If you’re applying for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, getting started with the right research and approach can give you a head start on the competition.
The Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship offers two significant advantages over the other, University Recommended path:
- Significantly more slots
- The chance to apply to up to three universities
So, if you’re going for the MEXT scholarship, it’s a good idea to start with this one. (Besides, if you don’t make it through the primary screening, you’ll still have time to apply for the University-recommended MEXT scholarship, too!)
While this article is about getting started on the 2018 Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship application, the same principles apply no matter what year or scholarship type you’re going for.
It’s (Past) Time to Start Your 2018 MEXT Scholarship Application!
Monbukagakusho has released the Embassy-Recommended Scholarship Application guidelines and forms for 2018. Really, if you’re only starting now, you’re already behind, but that’s OK. Hopefully, the tips below will help you catch up, and even pass a large majority of applicants.
In this article, I’ll cover:
- Choosing Your Field of Study and Targeting Professors
- When to Approach Universities and Professors (and How!)
- What’s Changed for This Year’s Application Process
But before we get to that, I just want to clarify what we’re talking about.
Summary: MEXT Scholarship for Research Students
I’m talking about the MEXT Scholarship for Research Students – not undergraduates (although
Research Students: When MEXT says “Research Students”, they mean everyone who has already completed an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree. That includes, Master’s Degree seekers, PhD Degree seekers, and non-degree-seeking students at the Master’s and PhD level.
However, when universities say “research students”, they mean only “non-degree seeking students.”
To be clear, you can apply for a degree using this scholarship!
1. Choosing Your MEXT Field of Study and Targeting a Professor
What Fields of Study are Available?
According to the scholarship guidelines, you can only apply for the scholarship to study the same major you studied in undergraduate or a related field. Furthermore, each Embassy has the ability to restrict the fields of study available in your country.
Before you get started, check with the Japanese Embassy or Consulate nearest you to find out what fields of study are available for your country. There’s no sense in preparing an application that’s going to be ineligible in the end.
I recommend checking their websites, first. If you can’t find the information there, then you can call, too. This is also a good way to find out when the application deadline is. That varies by country, so I can’t tell you what your deadline will be.
Narrowing Down Your Field
Ideally, you want to have a specific research question in mind before you even start your application. If your only idea now is that you want to study, say, International Relations, then take some time to sit down and think. What specific problem in international relations do you want to study? Why? How are you going to go about it?
Here are some things to consider as you determine your research question (in no particular order):
- Can you study it in Japan? If you can’t find a Japanese professor who specializes in your narrow field, you might be setting yourself up for failure.
- Does it make sense to study it in Japan? The purpose of the MEXT scholarship is “to foster human resources who will become bridges of friendship between the grantee’s country and Japan through study in Japan and who will contribute to the development of both countries and the wider world.” So, your research problem should relate to both countries and contribute in some way to bringing them closer together. That will help impress the Embassy staff.
- Does it require fieldwork in another country? That can disqualify you. Make sure any fieldwork focuses on Japan. If you have to do research abroad, it should be relatively minor and not take much time.
- Know Your Field This goes without saying, but you want to make sure you’re not replicating existing research. Do a literature review in your field.
Targeting a Specific Professor
Once you know what you want to research and why, it’s time to start looking for a professor in Japan who could advise you.
It’s going to be easier to reach out to professors if you have some kind of connection, like an agreement between your school and theirs to use as an introduction, or personal connections between faculty members that you can leverage. (Bonus: That will also help you find out more about your target professor’s field so you can approach them more easily.)
If you don’t have a connection to leverage, then it’s research time. That literature review you did to narrow down your field should help. Did you find any papers by Japanese authors? How about papers citing work by Japanese professors? If you did, start by researching those faculty, first. Google their names and keywords from your research field.
Considering Language Requirements
If you don’t have N1 or N2 level Japanese language ability, you’re going to need to find a program taught in English. That limits your options, but limited options can be a good thing when it comes to searching. Here are some resources from my previous article on Choosing a University for your Embassy MEXT Scholarship:
- JASSO’s List of Universities in Japan with Degrees Taught in English
- JPSS’s List of Universities in Japan with Degrees Taught in English
- JASSO’s Gateway to Studying in Japan
Find out which universities teach your field of study in English, then check their websites directly for a list of professors who teach in your field. Review their publications and bios, if they’re available. Otherwise, you can google them and your research keywords together to try to find more.
2. When to Approach Universities and Professors (and How!)
Once you’ve researched universities and professors in your field and narrowed it down to a few top choices, it’s time to start phase 1 of reaching out to them.
(In my previous article on the Embassy MEXT scholarship, I recommended that you don’t do this, but that was because so many applicants do it all wrong and hurt themselves. If you don’t it right, then this can really help you!)
What not to do:
- Mention in your first email that you want an LoA to apply for the MEXT scholarship.
- Ask the professor to help you write your field of study and research program plan.
- Send one email to multiple professors/universities.
How to Approach Universities & Professors Professionally and Respectfully
- Take the time to write a custom email for each university.
You want them to take the time to review your application, write you a Letter of Acceptance, and agree to spend 2-3 years supervising you. If someone asked you to do all that, but did it with a 1-paragraph email that looked like it was sent to 50 different universities at once, would you say yes? Take your time and be thoughtful.
- Start by offering value to them.
That’s how you build a relationship, and for now, that’s all you’re doing. You can’t ask them for a Letter of Acceptance, anyway, until after you pass the Primary Screening at the Embassy. Right now, you want to show interest in their research and propose ways your own research interests could complement theirs. Build your relationship on academic interest, not on you begging for free school.
- Respect their time.
If someone I don’t know sends me a 2-page email (or even a 1-page one), writes everything as one solid block of text or sends any other kind of message that takes me more than a minute or two to understand, I’m going to ignore it or file it to “deal with later.” Keep your messages short and to the point, especially the first one. Break up your message into paragraphs, not long blocks of text (like this).
- Get it proofread.
English is not the professor’s first language. Sure, they’re going to be very competent in it, but it’s a lot harder to understand an error-filled message in a foreign language. Plus, poor writing sends a bad impression of your own language ability (and even intelligence).
Remember, at this stage, you’re building a relationship and looking for mutual interest. You want to narrow down your list to the professor you think you will best be able to work with.
Writing Your Field of Study and Research Program Plan
Once you know what you want to study and why and have a list of the top one to three professors you would want to study under, it’s time to write your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
My advice is to write your plan like you were appealing to your first choice professor. Keep it relevant to their research so that they’re more likely to want to accept you.
If you’ve already started communicating, this is going to be easier, of course.
You also want to make sure it isn’t all jargon! The Embassy staff might not be experts in your field, and they need to be able to understand what you want to do and why. For the Embassy, make sure you hit the “why.” Why do you want to study this field? What impact do you plan to make with the results of your research and degree?
The application guidelines specifically state that the Embassy is to look for applicants with: “a clear sense of purpose relating to his/her study in Japan and has gathered information about Japanese universities.” This is important in the interview, yes, but you also want to tease it in the Field of Study.
3. What’s Changed for This Year’s Application Process
The birth date in the eligibility criteria, but that changes every year. For the 2018 scholarship, you must have been born on or after April 2, 1983.
One of the most obvious changes is that MEXT has changed the application form and placement preference form from a Microsoft Word document to an Excel file. The application form has changed significantly from previous years. You can find my review and instructions for the form here and download a sample filled form by entering your email address below.
Questions?
Before asking any questions in the comments below, please read through the MEXT Scholarship Application FAQ top page and specific FAQ pages to see what I’ve answered already and to find tips about how to get your questions answered faster.
You can ask your questions in the comments here, on the FAQ page, or by email and I will answer them by updating the FAQ and letting you know when the answers are available.
I’d also recommend signing up for my mailing list to get notified whenever I have updates to any of the FAQs or new articles about the MEXT scholarship!
Have You Started Your Application?
What questions do you have about the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2018? Leave them below and I’ll get to them as quickly as possible!
Ads by Google:
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for all the information you provide to us. I have a few doubts though, I hope you can clarify them to me.
I already have a bachelors degree. I would like to pursuit a Masters degree. Am I required to contact a professor? or just the university itself?
I understand I must take and pass the university examination (for the Masters I want) before I am granted the MEXT scholarship, no?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Daniel,
This is a really old article about the scholarship, so I recommend you check out my more recent ones on my index page of MEXT scholarship articles.
Technically, to start your application for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you only need to contact the embassy at first, and will only need to contact the university or professor after passing the embassy’s Primary Screening, when you request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance.
However, I do not recommend that you only follow those minimum steps. You should prepare your Field of Study and Research Program Plan in advance and, once you have a complete draft of that plan, start trying to contact professors to see if they would be willing to supervise you and that research. (I recommend researching potential professors even before writing the plan and writing it to target those professors, but you should wait to contact them until you have it written). Contacting professors in advance is not part of the official application process, but it will make it easier for you when you need the Letter of Provisional Acceptance later.
You do not need to pass the entrance exam before being granted the scholarship. It is possible to start the MEXT Scholarship as a “Research Student” (non-degree student) and take the entrance exam during that time, then matriculate to the degree program. In any case, you certainly don’t need to – and shouldn’t – take the entrance exam before applying to the embassy.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
sir your instructions are very clear but can you please show an email as an example .
Hi Avi,
Unfortunately, I do not have any sample email templates right now. It is something on my list of resources to create, but I have not made them yet.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Please, it would be great if you could help with the undergraduate application process.
I really need this.
Thanks
Hi Blessed,
I’m afraid that my area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students. I do not have any direct experience or research into the undergraduate scholarship, so my ability to help there is limited.
Some of the information I share, like where to apply and information about what the application form is asking in specific places, will still be relevant to you, I think, but in general, I would suggest that you might want to look for someone else who is an expert in the undergraduate application process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
Thanks so much for this great and informative post!! I find the topic of ‘kenkyusei’ confusing so it’s helpful to be able to read up on it and also the MEXT scholarship. I have a few more questions so I hope you don’t mind if I ask!
If I have studied business and liberal arts in my undergraduate degree but have been working in the Computer Science field after a career change, I’d like to do further academic study or research in computer science. Would I still be eligible to apply for a kenkyusei or the MEXT scholarship if my field of study is totally different from undergrad?
Would I be able to take university classes during the time period of my non-degree seeking research student status? I’m not planning on getting a master’s but would like to take advantage of the Japanese language courses, university classes in Computer Science, and also participate in some kind of research in C.S./IT while at the university. Basically, my intention is to be non-degree seeking and use the time to learn Japanese and take relevant classes so I was wondering if that was okay!
How long are these research programs usually? And what is typically expected of you by the professor? I have heard that this “research” is primarily for you to learn Japanese and is not really taken seriously.
Thanks so much!!
Hi Joy,
I’m glad I was able to help with the kenkyusei mystery.
The MEXT scholarship requires that you apply in a field that you majored in previously at university or a related field. Unfortunately, the fields you have worked in are not a factor in that decision. So, if you want to apply in computer science, you would have to show how the field of study or the specific research topic that you want to pursue is related to your undergraduate studies.
In any case, you can try to apply, but unless you make a convincing connection, it may be a challenge.
Kenkyusei are allowed to take classes, they just don’t earn credits toward the degree. But you need to have a specific research goal to have any real chance at the scholarship. Just wanting to advance your knowledge and learn Japanese is not going to be good enough.
Usually, research students are students who are seeking entry as degree students but need to take a semester of prep/catch-up work first (or need time to take the entrance exam). The only other common pattern is students that are enrolled in a degree program at home and want to come to Japan for a few semesters to do research for their thesis in their ongoing degree program. The common theme is that every research student needs to have a strong research goal that they are passionate about pursuing and that will benefit their countries/the relationship with Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I came across this 2018 article as I’m prepping for the next MEXT embassy applications, and I’d like to try out the suggestion of contacting professors as early as now. Do you still think that it’s a good strategy? (since you haven’t mentioned it in future articles anymore hahaha). Also, d’you think I shouldn’t go into detail about my research plan? Just mention that I have interests in his/her research field and just a sentence or two on my proposed plan, that’ll do?
Thanks Travis!
Hi Marcus,
I have not changed my opinion or advice about contacting professors early – I still think it’s a good idea. However, I’ve found that the significant majority of readers here aren’t preparing as far in advance as you are, so by the time they come across that advice, it’s generally too late to help them.
I still recommend having at least a draft of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan in place before you start contacting professors, but it sounds like you have that, so you should be good to go.
As you suggested, I do not recommend making your first email too long. A few sentences to get the professor’s interest, invite a response, and start building a relationship so that you can send your FSRPP in the second or third email would be a good start.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am currently an undergraduate student and would like to apply for the MEXT scholarship for graduate student but now i’m still in my 3rd year, do you think I should contact the japan university first now or should I just wait until I graduate my bachelor degree?
I want to go to Tohoku University but my university still haven’t made a connection with Tohoku University; do you think it’s still possible for me to get in contact with Tohoku once I know what kind of research topic I want to study for my master degree?
Thank you!
Hi Lula,
You should absolutely start your application process while you are still in your undergraduate program. I don’t know how many years your program is, but the ideal time to start would be around May in the year before you graduate. But that’s just starting the application process itself at the Embassy. As far as trying to build up a relationship with your target professor, you can start that even earlier.
Once you have a research idea and you have identified your target professor, it is possible to reach out to them directly. It can be a little more challenging when there is no direct relationship in place, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it. You just have to put in a little more effort.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis.
My name is Claire. Thank you for this blog, it’s been more than helpful with all the information you provide for us. It is a great help! Are you doing your own research on this? Because it is really a great help for us!
I wanted to ask you something, which is not so easy to talk about, but anyway. In case, you got through Preliminary Examination and are recommended by the Embassy. If something, like a disease in family would happen to occur, can you reject the scholarship? And if yo, what are the consequence? I’ve been reading the rules and it said that during the exchange, in case you find work or special circumstances like a desease or that you have to take care of a family member, it is possible, but I wanted to ask you too. I doubt you’ve had someone asking you something like this, but I was wondering ><
Warm regards,
Claire.
Hi Claire,
Thank you for your kind words! Yes, I have been doing research on the areas of the application process that I wasn’t familiar with from my direct experience working on it. I hope that has been helpful.
It is possible to turn down the scholarship before arriving in Japan should something happen like you mentioned. I have seen it happen in the past. In fact, with the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, we typically saw one applicant withdraw each year, on average, after we had nominated them to MEXT.
The consequences are that you would face a much more challenging evaluation if you were to try to apply again in the future, since the Embassy might fear that you would withdraw again. They want to be able to send their full quota of applicants and if you withdraw late, they would not be able to replace you.
But there are no consequences like penalties or having to pay back any funds. So, as long as you are withdrawing for a legitimate reason, like the ones you described, that is beyond your control, then there should be no problem.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis my name is Klavdija.
I am a double major student of Child Education and Japanese studies. I got an email at the end of last week saying that I passed the Preliminary Examination for the MEXT Scholarship next year. I was wondering one thing. Do you know if it’s possible to change majors after arriving to Japan? I am about to graduate Master’s program in my homecountry on How to teach japanese characters to foreigners. But just recently I’ve heard about International studies from my friend who is already studying there, saying it’s a really good for future jobs. So I was wondering if it is possible that I would, after arriving, try to write a good Study and Research plan in that field (since I am also a student of Japanese studies we had many different subjects) that would be connecting the relations between my country and Japan, would it be possible to change majors while being in first half year of Language Preparation Training?
I hope my question isn’t too complicated.
Warm regards!
Hi Klavdija,
Congratulations on passing the primary screening!
Unfortunately, it is not possible to change majors after you submit your Field of Study and Research Program Plan during your application. You are required to use that plan to move forward, and your acceptance will be from the department that you apply to using that plan. You can change your research topic slightly from that plan, but if you are applying to a Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language program, you would not be able to make such a dramatic switch to international studies.
I’m also not certain that International Studies really offers any more career prospects than your teaching program, so that would not be a great reason to change.
You can change the direction of your research somewhat to get closer to that field, but you would not be able to change majors.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have applied for 2020 embassy recommended scholarship program, but haven’t contacted professor yet. The embassy will probably take another week to release the results of primary screening. Should I wait for the results to start contacting professors? or should I start emailing them right away?
Also, I already have my research proposal in hand. Incase the prof does not agree with my problem statement, can I work on the topic that the professor wants me to work on? (different from what I wrote in my research proposal)
Your help is much appreciated.
Thank you
Hi Jasleen Kaur,
At this point, contacting professors would not offer you much of an advantage, so you might as well wait for the results of the Primary Screening. By this time of year, professors will want to know that you have passed the Primary Screening before replying to you. (I do recommend contacting professors in advance, if possible, but that means months in advance – before you apply to the Embassy, so that you have time to build a relationship in advance. There is no time for that now.)
You cannot change the Field of Study and Research Program Plan at this point and your professors are likely going to accept or reject you based on the plan you submitted. But if they do come back to you and say that they would be willing to work with you if you change it slightly, that’s fine. In that case, you would not change the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, you would just change how you go about your research after arriving in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! Thank you for the informative article! I have a few questions:
1- research theme and research plans: how detailed should it be? For instance should I go as far as providing a Gantt chart and explaining what I’m going to do at every stage of my studies?
2- “State the titles or subjects of books and papers (including graduation thesis) authored by applicant, if any, with the name, address of publisher and the date of publication.” (this is field 14 in the application form)
The space under this field is very limited and I can barely fit in one publication! Also, I am not sure about the format in which I should write the publication (is it like IEEE citation?)
3- Motivation for studying in Japan (field 20 in application form)
There are three questions for this field, trigger for interest in japan, motivation for pursuing graduate level study there, and how can I contribute to Japan and my home country.
I was wondering about what kind of answer they are looking for? What should I highlight in my answer? And is it okay to write a personal experience.
Sorry for the long questions and thanks for your time!!
Hi Nour,
1. Please read my article on how to write the Field of Study and Research Program Plan. I go into detail there on what to include.
2. I would recommend using the citation style most common to your field of study. If you cannot list all of the publications there, you could list one highlight and add a note at the bottom saying “X more: See attached list” then attach the rest in a separate document.
3. I would recommend that each of your answers be truthful, of course, but relate to your intended research subject and/or how you hope to serve Japan/your home country after graduation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! I’d like to ask your opinion on how much of a factor in selection is it that the applicant has work experience or none. Thanks for your insight sir.
Hi Jade,
In my experience, work experience is a negligible factor. Most applicants are still students when they apply, so it is not expected that you would have any work experience and that would not hurt you. Work experience in a related field to your research is something that you might be able to reference in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, but it would not make a significant difference either way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi!
I’d like to ask if my chosen date of arrival at Japan is a factor in the selection process. I’d rather choose Sept/Oct option for personal reasons, but if this will lower my chances of getting accepted, then I wouldn’t mind going with April.
I’m applying for research student, embassy recommendation btw. I think most people choose April for the 6-month training, so that they could enroll by Sept. D’you know anything about this?
Thank you so much for your content! Really appreciate it!
Hi Marc,
Your semester choice will not affect your chances of selection for the scholarship, so you do not need to worry about that. Your period of arrival is more related to the preferences of the university you will enroll in, but it should not be a significant problem there, either.
I would recommend that you look at the academic calendar of your first-choice university and see when they accept new students (spring, fall, or both). If you can arrange it so that you finish your semester of Japanese language training just in time to start the university degree program, that’s great. But if it doesn’t work out, then you would simply spend your first semester at the university as a non-degree “research” student while you wait to matriculate to the degree program.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there!
Thanks for the valuable information.
1. What do you exactly mean by non-degree seeking students? Why should I be one to apply for the scholarship?
2. Is it true that they tend to offer the scholarships more and more to students of engineering, science or medical sciences and less and less to students of arts or humanities? Specifically speaking, I’m doing my BA in Japanese language, any chances I win a scholarship in a related field?
3. I hold an N1, how great an advantage is that?
4. I have co-authored a related essay published in an ISI-approved journal, can that be of any help?
5. Sadly, my university grades are not that brilliant, how damaging that can be?
Thank you sooooo much in advance!
Hi Seamus,
1. Once you have passed the entrance exam and are enrolled in a graduate program in Japan as a degree-seeking student, you have 2 years to complete your master’s or 3 years to complete a PhD. A non-degree-seeking student, on the other hand, would be a student who has not passed the entrance exam and is not on the clock. Depending on your university, you might have to show up in person for the entrance exam. In that case, it makes more sense to come to Japan as a non-degree student first, then take the exam after arrival. Plus it gives you time to adjust to the Japanese education system.
2. No. There is no MEXT directive to favor STEM in any way. However, if you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then your country’s government can work with the local Japanese embassy and set preferred fields or limitations. For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, though, that would not apply.
3. If you are applying for a degree in Japanese language, it would be a minimum qualifying criteria.
4. Yes, a little, probably. But it’s not going to tip the scales. In any case, like with the N1, it’s not what qualifications you have so much as it is how you plan to leverage them for your degree that matters. The most important thing is to have a well-planned and well-written Field of Study and Research Program Plan. I also have an article on application strategy that you may find useful.
5. That could be a problem. Grades are typically going to be used as one of the initial cut criteria. But it depends on how “not brilliant” your grades really are, when converted to MEXT’s scale. Many applicants are surprised to find that their grades convert much better than expected.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank u sooo much!
Let’s suppose my grade point average is 17 out of 20. Is it any good?
By the way, are the interviews in the Embassy done in English or Japanese?
Hi Seamus,
The interviews are in English, but if you indicate that you have some Japanese ability, they may ask you some simple questions in Japanese to evaluate it.
As for your GPA, while that sounds like it would be fine, you cannot simply convert your overall GPA from your country’s scale to MEXT’s, you have to convert it class by class and then take the overall. I have an article about how to do that conversion here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello transenzjapan
Thank you for your valuable information
I got a question
You mentioned about not asking for a LOA right away right ?
So , if Im contacting a professor for the first time
Could these points be the outline of my email:
1- how I was introduced to them.
2- my admiration for their work
3- how they inspired me to persue my current field of study
4- wat do they think of it
What do you think ? Help me please
Thank you
Hi Marwa,
The advice to not ask for an LoA right away was in the case that you were contacting them (long) before passing the Primary screening for the purposes of networking. You are not allowed to ask for an LoA at that point, anyway.
If you have passed the primary screening and are contacting the universities, then you should be much more direct. My most recent article is about how to contact the universities to apply for a Letter of Acceptance.
If you’re applying for the Embassy Recommendation MEXT scholarship, it is really too late at this point to begin casual networking. I would recommend that you wait until you pass the primary screening.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello. Thank you for your post. Can you tell me what I need to include to approach the professors? Can you show me the examples of written email to professor?
Hi Jjy,
Unfortunately, I don’t have any examples available yet. It’s something I’m working on for future articles (and Book 3 of the Mastering the MEXT Scholarship series).
In the meantime, my best advice to you is to be polite, concise, and interesting. You want to write an email that the professor will want to write back to because it interests him or her.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good Morning Dear Travis please i resently just submitted my application form but forgot to attach my passport photograph. Please would that be much of a problem.
Hi Itoro,
Did you submit the photo but forget to attach it to the form, or forget to submit the photos altogether?
In either case, I would recommend that you contact the embassy and ask how you can add it to your application file.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
First of all, many thanks for this invaluable information that you have made for students. me
Secondly, I want to apply for my master’s degree in the field of Public Health at Kyoto University. It’s ambiguous to me that I must apply directly to the university for a research study or not first I must have an acceptance letter from MEXT Scholarship and then apply for university.
Once again many thanks.
Fawzia
Hi Fawzia,
Thank you for your kind words.
There are two (primary) ways that you can apply for the MEXT Scholarship: Embassy Recommendation and University Recommendation. I have outlined the differences between the two and where you need to apply for each in my article on getting started with the MEXT scholarship. (As well as in far more detail in my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
where can i get blog for undergraduate scholarship of mext?
Dear Hussain,
Unfortunately, I do not know anyone who blogs about the undergraduate scholarship (and I have not written any posts about it).
Hopefully, someone else can offer some advice!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for the information Sir!!
My question is that If we get failed in Embassy recommendation process even after getting LOA from the professor whom We have to work with, then How can we say or proceeds with University recommendation with same professor.
Hi Baishali Pandey,
If you pass the primary screening and get an LOA, then you are practically guaranteed to get the scholarship, so there would be no need to apply for the University Recommendation MEXT Scholarship. But if you did want to do that for some reason, you would have to start over for that application process, following the instructions on the university’s website.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, firstly, thank you so much for providing such useful information, it means a lot. My question is that, when one is applying through the Embassy recommendation, they can apply for three different universities, right? In that case, the applicant only has to give the entrance examination of the university that has been selected?
Further if you could provide information about the entrance examination, that would be great. Whether its based on GRE, GMAT? How difficult it is?
Hi Amal,
Thank you for your kind words!
Entrance exam requirements depend on the university. In some cases, there may be an actual exam or interview involved. Other entrance exams are simply document screenings. Some universities may require GRE or GMAT scores and some do not. Unfortunately, you’d have to follow up with each university that you plan to apply to for details.
If you apply to start at the university as a research student instead of a degree student, then you wouldn’t have to take the entrance exams until after you started your studies. That way, you’d already know at that point which university you would be attending and you would already have the scholarship.
If you apply to start as a degree-seeking student, then each university may require you to go through their entrance exam process before they can issue you a LoA as a degree-seeking student.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
HELLO PROF. I am grateful for the compilation of knowledge meant to help aspiring Mext applicants to sail through the process with ease. I am a Ghanaian who is organizing myself to apply for 2018 Embassy Recommended Mext scholarship. I have successfully written a comprehensive research proposal which fits into most professors in various universities research circles. I am an Agricultural Technologies with BSc. Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation Technology (Upper Second) and have identified supervisors in Hokkaido, Kyoto, Obihiro, Kyushu, Tukuba etc. graduate schools of agriculture. Although, I have messaged and informed him that after searching through his research areas and realizing that his themes are in alignment with my own, I would be desirous to study under him in the nearest future, more than a week has elapsed without receiving any response from him. Since the deadline for the Embassy recommendation which is 15 June, 2018 is gradually approaching, can i leave the space provided on the placement form for name of professor blank and submit the form? Thank you for your concern.
Hi Coffie,
You can fill in the name of the university and the professor without getting a response from them. I would recommend that you fill in the names on the form, even if you have not heard back from them by the deadline. I would not recommend leaving it blank.
By the way, since it is 2018, you are applying for the 2019 Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship. Your scholarship would start next year! Make sure you are using the forms and instructions for the right year.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I don’t have words to actually express how i felt when i stumbled on your website. Thanks anyways.
Please i want to know if the research topics will be provided by the professors or we should have to do that ourselves?? please if we have to do that, how do we go about it! thanks
Hi Ruks,
It depends on your field. In hard sciences, in particular, you may have to work on a research project assigned by your professor. But in other fields, particularly in humanities and social sciences, you would have to come up with a research topic entirely on your own.
Even in the case of the sciences, you should know what you want to research in advance and search for professors who are doing research in that field to study under.
Describing how to choose a research topic is a little too in-depth for a quick comment, but I plan to post an article soon about how to decide on a research topic, so stay tuned for that!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for the information, and as you have said people doing research/ masters in the field of science and technology have to work on the research topics assigned by the professors, but in the application they have asked us to mention about the Research Topic which we would like to pursue, So should I give a research topic in my application even though a different research topic will be assigned to me? Or Should I not write anything about it?
Hi Sneha P R,
You absolutely have to complete a field of study and research program plan, even though you may end up doing a different project later. The point of that document is to prove that you can created a quality research plan and have the necessary background in your field.
You should research your target professor in advance and, if possible, even contact them to propose your research and ask if they would be able to supervise it or if they have another project they would prefer you to work on.
It may be too late to get in touch this time around, but for now, at least work on a proposal of your own.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
First, of all thank you for all the information that you have provided it’s really helpful.
I am planning to apply for embassy recommended MEXT scholarship 2019.
The form isn’t still available on my embassy site yet.But as I was going through the guidelines as it says that applicant needs to submit a letter of recommendation from the previous institute.
I will be graduating from my UG programme in May 1st week, so if I take a LOR dated in May 2018 will it be fine ? or do they require a recent one during the time of application of scholarship? Does the date of LOR issued matters?
And shall i start contacting the professors from now itself or should I wait till I have applied for the scholarship?
Thanks in advance, your advice will be greatly appreciated.
Hoping to get a reply soon
-Aishwarya
Hi Aishwarya,
Thank you for your kind words!
I saw that you had asked the same question on the FAQ page and had answered it there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for offering such extensive insight into the MEXT scholarship. It’s been immensely helpful as I wade through the process of applying.
I have two questions about the embassy-recommended scholarship:
(1) I currently live in Japan on a work visa. However, I also conduct research and audit classes as a non-degree seeking research trainee (研修員) at a private university in Kobe. I have a professor who supervises my research and I’d like for him to write my letter of recommendation. Does this count as my current/previously attended university? Or do I need to ask my advisor from my undergrad university? (NOTE: If awarded the MEXT scholarship, I wish to attend a different, national university, and I already have a professor who will supervise my research there)
(2) Because I live outside of the US, I’m unsure of which consulate to apply through. My university and last place I lived is Arizona, but I was raised in Nebraska and my entire family still resides there. Depending on where my “place of residence” is, I can either apply to the consulate in Los Angeles or in Chicago. I don’t want to apply to the wrong consulate and get rejected because of my residence status! Do you have any information on how strict they are with domicile/residence definitions? Does it make a difference, competitively speaking, which consulate I apply through?
Thank you!
-pascha.
Hi Pascha,
Thank you for your kind words.
1. Your “current university” is the current or most recent university where you were enrolled in a degree program, so the professor in Kobe would not count. You would have to get a letter from your advisor, dean, etc., from your undergrad university.
2. What is the address on your US driver’s license, if you have one? Or where was the last state where you paid state taxes? That should be your place of residence. If you no longer have an address in Arizona, then I think it would be Nebraska and the Chicago consulate for your application. I would recommend that you call each one after they post the application guidelines on their respective websites to be sure.
From what I understand from past years, there are 1-2 slots available to applicants at each consulate. I don’t know whether Chicago or LA would be more competitive, because it depends on the other applicants that year.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Looking at the UTokyo pdf https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/content/400043881.pdf – if I would like to go for the research student status followed by enrolling into magister’s program, what degree programs I’m supposed to aim for – graduate or non-degree? That is, suppose that some facility offers master’s programs but doesn’t mention if it’s willing to work with research students – is it still fine to place them in my application?
Hi Tereya,
If you want to start as a research student and move up to Master’s then you should look for programs that accept research students.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any direct experience with individual universities’ policies. But looking through that pamphlet, it appears to say that you would need to contact the graduate school that you are interested in to see if they are able to accept research students.
Keep in mind, too, that the situation is often a little different for MEXT scholars. You would want to refer to the application procedures and policies specifically for MEXT applicants when you follow up with them!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Wow you certainly have spent a lot of time on this, thank you so much for replying to so many comments! I’m an undergrad student from the US, but I’m currently on an exchange program in Tokyo. Sadly I will also be here during the exam/interview time, so I’ll need to find some way to get back to the US for that. I do have some questions however:
1. I passed the N2 last December, and I took two math courses in Japanese and did alright, and I will be applying for mathematics. I’m planning on applying to programs that are not in English for my first and second choice, but do you think it would be necessary to put a program in English for my third choice? I am doing research right now, but it’s only in English.
2. I was also in Japan last summer on a separate program, but do you think it would be bad to have too much experience already living in Japan? That may sound odd, but since the goal is to better relations and benefit both countries, would they want people who are still fairly new to Japanese culture?
3. I see that a thesis should be included, but in the US we don’t usually write a senior/graduation thesis. I do have to write some sort of research paper for what I’m doing right now, but I’m not sure it will be finished by the time the application is due. Should I finish it as much as possible just to have something to include, or do you think I should just not include anything? It says as a note, “If applicant has written”.
One last question, do you have any information on how many people actually get the scholarship compared to how many apply for each field? Thanks!
Hi Camden,
1. I would recommend that you find out what language ability level is required for your top two choices. If they only require N2 for admission to the math masters, then you would not need an English language backup. But if they require N1, then I think you may be better focusing on English-taught programs.
2. I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much experience in Japan. They also want people who are committed, can handle life in Japan, and are reliable future cultural ambassadors. I would suspect that there are not many US math majors with that much experience in Japan applying for the scholarship, so that is something you could leverage as a unique advantage in your application.
3. If there is no graduation thesis required for your degree, then you should be able to simply explain that and not have to submit anything, per the guidelines. For the University Recommendation process, I know that we asked applicants who did not have a graduation thesis to submit the abstract of a term paper, instead. So, be prepared that they may ask you for that. They are only asking for an abstract – not the full paper. One half to one page is usually fine, and you wouldn’t have needed to finish the paper (or had it graded) to submit an abstract for ti.
Unfortunately, I do not have any information about the number of applicants. As far as I know, there is no separation by field for the Embassy Recommendation in the US. Based on what I have heard from past years, typically one or two applicants are selected per consulate, but their fields have been all over the place, so it’s hard to get any sort of consistent sample from such limited data.
Good Luck and enjoy your time in Tokyo!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello and thank you very much for your wonderful site
my story is like the following :
I came to japan by an embassy recommendation MEXT scholarship from IRAQ as a master student and now I`m a master student and will graduate in 2019/April so my question is do you think it is possible to extended for PhD and when do you think I can apply in April or November of 2o18
the second question is I`m thinking of applying for university recommended MEXT scholarship when can I apply for it .
please help me
Hi Aya,
Your university should give you an opportunity to apply for an extension of your scholarship sometime this coming fall/winter. If they don’t mention it by late November, then I would recommend that you ask them for more information.
Since you are already a MEXT scholars, you cannot apply for a new scholarship via the usual Embassy Recommendation or University Recommendation processes. You can only apply for the extension process.
In order to apply for a new scholarship, you would have to complete at least three full years of education or research after the end of your current scholarship period before you would be eligible again.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
First of all, thank you so much for the plethora of information you have provided regarding the MEXT application process—it’s such a wonderful resource. Anyway, my apologies if this question has been asked before, but I’m a little confused about the LoR requirement for the embassy-recommended MEXT. The 2018 guidelines suggest that two letters of recommendation are required for the application (one signed by the dean of one’s former university, and one from your employer if you’re currently working). I graduated from university last year and am currently working full-time. Is it correct for me to assume that I need two LoRs for the application, one from my former university, and one from my employer for the 2019 MEXT application? Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for your kind words! I’m happy to be able to help.
Yes, in your situation, you will need a Letter of Recommendation from your former university as well as one from your employer.
But I would recommend that you wait for the local Japanese Embassy/Consulate to release their application instructions. In some cases they will ask for the employer letter later on, to avoid causing problems at your job.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi This is S. Charles from India
1) I want to apply for Embassy Recommendation MEXT . But for examination I have to sit for both English and Japanese language exam?
2) I got a recommendation from TMDU Professor still I should write the Japanese exam? Why because I don’t know the Japanese language.
Hi S. Charles,
If you are applying for the Embassy recommendation scholarship, then sitting for the Japanese exam is mandatory, even if you do not speak any Japanese and are applying to a program taught in English. As long as your program is taught in English, it is fine to turn in the Japanese exam blank. That will not hurt you.
The English exam is technically optional, but it is required if you are applying from a program taught in English!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thank you very much for creating this wonderful site.
My research area is Computational Fluid Dynamic of Biogas Fueled Engine. Right now I’m preparing various document for Embassy-MEXT this year. I have contact many professor and tell them my research interest topic and intention to continue my study under their guidance. Fortunately, one of them (because of privacy, I cant tell his information here) replied my email with good answer and agreed to supervise me. There’re some question that I’d like to ask (I’m so sorry, there’re too many of them).
1. Is it okay to keep sending e-mail to my professor candidate to build good relationship? I’m planning to ask his advise about my research proposal.
2. Is it okay to focus only to one professor from one university even tough Embassy-MEXT provide 3 university choice?
3. Is okay to start contact Japanese embassy in my country to ask about MEXT Scholarship even tough they haven’t open the admission?
I’m so sorry for long question. Thank you very much for your time and help.
Hi Teguh,
I’m glad to hear that you’ve already started contacting professors and had a response.
1. Yes, I would certainly recommend staying in touch and building a relationship of your research interests.
2. You should always have a first choice among the three, and your research proposal should focus on that first choice, but I recommend having backups as well, in case something changes, like the professor in question leaves the university or takes sabbatical and cannot supervise you.
3. I don’t think there is any need to contact the embassy at this point or any potential benefit in it. You can still prepare everything you need before the announce the call for applications by referring to the guidelines from last year. They do not change significantly from year to year.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
thank you very much for you answer, Travis.
Hi Travis, my name is Duygu, from Turkey.
Firstly, thank you so much for all the information you have shared with us.
I am planning to apply Mext 2019. I graduated from the French Literature. I would like to do my master degree in comparative literature between French and Japanese Literature. My first question, is it possible to apply Mext for French Literature or comparative literature? At the moment what I would like to do is not possible in my country due to language barriers, I can’t find a Japanese Literature professor who knows French or vice versa. I am really interested in both literatures and want to work on them. by the way my Japanese level is near N3. I know that normally it is a problem but do you think they can still accept it?
My second question, for embassy application as far as I know, a these proposal needs to be provided. Normally I would be preparing the these in French, but I am not sure in which language to prepare.
I apologise for taking your time and thank you for this website!
Kind regards;
Duygu A.
Hi Dugyu,
You’re very welcome!
I think you may have difficulty finding a program in Japan in your field of study with your language ability. For fields related to Japan, such as Japanese literature, MEXT would require that you study/write your thesis in Japanese and have a high enough Japanese ability level to do so. I suspect that in most universities, they would want to see N1 for Japanese literature studies.
I recommend that you start narrowing down prospective universities ad professors soon and start researching their language requirements to see if there are any programs in your field that you would be eligible for.
For your Field of Study and Research Program Plan (your research proposal), you should write in the language of the degree program you plan to undertake. So, if you were enrolling in a degree taught in Japanese, you would write it in Japanese. If you were enrolling in a program taught in English, you would write it in English.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you so much for your answer. While I was waiting for your answer I made some research like you suggested and find at least 2 universities that published some thesis close to what I am looking for in French. But I unfortunately there were more thesis in Japanese in the same field.
You told me to use the language which I would be using in my study but during my research I found something, even if an applicant is French and s(he) applies from France they are asked to apply in English or Japanese.( This is written in both Japanese embassies’ websites for Canada and France). I am totally stuck in a dilemma to which language to use as I believe French is the best choice especially for asking Letter of Acceptance( assuming I get to this level and the professor might not be English speaking).
I really appreciate you effort and help. Among the other applicants I will probably not pass the first screening due to language problem but I am going to try. It’s better than to regret for not applying.
Have a great day,
Duygu
Hi Dugyu,
For the application process you must choose a language that is used as the primary language of instruction in Japan: Japanese or English.
There are no degree programs in Japan where you would be able to earn a degree entirely taught in French. You may be able to converse with your instructor in French later on, but everything official would have to be in Japanese.
If your instructor does not speak English, then I’m afraid you would have to apply in Japanese.
I admire your perspective. I agree that it’s always worth taking the shot rather than holding back and regretting that choice later!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your quick answer.
It seems that Japanese or English is my only chance to apply,
Thank you again for taking your time and giving me advice.
Have a great day,
Duygu
Hi Dugyu,
I agree that you would likely have to stick to one of those. I hope your application goes well!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for all the great info! I’m ready to start contacting professors, and I’m wondering if I should wait until spring break is over to get in touch, or if I should just go ahead and initiate contact now. I’m worried that if professors don’t check their emails during break that my email will get lost/overlooked. Then again, they might be less busy during break, so maybe now is the time to email them? What are your suggestions?
Thanks!
Chris D.
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your kind words!
Even though it’s spring break and professors are not teaching/may not be in their offices, it’s still OK to try to reach out to them. Many will be working on course planning or research and should still be checking their email. It’s never truly a “vacation” period for them. You might need to be prepared to send an extra reminder email if they don’t respond at first, but don’t let that hold you back.
If you wait until April, they’ll be in the first few weeks of class and busy with the new lessons, students adding and dropping, advisees, etc., so now is as good a time as any!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Awesome, thank you!
Hey Travis!
Thanks for this amazing website! I’ve been researching on the potential professors for a while now, and soon I’m going to start writing to the top 3 professors. However my research area (autonomous driving) seems to be rather limited in terms of possible research laboratories in Japan (at least based on my research so far, I might be wrong), so I want to get it just right from the beginning. I didn’t seem to find any (detailed) examples of how to approach professors, but at least it seems to be best to leave out the MEXT application part in the beginning.
Should I write and present the whole research plan to the professor from the get-go, or just simply express my intention to (try to) get in the related university and my interest in studying under the professor I’m writing for? I already have a rough idea for a research plan, but it’s still very limited in details (research schedule etc.). I’ve been planning on applying for the Research student scholarship for a few years now, and now that I’m finally eligible (i.e. just about to graduate), I really want to maximize my chances on receiving a reply from a professor (although I do know it’s not the end even if I don’t receive a reply at this time) and hopefully get accepted. I already read all the pages related to applying but I’m still a bit overwhelmed with all the information so excuse me if this seems to be a bit redundant question.
Best,
Tuomas
Hi Tuomas,
Thank you for your kind words!
It’s not a redundant question, at all. Approaching professors with a cold email is probably one of the most difficult parts of the process. I’ve been spending the last several months researching how past successful applicants went through the process in order to produce a more definitive guide and that is one of the sections that I will be focusing on! (Unfortunately, the writing process is taking longer than expected).
My suggestion, if you don’t need an LoA immediately (which is the ideal situation for contacting them), is to start with a short, simple email, no more than a couple of paragraphs, describing why you are interested in their research, how you found them, and stating that you would like to study under them in the future.
Then, describe your research area briefly – in a sentence – and why you think it would fit well with the professor’s. Finally, close by restating your interest and asking the professor if he she would be willing to supervise you. You should offer to share your CV and more details about your research plan at the end.
Two relatively short paragraphs should be your target. Respect the professor’s time and make it easy for him/her to finish your email and reply in a short amount of time!
I hope that helps! I’m planning a whole chapter of an upcoming book on this subject, with templates, to it’s not easy to condense down to a single comment reply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! Thanks for all the information. I feel more comfortable now with all the applying process now thanks to your blog. However I’m a little confused now that I read more universities programs.
I graduated on visual arts, so obviously my only option is to apply to an art program. So far I’ve found just one offered in English at Tokyo University of the Arts. I was planning on applying as research student since must universities I found before mentioned they would accept people with less than an N2 (just as research students (since all their master programs are offered in Japanese) but now, with TUA I wanted to apply for the master program (because it is offered in English) but on their website they wrote “If you are accepted by our school, you will begin your study in Tokyo University of the Arts as a (non-degree seeking) Research Student. You will have to accept entrance exam of your desired graduate school in order to become a regular (degree-seeking) student after you come to Japan.”
Does that mean that my on the application form for the embassy I should apply as research student? Or can I apply to the embassy for a master degree program and then the universities will place me on the research section?
Another question I got is: I studied in Japan with JASSO scholarship for 10 months (as an ISEP student) and according to the university’s Japanese program I’m around an N3 at the moment (I haven’t taken JLPT yet). If I managed to get an N2 after the 6 months courses MEXT offers, would I be able to change from an English program to another one in Japanese also offered in the same university I was accepted in or do I have to stay in the same program I applied to since the beginning?
Sorry for the long message but this would be my first time to apply for MEXT and I really want to be sure about what I’ll be doing before the applications start.
Thanks again for your blog and all your help!
Hi Martha,
Is there a particular reason you really want to come directly as a Master’s student?
Arriving in Japan as a research student gives you more time to adjust to life here, get settled, and start your studies before you are “on the clock” for the 2-year deadline to finish your masters degree. Unless you have a pressing reason to finish your degree quickly, then I would recommend you consider the research option. You can enroll in the Master’s degree program and extend your scholarship after arrival.
It sounds like that would be more in alignment with what the universities want, anyway. They will ultimately choose where to place you (research or degree) and whether or not to have you spend your first semester in the Japanese language program.
Ultimately, changing programs within a university is a university decision, so I don’t know what Geidai (TUA) would say, but even if you can’t change programs, they may at least allow you to take some courses taught in Japanese and get credit for them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your reply, and no, I don’t mind arriving as a research student at all, just wanted to be sure how to fill in that space (applying as research or master student).
I do have another question now: we’re asked for our current job (if we have one) and in my case I work as a tattoo artist at a tattoo shop. Do you think that could be an inconvenient (because of the area) and would be better to just say I don’t work at the moment?
I read somewhere in your blog you could check applications to make recommendations and stuff like that for a certain price. Could you give me informations about that topic, please? Don’t know if I should write to your e-mail about that matter, if so let me know and I’ll write to you.
Applications in Mexico start around the first week of May and would like to feel a little bit more comfortable with what I send to the embassy.
Thank you again for your time and help.
Hi Martha,
You are required to be completely honest on the form. Any deliberate misinformation is grounds for losing the scholarship.
I don’t think it will be that big of a deal to write that you are a tattoo artist, but you should be prepared for questions about it in your interview, in case someone does take notice. If you’re prepared to make a comment about your interest in the difference in opinion of tattoos in different cultures, or how you are aware of the difference and plan to respect the Japanese erspective, that should be fine.
I do have a service to check applications for completeness for a fee. If you’re interested, I’d like to ask you to complete the google form signup to help me make the proper arrangements: http://www.transenzjapan.com/coaching-application/
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
This is probably a silly doubt but is there a problem in asking an ‘assistant’ or an ‘associate’ professor for being your guide for your research program and asking a LOA from him? Does one have to ask only a Professor for being your guide? Thanks for everything again !!
Regards,
Jes.
Hi Jeslina,
Actually, it’s not that silly. It depends on the university. Your professor must, of course, have earned the degree that you yourself are seeking and should be leading his or her own research, not a member of another professor’s lab.
Associate/Assistant etc. is rank within the university. It does not necessarily correspond to the professor’s supervisory permission, so you will have to follow up with each professor or university directly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,i m a burundian and i m very keen of MEXT scholarship so thé is the japanese embassy of Burundi is in Rwanda then i want ta ask you which process can i follow for applying in MEXT scholarship!Thank you for the answar that you are going to give me!
Hi Ngabirano Rodrigue,
You should be elgible to apply for either the Embassy-recommended or University-recommended approach. For the Embassy, though, you are going to have to go through the official embassy office for Burundi, even though it is physically located in Rwanda and find out what the procedures are for Burundian nationals.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello dear TranSenz
I have a little problem about the address to where the application has to be sent. I am Guy Miwa and I am from the DRC.
Would you provide some help for me about the address to send the application to and The list of universities in partenship with the MEXT?
Thanks in advance
Guy
Hi Guy,
You would need to apply at the Japanese Embassy that servers your country. I’d recommend checking their website for their submission instructions.
All universities in Japan can host students under this scholarship, but if you follow the links on this page, you’ll find the ones with courses in English – I’d recommend you stick with those!
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Dear Travis,
Thank you for your all helpful pages. If don’t mind i have some question …
I am 31 years old and in April 2019 i will be 32 so it is my age in application 2018.I know the maximum age for MEXT is 35 but i wonder to know when the age is elder like me (32) than for example applicants 27, my chance will be reduced? I mean i Have less chance than younger applicants!!!
the next question is I am a bachelor in graphic and passed Master degree with major on animation. and i want to apply for Doctorate degree on animation. Do you think it could be a big problem for me?
Next question is that unfortunately there is only 1 Japanese university with a Doctorate Degree on Animation. is it another problem for me?? because I should fill 3 universities in application but I don’t have any choices except one.
sincerely,
Masoumeh
Hi Masoumeh,
Your age is not officially included in your evaluation, besides determining if you are eligible or not. So, it should not be a factor. I can’t say for sure how each person evaluating your application would think about it privately, but at least it should not make any significant difference (and there’s nothing you can do about it, so there is no point in worrying).
For your degree, I am sure there are not many universities that offer that program in English. If you include less than three universities in your placement preference form, you need to have a good reason for it. If your reason is “this is the only university that offers this course in English”, (and you are right about that), then that should not be a problem!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! I would like to know if there is a similar post like this for the MEXT 2018 but for undergraduate students!
Hi Leonidas,
I haven’t written about the undergraduate scholarship program specifically yet. It’s on my list of things to tackle once I finish the set of guides for the graduate scholarship, but that won’t be for a while.
The application period for the 2018 scholarship has long-since passed, but you’ll be able to start the application for the 2019 scholarship sometime around next April or May.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hey Travis,
Thank you so much for your in-depth posts about the MEXT program. Your information is very detailed, well-written, and truly helpful in obtaining a realistic understanding of what it takes to pass the MEXT program.
I had a question about local acceptances. I currently live and work in Japan now as an educator. I’ve been here for 3 years now and I’m wondering if it were possible for me to be accepted into the MEXT program as a LOCAL acceptance? I would be willing to change my visa status from “teacher” to “student”, which means quitting my job, but is this even possible to do once already in Japan?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Johnathan,
There is a “Domestic Selection” category of the MEXT scholarship for students who are already enrolled, or are scheduled to be enrolled, at a Japanese university. However, in recent years this category has been disappearing, thanks to budget cuts, so my understanding is that now it only exists at Top Global Universities.
Even then, it’s probably the most competitive of the scholarship categories, since every international student at the university is eligible and there are generally no more than a handful of slots.
My recommendation would be to apply for the Embassy-recommended scholarship. Yes, this would require traveling back and forth to your home country while you were applying, for interviews and such, but the chances are a bit higher and I have seen applicants successful with this route in the past!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
どうも！ very helpful!
Travis, would I still be eligible for the scholarship even though I reside and work in Japan, though?
Hi Johnathan,
As long as you can show that you have a definite date to depart Japan before the scholarship period begins, you would be eligible.
For example, the end of your current work contract (or the one that ends in March the year you will start the scholarship, etc.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your information.
I just have a simple questions. I am about to graduate next year and I would like to apply for master in nursing. I want to know how to apply for master in short because I got confused by research staff an professor seeking. I want to know if they are the same?
And if I want to apply a master thought in Japanese, will the embassy take a test or should I seek the test before that time?
Hi Najah,
This article describes the steps you need to go through to get started with the Embassy-recommended scholarship application. There is a separate way to apply through university recommendation, and I have several articles about that process as well.
Finding a professor you want to study under is the first step you should really go through before you start your application – it isn’t actually part of the application process.
If you want to take a Japanese-taught program, you should have at least N2 to N1 level Japanese already. You will take a test at the embassy, but when you apply to universities, some of them may ask to see your JLPT scores.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
My name is Tan Choon Beng. I plan to apply for Embassy-Recommended MEXT scholarship next year (2018) for PhD study in 2019 April admission in Japan university/institute.
Currently, I’m a Master Student (by research) in the field of Computer Science field in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and I’m going to graduate next year. From the guideline PDF provided in Embassy of Japan in Malaysia website, one of the required documents is certified copy(s) of our Bachelor’s/Master’s transcript. However, universities in Malaysia usually do not provide transcript to Master/PhD student by research, rather transcripts are only provided to Master students by coursework. What are other options for this?
Sincerely,
Thanks in Advance.
Tan Choon Beng.
Hi Tan Choon Beng,
My first recommendation would be to check with the embassy there in Malaysia. The chances are good that they’ve dealt with applicants in a similar situation in the past and have a policy for your situation. But they may not answer your question until the next application cycle starts.
Do you receive any grades at all for your degree, such as a grade for your research thesis? That alone might be sufficient. If not – or if that grade hasn’t been awarded yet – then you would probably need to at least provide a letter from your university explaining the way grades are awarded for Masters Degrees by research. You might also need some other objective proof of merit, such as any academic awards, publications, etc., and possibly even your bachelor’s transcript.
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful, but I don’t have any direct experience with your situation (we never had an applicant from an all-research Masters in my years processing the scholarship), so I’m just trying to come up with as many ideas as I can.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
My name is Tan Choon Beng, and I plan to apply for Embassy-Recommended MEXT scholarship next year (2018) for PhD study in 2019 April admission in Japan university/institute.
Currently, I’m a Master Student (by research) in the field of Computer Science field in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and I’m going to graduate next year. From the guideline PDF provided in Embassy of Japan in Malaysia website, one of the required documents is certified copy(s) of our Bachelor’s/Master’s transcript. However, universities in Malaysia usually do not provide transcript to Master/PhD student by research, rather transcripts are only provided to Master students by coursework. What are other options for this?
Sincerely,
Thanks in Advance.
Tan Choon Beng.
Hi Tan Choon Beng,
I saw your question on the MEXT Scholarship FAQ page and answered it there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am Ye Win From Myanmar
This website is really a helping hand for MEXT scholarship applicants.
I obtained the degree with specialization in Tourism Management and I want to continue my education career on Economics. I passed primary screening and got embassy recommendation and got letter of acceptance from two universities. Can I be rejected in final screening by MEXT because my undergraduate degree and Master’s degree are not same?
Hi Ye Win Lwin,
Congratulations on passing the primary screening and obtaining your LoAs!
Your degree does not necessarily have to be in the same field, but you do have to show a connection between the specific subject you studied at both levels. (For instance, if you are going to study anything related to the economics of tourism in your Masters, that’s a close enough link).
If you’ve made it through the Primary Screening, it sounds like you’ve already cleared this requirement. The Secondary screening is really just MEXT double-checking to make sure you are eligible and that the Embassy hasn’t made any mistakes.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, thank you for all the helpful pages, I’m sorry in advance if you have already addressed a question like this. I was looking at the Kyoto University for MEXT opportunities, I’ve missed the deadlines for Embassy-Rec but I don’t think I’ve missed the University path which says the application is late November. However, under the University Recommendation instructions it says this:
“For University Recommendations, Kyoto University screens the applications of students whose institutions have a student exchange agreement with Kyoto University and selects candidates to recommend to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as research students. To apply through a university recommendation, please contact a Kyoto University faculty member whom you would like to have as an academic advisor, and consult him/her to apply. ”
I have already graduated from my undergraduate institution and doubt it had any “student exchange agreement” with Kyoto University. Do you think this means I am ineligible to apply this way?
Thanks!
Hi Amanda,
Some universities do choose to limit the University-recommended scholarship application process to students from partner universities. Based on your input, it sounds like Kyoto is one of them.
You can double-check to see whether your university has a partnership with Kyoto here.
If not, you would have to apply to a different university if you want to go for the University-recommended scholarship this year or wait until the next Embassy round to try again for Kyoto.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!!
My name is Agnesa, and I really appreciate the information provided. I just found out that for my country the application deadline was 31May. Im obviously late, but my question is; Can I apply in 2018? If so, why do I have to wait 1 year ( until 2019 ) and then go to Japan and start studying, including I’m already missing out a year while learning the japanese language.
Hi Agnesa,
Provided that you still meet the eligibility criteria next year, you would be able to apply in 2018 for the scholarship starting in 2019.
As for why you have to start so early, the application process simply takes that long to approve. It’s very bureaucratic!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi I am anna I have passed the preliminary screening for the MEXT scholarship 2018 and now trying for LOA. I got positive response from only one professor from chiba university and yet trying for others but is not even getting replies of the professors . my question is that Is ranking of university effect the scholarship candidature? because chiba is low ranked as compare to the others. LOA from one uni is enough? or not
Hi Anna,
Congratulations on passing the primary screening! At this point, as long as you secure at least one Letter of Acceptance, you are almost sure to receive the scholarship!
The rank of the university won’t affect you at this point, so you don’t need to worry about that. The most important thing to consider is whether that is the university you really want to go to.
When contacting universities, be sure to check their websites first to find out how they want you to request a LOA. Some universities want you to contact professors directly, others want you to contact an admin office.
If you’re reaching out to professors and getting no response, you can try to contact them through the administrative office of the graduate school where they work, too.
(I’ll have more about this in an article I’m working on right now!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz