I have written an updated version at a new link!
Please click here for the updated version of this article: How to Apply for the 2021/2022 University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
I have left the old article in place, as you may find useful information in the comments below, but please refer to the newest version.
Old Article
MEXT has released the application guidelines and forms for the 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application for research (graduate) students!
If you have not started your application yet, now is the time to get moving, even if you are still waiting for the official guidelines from the university where you will apply.
Here’s what this article will cover:
- The scholarship types available (General Category and PGP) and number of slots.
- What the scholarship offers
- Scholarship eligibility
- Links to other articles about the forms you will need to complete
MEXT Scholarship for Research Students: General Category and PGP
These are the two primary types of scholarship places available. The primary difference between the two is that PGP programs are very narrowly defined, but have more scholarship places available and therefore a much higher chance of success. On the other hand, General Category scholarships are open to all applicants but there are very few places available, so expect competition to be high.
(There is also a third major type, Top Global University scholarships, but that process is rather different, so I will cover it elsewhere).
What are the MEXT Scholarship PGP Programs?
Almost every year, MEXT reaches out to universities and gives them the opportunity to apply for a certain number of scholarship slots for one of their graduate or undergraduate programs in advance. It’s a tough screening process, but if approved, then that university is guaranteed to have a fixed number of scholarship places available for a period of three years.
What does this mean for you? Simple: PGP programs are your best chance to get a University Recommended MEXT Scholarship if you are eligible. It’s not even close. I have seen programs in the past that had 10 scholarship places available for one PGP program each year. However, outside of that program, the university only had 5 scholarship places for all of its other graduate schools and programs. In that case, there were 11 applicants for the PGP program, with a nearly 90% success rate. Meanwhile, there were over 200 applicants for the general scholarship, with a 2.5% success rate.
How to Find PGP Programs
PGP programs are pre-approved by MEXT to have a certain number of scholarship places available each year for a period of three years. So, any of the programs approved over the past three years (2017-2019 as I write this) would still be available.
You can find the PGP program information at the links below (all PDFs on MEXT’s website):
- 2017: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2017/12/01/1398647_1.pdf
- 2018: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2018/12/04/1411539_1.pdf
- 2019: https://www.mext.go.jp/content/1423005_1_1.pdf
MEXT Scholarship PGP Program Eligibility
The biggest problem with the PGP program is that it might not be possible to find out in advance if you are eligible. When universities apply to MEXT for approval for a PGP program, it typically needs to be very precise and focused. For example, I knew of a program once that was only available to applicants in the field of life sciences from Thailand or Malaysia at one particular university. It can be that narrow, but universities will not necessarily make those eligibility criteria available. So, even if you find a PGP program from the lists above, there is a possibility
that you will not be eligible. That is just a risk you have to take.
Priority Countries
The Japanese government has identified a list of priority countries and universities have to ensure that at least 75% of their nominees come from a priority country. That means that if a program has fewer than 4 total slots available, they cannot recommend any students from a non-priority country.
You can find the list of priority countries in my article about the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process from last year.
General Category Scholarship Slots
In contrast to the limited PGP programs, in general any university in Japan can nominate students for the General Category MEXT Scholarship and there are no restrictions on nationality or major. (The only exception is that universities whose international students became illegal overstays over the previous two years are ineligible to nominate students – but that should not be a problem with any reputable universities.)
The good news is that anyone can apply. The bad news is that anyone can apply. That means that the competition is going to be intense! You will need to have top grades as well as a laser-focused, well-crafted Field of Study and Research Program Plan in order to have any hope of success.
Slots Available for the 2020 MEXT Scholarship General Category
The number of slots available to any university is based on number of privately funded (e.g. non-MEXT Scholarship) international students enrolled in the university’s graduate school, as follows:
Number of Self-Financed International Graduate Students Enrolled | Number of MEXT Scholarship Slots |
---|---|
200+ | 3 |
11-199 | 2 |
0-10 | 1 |
If you have been following my articles on this scholarship from the past, you will see that this is a significant reduction in numbers! Last year, universities could recommend up to 9 applicants in some cases. With the numbers dramatically reduced, you can see that competition for success will only be that much higher!
(Actually, in the 2019 cycle, even though universities were told that they could recommend a higher number, in the end, MEXT ended up cutting the slots at the last minute, leaving many applicants who thought their scholarship was assured with an unfortunate result. This year, by starting with a lower number, I think they will avoid having that same problem again).
What the MEXT Scholarship Offers
The scholarship benefits are unchanged from last year:
- Exemption from paying tuition
- Monthly stipend:
- Research Students: JPY 143,000/month
- Master’s Degree/ Professional Degree Students: JPY 144,000/month
- PhD Students: JPY 145,000/month
- (Undergraduate Students: JPY 117,000/month)
- Cost of Living Adjustment: JPY 2,000 – 3,000 in selected areas
- Round-trip flight ticket to Japan (covered by MEXT or the university). Note: only the international portion of the ticket is covered. You are responsible for all domestic travel costs in your home country and in Japan, plus the airport usage fees and fuel surcharges.
How to Apply for the 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship
Every university in Japan sets its own application process for students. In some cases, the application period may already be over before I have posted this article.
Some universities will select their MEXT scholarship candidates out of the pool of general applicants and others will have a specific application process. Once you have selected your university, as I describe below, you will need to check their website for more information. I recommend searching google for the name of the university and “University MEXT Scholarship” to find the guidelines quickly.
Technical Differences between the Embassy-Recommended and University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship
If you have applied for the Embassy Recommendation in the past there are a few key differences in the scholarship that you should be aware of. (If you haven’t you can skip down to the next section).
- You can only apply to one university.
- You can only arrive in the fall semester – except for PGP programs that start in the spring.
- There is no Japanese language training semester.
- In most cases, the university will decide if you are allowed to start as a degree-seeking or research student. If they accept degree-seeking students in the fall, then you will almost certainly start as a degree-seeking student. If they do not, then you would have to start as a research student.
Choosing Your University – The Most Important Decision
You can only choose one university to apply to, so this decision is critical and must come very early in your application process.
I have written another article about how to search for universities in Japan with English language programs in your field of study that should help you figure out which universities are even possible.
Focus on Partner Universities
However, keep in mind that you should select a university that has a partnership with your current university if at all possible. Some Japanese universities will only accept University Recommendation MEXT scholarship applications from graduates of partner universities.
Partner University Benefit: You have to submit a letter of recommendation as part of the application process. If your universities have a formal partnership, any faculty member can write the letter. If the universities have an informal partnership and history of interaction, then your letter must come from the Dean or higher. No partnership? Your letter of recommendation would have to come from the president of your university.
Even if you do find a university that accepts applications from anyone, having a partnership connection helps you stand out over the competition, makes one of the application requirements a little easier, and also makes it easier for the university to accept you, since they are under pressure by MEXT to nominate students from partner universities and have to report that partnership status.
Another advantage of applying to a partner university is that it may be easier to learn their exact application process. As I mentioned above, not every university makes this clear or public. If there is a direct connection between your current university and the university in Japan, such as a connection between professors or between international offices, then you can use that to ask about the application.
Even if there is no formal partnership agreement between your universities, the existence of informal cooperation is also beneficial. Check with your university’s international office or international planning office to see if they can provide you with a list of all the Japanese universities that your university has partnered or worked with.
Applying to Non-Partner Universities
You cannot control what partnerships your university has in Japan, so you may find yourself in a situation where applying to a partner university is not an option. That doesn’t mean that you should give up! It just means that you’re going to have to work a little harder.
If you do not have the partnership connection, it may be harder to determine which universities will accept non-partner applications. So, even though you can only apply to one university, at the research stage, I suggest you come up with a list of several Japanese universities that you would like to apply to and follow-up to find the application process for each one. (I will cover that below).
If you are interested in a more detailed description about how to research and approach universities, I covered that in last year’s article about How to Apply for the 2019 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so I recommend referring to that article for more details. The process has not changed.
Follow the Application Guidelines to the Letter!
As I described above, the competition for this scholarship is incredibly fierce. There could be hundreds of applicants for a mere three scholarship places. So do not expect the university to have any patience with incomplete applications, documents that do not meet their requirements, or requests for exceptions to the rules. The universities will be actively looking for ways to pare down the pool of applicants that they have to seriously consider, so do not give them any excuse to discard your application.
I do offer coaching services to review your application to determine if it is complete and make recommendations for corrections/fixes, but this service has a fee. If you are interested, you can find more information at the Coaching Services link at the top-right corner of this page. Be aware though, that this service is first-come, first-served, and my queue fills up quickly.
University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship 2020 Eligibility Criteria
The requirements below are for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship. As I detail in my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, there are differences between the eligibility requirements for University and Embassy Recommendation. I have published another article about the eligibility requirements for the Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship as of the 2020 Application Cycle that you can find at the link above.
These are also the eligibility requirements for the MEXT Scholarship for Research (Graduate) Students. I do not cover the requirements for undergraduates below.
Disclaimer
The eligibility requirements I describe below are the requirements set out by MEXT. However, universities may have their own, higher eligibility requirements, as well. If you find that the university you are applying to specifies higher requirements than what I describe below, you have to meet both sets of requirements. Do not bother trying to argue with the university that MEXT’s standards are lower. That won’t work!
You may also find requirements below that are higher than what the universities require, or completely new. Even if there is some discrepancy, if you do not meet the MEXT requirements, the university cannot recommend you for the scholarship, period.
Minimum GPA
You must have a minimum 2.3 / 3.0 GPA on MEXT’s scale over the most recent two years of your degree-seeking studies. For more information on how to correctly calculate your GPA, refer to my previous article.
Nationality
You must have the nationality of a country that has formal relations with Japan (e.g. not Taiwan or North Korea) and must not have Japanese Nationality, including dual nationality. If you currently hold Japanese nationality as a dual national, you must give up your Japanese nationality prior to arriving in Japan.
Age
As of the application for the 2020 scholarship, applicants would need to have been born on or after April 2, 1985.
Exceptions
There are only two exceptions to the date of birth above
- Inability to apply during the ages when you would have been eligible due to the situation in your country, such as compulsory military service or the total suspension of higher education due to war, as approved by MEXT. (Exceptions will never be granted for personal reasons such as family reasons, financial difficulties, health, etc.)
- Applicants who are graduates of the Young Leaders Program and applying for a Doctoral-level program that will start within 5 years of the end of the YLP.
Academic Background
For the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship, MEXT requires only that you meet the admissions requirements established by the university recommending you.
Field of Study
You must be applying within the same field that you studied previously at university or a related field. Your field of study must be available at the university you are applying to.
I have discussed the meaning of a “related field of study” in detail in past articles as well as in my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, but here is a brief summary:
A “related field” is a field of research that falls within the same discipline as something you majored in previously. If your past and future fields could conceivably be majors in the same faculty, or if one is a subset of another, they are related. For example, international relations and political science are clearly related. The same could be said for media studies and communication, or mechanical engineering and robotics. If you come from a multidisciplinary field, such as area studies, then any of the related fields are fair game.
If your fields are not so obviously related, then you have to sell the connection in your Field of Study and Research Program plan by clearly showing how research in your past field provided you with a natural transition to the future one.
Language Ability
For both Japanese and English, you have to meet the language ability requirement at the time of formal enrollment into the degree program, not at the time of application as in the past. However, if you fail to meet the language ability requirement when you progress to the degree program, you would forfeit the scholarship. So, my guess is that regardless of MEXT’s relaxed timing, universities are still going to want to see that you have the requisite language ability at the time of application, in general. They do not want to lose one of their scholarship recommendees later!
Here are the standards you have to meet for MEXT. You only need to meet the language requirement for the language that your program will be taught in! So, if you are applying for a program taught in English, the Japanese language requirements are irrelevant to you.
Japanese Language Ability Requirement
You must meet one of the following (in addition to meeting the admission requirements for your degree program, of course).
- JLPT N2 or higher at the time of starting the degree program
- Completed your qualifying degree* in Japanese
- Have equivalent or higher ability in Japanese language to a person meeting criteria 1 or 2 above, as determined by the nominating university.
*Your “qualifying degree” is the degree that you earned as a prerequisite to the degree you are applying for. If you are applying for a master’s degree, your qualifying degree would be your bachelor’s degree. If you are applying for a doctoral degree, then your qualifying degree would be your master’s degree.
English Language Ability Requirements
You must meet one of the following (in addition to meeting the admission requirements for your degree program, of course).
- Have a formal language proficiency test score in English equivalent or higher to B2 on the CEFR scale at the time of starting the degree program.
- Completed your qualifying degree* in English
- Have equivalent or higher ability in English language to a person meeting criteria 1 or 2 above, as determined by the nominating university.
*Your “qualifying degree” is the degree that you earned as a prerequisite to the degree you are applying for. If you are applying for a master’s degree, your qualifying degree would be your bachelor’s degree. If you are applying for a doctoral degree, then your qualifying degree would be your master’s degree.
CEFR B2 Equivalency Table
Here are the scores that MEXT has determined to be equivalent to the CEFR B2, based on the PDF linked above:
- Cambridge English (Preliminary, First, Advanced, Proficiency): 160 or higher
- Eiken (Jun-1 kyu, 1 kyu): Any passing score
- GTEC (Advanced, CBT): 1190 or higher
- IELTS: 5.5 or higher
- TEAP: 309 or higher
- TEAP CBT: 600 or higher
- TOEFL iBT: 72 or higher
- TOEIC L&R/TOEIC S&W: 1560
The requirements above are only MEXT’s minimum requirements. Universities are well within their rights to establish higher standards.
Health
Must be fit to study in Japan as determined by the nominating university. In general, this means that each university will have a medical form that they require you to have completed.
Even if you have a pre-existing medical condition, in general you would only be disqualified for medical reasons if your home country doctor was unwilling to sign off that you are fit to study abroad in Japan. If your doctor agrees that you can continue your care or medication regimen in Japan, then there should be no problem.
Ability to Arrive in Japan on Designated Date
You must be able to arrive in Japan during the period specified by the nominating university, no more than 2 weeks before or after the official start of the semester. Failure to arrive by the end of the designated period will be considered voluntary withdrawal from the scholarship. In the event that nominees arrive prior to the designated period, their travel fees will not be paid.
Essentially, you need to follow the arrival dates designated by your university. The “2 weeks” mentioned above is an instruction for the university’s reference as to when they are allowed to set your arrival date. Arriving late will mean that you lose the scholarship. Arriving early is possible, but you would forfeit the travel benefits.
Visa Requirement
In principle, you must apply for and obtain a “Student” visa at the Japanese diplomatic mission in the country where you hold nationality then arrive in Japan using that visa. Applicants who already hold other residence statuses in Japan, such as “Permanent Resident”, “Long-term Resident”, etc., must give up that status, apply for a “Student” visa, and return to Japan with that visa. After completion of your degree, it is not guaranteed that you would be able to reobtain a “Permanent Resident” or “Long-term Resident” status again, even if previously held.
Applicants who arrive in Japan without a student visa will have their scholarships suspended.
Disqualification Criteria
Anyone meeting any of the criteria below is ineligible to apply for the scholarship:
- Active duty military or military-employed civilian at the time of arriving in Japan or at any point during the scholarship award period.
- Unable to arrive in Japan by the deadline determined by MEXT or the nominating university.
- Previous recipient of the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship (including those who withdrew from the scholarship in the past after arriving in Japan). However, applicants who have over 3 full years of education or employment history between the month after the end of the previous scholarship award and the commencement of the new award are eligible to apply. Past recipients of the Japanese Studies MEXT Scholarship who returned to their home universities and graduated after receipt of that scholarship (including those expected to graduate before the start of the new scholarship), past recipients of the Japan-Korea Joint Government Scholarship Program for the Students in Science and Engineering Departments, and past recipients of the Young Leaders’ Program scholarship are eligible to apply. Past receipt of the MEXT Honors Scholarship does not disqualify applicants.
- Applicants who are simultaneously applying for any other Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship to begin in fiscal year 2020. (e.g. the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship).
- Applicants who are already enrolled at a Japanese university with a residence status of “Student” at the time of application or who will enroll in a Japanese university prior to the start of the scholarship award period. However, applicants who are currently enrolled in a Japanese university (or who will enroll in a Japanese university) as fee-paying students and who have definite plans to complete their studies, return to their home countries, and obtain a new student visa before returning to Japan are eligible.
Essentially, this requirement means that you cannot be enrolled in a Japanese university with the intent to quit if you receive the MEXT Scholarship. The exception applies to students who enrolled in Japanese university (or language programs) and will complete their course of studies/graduate before the start of the scholarship.
- Applicants who are projected to receive (have been accepted/approved to receive) a scholarship from any other source, including their home country governments, after the commencement of the MEXT scholarship payment period.
- Applicants who have not yet graduated from their qualifying degree at the time of application and who fail to graduate before the start of the scholarship award period.
If you have not graduated, you are still eligible to apply and would have to submit a “Certificate of Expected Graduation” instead of a Certificate of Graduation. However, if you do not graduate as expected, you would lose the scholarship.
- Applicants who have dual nationality, including Japan as one of the nationalities, at the time of application and who fail to renounce their Japanese citizenship prior to the start of the scholarship.
- Applicants who intend to conduct fieldwork or internships outside of Japan or take a leave of absence during their studies for a long period of time.
“Long period of time” is undefined, but I would interpret this as meaning any period of time that interferes with coursework during the semester or the MEXT Scholarship payment cycle (one month). Fieldwork outside the country could be possible during vacation periods, for less than a month, but if you fail to sign in at your university each month, you would forfeit the monthly scholarship payment for the months that you do not sign.
- Applicants who intend to study only as non-degree students and do not plan to advance to the degree program. Applicants who have already obtained a doctoral degree and do not intend to earn another degree (e.g. post-doc research).
Willingness to Participate in Intercultural Interaction
During your studies in Japan, you must be willing to actively participate in interaction events with schools and communities to contribute to the strengthening of relationships between your home country and Japan. After graduation, you must remain in contact with your university, participate in follow-up surveys and studies, and join in activities conducted by the Japanese diplomatic mission in your home country to promote relations with Japan after returning home.
Of course, this is unmeasurable, but stating your willingness/excitement to participate in such activities during the application process where possible would help you application.
How to Apply
As mentioned above, the application guidelines will be different for each university, so you’ll need to check with the university where you will apply. They may have a different process, more forms you need to complete or even ask you to submit forms at different times during the application process.Ultimately, though, here are the documents that you will need to submit by the end of the application. This is the list of documents that MEXT requires universities to obtain. I have written in detail about each of these documents in the past, so I will include links to those previous articles for your reference.
- Application Form: The 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship application form is essentially identical to the 2019 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application form. You can find my article about how to complete that form at the link above and, of course, if you have joined my mailing list (see the link at the bottom of this article), I have already sent you a link to download a sample form. You should get the official form from the university that you are applying to, but you can also find it on MEXT’s website in Excel format for the general category scholarship or PGP.
- Field of Study and Research Program Plan: The Field of Study and Research Program Plan for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship is the same as last year’s University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, and you can find my article about it at the link above. If you applied for the 2020 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you’ll know the FSRPP format was different for that application. If you have purchased my book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, the chapter about formatting your final plan is based on the embassy format, but you can still use if for the University format! Simply move the “Research Goals,” “Previous Research in the Field”, and “Existing Research” to question 2 and move the rest to question 3.
The rest of the documents below are described in my article University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application 2019: Application Documents
- Passport Copy or Government-Issued Identification Record
- Certificate of Grades from last institution attended
- Certificate of Graduation from last institution attended
- Proof of outstanding academic achievement from the last institution attended: Usually, this is simply an explanation of the grading system at the university.
- Certificate of Graduation from last institution attended
- Letter of Recommendation
- Abstract of Thesis: Either your graduation thesis from your last degree or a thesis from a capstone course
- Proof of Linguistic Ability
There will probably also be some form of proof of medical health. While MEXT does not have a specific requirement for this, they do require that universities confirm that applicants are sufficiently physically and mentally healthy to be able to study in Japan, as I described earlier. Many universities will use the Certificate of Health form from the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, though this is by no means necessary.
When will the application results be out?
Application results for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship come in two stages: University Selection Results and Official MEXT Results.
University Selection Results
Universities must select the applicants that they are going to accept and nominate to MEXT and submit those nominations by March 26, at the latest. That means that universities must finish their internal selection procedures, inform applicants of the results and confirm that all applicants are still willing to participate in the scholarship no later than the beginning of March, in general. The results may be even earlier if the university has not yet asked you to submit all of the documents above and need to ask you to send them after the results are out.
Because of those facotrs, different universities may release their initial results at different times. Do not get discouraged if you hear that results are out at different universities, but not at yours. However, if you do not receive a notification from the university by mid-March that you have been selected and nominated to MEXT for the scholarship and their final decision, then I’m afraid that means you were not successful this year and you should start preparing for the next Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application process, which will likely begin in April.
Caution: Results Notification
In some cases, I have seen situations where individual faculties at the university each select one candidate and then that candidate is sent forward to a university-wide screening board for final decision about the university’s nominees. If you are informed that you were selected as the faculty’s candidate and that they will then screen your application at the university level, that does not mean that you will ultimately be selected for the scholarship.
Final Selection Results
After universities select their nominees, they are sent to MEXT for final screening. MEXT claims that results will be out some time in June, but I have never known them to be on time over the last 10 years of following the scholarship. So, expect the results to be released in early to mid-July. That is also the date when results are released by MEXT to the universities. It may take universities another few days to communicate those results to their applicants. Again, this may take some universities longer than others, so if other applicants have heard their final results and you have not, that might be the cause.
Since universities know in advance how many nominees they can have accepted each year, usually all nominees receive the scholarship in the end, but this is not a guarantee. Last year, due to budget problems, MEXT ended up cutting down the number of slots at the last minute, so some applicants received the shocking news that they were not accepted. This year, the maximum number of slots is already quite small (maximum of 3 instead of 9!), so I do not think this should be a risk this time, but nothing is sure with MEXT, anymore.
Want to Maximize Your Chance to Win the MEXT Scholarship?
As I’ve described above, the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship is especially competitive. If you want to increase your chances of earning the scholarship, my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, breaks down the scholarship details and application process and also includes chapters on developing a successful applicant mindset and an application strategy that will help you stand out from the crowd. You can purchase it in ebook or print format – or ask your university library to stock it, instead! The information you need to request it at your library can be found at the link above.Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon who help me cover the costs to keep this website and my email list running so that I can share these articles and advice with you! You can show your support for TranSenz on Patreon for as little as $1 (0.08% of a MEXT monthly stipend) per month. If TranSenz has helped you in your application process and you want to “pay it forward” to keep this site running to help future applicants, every contribution helps!
If you want to show your support but Patreon is out of reach, I’d appreciate it if you say hi on social media or in the comments below to let me know if you appreciate these posts. You can find me on facebook at @TranSenz or on Twitter at @tagsenzaki. I look forward to saying hi!
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
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Hello travis!
Thank you very much for the immensely helpful guidance you’ve been providing all these years.
I have been following all through your articles since 2019, and used them as a key reference in my application process. However, unfortunately, due to some obstacles, I didn’t get to continue till the end. This time, I decided to apply for the University-recommedned MEXT scholarship, as my Japanese friend works as a Professor at Hiroshima University and she convinced me to give it a chance and apply for Hiroshima University to enrol in the MA degree program. Therefore, I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer when you have the time.
1. One of the requierments of the University-recommended MEXT Scholarship is that applicants must have a high ability in Japanese language. Does that apply if the program I’m applying to is conducted in English? Noting that my level in Japanese equals JLPT N4.
2. For the 2022 Application, do I still have the time to start from scratch?
3. As a starting step, should I first contact the University or work on my documents then email them?
4. What is the Embassy’s role in this type of application. Are they going to do the screening just like the Embassy-recommended scholarship? I just wanna know the outline of the process as I still don’t have a clear vision of it.
Thank you very much.
Hi Urawagirl,
For the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, there are some requirements set by the university, in addition to MEXT’s requirements. Also, the entire process is decided by each university. Most of what I talk about on this site refers to the MEXT rules, so there might be additional requirements from Hiroshima. You’d have to check with them directly. (By the way, I have an updated version of this article that I would suggest you refer to for more recent information!)
1. This is not a MEXT requirement. MEXT only requires that applicants have an interest in learning the Japanese language. The only time Japanese language would be required would be if the program you are applying to is taught in Japanese. If you apply for a program taught in English, JLPT N4 is fine.
2. It all depends on the university and their timeline. Have you checked the application deadline for Hiroshima University? In any case, you’re going to be working on a short timeline to write your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, so I recommend getting started right away. If you are willing to put time into the application, you should still be able to make it for this year!
3. You should look for the university’s application requirements and make sure they are accepting MEXT Scholarship applications this year. But after that, you do not need to contact them until you are ready to submit your complete application.
4. The embassy has no role in the application process for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship other than processing your visa after you are accepted. I have an article introducing the basics of both application processes that might help!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I think i posted somewhere else also but i wanted to ask you mention for the general program its very competitive and there are fewer spots and also there is no nationality requirement anyone can appyly. However i just checked kyoto and tokyo university for their website about the university route and they say they can only nominate applicants from countries designated by MEXT i checked the PDf which is dated Jan 2021 and it says UK is not on the list. Now that i have been unsuccessful at the embassy interview stage does that make me ineligible for the university track.
Best Regards,
Nauman
Hi Nauman Iqbal,
I think you posted this question somewhere else and I already answered it there, too, but just in case:
In the past, it was the case that there was no nationality requirement for the general category scholarship, but 75% of nominees had to come from priority countries. At the time it was possible for universities to have up to 8 general category slots.
Now, however, the maximum number of slots is 3, so it is no longer possible to fill 75% of the slots with priority countries and have places left over for non-priority countries. That means that applicants from non-Priority Countries can only apply for the PGP programs under the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, unfortunately.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
For the PGP courses, do you directly apply for the course on the university website for example. I am interested in the (Tokyo Medical and Dental University International Ph.D course for Biomedical Sciences Master & Doctor(5) Biomedical Science PhD Program Bioinfomatics, others). How would i apply for this?
Best Regards,
Nauman
Hi Nauman,
Each university and program is going to have their own application process.
I recommend that you check the websites both for the programs, themselves, and the university’s overall webpage for how to apply for admission with scholarship consideration for international students.
It’s still early, relatively speaking, and the guidelines might not come out for another month or more, so you might have to check back multiple times.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Would you know how many slots for the MEXT scholarship universities generally have?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Hanna,
I covered that in the article under the section titled “Slots Available for the 2020 MEXT Scholarship General Category”.
The specific number can change from year-to-year, but the numbers in this article were the same for the 2021 application, as well. (The only difference is that the cut-off from 2 slots to 3 slots was 201 instead of 200.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I’m also one of those people who (unexpectedly) didn’t even get invited for an interview in the embassy recommendation route, but now recommended by the very same school and almost the same documents as a MEXT student.
Now the thing is, I also have to pass a second screening which would be the school’s entrance examination (basically an interview with some math questions, which I believe would be awkward considering it is going to take place online). So I was wondering what are the chances of actually getting rejected at this stage? Are the criteria same as normal applicants or is it usually easier for MEXT students to get accepted?
Hi Anony,
I’ve heard similar stories a few times recently about applicants who didn’t make it to the interview at the Embassy but got the University nomination. It seems that some research proposals are better suited for going direct to the university. I suspect there is a political angle, too. The Embassy is probably working with your home country and they may have priorities for specific fields of study, so a perfectly good research plan might not even get consideration.
At least in your case it sounds like you have made it past that obstacle!
For the entrance exam, I would not anticipate that they will go easier on you as a MEXT applicant. You should always prepare as if you have to meet the highest standard.
Generally, I have seen that MEXT applicants are usually better prepared for the entrance exam because they have worked harder to prepare their applications than many others, so you may have an easier time because of the preparation that you have done so far, but that is no reason to relax now. There is certainly a chance that you could be rejected at this stage, particularly if you do not do well on the test section (math questions). The interview, on the other hand, should not be too difficult, thanks to the work you have done on your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you for compiling such an extensive range of resources for MEXT scholarship aspirants, given that information on other websites is often confusing and vague!
I was admitted to the University of Tokyo to an undergraduate program in English and was nominated for the MEXT scholarship. I was wondering what my chances to be granted the same are. I also hold the nationality of a ‘priority country’ (India) if that makes much difference.
Also, I read that MEXT scholars lose their scholarships if they participate in exchange semesters at universities outside of Japan. Does this apply to summer programs and other short term exchanges too?
Thanks in advance,
Adi
Hi Adi,
Being from a priority country would be a factor during the university’s selection process, not at the MEXT level. The MEXT review is not competitive, they are just making sure the university conducted its review properly and that there are no problems. So there is nothing that will increase or decrease your chances at that point of the process. You should have nothing to worry about!
As a MEXT Scholar, you will be required to sign in in person at your university international office each month, usually on set dates, in order to receive your scholarship stipend. If you do not sign in, then you do not get your stipend for that month and if you miss three months in a row, then you lose the scholarship altogether.
So, you can leave Japan during your studies as long as you are present during those signature times. I think there should be no problems with short-term internships or summer programs during the vacation periods, as long as they are short enough that you miss no academic activities in Japan and you are present for all of the sign-ins, but your university will be able to give you more specific instructions.
Of course, all of that assumes that borders are open and international travel is possible again by then!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis!
It’s me again, João! I’m the guy who’s applying for a Postgraduate program in Neuroscience. I previously hadn’t been called for the interview during the Embassy selection.
I’m now very happy to share with you the news that I’ll be recommended to MEXT for the University Recommended scholarship! If all goes well, all end up going to Japan in the same timeframe that I would with the Embassy recommendation.
You might imagine that this is a time of considerable apprehension for applicants, since there’s really nothing we can do except wait, and for a way longer time than during previous steps. So I was (anxiously) wondering:
1 – Do you think there are considerable chances for MEXT to cut on slots at the last minute? For my Uni, I was recommended for one of its only two slots.
2 – In your perception, are MEXT denials more common among University selections when compared to the Embassy applicants?
PS.: For this selection, I thoroughly updated my Research Plan according to the advice on your book. I’m sure this has played a factor in my success this time, so thank you for that!
Hi João,
It’s good to hear from you again – especially with such good news!
I am also very happy to hear that you were able to update your Field of Study and Research Program Plan and that you think it made a difference!
I do indeed understand the apprehension that goes with the long wait during this period. However, most of the time, it is just time for bureaucratic processing.
1. Unfortunately, it is always possible, but I do not think it is likely. It did happen once a few years ago, but that was during a year when I suspect that MEXT was facing some severe budget issues (it was the year that Japan had decided to make tertiary education free for low-income families, so MEXT had to foot that bill). Since there is nothing major like that coming up now, I do not foresee any issues for your application.
2. No. In the year I referred to above, slots were cut for both types of applications. Other than that year, I haven’t seen any specific cases of denials.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis.
Thank you for your blog it really help me a lot. I got successfully accepted in a Japan university and will be recommended to MEXT ( I suspect it is PGP program but it is not in the list of PGP program in MEXT website) .
1.I am worried. I am a R.A in another country not home country (but when I apply in their university I haven’t starting working as R.A) does it will affect my chances? (till july contract or do I need to submit my resignation immediately and go back to my country)
2.I know there is instance that MEXT cancel some slot because of covid or maybe If I will encounter problem in my application paper. It is okay to apply for other scholarship in another country? (My boss will recommend me so the chances to get this is slightly higher).
3. I have a history of being denied of japan tourist visa multiple times but Last time I got a chance to have a Japan Tourist visa thus I have a chance to visit it once (I take my master’s abroad)
Hi N,
Thank you for your kind feedback.
1. Being an RA in another country while awaiting the results of the MEXT Scholarship application should not be a problem at all, as far as I know. As long as you can return to your home country in time to apply for your visa in July (typically), you should be fine. Current Japanese immigration restrictions due to COVID also state that you cannot have spent any time in the two weeks prior to arrival in Japan in a third country, but again, that should not be an issue.
2. I have not heard of MEXT cancelling slots over COVID. When they did cancel slots last cycle, it was a budget issue in Japan. However, it is fine to apply for another degree or scholarship in your home country or another country (not Japan) as a back-up. MEXT only prohibits you from applying to other degrees in Japan in the meantime.
3. Without knowing the reason for your previous tourist visa denials, I’m afraid I cannot make any useful comments, but since you were able to secure a visa this most recent time, it sounds like it isn’t a long-term problem that would prevent you from entering Japan for the MEXT Scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! Thank you for your reply. it lessen my worries.
1. My home country is Philippines. I will be back earliest is first week of august (My contract is till july 31). It is okay if I process my documents in August even I receive the instruction to apply early?.
2. Is having a alien resident card abroad will affect my Japan VISA application to my home country?
3. It is possible to apply the visa to different country? (for example Taiwan)
Hi N,
1. That is going to be up to the embassy and their timing. As far as I know it should not be a problem, but I would recommend checking with former MEXT scholars about the timing of their visa application and what that was like, if possible.
2. As long as you do not have a resident card for Japan, it shouldn’t be a problem if you have residency in a third country.
3. There is a special visa application process for MEXT scholars and as far as I know, you can only apply at the designated embassy or consulate unless they tell you otherwise. MEXT will send a list of the scholars to that embassy, only, so that is how they would know you are allowed to apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis
Thank you for your answer it really clarifies my questions. I am now waiting for Final confirmation from MEXT. which in your website stated it will be around June or July.
I have another question is there a need to stay in my country a few weeks before I can apply a VISA?
I am a student abroad and work after I graduate.
but when I applying for MEXT scholarship last year I still don’t have work that time so I didn’t put anything if I have a job in the application form . I been here for 16 months. my plan is to go back to my country after July (mid August). If I can’t apply a visa here.
Hi N.,
Under normal circumstances, I do not know of any requirement for you to be residing in your country for a specific amount of time before applying for your Visa. There should be nothing preventing you from flying into the country and applying the same day.
That said, though, with COVID-19, you might be subject to quarantine on arrival or the Japanese embassy might ask that you have spent two weeks in the country prior to coming to the Embassy in person as part of the risk reduction measures, so please check your national requirements as well as the rules at the local embassy.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis! Your blog is really helpful for MEXT preparation. I would like to ask questions about university recommendation. I found out that my univ has faculty level partnership with a Japanese univ, but I graduated from different faculty. Is it possible to apply partner univ scenario in this case? I am wondering about who to request recommendation letter from. Thanks!
Hi Kiki,
As far as I understand, yes, it would be possible for you to apply as a student from a partner university in that situation, which would mean that a Letter of Recommendation from your Academic Advisor could be allowed, but that will ultimately be up to the discretion of the university. They may ask you to submit a Letter of Recommendation from the Dean of your Faculty, anyway, to keep the requirements the same for all students. The general guidelines do say that the letter must be from the Dean of the Faculty or higher. In the past, there was a specific exception stated for applicants from partner universities, but I cannot find that specific notation at the moment.
So, it will always be safer to have a letter of recommendation from the Dean or higher, even if you are from a partner university, but if you absolutely can’t get that letter, you could ask the university if they will accept a letter from your advisor, due to the partnership relationship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your fast response. Actually the thing that I am concerned with is that the partnership, say, is Faculty A of my University with the the Grad school in Japanese University, but I came from Faculty B. It’s a bit complicated to request the recommendation letter from the Dean of Faculty A. Will it be okay if I request a recommendation letter from person with higher authority?
Hi Kiki,
Thank you for the clarification! Sorry I went off in the wrong direction there.
You should be fine with a letter of recommendation from your own Dean (Faculty B). Even though Faculty A is the one with the partnership, your letter of recommendation need not come from that faculty, any Dean at your university would be fine. Of course, higher is also great if you can get it!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks! Very helpful!
Travis, I’ve been looking without success for a list of PGP programs later than 2019 on the MEXT website. Do you have a link for a more recent list than the 2019 one you posted? Thanks if so!
Hi Paul,
Here is the list of the programs that were selected in 2020 (pdf from MEXT’s website).
I realized with your post that it is past time to update this article. Oops! I will have to get to that soon.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I applied for a PGP Program, but I still have two concerns about the university recommendation process.
1. The PGP Program is about biomechanical engineering, but my research plan is on thermal engineering (with only a few connections). After reaching the international affairs, the advisor sent the plan to the head of the bio department. The feedback was: “.If that’s what you really want to do, then you can apply for the program.”
2. As for the recommendation letter, a dean’s letter was required. But I submitted an associate dean’s letter due to having some academic connection.
The international affairs advisor mentioned that the documents are in order, and the screening process is ongoing. I do think I have a quite strong research plan (as it was peer-reviewed by my previous supervisor), but I am afraid that the two concerns above will hurt my application. Have you encountered this situation before? Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much in advance.
Sincerely,
C
Hi C,
1. If the department has said that your research plan is possible, then you can apply, but I do not know who it is going to impact your chances of success. I do not know enough about your field and the specific university to know how this is going to impact your application. (For example, is thermal engineering a field of biomechanical engineering taught in that program? Is there a professor there doing similar research who can supervise you?)
2. If the university has said your paperwork is in order, you should be OK. I know that where I worked, we would not have accepted a letter from an associate dean and would have told you to get a replacement. However, for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship (of which PGP is a subset), sometimes a Dean’s letter is not required, if there is a formal partnership between your home university and the university in Japan for example.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful, but it sounds like both of your questions are very specific to your university and individual situation and I do not have enough context to be able to answer for sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I just received a notification of acceptance from Osaka University. I am very grateful for your detailed resources (books and websites). The advisor mentioned that the MEXT official result will be released at the end of March. The result at the end of June is just a formality.
I applied through the embassy last year and failed at the document screening. I am very thankful that I didn’t give up! Just a thought, but I do think that STEM research plans will work better for the university recommendation path since professors are much more familiar with the subjects (even not from the same field).
If it doesn’t bother you, I hope you can answer a question:
The university recommendation research plan form doesn’t have a page limit. Would it appropriate to expand the plan extensively with pictures? The Osaka University has a unique research plan for the application (2000 words with pictures), but I do need to submit a MEXT-style one.
Thank you for your help in advance!
Sincerely,
Colin
Hi Colin,
Congratulations on your acceptance from Osaka University!
I’m not sure what version of the MEXT Scholarship you have applied for, but as far as I could find, there aren’t any where MEXT releases results in March. March is generally the date when Universities first submit their scholarship nominations to MEXT. However, if you are in a PGP program, it is true that once you have been nominated to MEXT, that final screening is essentially just a formality, so maybe that is what the professor was referring to.
Thank you for your input on the advantages of going to the University Recommended route for STEM. You certainly have to write your plan very differently if you are going through the screening at the Embassy first, so that is an important point to keep in mind, regardless of your field. If you have a more academic focus to your writing, then direct to professors can be advantageous.
You are right that the plan for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship does not have a page limit, but I typically still recommend keeping it to 2-3 pages for the initial application, mostly because if you can’t express your plan within that space, you are going to struggle to hold reviewers’ attention and interest. (Of course, if the university specifies a 2000-word plan, that’s a different situation!). You can add images, but I would only do so if they are necessary to understanding your plan.
In your case, it sounds like you have already been accepted, and since they have already screened your longer plan, rewriting it into the MEXT format sounds like more of a formality, so you probably do not need to be as concerned about the length, etc.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz