinion that the Letter of Recommendation makes a whole lot of difference, as long as you submit something. It’s just something to “check the box.” Everyone submits a glowing recommendation letter, and there’s really very little way for it to be that important in your application.
If you’re really concerned, then I would suggest that you submit letters from both your undergraduate and master’s program. That way, you hit the requirement and also get that other prestigious university in there (thought it will be in your academic history and transcripts, too).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I wanted to know that, should I send these documents in a color printed copy or just black and white photocopy (All the documents including passport copy). Thanks in advance
Hi Sami,
For the copies (passport) and documents that you create yourself (thesis abstract, application forms, even the photo), black and white should be acceptable, unless you see that the application guidelines specifically require color.
Ultimately, the copy must be clear with all of the relevant information clearly readable.
Of course, for the original documents like your transcript, certificate of graduation (if not using a certified copy), etc., they would generally be in color.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi,
I don’t have a test score
Hi Rafay Buksh,
I don’t know what test you are referring to, but in any case, the good news is that you should have plenty of time to acquire a test score if you need one before the application process starts!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi,
A sir .. i am doing BS in english linguistics from Kinaird college for women Lhr .. i am in 6th semester now and my degree will be completed in june 2015 .. i want to go for m.phill in linguistic in fall 2015 .. can i apply during my degree ?? so that my time will not be wasted .. plz sir guide me about all this ..
how and when can i apply ??
when should i take my GRE test ??
how my documentation will be proceeded as i am not having a complete degree of BS ??
and how can i get the form for applying ?
my family cannot support me but i want to continue with my further studies without wasting my time .. i cannot afford wasting time for one complete year .. plz sir guide me that how can i apply now ??
plz sir help me out
thankyou
Hi Rafay Buksh,
I think you might have written the year incorrectly in your question (did you mean 2020? 2021?), but anyway, yes, you can apply while you are still enrolled in your degree. As long as you will graduate before the start date of the scholarship, that is fine. You will have to provide a “Certificate of Expected Graduation” as I explained in this article, instead of a certificate of graduation.
As for how and when to apply, and where to get the forms, I would recommend that you start by reading my article introducing the scholarship (What is the MEXT Scholarship and How Do You Apply?) to review some of the basic information.
MEXT does not require the GRE, but some universities might want you to take it, so you would have to check with the universities that you intend to apply to for their guidelines.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I have few concerns here with my LOR for URMS. Kindly help me.
1. I am applying to the same university, same department and same professor for PhD where I did my masters in Japan, Is it correct that I send LOR draft to the last professor who is to be my adviser and request him to edit and then take signature of dean on it?
2. I am a faculty member in my country, and the dean and even the president of my university are ready to recommend me to the the MEXT, Is it necessary or beneficial that I include a second recommendation letter in my application packages.
3. I already have certificate of medium of instructions in my hands but never requested university to issue me proof of outstanding academic performance, I plan to request them to issue me that certificate and they include it with papers of my application packages by time it reaches them, is it a good idea? some of my juniors who still study there and they are from my country can also help me in arranging documents there in Japan if needed.
4. Instead of ” to whom it me concerns” can I add in To: Directorate of Monbukagakusho MEXT Scholarship”
regards
Hi Sodiq,
1. Ultimately, that would be my recommendation for the process, yes, but I recommend that you first reach out to the professor, explain that you need the LOR and would like his assistance, then propose the solution you wrote here and see if the professor has any feedback.
2. A letter of recommendation from your employer cannot hurt. At the very least, it will show the university in Japan that they are going to let you go for your studies with no problem.
3. In general, the certificate of outstanding academic performance just means an explanation of the grading system included with the transcript. That allows the university to see the relative merit of your grades. In most Japanese universities, the explanation of the grading system is printed on the transcript, so that should satisfy the requirement.
4. I’m not sure what document you are referring to, but if it is the letter of recommendation, both “To whom it may concern” and “To: Directorate of MEXT Scholarship” would be unacceptable. The letter of recommendation must be written to the President of the University that you are applying to (make sure to include the president’s title!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you for your kind reply.
I got majority of your points and almost everything solved with my LOR. Only I would like to know from you that here is dean of the university where I am applying to recommending me to president of the university; and at the end of application process after I am announced as successful candidate the president of the university through their LOR recommending me to the MEXT. Am I right?
Hi Sodiq,
Yes, yours is a rare case in that you are applying to the same university you graduated from previously, so the Dean would be recommending you to the President of the same university.
In the final paperwork to MEXT, technically it is the president recommending you, but it’s really all taken care of by the university administration and they just get the president’s seal at the end. You won’t need to worry about that at all – the university handles all of that paperwork.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Since mine is a rare case, does it mean my professor who is head of the department where I am applying to can recommend me to the president of the university. Do you kindly still remember my case, also mentioned in above.
Hi Sodiq,
In your case, you would atill need a letter of recommendation from the Dean (or higher). There is no special reason why there would be any exception in your situation.
The only special exception that might be possible is that the Dean or his staff might be able to deliver the letter of recommendation directly to the office collecting applications, instead of mailing it to you and having you mail it back in with the rest of your application materials. But you would have to confirm with the office collecting the applications to be sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, your blog is immensely helpful for me to prepare my application.
I have a question about Proof of Language Ability. I am going to apply MEXT Scholarship University Recommendation through Hiroshima University, so my Japanese professor at Hiroshima University sent me application forms to prepare for MEXT. From the list of documents that I received, one of the documents to be submitted is the English language proficiency certificate (records of TOEIC, TOEFL). The problem is I do have the TOEIC (Listening and Reading) certificate but in the MEXT application form, it has two options for English language qualifications (IELTS and TOEFL).
Hence, I would like to ask you that can I use my TOEIC to apply for MEXT ?.
Sincerely,
Huy
Hi Huy,
It is up to the university to determine which tests it will accept, so if Hiroshima is saying that they will only accept TOEFL and IELTS, you would have to abide by that. MEXT will accept TOEIC scores if you have both L&R and S&W, but individual universities get to set their own standards for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
TOEIC is not an academic test, it is a test of practical ability, and, while it is popular in hiring decisions and is accepted at some universities, in general, you will not find it accepted at most institutions.
You can always check with HU directly to see if they would accept your TOEIC scores, but I would recommend that you look for opportunities to take the TOEFL iBT or IELTS as soon as possible in case their answer is “no”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your answer,
I did ask the HU’s student support office, and they told me that I can use my TOEIC scores to apply for the MEXT scholarship, and I also need to take an interview with my prospective professor.
I had an interview with my Japanese professor, and he accepted me as his prospective student.
So that means I can use my TOEIC scores to apply for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship through HU.
Thanks!
Huy
Sorry, Travis.
My question is does it mean I can use my TOEIC scores to apply for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship through HU?
Sorry for my mistake.
Thanks!
Huy
Hi Huy,
Sorry! I thought your last comment was a conclusion/statement, not a question. But yes, based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like the university will accept your TOEIC scores for your MEXT application. MEXT itself generally leaves that determination to the university.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Huy,
That’s great to hear!
So much is up to university discretion, but I’m glad that in this case the discretion was favorable to your case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your great support.
Huy
Hi Travis,
Thank you for all the wonderful inputs and clear cut directions.I am really grateful for all the work you’ve put in to make our life a little easier 🙂
I have a bit of a problem with the letter of recommendation. I graduated from my University five years ago and I have been working since. All my professors retired after my batch graduated, so there is nobody in the Department who could furnish a reference letter. What would be your suggestion?
Also, currently I work on a freelance basis. I have collaborated with the employer I plan to get a LOR from since three years- but the nature of my work has been on a project/ contract basis – would that pose a problem? Your help would be much appreciated. I would be going for the embassy-recommended route.
Hi Niharika Shenoy,
Are you still in contact with any of your former faculty members? If you are, I think a letter of recommendation from a retired professor would still work, as long as they indicate that they were your professor at the time.
As for the letter of recommendation from your employer, that should not be as important since you are self-employed as a freelancer. I think one of the primary purposes of that letter is to ensure that applicants who are employed full-time will be released by their employers to participate in the studies and scholarship. But having the LOR from the company that you have a long history of contracting for certainly would not hurt!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thanks a lot!
Hello,
Thanks for your effort.
Can you please tell me that if someone doesn’t have master thesis at the time of mext application so how can he write the thesis abstract? Still is that necessary to submit the abstract?
Thank you!
Hi Reeda,
If you know what you’re going to write about and have an approved topic, you should be able to write an abstract that summarizes what your research will explore and your hypothesis, even if you don’t know the conclusion yet. That would be fine. The purpose of this part of the application is for the university to get an idea of the title of your thesis as well as where your research focus is, so that they can see if it is relevant to what you want to study in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis. In the MEXT undergraduate scholarship, you are expected to make a complete photocopy of all the application documents. Do I photocopy the application form with the passport photo pasted on it like that? I’m a little confused as to what I’m supposed to do with the photo and the photocopy. Please help
Hi Stella,
Yes, you should be able to make a (black and white) photocopy of the application form with the photo attached. In other words, you would not need an original photo for each copy.
In fact, you can also insert the photo digitally directly into the application form before printing.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
is IELTS or TOEFL is compulsory for MEXT?
Hi Ahmadzai,
MEXT does not strictly require any particular test, but you will be required to provide proof of your English language ability. The method of proof depends on how you apply for the scholarship. For example, for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you take a language proficiency test during the application process. For the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you are required to prove your English language proficiency, but there are several alternatives for how you can do that, which you can find in my article about the eligibility requirements.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for all your advice and guidance. It has gone a long way in boosting my preparation. I am applying for the University-Recommended MEXT through the University of Tokyo, and their list does not contain the Health Certificate and Proof of Specialized Ability. Do I still add them to my packet?
If yes, my chest X-Ray from undergraduate school showed that I have non-contagious, inactive TB in my ribs. Will it hurt my chances of receiving the scholarship? It did not block my entry into USA or India.
For proof of English Ability, can I submit the exemption permission I received from UTokyo’s Graduate School of Science?
Hi Rupandey Parekh,
If the university is not asking for those items at this point, there is no need to add them.
They may ask for them later in the process, particularly the health certificate. In some countries, that can cost quite a bit to acquire, so some universities wait until later in the process to request it. You would have to get a new x-ray at that time, but inactive TB should not impact your chances in any way.
Regarding proof of specialized ability, I have never seen or heard of a certificate of specialized ability that was actually relevant to the application, so it’s no surprise that they have left that out.
For the proof of English ability, the Graduate School of Science page specifically lists as an eligibility requirement, “Has completed an educational program whose primary language of instruction is English that satisfies the entrance requirements to the Master’s Program or Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo.” (emphasis added), so I think your proof of exemption would be perfect.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for your clarification! This makes my preparation a lot easier (and cheaper). About the specialized ability: I have a scuba diving certification, and my research field in Japan will be marine biology. My potential supervisor’s lab does use scuba diving for sample collection. Is it still better to leave the certificate out?
Hi Rupandey,
In that case, you do not need to include the certificate. Being a certified scuba diver is not likely to have any impact on your application’s review, but you can mention it briefly in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, for example, if you have a line in there about how you will collect samples by diving. The certificate would not be necessary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much! I have yet another (hopefully last) question: I have a research article that was submitted for review in 2017. I have not received any news about whether or not it passed review. Also, I don’t remember its exact title because it was changed literally right before submission by my PI.
I don’t include such a paper in the Application form’s “State the titles of published papers” section, right?
Hi Rupandey,
Is there any way that you can track down the article and its status in time for the application? For example, searching the publication’s back issues for your name as author.
If not, and you have no way to confirm whether or not it was published or is pending publication, I would not recommend including it in your application. Your past publications do not play a terribly significant role in your application’s acceptance consideration and it is not worth risking potentially providing false information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your valuable information on your blog.
Regarding the recommendation letter from the dean, is it acceptable if the letter comes from the acting dean?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Joanne,
That should be fine, but just make sure that the Acting Dean signs the letter as “Acting Dean” not as any other position.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thank you for sharing so much information with all of us.
Im from south africa and I couriered my application yesterday.
I applied for undergraduate studies in medicine.
I wanted to know about the transcripts i sent.
For the originals, I took copies of the actual originals and had school my stamp them, I then put those into the ‘originals’ envelope, I then took those and made copies of them and put it into the ‘copies’ envelope. Is this ok to do? The application guidelines asked for 2 envelopes. 1 for the originals and 1 for the copies. I did the same for all my certificates of academic achievement as well.
On the application guidelines they asked for all transcripts for my most recent school so i ended up sending 5 years of transcripts and certificates.
Will having more certificates of academic achievements boost my chances of being considered?
Hi Raeesa,
The way that you handled your transcripts and copies sounds like it should not be a problem!
I have never been directly involved in the undergraduate MEXT Scholarship application evaluation, so I am not sure how much of an impact certificates of academic achievement will make. I would not count on them making a significant difference, but they certainly can’t hurt!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi
i am sorry to ask this question, is MEXT a competitive entrance exam or a quantification exams ( what will write at the embassy)
Hi Ayuk,
I’m not sure I understand exactly what you mean by quanitication exam, but the the MEXT Exams during the primary screening are competitive. They are designed to make sure that applicants have the minimum level of ability (particularly in language ability) and narrow down the number (more relevant for undergraduate applicants taking subject tests) before the interview stage.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for this very informative resource. I am applying for MEXT scholarship under embassy recommendation. I would like to know about the recommendation letter format. I am quite confused as to who I should address. Should I address as “Dear MEXT scholarship committee”?
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Mon
Hi Mon,
For the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship application, you could address it, “To Whom it May Concern” or to the Ambassador/Consul General of the Japanese embassy where you are applying.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I just had my certificate of health filled out and I realized that for the part of “eyesight” in physical examination, I was only tested for my eyesight with my glasses on, so only that part of certificate was filled out. Otherwise the rest of the form was filled out. Should I have to re-do my certificate of health?
Thanks!
Hi Steph,
That should not be a problem. In most Certificates of Health I have seen, applicants were tested either only with or only without glasses. I very rarely saw both.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the reply! However, I had my certificate of health modified by the physician by giving him the data about my eyesight. Wouldn’t be a problem if it was obvious that my physician modified the certificate of health he had signed earlier? the changes were pretty obvious. Thanks!
Hi Steph,
If your physician modified it and the changes are obvious, I would recommend asking him to initial next to the changes to indicate that they are authentic.
It shouldn’t be a problem either way – you can tell them you noticed the information was missing and took it back a second time for revision – but the initials would remove any potential questions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello
I’m sorry If this question sounds a bit off since this matter got me confused and I’ve been taking instructions quiet literally, thankfully your website has been very helpful.
in the graduate guidelines where they said we should “number our documents 1 through 11” does that mean we should number the pages or number every document listed on the table according to its number listed next to it.
thank you !
Hi Kioh,
The instructions in the guidelines mean that you should number the first page of each document, referring to the number in the table.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
in my country the file becomes numeric, should i print the documents and write the number and scan it, or just name the file with the number ?
Hi Mouloud,
I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re asking.
After printing the files, you should write the number in the corner as directed. You should ultimately be submitting documents by post or in person in most cases, so I’m not sure why you would have to scan it afterward.
Do make sure that the number is on the document itself, not just in the file name, even if the embassy has instructed you to submit files digitally. They will almost certainly be printing your application to review it, and in that case they won’t be able to see the file name.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thank you very much for your efforts, your articles are so helpful.
I have a question regarding proof of outstanding academic achievement. My prospective graduation university requires an “Official Transcript”, which indicates the grading system at my recent university and an “Official document indicating your high achievement in the most recent university”.
So, this implies that I will have to submit two different kinds of documents, won’t I? Or I just need to submit one “Official Transcript” including the grading system as you said above.
Sincerely thank you in advance.
Khanh Quan
Hi Khank Quan,
Thank you for your kind words.
The MEXT application guidelines list the requirement for both the transcript and the proof of outstanding academic achievement, so the universities typically put those requirements out there without really thinking about what they mean (at least, that’s what we did. . .)
In practice, the grading system on your transcript is the proof of your outstanding academic achievement, because it shows the strength of your grades. Other documents that can also help are statements of order of merit in graduation, awards in your field, etc. If you have any of those things, this is a great way to get them considered in the application to help you case.
If you don’t have any other documents showing academic achievement, then generally the transcript with explanation system can count for both of those items and it won’t hurt you. You do not need two separate documents and you would not need to submit two copies. (In some cases, if your transcript shows your graduation date and degree awarded, it can also count as your certificate of graduation, so one document could meet three requirements!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can i still meet up with this year 2018 scholarship?
Because i thought the 2018 scholarship has already close and if the 2018 scholarship has closed, when is the 2019 scholarship will be on.
waiting prompt response
Thanks
Hi Sodeeq,
The 2018 scholarship application (for studies to begin in 2018) is long since over. For the 2019 scholarship (studies to start in 2019), the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application is over, but there is still time to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship. The application start date depends on the university. If you want to get started finding a university and learning when to apply there, I recommend you read my recent article on the How to Apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thank you very much for your efforts, your articles are so helpful.
I have a question regarding additional documents I can add to my application to increase my chances of getting accepted.
I got selected for a research internship program in the University of Tokyo where I was assigned to do research in a laboratory that for 6 weeks. Can i add the certification of completion of this program to the application materials? I’m planing to apply for masters through the embassy recommendation. Thanks again
Hi Aahd,
I don’t know that the embassy would consider additional documents that they didn’t ask for. I know when I screened applications at the university level, if applicants sent anything that wasn’t on the list of required documents, we did not show it to the review committee.
Your past trips to Japan would be listed in your application form and if your research internship was relevant to the field that you plan to study in Japan, you can certainly reference it in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, as well. Since those documents are sure to be seen, I would suggest those as your surest bets to make it visible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
For medical certificate do i need to conduct all the tests or what is the procedure to so.
Please tell a way how to fill the medical certificate.
Hi Avinash,
You need to take the medical certificate to a doctor to have him or her complete all of the tests.
I would also recommend that you confer with the embassy or university’s guidelines, first, to make sure they don’t have any further instructions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi ,
Do i need to submit letter of recommendation for embassy recommended mext scholarship?
Hi Avinash,
Yes, you do, but the formatting and requirements are different.
I would recommend that you read my articles about the Embassy Recommended MEXT scholarship for more details!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Please how many Recommendation letters could one submit for the MEXT Scholarship? This is because my university Programme Adviser only filled, signed and sealed one recommendation letter but while checking the checklist it is required that we should submit one original and 2 copies. Please I don’t understand.
Hi Raheem Kola,
You only need to submit one academic letter of recommendation (plus one from your employer if you are working full-time), but you should submit the original, plus two copies of the same letter.
If your advisor only put the original in a sealed envelope, then you should contact the embassy for instructions. I have heard different guidance based on different countries (some say to open it and make copies, some say to just submit the one original), so the only way to know what is accurate for you is to contact your local embassy/consulate.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
Thank you flr your effort i really appriciate it.
I would like to ask you about the recommendation letter. Do i have to take the example in the website l. Because i already took a recommendation letter from my professor and he wrote that he recommend me for the scholarship i’am attending without saying its name. Is that alright?
Other than that about health certification same as well do it have to be in The form in the website?
Finally about paragraphs which ask what is your impression about japan and the other question (why we choosed those choice) please help me how to write them.
And thank you very much
Hi Yasmine Abdelhak,
You do not need to use the form on the website for the recommendation letter, that is just an example. However, I think it would be better if your recommendation letter specifically said that it was for the MEXT scholarship.
For the Certificate of Health, you do have to use the form on the website.
For your last question, that sounds like it may be something that your embassy/consulate created. As far as I can remember, I have not seen those question in any of the MEXT forms, so I’m afraid that’s not something I’m familiar with. However, I did address a similar topic in my article about how to prepare for the interview, so that might help you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have been reading all of your MEXT articles and I cannot thank you enough for sharing all these information which are indispensable to my application for the MEXT scholarship. I will be applying for the 2019 MEXT embassy-recommended route, and I would like to ask for your advice on the recommendation letter from my current employer. I work in a small start-up business (we are only 4 employees in the company) which I co-founded with my boyfriend. My boyfriend is the legal owner of the company, and so technically he is also my employer and boss (although in actual, we both run and manage the company together). I have been working for this company for 2 years and 3 months (March 2016 to present), and prior to that I took my Masters degree. I left my previous job in February 2015 so that is a long time ago for me to consider asking for a recommendation from my previous boss. How do you suggest I go about with the recommendation letter from current employer requirement? It would not be appropriate to ask one from my current boss, and it would also be false if I state that I am self-employed (thus eliminating the need for a recommendation letter from employer) since it is my boyfriend who owns the company.
Appreciate your time in reading my comment and looking forward to your response!
Thank you,
Yani
Hi Yani,
Thank you for your kind words!
I would still recommend that you ask your boyfriend/boss to write the letter. In that letter, he would just talk about your responsibilities and what you do for the company, so even though you are dating, that should not come out in the letter.
For the sake of full disclosure, you can also tell the embassy staff that you founded the company together (mention that you have other employees) and that while you run it together, he is the legal owner. Then you can let them decide whether or not the letter is necessary. But in either case, it is better to have it in case they want it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, I must say that your blog is amazing and unique.
I know that this post refers to the university recommendation. But I am reading through the comments and it seems common(or even required?) for embassies to ask for the letter of recommendation. However in the case of mine, it is just not in the list of documents.
My embassy requires the following documents:
a) Registration From
b) Copy of ID card
c) 2 photos
d) Academic transcript
e) School Diploma
f) Resume / Curriculum vitae
g) Research plan in written in local language
*The documents will have to be translated to English or Japanese after the first phase.
I was quite happy with that, because asking for a letter of recommendation to my advisor would probably mean losing my job, or at least not looking good(he is a professor but also a director of my company).
However yesterday I saw that most, if not all, universities require a letter of recommendation in their documents for the embassy recommended mext. Not only that, but all documents must have the embassy seal.
Is the letter really required, even if I could pass the 1st phase? Or is it there just as an “example”
of all the documents I had to submit to my embassy?
Thanks for reading this long post!
Hi Vinicius,
If you are applying for the Embassy-recommended scholarship for graduate students, you are going to need to submit a letter of recommendation, but it might be the case that they plan to ask for it later, after screening the first round of documents.
The documents that you listed do not look at all like the full list required by MEXT, and as far as I know, the MEXT requirements for the 2019 Embassy Recommendation application process are not released yet, so it looks like the embassy there is doing a pre-screening. I know some embassies do that to narrow down the field of candidates before the application process even begins.
As far as I know, the letter of recommendation is always required. You would need one from your advisor, dean, or president of your last university and typically one from your employer, as well, if you are working full-time. For the Embassy Recommendation, however, there is not strict formatting requirement like there is for the University recommendation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you for your dedication to helping all of us MEXT scholarship applicants. I am planning on applying for the 2019 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship and have a question regarding the recommendation form. The instructions say that the recommendation needs to come from a dean or advisor. I’m planning on getting it from an advisor, but do you know how strict they are about this? I ask because the professor that I’d like to get the recommendation from was not technically or officially my academic advisor (like on school records), but he did do a significant amount of advising for me, especially for my undergraduate senior thesis. Do you think a recommendation from this professor would still be acceptable, for example if he writes that he advised me academically for the second question on the recommendation form, “What was the nature of your relationship?” Thank you.
Hi Vincent,
If the professor writes that he was your academic advisor for your senior thesis, that should be good enough to meet the “advisor” requirement.
As of last year, there is no longer a required format for the recommendation letter for the Embassy Recommendation, so you don’t necessarily need to use that format unless your embassy asks you to.
Even if you don’t use that format, make sure the professor specifically mentions his advising role!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear TranSenz,
I am an Indian student looking for a undergraduate degree and what my marks are like 51% in high school but stellar in 12th grade.
Hi A.K.,
You’r going to be evaluated based on your grades for all years of high school. Unfortunately, I don’t have any direct experience with how high school grades are evaluated or with the grading system in India, so I don’t know what the standard is that you should be looking for.
However, for what it’s worth, in the Embassy Recommendation MEXT scholarship application process, you will only be competing against other applicants from India, so everyone else will be coming from the same system.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
I want to apply for UG Course this year and I saw one of your sample application form for MEXT SCHOLARSHIP and in academic record section we are asked about our primary, secondary and higher education.
Do we have to submit all academic transcripts for all the years or just academic transcript required for UG Courses.
And one more question
Can JLPT certificate of N4 give me an edge over others?
Hi Avinash,
You need to submit your transcript from the last school you graduated from. If you’re applying for the MEXT scholarship for undergraduate studies, you would submit your high school transcript.
An N4 certificate itself will not necessarily give you an advantage, but it’s all about the presentation. If you can show the interest in Japan and dedication to studying there that led you to acquire that certificate, that can show that you are a more serious candidate and give you an advantage in some reviewers’ eyes. It would all be subjective, though, so it’s up to you to make the case as to why having N4 makes you a better candidate.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
I’d like to ask about the recommendation letter. What if the Dean office has never issued any recommendation to students because dean doesn’t know the student personally. Template letter made by the student is usually rejected as well. Is it acceptable if the letter is written & signed by head of dept (cc to dean) and then legalized by stamp from dean office. Thanks.
Hi Lou,
I’ve seen it accepted if the student’s advisor writes the letter and signs it then sends it to the Dean’s office for the Dean to sign as well. It would still need the Dean’s signature in that situation, though. I don’t know if a stamp would work unless it was coming from a culture (like Japan) where personal seals are used in place of signatures. You might want to double-check with the university to see if they would accept it.
At that point, the Dean is not necessarily signing off that he or she understands all of the contents of the letter personally. Instead he or she is signing to indicate trust in the advisor/department head’s judgement and comments.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi good morning Travis,
Thank you for this wonderful and insightful blog. I’ve actually meaning to ask you if the requirement on the endorsement letter from my current university has to be from the dean or a higher position. It will be very challenging for me to get a letter of recommendation from the dean or campus head of our college due to the stringent lockdown in my country (I live in the Philippines) and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fact that it is a policy in our school that recommendation letters from the dean are exclusively those who have studied under him, unfortunately I didnt have the chance to get a class under him. However, I’ve managed to get a LOR from my faculty of my college, however sadly he is an assistant professor.
My second question would be if recommendation letters from my previous employment will hold good bearing for my application. I am currently working in the Senate, and I am applying for graduate studies in public policy, I managed to get an LOR from our Chief of Staff and an undersecretary from the Department of Labor and Employment.
Many thanks
Hi Carlo Santiago,
Thank you for your kind feedback.
The requirement to get a signature from the Dean or higher applies to the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship. For the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, a letter of recommendation from your advisor is sufficient.
If you are employed, you would need a letter of recommendation from your current employer, not a past employer. (I think part of the reason is to make sure that your employer is aware of your application and has no objection to you taking the scholarship if you receive it). A letter from a past employer, since it is not one of the required documents, is not likely to have any significant impact. It can’t hurt if you have one already that you want to submit, but I wouldn’t say that it is worth going out of your way to get one.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
My name is Hironmoy. I have a question regarding the language ability proof for embassy recommended MEXT scholarship for research student. Are we supposed to give our language proof in English during the screening process or after joining the university? i don’t have any proof like TOEFL.
Hi Hironmoy,
For the Embassy Recommendation MEXT scholarship application process, you do not need to submit proof of language proficiency to the embassy, since you will take a language proficiency exam there during the application process.
However, some universities will ask you to submit TOEFL or other forms of proof of language proficiency when you apply to them for an LoA, so if you don’t have test scores, it may limit where you are able to apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz