Questions about the MEXT scholarship? Ask them in the comments here or on the individual FAQ pages listed below!
FAQs Released so Far
Here are the links to the existing pages:
- MEXT Scholarship Application Basic Information (Where to apply, etc.)
- Contacting Professors (Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application)
- Field of Study and Research Program Plan
- University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application
Explanation
Given the recent volume of questions, I am afraid that I no longer have the time to answer each emailed question one-by-one and get you the response you want in a timely manner.
Instead, I will group similar questions and answer them in the subject-by-subject FAQ articles linked above.
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- Be clear. Let me know what type of application process (Embassy/University/Domestic Selection) you’re asking about, what level (Undergraduate/Graduate), what year, and any other relevant details. If I have to guess what you mean – or write back to you to ask you to clarify your question, it’s going to take more time.
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Subject Specific FAQs
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If you can’t find an answer, you can post your question in the comments on the subject-specific page or on this page.
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Hi Travis!
I finished my MS degree last March 2017 from Tokyo Tech under the MEXT scholarship.
I am planning to continue to PhD and apply for the MEXT scholarship again.
I understand that to be eligible for the scholarship again I must have completed at least three years of education research after the first scholarship ended.
Can I apply for the MEXT Scholarship during 2019?
Thank you!
Hi Ahj,
You can start your application in 2019 for the scholarship starting in 2020, provided that you have been consistently enrolled in studies or working as a researcher since April 2017.
Since your last MEXT scholarship’s final payment was in March 2017, the earliest you would be eligible to start would be April 2020 – and that is assuming that you have either been enrolled in a degree program or working as a researcher or instructor from April 2018 (through March 2020, inclusive). A more realistic target for trying to start another MEXT scholarship might be April 2021, to give yourself more time to reasonably accomplish the three years of experience you need to have.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear TranSenz
I have a question that is there different deadline for each semester in Japan. Ex: Spring semester in April 2020, fall semester in October 2019
Cause now I’m exchange student for 1 year in Saga University and finish in next March. So I really want to stay for Master Degree here. My plan is apply the MEXT scholarship in October 2019 (fall semester). But I don’t know it’s still under deadline or not. And if over deadline I will apply for the Spring Semester in April 2020.
Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and very useful information.
Nguyen Hoang Nam
Hi Nguyen Hoang Nam,
Thank you for your kind words!
Unfortunately there is only one deadline per type of application per year for the MEXT Scholarship application, regardless of what semester you want to start in.
For the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, the deadline was May or early June of 2018 for scholarships starting in 2019 (the deadline varies on the embassy, but there is only one deadline regardless of whether you want to start in the spring or fall).
For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, typically you can only start in the fall. That deadline varies by university and is usually in December, but I do not know of any universities still accepting applications for scholarships starting in 2019.
My best recommendation to you would be to try for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship when the application process next opens in April, for scholarships starting in April or Sept/Oct 2020.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello
Can I apply while being at the last year of my undergraduate degree?
Thanks.
Hi Leul,
Yes! The application process takes a year or more, so I would recommend applying during your final year of undergraduate so that you would be able to start your scholarship directly after graduation. You can arrive in Japan in April (primarily via Embassy Recommendation) or September/October (via Embassy Recommendation or University Recommendation), so choose your application timing based on what works best for you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am from India and I have passed the first screening for MEXT Embassy recommended research scholarship 2019. I have also secured a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from the University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Engineering). I have applied for the scholarship term beginning in April 2019.
A friend of mine contacted the Embassy of Japan in India regarding the approximate schedule of the declaration of the second screening results. They told my friend that provisional result will be declared in mid Jan and final result in Feb/March. I was confused because the second screening result is the final result so I could not make sense of another provisional result being declared in mid Jan. However, in the official MEXT research scholarship 2019 guideline document I found it mentioned in topic number 11 “Second Screening and University placement” point number 6 –
“Applicants will be notified by the Japanese diplomatic mission of the final results of the Second Screening and the result of the university placement for successful candidates from November to February the following year.”
This finally made sense to me of what my friend was told by the Embassy of Japan in India. I guessed that by provisional result they meant the result of the Second Screening which tells if a candidate has been finally awarded the MEXT scholarship. And by Final result they meant the university where the candidate is placed out of the choices they filled in the placement preference form.
I need your clarification regarding the manner in which second screening results are declared for the reasearch scholarship.
Hi Afraz Khan,
The release of results varies by embassy, so unfortunately there is no general rule that I can refer you to. I think your understanding of the Secondary Screening/Placement results release is correct based on what I have heard from past applicants from India. As far as I know, they all received their results by email, if that helps.
However, you may find out unofficial results sooner directly from the university where you will be placed, especially if you are arriving in April. I have often heard that universities start reaching out to successful applicants with information about housing arrangements, etc., before the embassy releases the final results. In that case, if you are contacted by the university, then you can consider is guaranteed that you will be placed there.
The Embassy does not release the results until they are available for all applicants at that Embassy. So, if there is trouble placing even one applicant, everyone’s results will be delayed until that person is resolved. In the meantime, the universities will think that you already know the results and start contacting you.
I hope that helps make it a little more clear.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis. This does helps!
Hi dear Travis.
Thanks a lot for all of the useful information you have provided in this website.
I want to apply for research student program (in materials science and engineering) through embassy recommendation for the year 2020 and then continue my studies to a Master’s degree.
I had some questions and I would genuinely appreciate if you could help me with them.
1- I have no knowledge of Japanese language. I read above that people like me should apply for the courses which are thought in English. How can i find them on university websites? Are they just under the program called “Global 30” or Are there other courses which are thought in English? If I apply for an English course, can I still attend those one-semester Japanese language classes?
2- Regarding IELTS, I realized that it is necessary for the time I want to get the “letter of acceptance”. What score do i need to get? i cant find any information about it in universities’ websites, But i saw in a blog that said U Tokyo ,for example, needs a 7 or titech needs a 6.5 . How should i find out about this criteria?
3- how should i give the result of my IELTS test to universities? should the IELTS center itself send it or should I scan the printed certificate and send it to them?
4- Regarding the “Recommendation letter”, I’ve got a letter from one of my tutors (not the adviser of my B.S project) and a separate letter from the Dean of Engineering school saying that he acknowledges that i am applying to MEXT scholarship. Is this good enough? or do I need a letter exactly from my adviser?
5-Rgarding the letter of acceptance, do universities send a printed letter via post to candidates or they send it by email? how should candidates submit the letter to the embassy when they obtained it, should they email it, post it or bring it there themselves? ( I am asking because I live in a small city far from capital city and going there is not easy for me)
Thank you in advance,
best regards,
Atefeh
Hi Atefeh,
1. I have an article specifically about how to identify universities that teach your degree program in English (as well as potential advisors there) that should help answer that question.
2. If there is no requirement explicitly stated on their application information page for Letters of Acceptance, then there is no official cut off. However, to find what their unofficial requirement might be, look at the application guidelines for regular, fee-paying students for your graduate school. The requirement should be there, if it exists.
3. You would attach a copy of your score report to the application that you submit to the embassy (while not required, the application form instructs you to attach score reports if you have them). If you do not have it in time for the embassy application, then submitting a copy to the university should be fine.
4. The letter from the Dean should meet the requirements, but if you want to submit something more descriptive, then I would recommend getting one from your advisor. At least as of last year, that was specified.
5. They send them by post (most embassies require the original), but some will also send a scan by email, first, in case the original takes a while to get there or gets lost in the mail. The embassy will give you instructions on how to submit the LoAs (that policy is going to be established by each individual embassy, not my central MEXT).
I hope that helps!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Dear Travis.
Thanks a lot for you kind, fast and informative response.
I checked out the links for finding an English course. Each of them gave me different information. (https://www.jpss.jp/en/univ/english/) directed me to Waswda, Shibaura and Nagoya unies. while the excel file in this link (https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/study_j/search/daigakukensaku.html) narrowed my choices down to Hokkaido, Titech and Kyushu unies. the other link gave me a different list as well.
which one is correct?
Hi Atefeh,
As far as I know, all are correct, but none are comprehensive. So, if a university is on at least one list (even if it is not on the others), then it should have a program in English in that field. Each list was compiled by different organizations and different means.
The best way to double-check is to look at each program’s website one by one, once you have decided which ones appeal to you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I passed the first screening for MEXT Embassy recommended scholarship 2019. I have also secured a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from a professor at the University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Engineering).
My background:
Earlier this year in April 2018 I was offered an admission letter by the same professor for a special graduate program at the University of Tokyo called the IME program. Unfortunately at that time there was no scope to support my PhD study in that program due to unavailability of scholarships. I had to let go of that offer. However in June 2018 I applied for the embassy recommended MEXT scholarship. After my interview and before the result of the first screening I contacted the same professor to confirm if he would accept me as a PhD student if I passed the first screening. He kindly again agreed to supervise my PhD study if I passed the first screening.
Matter of concern:
I received the Letter of Provisional Acceptance from the Dean of the Graduate School of Engineering, UTokyo on 6th September, 2018.
I emailed my prof on 26th September, 2018 to thank him for granting me the Letter of Provisional Acceptance (yes, I was a bit late in doing this). I had also sent him a follow-up email on 22nd October, 2018 asking him which of his research literature I should focus on before I arrive in Japan.
I did not receive any reply from him which is understandable as he might have been busy.
So, I emailed his administrative assistant on 5th Nov, 2018 but I didn’t get a reply from her as well.
Although I have received a Letter of Provisional Acceptance I am concerned because I did not receive a reply from my own prof to any of my emails after I was granted the LoA.
I am waiting for the results of the Second screening which will be declared in January, 2019 in India. My friend, who is already a MEXT Embassy scholar in TokyoTech advised me to keep in touch with my prospective PhD advisor after getting the letter of provisional acceptance.
Seeing as how the professor had given me acceptance letters twice this year (once in April for the IME program and later for the MEXT Embassy recommended scholarship) I did not approach any other professor or university. I mentioned the University of Tokyo as the only university in my placement preference form.
I have applied for a PhD position in my professor’s research group. On his webpage it still says that PhD positions are available.
My queries:
1. Is it possible that a professor may select someone else even after granting an LoA to me?
2. What should I do in this scenario?
I apologise if I sound rather panicked but I have listed UTokyo as the only university in the MEXT Placement Preference form because of the initial strong correspondence with my professor.
I will be very grateful for your help.
Hi Afraz Khan,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I am happy to say that I do not think there should be any problem with your application processing.
Although you told me above that you only wrote the University of Tokyo in your application, even if your professor was aware of that, at this point, MEXT has not released the results of the Secondary Screening or placed you at a university (they should be doing that soon). So the chances are very good that the professor does not want to continue following up until he is sure that you will be placed in his university/lab.
Once the secondary screening results are released and your placement is formalized, then I would anticipate more communication from his side!
In answer to your questions:
1) It is not a matter of the professor choosing another candidate. Once you pass the Secondary Screening, MEXT will contact the university to ask them to formally accept you at that point. They can decline, but that rarely happens. However, since you only have one university on your list at this point, even if they did initially decline, MEXT would most likely negotiate with them to reconsider, since they have nowhere else to place you.
2) Continue your research on your own while waiting for the results of the Secondary Screening and placement, then recontact the professor.
I do not think you have anything to worry about – you are just stuck in the slow churn of Japanese bureaucracy.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for providing more insight into how the selection procedure functions. This certainly makes sense.
In your reply you mentioned that the University may decline MEXT’s request to place a candidate, although that happens rarely. What I could not reconcile is the fact that when the university/Graduate School grants the Letter of Provisional Acceptance after examining the candidate’s documents then later during the placement talks with MEXT why might they decline to accept the same candidate?
Maybe, the possible reasons could be that the particular University is low on the placement preference form of the candidate. I don’t really know and would like to know more from you about this seeming discrepancy.
Hi Afraz Khan,
Honestly, I don’t know, since I have never seen an example of that happening. I have only heard of it being a possibility.
The only reason I could think of would be unforeseen personnel changes – if the professor that was supposed to supervise you suddenly leaves, is hospitalized long-term, etc., and there is nobody else that can take you on as an advisee, that might be a reason. Yes, that’s an extreme example, but I really can’t think of anything else at the moment.
Universities should never know where they are on your Placement Preference Form, so that should not be a factor.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis this certainly helps me a lot!
Good day Travis..
Please I would like to know if they is any scholarship available for undergraduate program for 2019 session in medicine..
Hi Abu bashirah,
For the most part, the undergraduate scholarship is only available through the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, which has already ended for 2019 entrants. Your next chance to apply would be in April-May 2019 for scholarships starting in 2020.
I know that at the graduate level, you would need to be fluent in Japanese to apply for a medical program, but I do not know what the rules would be for the undergraduate scholarship, since that it outside my area of expertise. I would recommend that you check the application guidelines closely when they are released next April.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir,
You said we can get direct admission to master’s without becoming research student. Do we have to give an extra entrance exam for applying directly for master’s degree at the university? Also if we fail the entrance exam , will our scholarship be cancelled?
Hi Hironmoy,
The Entrance Exam is not always an actual exam that you have to sit for. In some cases there is an exam, but in some cases it is just a document screening.
In either case, if you were applying to go directly into the Master’s program via University Recommendation without becoming a research student first, then you would have to pass that exam before the university recommended you to MEXT, so if you were to not pass the entrance exam, you would not be nominated for the scholarship to begin with.
If you are applying via Embassy Recommendation, the entrance exam process and your research or degree-seeking student status is a little more complicated, but I cover it in detail my most recent article about applying for Letters of Acceptance. Look for the section titled “Caution: Arrival Date in Japan and Status in the Letter of Acceptance”
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I applied last year for the MEXT Embassy recommended scholarship but with no sucess. I wish t0 try one more time but there’s a question that has been bugging me since even before I applied, I asked the Japan Embassy in my country for information on this but honestly it wasn’t much help.
So, the scholarship says that I have to have completed 16 years of school to be elligible to study in Japan for a MA, but in my country majors are covered by the bologna agreement, therefore as of my graduation I only have 15 years of school completed. I was told I had to apply as a non-degree student so I could get a post graduation before I applied for a Master’s degree. My question is, how do post graduations work in Japan? Do I choose a Master’s degree but don’t complete it, so it’ll count as a post-graduation? Are there specific post graduation courses? I’m sorry if this seems like a silly question but I’ve been so confused about this. I don’t know if this makes answering easier but my major is Asian Studies and I’d like to pursue Japanese Studies.
Thank you for your time and for everything you do with this website!
Hi Teresa,
I am sorry to hear about your struggles with the application last year.
The embassy (and universities) will never give you feedback on what you did well or what you need to do to improve unless you fail to meet one of the eligibility requirements. So, your situation there is not unusual, I’m afraid.
I have known many applicants who graduated from universities with a three-year bachelor’s degree (15 total years of schooling) who were able to start a Master’s degree right away in Japan under the MEXT scholarship, but it sounds like whoever you talked to was being extra strict.
Basically, what you would have to do would be to apply as a “Research Student” (non-degree seeking student). You could also consider this status “pre-graduate student”. Under that status, you would be affiliated with the graduate school, could take classes, and could be researching with a professor, but you would not be earning credit toward your degree. (Once you matriculate to the degree program, by passing the entrance exam, then you should be able to transfer the credit you earned as a research student to count toward your degree, so you really don’t lose anything!)
You should apply for the MEXT scholarship as a Master’s level Research Student. You can get the scholarship to cover your expenses during that time, and once you pass the entrance exam, you can extend the scholarship to cover your degree, as well!
I hope that helps!
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much, this was really helpful!
Good morning Mr Travis, I am a Ghanaian who wants to apply for the scholarship next year, 2019. Is it possible ? And if so will I be able to use my Wassce results?
Hi Reigner Attuah,
It sounds like you are applying for the undergraduate scholarship. While my expertise in that scholarship is limited, I know you can only apply via the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. The next application process will begin around April 2019 with the scholarship and studies starting in 2020.
I do not know how your WASSCE results would affect the application, since that is likely to be determined by the local embassy. It would not be part of MEXT’s guidelines since it only applies to a few countries. I’m afraid you would have to find the instructions specific to Ghana on the Japanese embassy’s website, though you might have to wait for the new version to be released in April.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can I ask if I still can avail the scholarship now?
Hi Jamaica Grace,
The application for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship should be open now (November 2018), depending on the university, for 2019 start. The Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship should start accepting applications in April or May, depending on your country, for the scholarship starting in 2020.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I’m applying for the research scholarship next year. I would like to major on Japanese linguistics. Do non-degree seekers need to be in N1 level by the time they apply? Is it necessary to have the JLPT certificate to prove thar I’m on that level, will the universities I’m applying for or MEXT scholarship asks for one, if not how should I prove it or how they will ask for a proof? They say it is not a requirement to have any certificate on JLPT, so how come they need N1 if I’m seeking for Japanese linguistics major as non-degree student or research student?
Hi Alyazeya,
Unfortunately, you would need to have native-level (most likely N1) proficiency in Japanese language to study Japanese linguistics either as a non-degree or degree student because without a high level of Japanese ability, it would not be possible to conduct meaningful research in that field.
The statement that you do not need Japanese language proficiency to apply for the MEXT scholarship only refers to the scholarship, itself. You also need to meet the language requirements of the program. Fields that require Japanese language ability to conduct research (or that are taught only in Japanese) still reserve the right to require proof of language ability.
Unfortunately, the JLPT is the only commonly accepted test of Japanese Language Proficiency that I am aware of.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for your reply.
I’m acting upon this information for the time being and trying to study for N1 and take the test next July. I’m not quite sure I will pass, but will that affect my chances of getting accepted in any university? Is there no chance that I might get accepted based on my previous research works, my research plan, my university grades and my current level in Japanese (N2), because I’m quite confident with what I might offer as researcher. MEXT scholarship offers 6 months for learning Japanese language before starting as a research student or during this time, right? so is there a chance that I might get accepted with a condition to pass N1 during these 6 months?
Also, if I take the test next July, I will need to wait for the result to be announced anyway, will the universities accept to wait for the result?
Hi Alyazeya,
If you can find a program in your field of study that only requires N2 level, then you would be able to apply for that, but Japanese universities are not going to give you a conditional decision based on your N1 test next year or otherwise make any considerations based on a score you do not yet have. At least, not for the MEXT scholarship application process. For the MEXT scholarship, it is not just a matter of the university taking a risk on your ability, they are required to pledge to MEXT that you have sufficient ability, as well.
And to be frank, the university probably has dozens – or more – of other candidates who do meet all of the requirements, so there is no incentive for them to make an exception.
The 6-month language training period only covers basic skills for day-to-day life. It is not academic Japanese, so it would not help in getting you up to N1 level. Given your ability, it is possible that you might even be exempted from it.
You would need to have your test results before the application deadline. Universities will not wait. My best recommendation to you would be to find a linguistics program that will accept you with N2 level.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I am applying for a Doctoral program at Tokyo Institute of technology under University recommendation (SGU) scholarship starting in April 2019. Can I also apply for a similar program but at University of Tokyo starting in October 2019 simultaneously?
Cheers for the Good blog!
Hi Kaustubh,
Thank you for your kind words.
You are only allowed to submit one University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship application per year. So, if you are applying at Titech, you can’t apply at Todai for the same year, even if one is an April start and one is October.
That said, almost all University Recommended MEXT Scholarship programs start in October and you mentioned SGU, which is not related to the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so that might by a different scholarship category (SGU Domestic Selection) and therefore might be OK. I would have to see the guidelines for the Titech program to be able to tell for sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Helo, I really really want this scholarship m really embitious to do something but not have any proper opportunity, I don’t know the deadline nd requirements for the scholarship plz plz plz give me some guidelines about this opportunity……
Hi Shiza Amjad,
That’s exactly why I created this website. I have in-depth guides to nearly every part of the MEXT Scholarship Application Process, so you can choose what area you most want to learn about and start there. Or, if you want a start-to-finish walkthrough, then I have compiled the best of my guides, in order, in the Mastering the MEXT Scholarship series of books – starting with How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship. You can find all the guides and the books on the page above!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
We REALLY appreciate your efforts, Thank you for your helpful posts.
I would like to ask about : I was refused two years in a row by MEXT Embassy recommendation, and now I’ll try with University-recommendation. The thing is when I wanted to get a recommendation letter from the dean of my university, the Dean’s office refused to sign the letter telling me that I must send their email to the university that I wish to apply to, and then they will send the recommendation electronically!!! I don’t know, what do you think I should do?
I already have a recommendation from my professor and was signed by the Higher Education office in my university , do you think is OK ?
The last thing I want to ask :
Does the Japanese universities give a conditional admission letter like other countries ? because if things doesn’t work out, I plan to apply for another scholarship in which the conditional admission letter is required.
Thank you so much for your help.
Hi F.M.W.,
It might actually be possible for your Dean’s office to send the Letter of Acceptance directly to the university. I’d recommend that you contact them to check.
When I processed these applications, the Letters of Acceptance were about the only thing that we would accept separately from the rest of the application. I know we accepted a few each year directly from the recommenders.
If you explain that that’s the only way the Dean issues recommendation letters, and that it would be coming directly from an official university email account, they may take it.
Otherwise, I don’t think the letter from the professor is likely to be accepted. If it were countersigned by the dean, that would be a different story.
Conditional Acceptance: As far as I know, no, Japanese universities do not grant conditional acceptance letters. You either get an acceptance letter (and in that case, if it is not acceptance via the MEXT scholarship, you would have to pay the non-refundable admission fee almost immediately), or not.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis san,
How you are doing good.
Let me give you a background before asking my question.
I am planning to apply for MEXT next year. I have a B. Tech undergraduate degree in Information Technology and I have been working as a Japanese Translator for the past two year and have a JLPT N 3 certification. Japanese is my 3rd language. I would be writing my N2 but I don’t think I would be able to clear N1 so soon.
My question is, I am planning to get an MBA scholarship through MEXT and apply for an English program in Japan. Would that lower my chances?
My research would be more related to my career work so far than my undergraduate education. Would that be a negative point?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Pallavi,
One of the requirements of the MEXT scholarship is that you have to apply in a field that you have majored in during a past degree or a related field. Going from Information Technology to and MBA might be a bit of a stretch, so you’ll need to think carefully about how you are going to justify that.
Unfortunately, even if your career was in a different field, MEXT wants to see the connection with your degree to know that you have the academic background necessary to undertake advanced studies in the field.
The biggest challenge to your chances is going to be whether or not you can show the relationship between the degree fields. Applying for a program taught in English will not hurt your chances. Having some Japanese language ability should help you stand out during the primary screening phase of the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir,
Actually i want to apply for Mext Scholarship 2019 and download documents from this link
[Edit: Link removed]
but in the guideline form the result date of first screening mentioned as 24 August 2018
so i confused either i download correct form or not
but
when i saw this link
https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/admission/scholarship.html
I also confused which documents necessary to be download or which documents to be sent to JAPAN
Kindly help me regarding to this issue….
Hi Sumiya,
Thank you for your question. I removed the link because the site that you referenced was clearly giving incorrect/incomplete information and I do not want anyone else getting misled.
You should always get the application instructions and forms from the embassy or the university where you intend to apply, since they will have the most complete and accurate information. I try to provide supporting explanations here, but you also need to be referring to the actual application sites.
There are two ways to apply for the MEXT scholarship: via Embassy Recommendation and via University Recommendation. I outlined the difference between the two in this article, so I would recommend you start there, if you are unsure which to pick. The deadline for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2019 was back in May/June, so it is too late to apply for this year. The deadline for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2019 should be coming soon, though it varies by university.
The University of Tokyo link you posted was for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2019, so if you follow the instructions there to apply to Todai, you cannot go wrong!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I passed the first screening for MEXT Embassy recommended scholarship 2019. I have also secured a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from a professor at the University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Engineering). Earlier this year in April 2018 I was offered an admission letter by the same professor for a special graduate program at the University of Tokyo called the IME program. Unfortunately at that time there was no scope to support my PhD study in that program due to unavailability of scholarships. I had to let go of that offer. However in June 2018 I applied for the embassy recommended MEXT scholarship. After my interview and before the result of the first screening I contacted the same professor to confirm if he would accept me as a PhD student if I passed the first screening. He kindly agreed to supervise my PhD study if I passed the first screening. After the first screening I submitted all my documents to the University of Tokyo and the same professor granted me a letter of provisional acceptance with my status being an international research student.
Seeing as how the professor had given me acceptance letters twice this year I did not approach any other professor or university. I mentioned the University of Tokyo as the only university in my placement preference form .
I have two queries:
1. At this juncture when I am waiting for the result of the second screening what do you think are my chances of finally getting the scholarship keeping in mind that I have only listed one university in the placement preference form because of the strong communication with the professor.
2. During this time of wait should I keep in touch with my professor? I have already sent him a short email thanking him for granting me the letter of provisional acceptance.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Afraz Khan.
Hi Afraz Khan,
1. If you have passed the Primary Screening and submitted at least one Letter of Acceptance, you are practically guaranteed to receive the scholarship. Having only one university on your Placement Preference Form should not affect that.
2. Yes, I recommend that you keep in touch. Sending the thank you letter was a great start. Since the outcome is nearly certain, I would recommend that you continue to remain in contact with your professor to get his/her guidance on what research, studying, or preparation work you should be doing now before you arrive.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you so much for your suggestions! Your good work in guiding numerous students across the globe regarding higher education in Japan is deeply appreciated by us all. Keep going!
Afraz
Hello Travis,
I have some questions regarding the travel expenses.
The scholarship also covers a round-trip air ticket.Does the embassy (or the university) handle the process of purcaching the ticket or can the participant do it by herself? Also if there are no direct flights to japanavailable in my home country will the scholarship still cover the flight to another country where there are direct flights? Does the scholarship also pay for the taxes that are included in the airfare(ticket)?
Hi Maria,
MEXT contracts the ticketing process out to a travel company, typically, and you will not have very much say in the scheduling. The university will tell you what day you need to arrive or they may let you choose between two days.
MEXT will pay only for the international portion of your flight. So, they will pay for a flight from the closest international airport to your home, in your home country, to Japan. It doesn’t matter if it is a direct flight or you have a layover in another country on the way, they will pay for it either way.
You will be responsible for the airport usage taxes, but you won’t have to pay them until after you arrive in Japan. From what I understand, typically you will get an invoice to pay those taxes about a month after you arrive.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
Good day to you . I have an query regarding the MEXT Embassy recommendation university placement . I have been passed the primary screening and received three letter of acceptance . the universities are
1. Kyoto University ( public)
2. Waseda University ( Private)
3. Kyoto institute of Technology ( National )
is it possible for me to get waseda if i put waseda on preference no. 1 ? Waseda is a private university. option 3 is my least preferred and if possible would not like to put the name on the placement form .
Thank you for your kind assistance.I would appreciate your immediate help as my submission date is very close.
Hi SJ,
Kyoto University is a National University, not a public, so if that is your top choice, you would have a very high possibility of being placed there.
If you put Waseda as your first choice, it is possible that you would end up there, but you might also end up at your second choice. MEXT says that they may pass over your first choice if it is a private or public university and instead try to place you in your highest-choice national university, but I have not been able to find any particular criteria that they use to choose which students that will apply to.
I do not think MEXT would skip over your second choice if it was a National University and go straight to your third. The only situation I can see where you might end up at your third choice would be if the second choice university declined to accept you in the end.
If you order the schools Waseda – Kyoto – KIT, that gives you the best chance of being placed at Waseda and minimizes the chances that you would end up at KIT.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis ,
It is great to have your kind suggestion . Thank you for correcting me. I think your order makes sense & this information would be very helpful to me .
Thank you again and my best wishes to you.
Have a nice day.
-Sj
Hi,
I have a general question I have done my BSc (Hons) four year course (8 semesters) with CGPA 3.46 out of 4.00. I have a transcript of all combine four years. How can I provide the CGPA transcript of last two years? I’ll wait for your humble reply.
Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Sharjeel Ashfaq,
You should submit your transcript for the entire four years. As long as it is clear when you took each course, that will be enough for the university or embassy to calculate your grades for only the last two years of courses.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I am a little bit confused about a certain point and I need your advice about it.
I hold a pharmacy diploma and in my country we study 6 years to get the diploma which is equivalent to a bachelor degree in japan. And therefore, I have chosen to do a master degree in my application form during the submission ( Embassy Recommandation )
While requesting my letter of acceptance my supervisor told me that I can directly start into a doctoral program because the 6 years that I did are sufficient to enroll into a doctoral program and is asking me now to choose between master program and doctoral program.
But the problem is that in the documents submitted to the embassy, I did a two years research plan that applies to a master degree, And I am afraid that it causes me problems during the second screening if they see that I hold a doctoral letter of provisional accepts but that I did a master degree research plan.
Do you think that choosing a doctoral program will cause me problems?
Thank you,
Best Regards,
Ishak
Hi Ishak,
The secondary screening is not competitive and it will not be a problem if you submitted a 2-year research plan but plan to enroll in a 3-year doctoral program.
The secondary screening really exists for MEXT to double-check the embassy’s work and make sure that no rules were violated.
I do not think a doctoral program will cause you problems at all, especially since it’s the university making the recommendation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
This is atsede Gebreegziabher and I need to ask you How I will
receive the letter of acceptance from universities. Am I going to
receive the letter in Hard copy through postal address or I can
receive it scanned letter or soft copy of it.
please let me know if you have something to say.
Hi Atsede Gebreegziabher,
The universities should send you the hard copy of the letter by post. However, if it looks like the hardcopy may not arrive in time, they may send you a scanned copy first. You will need to ask the embassy where you applied if they will accept the soft copy while waiting for the original to arrive.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I applied to the MEXT Specialized Training College scholarship this year in Sweden, and I’ve passed the first screening. The embassy said that the score on the math test was a bit weak so the chance of getting the scholarship might be a bit lower, but that I did great on the interview so the interviewers and the embassy really wants to recommend me anyway.
So my question is how much of a lower chance do you think it might be? Or rather what sort of impact might it do on the second screening?
My friend said that it might depend on your subject of field and I applied for Animation (3D), so it doesn’t feel like it should matter that much? I am also 23 (soon 24) and have experience living in Japan for 21months. I was told that I did the best out of all applicants on the Japanese test (I only really had trouble with the C part), and the English test was really easy so it might’ve been a 満点 haha.
Not in any way want to seem braggy just wanted to give a sort of view on how my application went.
Thanks in beforehand, and sorry for the long text.
Hi Alexander,
My area of expertise and the focus of this blog is on the MEXT scholarship for graduate students.
Unfortunately, I do not know anything about how the scoring or evaluation system for Specialized Training College scholarships, so I cannot guess how subject tests might affect your evaluation. It sounds like the system is completely different from the scholarship for graduate students. (At the graduate level, each country has a certain number of slots, so if the embassy nominates you, you are practically guaranteed to receive the scholarship, since there are no further competitive screenings).
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help. Perhaps another reader on here has expertise in the STC scholarship and can give better advice.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I am in Canada doing my undergraduate. I was thinking of applying for MEXT Medicine Scholarship Undergraduate program. What is the minimum GPA for MEXT undergraduate applicants? Do you know anyone who studied Medicine in Japan? Do you have any advice?
Hi Haley M,
The minimum GPA is 2.3 out of 3.0 on MEXT’s scale, so you would have to convert your grades to that system (you can find an explanation of how to convert grades here).
I have never heard of anyone successfully studying medicine under the MEXT scholarship. You would have to be native-level fluent in Japanese to be able to get in to a medical program because all of the license testing, etc., that you would need for practical training parts of the program must be acquired in Japanese. That rules out most applicants.
If you are interested in medicine, then I would suggest that you consider applying for an academic degree in Life Sciences to conduct research related to your medical interests. However, if you really want to go for an MD, then Japan and the MEXT scholarship may not be your best option.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you so much for taking the time and replying to many of these comments.
So I’ve been been recommended by the embassy and have sent my documents to the schools that I hoped to apply to (Keio, Tokyo). I have a question about receiving the LOA from the schools that I applied to. I sent in my documents around 2 weeks ago, haven’t heard anything back from them yet. I know it takes some time to process all the documents, but do you think it would be inappropriate to ask and check if all the paperwork is going smoothly so far? Just a little anxious.
Thank you so much!
Hi Mike,
Congratulations on passing the primary screening!
Did you send the documents by email or post? The instructions from MEXT this year said to send them by email, but the universities might have old instructions on their websites. (It goes without saying, but double-check the instructions for applying for an LoA on the universities’ websites to see if they mention anything about when and how to expect a reply to your application).
If you sent the documents by email and have not heard back, I think it is a good idea to contact the universities and make sure the email arrived. Sometimes emails with large attachments can end up being blocked.
If you sent the documents by post, first check the tracking information on the package to make sure it arrived, then I would suggest emailing the university to confirm that your application package was complete and politely ask about the processing time for the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I sent the email by email and they confirmed that they received it. It’s been several weeks though, I think I’m going to just (of course politely) ask about the processing time for the application.
If you have any objections to that based on your own experience, please let me know before I accidentally send a rude email! 🙂
Many thanks for your help.
Hi Mike,
I do not think that it is rude for you to ask them about the processing time, as long as your email itself is polite!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
From your experience, when do universities usually get back to the applicants regarding the LOA?
I sent in my documents almost 6 weeks ago, and have yet to hear anything back from the universities I applied to. (After my last question to you, I politely asked and they basically said things usually take 3-4 weeks, please don’t email us again until we email you).
From talking to other students who applied to the same university, they haven’t heard anything back either but they submitted their documents much later. At this point I’m getting a little worried, if you could give me your thoughts on this (especially if you think something is wrong), I would really appreciate it!
Hi Mike,
When I used to handle LoAs, there were times when it took us nearly 2 months to get back to applicants. It all depended on the timing of the documents’ arrival and the individual graduate schools and their faculty meetings schedules. (There were also times where if a document set arrived on Monday, we would be able to get it approved by the following week, but if it arrived on Tuesday, it would miss the last faculty meeting of the semester, so we wouldn’t be able to reply for two months.)
As long as the university has acknowledged that they have your documents and are processing them, you have nothing to worry about. In general, the fact that it is taking them a long time is not any reflection on your application and it does not indicate that they might reject you any more than a quick reaction time would. It is just that universities can be very large and bureaucratic, so slow to get things done.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Mr. Travis
I intend to apply for the research MEXT Scholarship through the university recommendation , but it seems that Japanese universities only recommend international students coming from their overseas partner institutes. Maybe I have get something wrong and the exchange agreement is just priority and the scholarship is based on merits.
However could you please help me regarding these questions? (I would like just further clarification)
1. Am I eligible to apply for research MEXT Scholarship via university recommendation as an Iranian applicant?
2. Is it necessary that my domestic university has an exchange agreement/ collaboration with Japanese Universities and if so, do they have an exchange agreement with “Allameh Tabataba’i University” in Iran?
I am just worried that I miss the deadline so maybe that is why I become too hasty.
Regarding the embassy recommendation MEXT scholarship, I cannot apply this year because the application period has been over (It is on early May in my country every year). Therefore, the university recommendation track is the only way for me now.
So it would be appreciated to help me and send more information.
I am looking forward to your reply.
Regards
Paria Fadaei
Hi Paria Fadaei,
I saw you had asked the same question on another post and answered it there first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have some questions about the visa application form. I already successfully passed the MEXT Scholarship (University Recommendation) & I have to go to the embassy to finalise my visa for October 2018 departure. I tried contacting the embassy but they weren’t the most helpful, so I thought I’d put my questions out here.
Apologies if the answers are pretty obvious, but it would be a wasted journey for me if the form was filled out incorrectly!
1. I assume I have to wait for my flight and accommodation information to be confirmed by the university before completing the form as it asks for date of arrival & address for duration of stay?
2. Is my intended length of stay whatever is indicated on my Certificate of Admission (1 year) or since I am planning on taking the entrance exam for the doctoral course would it be the total length of time I am expecting to stay (3 years)?
3. Is the guarantor/inviter in Japan my academic supervisor &/or the university itself?
I apologise if you’ve touched on this elsewhere on your site but I wasn’t too sure where it would be found!
Many thanks,
Dale
Hi Dale,
Congratulations on earning the scholarship!
When you went to the embassy, did you inform them that you were a MEXT scholar? There is a special visa application process for MEXT scholarships winners, since you are essentially an invitee of the Japanese government. A few of the questions you mentioned should not be necessary for MEXT scholars or the Embassy should be able to give you specific guidance on how to fill it in as a MEXT scholar. When I was working with MEXT scholars, none of them ever contacted us with these questions (whereas non-MEXT scholars contact me constantly with them, now), so I can only assume the Embassy offers specific guidance.
1. No, you do not have to wait because this does not need to be your final answer. Your best guess is fine for now. Look up a possible route and fill in that information.
2. It should be the length of stay on your acceptance certificate. You will extend your period of stay in Japan once you officially extend your enrollment and MEXT scholarship.
3. Please check with the Embassy for this. In general for students, your reference in Japan is that university (not an individual), but it might be different for MEXT scholars.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks Travis,
I contacted the embassy again and they basically relayed the information you confirmed to me above, although they informed me that my name wasn’t on the list of government scholarship recipients. Hoping that this is resolved by the time I actually head to the embassy!
Many thanks,
Dale
Hi Dale,
During the application process, did the university ask you which embassy was closest to your home? Typically, your name is only placed on the list for one embassy or consulate, so only that location would have your information and you would only be able to apply there.
There is another possibility – were you selected for a Top Global University category scholarship? (You would know that you are in that category if MEXT is not paying for your flight ticket to Japan). In that case, you might be subject to a different application process or have a later application date. Unfortunately, I haven’t worked with that process directly, so I would recommend that you check with the university that nominated you and ask them if they have any guidance for your visa application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Mr. Travis,
Thanks for your helpful information.
I am now contacting with my professor at kyushu university and I intend to apply MEXT scholarship through university recommendation in 2019.
Because of lacking knowledge in Japanese, I still can’t find the 2019 application form for MEXT scholarship through university recommendation.
Would you mind sharing me the 2019 university recommendation application form?
This will be the best support for me at the moment.
Once again, thank you for your kindly help.
Best Regards,
Truong Gia Huy
Hi Truong Gia Huy,
It’s not a problem with your language ability – the form and instructions most likely are not out yet.
The exact timing and process for the University Recommendation MEXT scholarship varies significantly from university to university, but it looks like Kyushu University opens for applications in December. At least, that’s what their website indicates now, I would recommend that you follow up with them directly later to be sure.
Their site also indicates that they only nominate students from partner universities, so if your university does not have a partnership, then you might want to follow up on that, as well.
Typically, the official MEXT application form for the University Recommendation MEXT scholarship only comes out after universities have stopped accepting applications, so they will likely have some other forms for you to complete in the meantime. You would need to get those from the university, itself.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Mr. Travis,
Thank you for your great guidelines! Would you be so kind as to help me to understand one thing?
I’m interested in postgraduate scholarship. So I have some work experience, I’m going to improve my English and Japanese as well, I have numerous recommendations, and I have a good idea for my future research, BUT my university grades are not the best one. And I’m curious is it possible to get a scholarship if my grades are not so good?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Alina,
Your grades do have to meet the minimum requirement when converted to MEXT’s 3.0 scale. Sometimes, you may find that grades that do not look so good in your home country actually convert fairly well, so do not give up hope!
Higher grades does make you more competitive for the scholarship, but it is still possible to earn it with lower grades if you have an outstanding field of study and research program plan and do well in your interviews. You’ll just have to work harder to make sure that you do the best you can on the parts of the application that are under your control.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Mr. Travis,
Thank you so much for your reply!
Well, yes, this looks not so scary 🙂 Thanks again!
Mr. Travis,
And I have another question. I’m going to enroll in a master’s degree programme. However, my point of interest not in the same field as my bachelor’s degree. To be more clear, I have a bachelor’s degree in Japanese translation, but I’m interested in business administration as I’m working in this field currently. Is it possible?
Sorry for bothering you again! 🙂
Thanks in advance!
I’m sorry for bothering you!
Hi Alina,
One of the eligibility criteria for the MEXT scholarship is that you have to apply in a field that you majored in previously in university or in its related field. So, whether or not it is possible to apply in Business Administration depends on how well you can justify to the screening committee that it is related to your previous Japanese translation studies.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thanks for all your amazing guidelines. They were so very helpful to my while preparing my documents. I’ve submitted them last week and I’m waiting for the Japanese Embassy in my country to call me for exams. How long do they take to do so?
And my other question is how much score in the English language test is enough to get to the Interviews stage? I know it is a 100 points total.
I wish you could help me with these question.
Thank you again for all your efforts.
Sincerely,
Ed
Hi Ed,
Thank you for your kind words! I’m very glad to hear that you found the posts helpful!
Unfortunately, the way that universities handle exams and the timing of the Primary Screening varies wildly from country to country, so I can’t give you an answer. The best I can do is suggest that you check the embassy’s website and the guidelines posted there to see if there is any information about when results will be released and exams scheduled.
The scoring policy for the exams also varies from country to country, and, of course, it depends on whether you’re applying for a degree program taught in Japanese or English.
Since your questions are specific to your country/embassy, I’m afraid I don’t have enough information to be able to help.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
I wanted to thank you for all your guides regardint the MEXT scholarship, they’ve been a lifesaver. I recently found out about the scholarship before scrambling to apply this cycle, and all the posts on your website have been a fantastic source of information.
I wanted to ask you for some advice regarding my next steps in the MEXT application. I been lucky enough to recieve news this past week that I’ve been selected for the embassy recommendation.
From my end, it seems like all I have to do now is [1] get letters of acceptance (I’ve been able to get a yes from two universities of my choice so far) and [2] submit those to the Japanese consulate and pray for the best? Is there anything else you would caution me about at this point? I’m planning on sending out the documents to the universities as soon as I receive them back from the consulate.
After that it sounds like I just wait for secondary confirmation and placement (by the way do you know when this usually occurs? I saw that it said after December, I just wanted to know the latest they could notify me).
Again, thank you so much for website, I definitely couldn’t have gotten this far without your help. I hope you’re doing well yourself!
Hi Jay,
Congratulations on passing the primary screening! Thank you very much for your kind words, too. It means a lot to me to be able to help in some small way.
Your understanding is correct – all you have to do now is to contact universities to request Letters of Acceptance, then submit those letters, along with your potentially revised Placement Preference Form (if you change your order of preference based on your interaction or based on the letters you receive) to the embassy.
My only caution to you would be to apply for the Letters of Acceptance as early as possible and to make sure that you are applying according to the university’s instructions.
As for notifications, typically, the Secondary Screening is concluded by early November and MEXT starts contacting the universities then to confirm that they will accept you. However, there is no real consistency on whether or not they will notify you first that you have passed the Secondary Screening or will wait until they have your placement confirmed. The placement confirmations can come as late as December or even early February in some cases (I assume the Feb cases are when MEXT has to contact multiple universities to find one to accept the candidate).
In the meantime, you might get unofficial information from your professor or the university saying that they’ve been asked to accept you. While not official, you can generally treat that as true.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear TranSenz,
Thank you so much for the initial reply.
Two more quick questions:
[1] How long does it usually take to get the LOA? I’ve been following up with my embassy and they told me they would get the documents back to me the week after next weekend. I’ve been in contact with the universities on my placement form in preparation to send them the documents as soon as I get them. I just wanted to make sure that there would be enough time.
[2] If I say on the form that I want to do a PhD (I’m still a little iffy on this, I mainly applied I wanted to work with a professor on a particular research project, not necessarily for the degree) , will I still get the two years as a research student (non-degree) prior to the beginning of the PhD program? I was just wondering if they try and get you in after your first year, or if you still had the option to take the two full years before beginning the PhD course.
All your help is greatly appreciated. I hope you have a great weekend ^^
Hi Jay,
1) It depends. The guidance MEXT gave universities this year was that they were to get LOAs back to applicants within one month, and no later than September 25. But each university is going to have its own processing time and processes – and it may even vary by graduate school. August is summer vacation for Japanese universities, too, so responses are likely to be slow then.
All you really need to worry about is being sure that you contact the universities by the August 24 deadline. Of course, earlier is better. If you can get them your documents by the end of July, then you might catch the professors before they go on vacation.
2) Your length of time as a research student is not fixed in advance (aside from the maximum time of 2 years if you arrive in April or 1.5 years if you arrive in September). It will be up to you and your professor to decide when to take the entrance exam if you arrive as a research student.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Sir,
I want to apply by University recommendation as for now the embassy recommendation is over what are the important things that I will be needing. Also if I’m an average student, but very passionate about studying in Japan. Will it be a problem for me to get University recommendation?
Hi Anushriya Bhardwaj,
The University Recommendation scholarship is very competitive, so you will need to work hard to ensure that you can beat out all of the other applicants.
The most important things to have are good grades and an outstanding field of study and research program plan, plus meeting all of the other requirements, like having English language proficiency test scores.
The articles I linked above should help you get started.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir, I’m currently a 4th year student of Bachelor of Technology, specializing in Electronics and Instrumentation from Banasthali Vidhyapith, Rajasthan,India. I’ll be completing my 16 years of education on June’19. I want to do MBA from Japan using MEXT Scholarship.
I haven’t done any research work in my bachelor’s, just a project.
I wanted to asking which category do I exactly fall. I don’t know under which of the program should I fill the MEXT application. Kindly guide me for the same.
Hi Anushriya Bhardwaj,
It sounds to me like you should be applying for the MEXT scholarship for research students (graduate students) for a Master’s degree or Master’s level research student.
One of the requirements of the MEXT scholarship is that you apply in a field of study that you have majored in at university in the past. If your bachelor’s degree is in Electronics and Instrumentation, then applying for an MBA does not seem to be related.
You do not need to have completed research in your bachelor’s degree to apply for the MEXT scholarship for graduate studies.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir,
Well even if I apply for M.Tech in Japan, I have absolutely no idea where to get started with my research plan. I haven’t done any sort of research before. So do you think the project that I’ve made in B.tech will help me turning it into a research? Will that work?
Hi Anushriya Bhardwaj,
I’ve written about the structure of what a Field of Study and Research Program Plan should include, which might give you a hint as to how to get started. I am currently working on some resources about how to develop your research question to get started, so look for those to come out in the future!
In the meantime, I would think that some of your current professors could be a great resource to help you determine a research topic and plan, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
sir,
I am applying for mext scholarship in 2020, so i have been gathering information on it. This year in India, the embassy of japan released a preliminary form which needs to be submitted before document screening. It said “course applied-Research/masters/phd”. I have some questions regarding it.
1) Does applying directly for masters is the same as going to research and then applying for masters? Do I have to give an extra exam?
2) If I am unable to qualify directly for masters then can I still go as Research student and then apply for masters?
I asked the embassy but they told me ” if you want to apply for masters, then write masters” but they didn’t clarify the above mentioned questions.
Hi Hironmoy,
I haven’t seen the extra document from the embassy in India, so my answers may not be specific to that document.
1) There is no difference at the Embassy level between applying for research student status or directly to the degree. The difference would come in your interaction with the universities. They may ask you to undertake an additional exam or screening to accept you as a degree student versus a research student. I wrote about the timing that this screening could occur in my recent article about applying for Letters of Acceptance.
2) This will be up to the university to decide when they issue you a letter of acceptance, as I cover in the link above. Regardless of whether you ask the university to accept you as a research student or a degree student, it is ultimately their discretion as to which status to offer you a LoA for.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis
How the first/ initial screening is done? How we get to know that it has been done? How much time the Embassy takes for initial screening?
Hi Sadia Fida,
It depends on the embassy. Some embassies move quite quickly between the stages of the primary screening and others take much more time. For example, I know some embassies may take two weeks to finish the document review and decide who gets invited to the exams, but others will give an answer within days.
I would recommend that you check the website of the embassy/consulate where you applied to see if the application guidelines there give any information about when the document screening results will be out and when the exams and interviews will be held.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am Nigerian, I applied for Mext scholarship 2019 embassy recommendation as a research student.
Please how do I know if I passed the document screening?
Hi Ajayi Tolulope,
Each embassy has its own results announcement procedures, so I would recommend you check with them directly. You may find the answer in the application guidelines. If not, you can contact them to ask when it will be released.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I just found out about your blog and I dare say it’s very informative! Thanks a lot for your efforts and help.
My name is Khlood, I am from Egypt! Recently, I have been in contact with a professor from Kumamoto University, his secretary emailed me to apply for SGU scholarship, according to the MEXT grade conversion I did on my own, I am ineligible, but they said they couldn’t calculate my GPA from my transcripts and asked me to provide a letter stating that I am considered at the top 25% and send all original documents- which I did, I am not sure if the university will accept it, and if they did accept me and submit my papers to MEXT, would they refuse me if they manage to calculate my grades? or is the decision based solely on the university recommendation? I should note that I was rejected before at the Embassy and University MEXT as well from another university.
Anyway, what I am confused about is, what does JSPS have to do with this scholarship? as the secretary said the student’s affairs office told her that if I passed the internal selection, they will recommend me to JSPS, and if JSPS wanted more documents they will let me know, but they’re not sure when.
I am not sure whether the JSPS or MEXT are intercalated or is that a different procedure.
I got so confused and tired to the point I just want any sort of reply ASAP! And I am not even sure if the results will be out in August as you mentioned before and I get accepted there would be enough time to issue a visa and such since paperwork take FOREVER in Egypt! If I get accepted, that is!
Sorry for the rant!! I know that there might be nothing you can help me with but I think I just wanted some…consolation, perhaps?! Or just some pointers on what to do!!
Hi Khlood,
Since I have never seen your transcripts, I cannot give you a meaningful answer on the grade calculation. But if the university said that they cannot calculate your grades and asked for the letter, then I would trust that they know what they are doing.
There is another category of the MEXT scholarship that is related to JSPS. As far as I know, it has nothing to do with SGU, but I haven’t done enough research into it to be sure. Unfortunately, that is out of my area of expertise. All I can tell you is that the scholarship category does exist and that it is a link-up between MEXT and JSPS.
The results for that scholarship category should also be out by the end of June (but as with everything else related to MEXT, may be late).
I’ve worked with many scholarship winners from Egypt in the past and they started their MEXT visa application process in mid to late July and had no problems arriving in Japan in time, so I wouldn’t worry about that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis 😄,
I recently applied for the Japanese mext scholarship in my country Zambia . However during my application process the doctor said it was not necessary to have my medical report typed so he filled it in by pen . Do you think that this can jeopardize my chances ?🤔😭
am worried because the report stated that it should be typed .
Hi Chipo,
The form says that you should fill it out in print or type in Japanese or English, so handwriting (print) should be fine. “Print” in this case refers to writing letters individually and clearly as opposed to “script”. (All capital letters is preferred, but that won’t hurt you if the doctor didn’t do that).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
With Your help, I managed to pass the first screening. I am motivated and ready for the exams, but I need some help in clarifying some stuff. Im an undergraduate student, applying for humanities. I did past exams from the MEXT site, and I scored 95%-100% in english, 25-30% in math. When it comes to Japanese, I only know katakana, hiragana and basic kenjis aswell as phrases for every day life ( such as asking for directions, greetings etc). After seeing the Japanese exams, I am afraid I could turn in a blank paper. My question is: What scores exactly are needed to pass? I read that in humanities, english and japanese is more important than math, Should I then study hard Japanese to get atleast 10% or should I ignore it and focus on math to get 50%? Will 100% from English and 50% from Math compensate for my blank test from Japanese? I really enjoy learning that language but I have hard time understanding the exams. Thanks for your time and help.
Malak.
Hi Malak,
Congratulations on passing the document screening!
Unfortunately, I do not know what the required passing scores are for the undergraduate exams. Perhaps someone else here with experience in the undergraduate application can comment with more information!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I am applying for Embassy recommended MEXT scholarship, my transcript of undergraduate degree does not include total and obtained marks, just grade, total cgpa and percentage, can you please tell me what should I write in marks obtained section in Mark sheet?
Thank you.
Hi Ifrah,
You need to submit some official documentation from your university that shows your performance in each of the courses you have taken, individually. Maybe that document is not called a transcript in your case. If you do not know what document is appropriate for your specific country and education system, I recommend that you contact the embassy for clarification. They should know your system better than I do.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi.
I am a Nigerian. Where do submit my MEXT application?
Thank you
Hi Adejoh Bank,
If you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then you would submit it to the Japanese embassy in Nigeria.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day Mr. Travis.
My problem for the undergraduate form is the section for academic record.
After filling my primary education, lower secondary education and upper secondary education details, is it relevant for me to fill the section for tertiary education?
Hi Okpechi Anthony,
If you do not have any tertiary education, then you would not fill that in on the form. I think most applicants for the undergraduate scholarship would not have any tertiary education experience, so that would not put you at a disadvantage.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
I’m looking to apply for the 2019 intake for MEXT scholarships. Being from the UK, my exams don’t finish until the end of May, which would mean that I would be unable to be in Japan for the 1st of April for the Preparatory Education. Does this mean I will have to wait until the 2020 intake? Unfortunately my Japanese is not good enough for direct placement!
Is there any way for me to go next year?
Thanks
Hi Jenson Hanna,
If you are applying for the 2019 intake, you can select a fall semester arrival, which would be after your exams, so you should still be eligible to apply!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis
Thanks for your time and information you’ve been sharing here to help people. I’m a Nigerian and want to apply for Masters. Pls I need a breakdown on how to get the fillable forms, I just got to know about this scholarship yesterday and the deadline is on the 8th of June. Thank you.
Hi Daniel, success ugochukwu,
You should get all of the forms from the website of the Japanese embassy in Nigeria.
Since they may have additional requirements or instructions, it is important that you get it from them directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thanks for the elaborate article. Just need to know that in case, where my university name is bigger than the space allocated in the typed format, what should I do? It doesn’t give me an option to go to next line and doesn’t let me complete it either. Should I print the form and hand write it? Note: Everything else is typed!
Hi Sahar,
In excel, you can change the font size or change a cell so that any overflow carries on to a second line. I recommend trying both of those to get the name to fit.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
For the graduate research programs, does one have to select a program under the Global 30 Project in order to receive the MEXT scholarship? Or can one apply to any university as long as other criteria like availability of a PI are fulfilled?
I’m terribly sorry if this question has been answered before.
Thanks in advance
Raagini
Hi Raagini,
You do not need to limit yourself to Global 30 programs. Any degree program at any university in Japan is available.
Unforatunately, I do not know what a PI is.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Your blog has an infinite wisdom, Thank you with all of my heart,
In the guidelines document, 10. ACQUISITION OF ADMISSION LETTERS, there is a contradiction here.
They say the applicants who have passed the First Screening shall directly contact the Japanese universities after Fri., August 24, and they also say August 25 or after is not permitted.
I need more elaboration on the deadline, how can we just have one day to request the issuance of admission letters?
Hi Fadi Bakoura,
I think you might have misread the guidelines, but the English wording is confusing. It says you must contact the universities “after the notification of the First Screening results by Fri., August 24 (Japan time).” (*Emphasis added) That means after the results of the Primary Screening but before (by) Aug 24.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
what if someone applies without no TOEFL AND IELST test’s scores.
Hi Aris,
You do not need TOEFL or IELTS to apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT scholarship, but you might need them to get a Letter of Acceptance from a Japanese university and you would need them to apply for the University Recommended MEXT scholarship application, so I would recommend taking one of the tests.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey, Travis!
I am applying for MEXT embassy recommended scholarship for 2019 intake
Do I need to give the GRE exam for this? is it a necessity of is IELTS score enough ??
and if GRE is compulsory what is the right time to take the exam ?
thanking you
-Aishwarya
Hi Aishwarya,
The GRE is not required for the Embassy Recommended MEXT scholarship application, but some universities may ask you to submit GRE scores when you apply for an LoA or if you apply for the University Recommended MEXT scholarship. You’d have to check the individual university web pages for details.
If you find out that the GRE is required for your university, I recommend taking the test as soon as possible to make sure that you have your scores in time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis !!
I have an URGENT QUESTION
should I contact more than one professor from the same university……….. since the professor that I have sent the mail to hasn’t replied yet.
how long should one wait for a reply? (as I don’t wanna be rude)
And also one of the professors that I have mailed is an Adjunct Professor……..will that be a problem… I mean is it necessary to only have Professors/Associate Professors as a supervisor?
Hi Aishwarya,
Considering that you do not need to have a professor’s reply until after you pass the primary screening, it is not that urgent, so please don’t worry so much. You can list professors on your placement preference form even if they have not replied.
Typically, I would recommend that you wait a week before sending a reminder. I do not recommend contacting multiple professors from the same university unless one has already turned you down and you need an alternate.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thanks for your extraordinary efforts
Regarding the recommendation letter from a dean or an advisor, According to Embassy of Japan in our country, we must submit 1 original recommendation letter and 2 copies. but my supervisor just puts one original in the envelope and closed the envelope. The problem is my advisor is overseas because I graduated from overseas university, so it is difficult to ask him again to send me another envelope by post. it takes so long time and the envelope might be delivered after the deadline.
What should I do in this case? Can I
Thank you
Hi Omar Yahya Al-shargi,
Thank you for your kind words!
For the letter of recommendation copies, my best advice is to call the embassy or consulate and ask them for guidance. In the past, I have heard different instructions given in different countries, so it’s best to see what they want.
The most common answer I have seen is that they will tell you to open the letter and make copies yourself, but some other countries will tell you just to turn in the single, sealed copy. In any case, you should not need to get extra copies from your Dean or Advisor.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Your blog really helped me through embassy recommendation application process.
I have completed my 16 years of education that is Msc(internationally equivalent to bachelors)so i applied for MS PROGRAM right?
In my country placemmet preference form is optional so i dont need to fill it.Is it effects my application and selection or not?
Secondly i have done thesis in my bachelors program but there was no any publication so what can.i write in thesis portion in application form just thesis title is ok?
Thirdly, i am little bit confused about my study plan in Japan will u please guide me to answer questioned in study plan like present field of study ?
I have not been involved in any study since 6 years and my thesis in bachelors is not too good.waiting for ur response
Thamks regards,
Sundas
Hi Sundas,
You had asked some of the same questions on another post and I answered them here.
For the Study Plan, I wrote a detailed article about how to complete that form last year that is still valid. You can find that article here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to pursue PhD in Political Science. How to get University recommendations?
Where i can get the details of Professors and their contact address?
Apart from MEXT , how can JASSO be utilised for getting scholarships??
Hi Abhishek,
Here’s a link to my most recent article on How to Apply for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship and the article on How to Find Professors.
The JASSO scholarship is not awarded prior to enrollment, you can only apply for it if you have already enrolled in the university as a self-financed student. Each university’s application process in that situation would be different. Essentially, though, you would have to be one of the top international students to qualify for the scholarship!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis, I’m an Indonesian student and have found your blog very informative. I just have one simple question which I can’t seem to find any clear answer online. I am applying for the undergraduate SGU MEXT scholarship and I already got the university recommendation and they are preparing to apply me for the scholarship. I just can’t seem to find any details on the next steps and the announcement date for the scholarship.
I know your blog is mostly about the Graduate scholarships ( I still found it very helpful) but I’m just wondering at what time do they usually announce their scholarship. I just can’t seem to find any clear information out there.
Thank you very much
Hi Bondan,
While I specialize in the graduate scholarship, not the undergraduate scholarship, the Top Global Universities application process and timeline is the same for both, so I do have a little bit of information about that.
The final results from MEXT for the Top Global University scholarship slots are expected to be released in early August to the universities.
After that, if you are outside Japan, you will need to apply for a student visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate nearest your home in your home country (you will have to give this information to the university). There is a special application process for MEXT scholarship recipients.
Finally, you will have to purchase your ticket to fly to Japan! Unfortunately, for Top Global University scholarship recipients, MEXT does not cover the flight ticket.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz