Do you have the grades to be able to apply for the MEXT scholarship? Here’s how to find out!
MEXT Scholarship Minimum GPA Requirement
For a step-by-step walkthrough of the GPA calculation and other eligibility criteria, plus a GPA calculation spreadsheet and sample grading systems, click here to learn more about How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, the first book in the Mastering the MEXT Scholarship System
This is a sneaky eligibility criteria, as I discussed in a previous article. You will not find it in the application guidelines for students, either at the Embassy or the University. However, it does appear in the guidelines that MEXT issues to those organizations. They cannot nominate you for the scholarship unless you meet the minimum GPA requirement.
Since the requirement is not clearly stated, and I’m certain your GPA is not calculated on a 3.00 scale, it’s possible that you might end up applying for the scholarship without ever realizing that you are not eligible.
By the end of this article, we will make sure that does not happen to you.
Although we will calculate your GPA, this is not an official calculation. Ultimately, the university and embassy are responsible for calculating the official scores themselves and they are not going to accept your calculation.
How to Convert Your Grades to MEXT’s Scale
The problem is that no university in the world – not even in Japan – uses a 3.00 GPA scale. That means you have to convert whatever grade or marks system your country uses to the MEXT scale.
Unfortunately, converting your overall average from one system to the other does not work. If you convert the overall average, the result will not be accurate. You need to convert each course grade one-by-one. If you want proof of why this is true and a sample of how converting an overall average can go horribly wrong, I have included one in my upcoming book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, but you don’t need to read that to believe me.
What grades count for the calculation?
As of the 2020 University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application process, MEXT has removed the “last two years” reference from its instructions to universities in how to calculate GPA. It used to be that only your last two years of grades counted for the calculation, but now it appears that all grades earned over your most recent degree will be counted. This change should apply to both the embassy and university
All grades earned in your current degree-seeking program, or in the degree program you graduated from most recently, if you are not currently enrolled in a degree.
Degree-Seeking Program
Only grades earned in a degree program count. If you are attending university as a non-degree student, attending a language program, or attending a language school, those grades do not count.
If you studied abroad during your degree, your study abroad semester may or may not count, depending on how it is reflected on your transcript. If your grades from study abroad are reflected on your home university transcript, then those grades count. If your grades are not reflected – if they only show up as pass/fail credits – then those grades do not count.
Calculating Pass/Fail Grades
In general, grades earned in pass/fail courses do not count. However, if you earned a “fail” grade in a pass/fail course and it is impossible to distinguish that grade from a failing grade in a graded course, then it may be counted.
Calculating Your GPA: Grading Systems
In order to calculate your grades, you will need an explanation of your grading system. An explanation of the grading system is generally a chart that shows all of the possible grades that can be earned and, ideally, the descriptive value of each one.
Typically, this will appear on the transcript itself, or it may be available from your university’s website. In my book, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, I include images and conversion charts for every grading system I have worked with in my career.
Without a grading system, your grades are impossible to interpret.
Grading systems vary wildly from country to country, so the same grade could be a good score in one country and a terrible score in another. For example, a 71% in Japan is below average (2.00 on the MEX 3.00 scale), but in the UK it is at excellent grade (3.00 on the 3.00 scale). A “D” grade in the US is just one place removed from failure (1.00 on the 3.00 scale), but in Australia, D stands for Distinction (3.00 on the 3.00 scale).
You need your grading system to be able to convert your grades. If it is not printed on your transcript, then talk to the international office at your university or a graduate school admissions office. Either of those offices would need to be able to convert foreign grades to your university’s system in order to accept students, so they should have access to conversion charts.
Calculating Your GPA: Grading Buckets
Based on your grading system, you need to determine how to fit your grades into grading “buckets.” A grading bucket is a group of grades that all convert to the same value on MEXT’s chart.
MEXT’s official conversion chart is as follows:
| System | Grades | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Level System | Excellent | Good | Average | Fail | |
| 4-Level System | A | B | C | F | |
| 4-Level System | 100 – 80 | 79 – 70 | 69 – 60 | 59 – 0 | |
| All other grading systems with 4 distinct grading buckets will use this system | |||||
| 5-Level System | S | A | B | C | F |
| 5-Level System | A | B | C | D | F |
| 5-Level System | 100 – 90 | 89 – 80 | 79 – 70 | 69 – 60 | 59 – 0 |
| All other grading systems with 5 distinct grading buckets will use this system | |||||
| MEXT System Grade | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Each column in the table above is a Grading Bucket, whether that’s a single letter, description, or range of scores. But these are not the only options. You might have a system with pluses and minuses, with more than 5 letters, or other variations, such as different percentage cut-offs.
It is important that you find the conversion that works for your grading system. Your grading system will tell you how to fit your grades into the buckets above.
Once you have done that, I recommend that you make a copy of your transcript so that you can write directly on it. You can also do your calculations in a spreadsheet, of course, or however you prefer.
Whatever system you are using, write your MEXT GPA score next to your score for each course that you took over the last 2 full years.
Calculating Your Grades: Credits
Next, we need to multiply each MEXT grade by the number of credits you earned in the class, if you have a credit system.
A credits system is when you need to obtain a specific number of credits in order to graduate. Most courses will be worth multiple credits in this kind of system, depending on the number of hours spent in class and on work outside of class.
Here are a few common credit systems:
- In Japan, many universities assign 2 credits per lecture course
- Many semester-system universities in the US assign 3 credits per lecture course
- Another credit system in the US and Canada is to assign 0.5 credits per semester course and 1 credit for a year-long course
- In the ECTS system in Europe, each course is typically worth 6 credits
If you have credits for each class, the number of credits will be printed next to each class on your transcript. Multiply that number by your MEXT grade for each course to get your Quality Points for that class.
What if Your University Doesn’t Use Credits?
There are a few alternative systems you may see.
The first, and easiest, is if there are no credits at all. In this system, you simply have to pass a certain number of courses. None is weighted more than the other. In that case, each course has a credit value of 1 and your quality points for the course would be equal to the MEXT grade.
Semester and Year Courses
If your university distinguishes between semester-long courses and year-long courses, but does not specify credits, then treat a year-long course as 2 credits and a semester-long course as 1 credit for the sake of calculating your grade.
Average Marks
I have seen average marks systems where each course was worth a maximum number of marks and students had to acquire a specific number of total marks across all courses in order to graduate.
In such a system, you still need to convert your grades for each individual course. You would get your converted grade based on the percentage of available marks that you earned and the number of credits would be equal to the total number of marks available.
Calculating Your MEXT GPA: Moment of Truth
GPA calculation formula
By this point, you should have your MEXT GPA for each course, the number of credits for each course, and the number of quality points (GPA x credits) for each course.
Divide the total number of quality points by the total number of credits to get your overall MEXT GPA.
How did you do? Did you clear the 2.30 threshold?
In most cases, I find that applicants’ GPAs are higher than they expect, especially if you come from a country with a harsh grading system.
If your grades are higher than 2.30, then you are eligible to apply, and there is nothing that should stop you. If you want to learn more about creating an application strategy and adopting a professional mindset to increase your chances of success, you can find advice and worksheets to improve your chances in How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship.
Of course, I have tons of free advice and resources in the other articles on this site, as well! You can find all of my MEXT articles at this link.
What If You Don’t Have Grades
There are some degree programs out there that do not award grades such as research-only graduate programs. In this case, you cannot calculate your GPA, so what do you do?
If you are applying for the Embassy Recommendation MEXT Scholarship, then please contact the Embassy for more details to be sure, but the instructions below may apply to you.
For the University Recommendation, if you have no grades, then your Letter of Recommendation (from your Dean or President, as required in that application process), must explicitly state that you are in the top 30% of your graduating class within the faculty or the university as a whole.
The top 30% letter only works if you have no GPA. If you have a GPA below 2.30, you cannot override that low GPA, even if you are in the top 30% of your class.
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon. You can show your support for TranSenz on Patreon for as little as $2 per month (or less than 0.15% of the monthly MEXT stipend). Patreon supporters are instrumental in helping to cover the costs of maintaining this site and get priority responses to any questions as well as advance access to news and offers.
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!
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Hi, i have 116 credits in grades that go from 0 to 10 and 96 credits in pass/fail, how do i calculate my gpa?
Hi Matheus Miquelini,
Pass/fail credits do not count for your GPA calculation, so ignore those and calculate the conversions for each of your graded courses (0 to 10), only, and then take the average of those.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, I really don’t know how to calculate my MEXT GPA since my university follows a percentage scale (65-100). It goes like this, 75 is our passing grade, 65 is the lowest attainable grade and 99 is the highest grade attainable. Can you help me out on how should I calculate my MEXT GPA?
Also, am I going to consider the numerical grades that I failed in the calculation of the GPA?
Hi Ramsis Rico Pimentel Bayo,
Unless the explanation of your grading system explicitly says that failed/repeated grades are not counted in the GPA calculation, then yes, you would count them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Ramsis Rico Pimentel Bayo,
You would need to find out what the breakdown of grades is within those percentages. For example, what is considered an “excellent” grade, what is considered a “good” grade, etc.
If there is a scale on your transcript, that would be the best reference. Otherwise you can ask your registrar or study abroad office how they convert grades into another country’s system (like the US GPA system, etc.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
Can you please help me figure out the grading system for my university and how I can use it to know if I am eligible for the MEXT scholarship or not.
It is as follows:
A* — Excellent — 4.00 — 95-100%
A — Excellent — 4.00 — 90-94.9%
A- — Excellent — 3.60 — 85-89.9%
B+ — Very Good — 3.30 — 80-84.9%
B — Very Good — 3.00 — 75-79.9%
B- — Very Good — 2.70 — 72-74.9%
C+ — Good — 2.30 — 70-71.9%
C — Good — 2.00 — 65-69.9%
C- — Pass — 1.70 — 63-64.9%
D+ — Pass — 1.30 — 62-62.9%
D — Pass — 1.00 — 60-61.9%
F — Fail — 0.00 — Less than 60%
Thank you very much!
Hi Hossam Rashed,
In this case, I recommend that you convert the grades based on the quality description, not the letters, numbers, or GPAs (because of the way that the C- is handled). So:
Excellent = 3
Very Good = 3
Good = 2
Pass = 1
Fail = 0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I’m Sowndarya Raji S from India. I want to convert my 10 point scale GPA into 3 point scale GPA. but I am so confused, It would be great if you can help me with this. Thank you in advance.
O = 91-100 = 10
A+ = 81-90 = 9
A = 71-80 = 8
B+ = 61-70 = 7
B = 56-60 = 6
C= 50-55 = 5
RA = <50 = 0
Hi Sowndarya Raji S,
This scale is the same as one of the ones I use in the example above. Ignore the numbers and the “+”s and you can convert it as follows:
S = 3
A+/A = 3
B+/B = 2
C = 1
RA = 0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I want to convert my 7 point scale GPA into 3 point scale GPA. but I am unable to calculate it based on my university criteria, It would be great help for me if you could suggest 3 point scale parameters for the same. Thank you in advance.
O = 7
A+ =6
A =5
B+ =4
B =3
C+= 2
C = 1
Hi Ankita Kandalkar,
I recommend using the letter grades for your conversion. If you do that, it is quite simple:
O=3
A+/A=3
B+/B=2
C+/C=1
Assuming those are all passing grades, then there would be no grade that converts to a “0”
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am graduated from university of agriculture faisalabad pakistan. My overall 8th semester cgpa is 3.55 out of 4. My university based on 4 grading system. What will be my cgpa according to MEXT 3 scale?
Recently I got Acceptance letter from professor of japan from tokyo university. But this is email format. Is this acceptance?
Hi Muhammad Shuban,
It is not possible to convert your CGPA. You must convert the grades of each of your courses individually and then take the average of those grades.
Regarding the Letter of Acceptance – is this for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship application for this year? If so, and that is the letter that you have to submit to the Japanese Embassy in Pakistan, then you should check with the embassy to see if they will accept the digital copy (or a printout of it). The policy can be different from country to country.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have two bachelor’s degrees. A 4-year Biology degree and a 3-year Asian studies degree. I did the Asian studies degree more recently, but I would want to do a masters in biology. Do you think they would still use my Asian Studies degree to calculate my GPA? Would they exclude my Asian studies degree because it’s only 3 years?
Thanks for all of the great info you have on your site, it’s been a huge help!
Hi Casey,
Thank you for your kind words!
They should use only your more recent degree to calculate your GPA for eligibility, but they will also refer to your performance in your biology degree, as well, to see how well you performed in that field.
The length of the Asian Studies degree would not effect the calculation. (Later on, they will probably ask you about the switch to and from Asian studies during the interview, etc., too.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! Would you be able to help me convert my university grades to MEXT’s gpa?
GRADES GRADE POINT PERCENTAGE (%)
O 10 90 and above
A+ 9 85-89
A 8.5 80-84
B+ 8 70-79
B 7 60-69
C 6 50-59
P 5 45-49
F 0 Less than 45
Hi Kit,
6-bucket systems are always a little bit of a challenge to figure out where the cut off is.
Is the “P” grade part of the letter grade system as a passing grade, or does that exist for only some courses?
If there are descriptions of the different grades (e.g. “excellent”, “above average”), a minimum passing grade, or a standard distribution, that would be helpful to determine the cut offs. Do you have any other information like that, or would you be willing to share the name of your university so that I can do some more research?
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Yes, the P stands for Pass(just pass) and is used for all subjects. our minimum passing mark is 45/100 in the external university exam. It also has a total 150 mark distribution to assign final grade (which I still haven’t understood well). so if you get 135 out of 150 (which amounts to 90%, you get the O grade.) My university is called APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.
Hi Kit,
Thank you for the additional information about the “Pass” grade and the name of your university. I was able to find the full grading scale in your student handbook, which included the quality descriptions (Outstanding, excellent, average, etc) that made it easier to interpret.
Based on that description, I would convert your grades as follows:
O Outstanding = 3
A+ Excellent = 3
A Very Good = 3
B+ Good = 3
B Above Average = 3
C Average = 2
P Pass = 1
F Fail = 0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Can you please help me with the grading in the MEXT 3 point GPA system.
My University grading system is as follows
A : 4
A- : 3.67
B+ : 3.33
B : 3
B- : 2.67
C+ : 2.33
C : 2
C- : 1.67
D+ : 1.33
D : 1
F : 0
Where,
A= Excellent
B= Good
C= Adequate
D= Minimum Acceptable
F= Failure
Also, unfortunately I got F grade in 2 courses in my degree which I later repeated and got good scores in them. Now both the F grade courses and their repeated/improved grades are written on my transcript. Should I count the F grdae courses or just the improved scores while calculating.
Another thing is that should I calculate the gpa of each semester indvidually or just calculate gpa from first to last semester together.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Rusher,
Your grading scale is a simple 5-level scale, as described in the article above. Ignore all the plusses and minuses and it should be straightforward!
If the F grades remain on your transcript, I recommend that you calculate your grades both ways, just to be sure. If the Fs are not included in the final calculation of your GPA (and it is explained in the grading system that Fs are not considered in the case of retakes), then they shouldn’t be counted for MEXT either, but it’s better to be safe.
You don’t need to calculate semester-by-semester GPA. Just convert each of the grades individually and take the overall average.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you for your website. I am interested in applying for MEXT as research student in Titech. I did my calculations to convert my GPA, and thankfully I should pass the 2.3/3 mark. I just want to make sure, in here (https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/international-student-exchange/pdf/mext-university-appendix.pdf), it says “The student’s grade point average should be calculated using only grades obtained as a student in a degree program”.
Now, does that mean the same as the last 2 years of my school years? Are there universities that use different calculations for their GPA requirement? I just want to confirm.
Thanks in advance!
Hi A.F.,
In the past, only the previous two years of grades were used to calculate your GPA, but now they use all of the grades from your most recent degree program, so that could be 4 years, if your most recent degree was a bachelor’s degree. Examples of grades that wouldn’t count would be if you took a certificate program after graduation that didn’t lead to a degree, or if you enrolled in a language school, etc.
The GPA calculation method is determined by MEXT, so all universities should use the same one.
One thing to be aware of, though, is that the scholarship is very competitive, so having just a 2.3 GPA is likely not going to be enough. You would be eligible at that point, but not competitive.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,thanks for this awesome post. I have a question, I calculated for each semester coventing from 4 scale GS to the 3 scale, in one of my results in 2020, I got 2.1/3.0 in that semester didn’t do to well (corona year) although I got no Fs, got 3A, 1B, 2C, 3Ds. I’m currently in 300l second semester with 4.04/5.0 cgpa and my overall scale as calculated is 2.5/3.0. I’m preparing ahead of mext 2023/2024… I’m scared that semester may affect my chances… Please sir will it?
Hi Bunmi,
To convert your GPA, you need to convert each grade separately and take the average after the conversion. You would never be looking at a semester GPA, year GPA, etc, just the overall.
Of course, any poor grades are going to bring down your overall GPA, but it doesn’t make a difference if they’re all in one semester or spread out across several years.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis…. I will nail my final year by God’s grace.
Please can you help me on how to convert to mext gpa scale from my university gpa scale?
This is my university grading system bellow
80-100; A
70-79; B+
60-69; B
55- 59; C+
50-54; C
0-49; F
Hi Ronaldo,
This looks like a straightforward 4-level conversion.
Assuming there is no description of the grades (e.g. “excellent”, “good”, “poor”, etc.) then ignore the “+” and you have ABCF as your grades. In that case, they would convert as follows:
A = 3
B = 2
C = 1
F = 0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
This is my university grading system and how can i convert it to Mext grading system
80-100; A=4 ; Excellent
70-79; B+=3.5 ; Very Good
60-69; B=3 ; Good
55-59; C+= 2.5 ; Fair
50-54; C=2; Average
45-49; D+=1.5; Below Average
40-44; D=1; Poor
0-39; F=0; Fail
Hi Ronaldo,
This is a basic 5-level system like I described in the article above. Ignore the “+” and you have an ABCDF system. So, in that case:
A/B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F = 0
Good Luck!
-Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am hoping you can help me figure out how to convert my GPA to the 3.0 scale. My Univerity’s grading system is a bit odd it would seem. They use GPA quality points on a 4.5 scale:
A+=4.5
A=4
B+=3.5
B=3
C=2
D=1
F=0
The problem is that the percentages are not equivalent for each grade. For instance, some courses would award an A+ for 95% while others would give one for 90%. Likewise, some courses award A for 90% while others give A’s for 80%. It really depends on the professor teaching the course. I’ve even seen different sections of the same course with different marking schemes because one professor has higher expectations than the others. The percentages do not show up on my transcript though so I’m thinking only the quality points as stated above would be taken into consideration.
Also, I seem to maybe have a unique situation in that I have two bachelor’s degrees. I have a four-year degree in science and a three-year degree in arts. Do you know if they would only assess my most recent degree? I have also considered that there is a chance that they may use the GPA from whichever degree is more relevant to the Master’s degree I plan to pursue, or that they may use my entire transcript including both degrees. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!
Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
Hi Kaitlyn,
Since your percentages aren’t shown on your transcript, you don’t need to worry about those.
You can also ignore the GPA figures and just focus on the letter grades (ignore “plusses” too). That gives you a nice, simple ABCDF system that converts as follows:
A/B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F = 0
When you have multiple degrees, whether they are the same level or not, only the most recent degree counts for calculating your eligibility. Your letter of recommendation should also come from the appropriate person at the most recent degree program. But you’re going to have to submit proof of graduation and your transcript of grades from each of the degrees. If your older degree is more relevant to the studies that you want to pursue in Japan, then the reviewers may consider that in evaluating your application, even if it isn’t used for the eligibility calculation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the information! It helps a lot!
I have one more question about my transcript. So on my transcript, my university doesn’t show which courses were applied to a degree, it only shows the GPA total for that degree and then lists all of the courses I have ever taken by term. I have two degrees and I have taken additional courses that have not been applied to either degree. However, there is no way to see which courses were applied to a degree on my transcript. Would this mean that MEXT may have to use my CGPA because there is no way for them to know which courses were included in my degrees?
Should I be contacting my university to see if there is any way they can provide me with a more specific transcript?
Thanks again Travis!
Hi Kaitlyn,
I’m afraid I had misunderstood your situation. I had assumed you completed one degree, graduated, then enrolled in a separate degree, so that you would have two completely separate sets of academic records.
Instead, it sounds like you have an intertwined record, so that would be a different case.
In that case, I think all of the courses from when you initially enrolled until when you earned the last degree and graduated would count. It would be a similar situation to changing majors midway through your degree (all courses count for the calculation, even those that don’t count toward the degree you eventually earn), except that you actually completed the degree requirements before changing.
So, I think all grades will count, but they won’t simply convert your CGPA, they will have to convert each course individually then take the cumulative average of the converted scores.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks for the prompt response.
I was afraid this would be the answer. It sucks because I failed a bunch of courses in my first year (back in 2010) which could now come back to haunt me… If I was able to use only the grades included in my most recent degree I would have had a perfect 3/3 for my MEXT GPA too… But I guess it can’t be helped. Using your calculation method on my entire transcript I’ll have a 2.4/3.
Do you know if transfer credit from other institutions would be included in the calculation? I have credits from my high school IB courses and a few courses I took online from other universities over the years that were transferred to my home university to apply to my degrees. It’s a long shot but those may boost my GPA a little haha…
Thanks again Travis.
Hi Kaitlyn,
I’m sorry that the conversion didn’t work out in your favor.
Transfer credit from other institutions is not counted in the calculation unless your degree-granting institution also counted those grades on its transcript and included them in your GPA calculation. You would, however, be required to submit the transcripts from any other universities where you took classes that were transferred to your degree, for reference.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Also may I know The chances of my application being Rejected?
Hi Praveen,
Unfortunately, there is no way to know. It all depends on the quality of your application and the quality of the applications of the other students competing for the scholarship. There are many steps along the way, too, from the application forms to the tests and interviews.
But your chances of success depend on how hard you are willing to work to prepare and perfect your application. Of course at this time, you cannot change your grades, but everything else is in your power.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Case 1:
I’ve studied 10th Grade at 2017(written 93.6%), after that I’m unable to Attend High school due to financial situations for 2 years in a row, then in 2019 I continued my studies, I passed 11th Grade with 63.3 %(written),
In 2020 dude to COVID,our Exams were cancelled but 12th Grade marks calculated Based Upon 10th and 11th grade Marks By Government, which is 88.8%(not written), Am I Eligible To apply?
Case 2:
If I Filll my application by typing on The computer except the part of pasting a photo and Signature, and consider that as Original and then make a copy of it and consider this as Copy,will that be alright? Cause the UG Application Guidelines says We needed to submit complete set of copy and Original documents, also the application has four pages, do I have to pin them or tie them with thread?
I hope you reply soon,
Hi Praveen,
For case 1, as explained in the article, you cannot just convert your overall percentage for the year, you need to convert each grade individually. In order to convert the grades, you will also need to know the grading scale for your system so that you can convert them to the MEXT scale. I recommend that you try to convert your grades that way, one-by-one.
For case 2, for a document to be “original” means that the signature must be handwritten on that document. You can fill in everything else digitally (even the photo can be added digitally), print it, then sign by hand. Then you can make your copies after you sign.
I recommend using paperclips to keep your documents together. Avoid using anything like staples or pins that will poke holes in the paper!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’ve been searching for so long about Italian grading system converted to Mext scale, but it’s difficult to find it! So I tried myself based on yoir resources:
In all cases, in the Italian grading system, students are graded according to a scale ranging from 0 to 30, with 18 as a passing mark. A cum laude may be added to the highest grade (30 e lode), as a special distinction. The lowest passing grade is 18. The grades from 18 to 30 are all used.
Given this,
I tried this way:
30 and 30 cum laude- 3
29- 3
28- 3
27- 3
26- 3
25- 2
24-2
23-2
22-2
20-1
19-1
18- 1
17 and below- 0
With this and the calculation I made with credits I’m 2.28.. but with an added 3 I would be over 2.5.. it’s so confusing I don’t know if it’s worth it or not for the research plan and at 33 years old.. this would be my only chance due to my age but even if my scores are not that bad I have low points on high credits.
Can you help on this to understand if it’s worth it or not?
Thank you
Alessia
Hi Alessia,
I checked the World Education Systems conversion table that we use at my university to see how they convert grades from the Italian 30-point system, and here’s the breakdown:
25-30/30 cum laude = 3
21-24 = 2
18-20 = 1
0-17 = 0
The WES system actually converts to an ABCD scale, but that makes it easy to convert to MEXT’s 3.0 scale. In most cases, there is no direct conversion to MEXT, so we often end up converting to ABCDF scale first, and from there to MEXT.
The differences between the system above and your scale from your comment are grades of 25 and 21. I’m not sure it that’s enough to push you above the threshold or not.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I need your verification on my conversion.
So, my institution’s grading system is as followed:
A (85-100%) =4.0 = Excellent
B+ (80-84%) = 3.5 = Very Good
B (70-79%) = 3 = Good
C+ (65-69%) = 2.5 = Fairly Good
C (50-64%) = 2.0 = Fair
D (45-49%) = 1.5 = Poor
E (40-44%) = 1.0 = Very Poor
F (<40%) = 0 = Fail
Thus, how would my MEXT grading would look like. If the passing score on a course would be 50%. Does that mean my Ds and Es is as equal as an F or is it pretty much the same as 1.0?
Thanks in advanced!!
Hi Panhaneath Phann,
If a C is the minimum passing grade (often, I only see that being the case for postgraduate degrees), then anything below that would be the same as an F, or 0 on the MEXT Scale.
So, that would leave:
A = 3
B+/B = 2
C+/C = 1
On the other hand, if your grading system does not specify that 50% is the minimum passing grade, then I would have converted the system as follows:
A/B+/B = 3
C+/C = 2
D/E = 1
F = 0
The top conversion seems quite strict, but with the specification of the minimum passing grade, I think that is what it would be.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the reply. Well, this grading system is for undergrad program. In addition, getting Ds or Es here does not necessarily mean you gain no grade point out of the course OR fail the entire semester. As the system I mentioned above, Ds and Es still give grade point as long as the overall grade point of that mentioned semester is well above 50/100, and that gives a pass to that semester. Therefore, is it more accurate if I use the second system you mentioned?
Sincerely,
Panhaneath
Hi Panhaneath Phann,
Without more details about your grading system, I can’t say for sure. But MEXT converts on a course-by-course basis, so I don’t think “passing a semester” or not would be a factor. In Japanese universities, there is no system of passing or failing semesters, each course is graded separately.
Let me ask this instead, if you got a D or E in a course that was required for your major, would you need to retake that course in order to graduate, or would it still be counted? I’m trying to figure out what the role of D and E grades is, if they are not passing grades.
If you can find an official comparison between your university’s grading system and something like the US system or ECTS system, that would be helpful to help understand it, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your time. Anyways, I do not need to retake the course to graduate if getting Ds and Es as long as the accumulated grade point of the whole semester is above 50/100. For instance, I did not need to retake any course on my D or E subject or ever retake any subject at all.
Hi Panhaneath Phann,
It sounds like there’s an argument to be made for the “second system” where D/E = 1 and C = 2, but I am still concerned that if your grading system specifically says that C is the minimum passing grade, that they will use the stricter conversion.
Unfortunately, without examining a transcript and explanation of the grading system directly, I’m not sure I can offer any more specific advice or suggestions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Your article was really amazing and helpful. Thank you for taking your time.
I am applying for MEXT Graduate Scholarship. My previous university follows following grading system.
80-100 % (4 GPA/A Grade)
79.99-65 % (3-3.99 GPA/B Grade)
64.99-50 % (2-2.99 GPA/C Grade)
49.99-40 % (1-1.99 GPA/D Grade)
Less than 40% (Fail)
As per this grading system, what values for MEXT GPA should I use?
I have 15 A’s (>80%), 5 B’s (>65%), and 1 C (>50%). I am confused while assigning the MEXT GPA to my B and C grades.
Please help me in this regard.
Hi Naveed Ul Hassan,
For your grading system, you would use the 5-level ABCDF system described in the article. You can ignore the fact that the percentages are different in your system.
So:
A=3
B=3
C=2
D=1
F=0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz, this is the method of grading that is used in my school and if my grades were calculated according to what you said I meet the cut off GPA but our A-70 and above
B- 60-60 all the way to F. Would it affect it?
Hi Minty,
How the grades are converted depends on the scale used by your university. If they use letter grades, then that will be the basis for the conversion, regardless of what percentages are associated with the letter.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I would like to ask you something
The applications are currently open and my GPA is exactly 2.291, but I’m still pending my undergraduate project grade, which could raise my GPA above 2.3.
Is it possible to update grades in the middle of the application? Otherwise I am afraid that I will most likely not be eligible this year 🙁
Hi Quimisagi,
You will be evaluated based on the documents you have submitted as of the deadline. Once the application deadline passes, the university/embassy will not accept replacement/updated documents as far as I know.
You would have to get the updated version of your certificate of grades with the undergraduate project reflected in it by the time you submit your application, if you want it to be considered. Otherwise, assuming that you have calculated your GPA correctly, I’m afraid you would not be eligible. Frankly speaking, even though 2.30/3.00 is the minimum requirement, this is a very competitive scholarship so in most cases you would need a higher GPA to have a serious chance in the application process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
First of all, thanks for sharing all of this info with us! Now, I have a confusion that I want to clarify. Actually, our university follows a relative grading system. Meaning, we do get assigned the letter grades, i.e, A,B,C,D.F, but it is not based on a specific percentage of marks, but rather on our standing in the class, relative to the class average. So, would the grading system that you mentioned, apply to our case too? As an example, we might be assigned an A grade in a subject for as low as 70% marks, but in another subject, we may only manage just a B for even 80% marks. So it is totally dependent on our teachers.
It would be great if you can clarify this!
Hi Muhammad Abdullah,
I’ve actually never seen a system like that and I would have to see a copy of the transcript and explanation of grading system to be sure. I think it would depend on which system (the percentage of marks or letter grades) is considered primary and used to calculate your eligibility for graduation.
Your grade conversion should only reference one of the two systems (the percentage of marks or the letter grades), but I can’t be sure which one it would use without knowing more about the system and graduation requirements at your university. If you can share a link to your university’s grading system information, etc., I could check.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
So basically, we do get assigned the letter grades, and they correspond to a GPA out of 4. However, it doesn’t directly correspond to a specific percentage of overall marks, but rather to the standard deviation from the average of the whole class. You can look up “relative grading” and you’ll understand. My guess is, the letter grades can be assumed to be corresponding to a qualitative scale from excellent to fail, and should be treated the same way as any 5-level system of grading.
in our system, the letters correspond to following grades:
A > 4
B+ > 3.5
B > 3
C+ > 2.5
C > 2
D+ > 1.5
D > 1
F > 0
So, in mext scale, it should mean:
A, B+, B > 3,
C+, C > 2
D+, D > 1
F > 0
Would this work?
Hi Muhammad Abdullah,
I understand the concept of relative grading, but what I need to know in order to answer your question is which system is primary in your university. Of the two systems, which is used to consider your qualification for graduation? For example, do you need to earn a C or better in a certain number of courses, or do you need to obtain a specific number of overall marks (with different numbers of marks determining the class of your final degree)? I think the MEXT grade conversion will be done based on whichever system is primarily used for graduation requirements.
If it is the letter grade system, then the conversion you wrote should be accurate. But if it is the mark system, then a different scale would be necessary.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
My school follows the grading system of Pakistan.
In this system:
80-100% = A += 4 70-79% = A = 4
60-69% = B = 3 50-59% = C = 2
My score for my latest academic (Grade 11) year is:
Subject (1)= 66% Subject (2)=78% Subject (3)=64% Subject (4)=72% Subject (5)=72
Subject (6)=72%
Mext GPA is:
80-100% = 3 70-79% = 2 60-69 = 1
Then, my GPA on a 3 scale will be:
Subject (1) = 1 Subject (2) = 2 Subject (3) = 1 Subject (4) = 2 Subject (5) = 2 Subject (6) = 2
GPA = 1+1+2+2+2+2/6 = 10/6 = 1.6 (So I don’t qualify for mext, am I right?)
One more question regarding the mext GPA requirement
Is the GPA of the latest year required or of all high school years.
My GPA for grade 9 = 2.75/3
Subject (1)= 68% Subject (2)=95% Subject (3) = 100% Subject (4) = 92% Subject (5) = 89% Subject (6) = 87% Subject (7) = 86% Subject (8) = 92%
and grade 10 = 2.87/3
Subject (1)= 70% Subject (2)=97% Subject (3) = 100% Subject (4) = 94% Subject (5) = 92% Subject (6) = 89% Subject (7) = 90% Subject (8) = 94%
Kindly let me know if I qualify to apply for mext undergraduate scholarship or not
Hi Isabella Shahid,
The grading conversion I describe here is primarily for the graduate scholarship. While I think the same conversion applies in the undergraduate scholarship, too, I can’t be completely sure, so I do not recommend that you give up!
For your grading system, based on the grades you described, I would convert your scores as follows:
A+/A (70-100%) = 3
B (60-69%) = 2
C (50-59%) = 1
I’m assuming that “C” isn’t a failing grade!
Your grade conversion should include all years of your high school. So, I recommend you try the calculation again with the new conversion and including all years to see what result you get.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I am from Peru and here there are not any calification requirement for the MEXT scholarships process. They ask for your califications but there are not a minimun like in other countries. Is there still a “GAP” requirement in this case? Sorry if is a newbie question, I was happy because I thought I did not have to worry about scores but now this is the first time I hear about GAP. Also, if I study more years I was supossed to (my bachiller program is a 5 years program but I will finished in 6.5 years), do I still have to calculate the GPA only with the last 2 years scores? Greetings.
Hi Kelver Contreras,
As far as I know, the GPA requirement applies regardless of your country. This is a requirement for all Japanese government scholarships. However, some countries do not state a requirement in the guidelines because it is difficult to convert the requirement accurately into the local system.
For the GPA requirement, it used to be only the most recent two years, but now they calculate your GPA across your entire most recent degree, so all 6.5 years would count.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
Very helpful article! Sadly, my country’s grading system (Chile) is kinda weird so when calculating my GPA I have some doubts. Below are some calcs I did:
6,0 – 7,0 83% – 100% Very Good (7,0) = MEXT 3
5,0 – 5,9 66% – 82% Good = MEXT 3
4,0 – 4,9 50% – 65% Sufficient/Lowest Passing Grade = MEXT 2
3,0 – 3,9 33% – 49% Less than Sufficient = MEXT 1
2,0 – 2,9 16% – 32% Defficient = MEXT 1
1,0 – 1,9 0% – 15% Very Defficient = MEXT 1
However, since I have no other reference of system like ours to compare against, when I google up “Chile GPA to USA GPA”, a handy calculator shows up with this:
Scale Grade Description US Grade Notes
6.50 – 7.00 (Very Good) A
6.00 – 6.49 A-
5.50 – 5.99 B+
5.00 – 5.49 (Good) B
4.50 – 4.99 B-
4.00 – 4.49 (Sufficient) C Lowest passing grade
0.00 – 3.99 (Insufficient) F
-Source: scholaro.com/pro/Countries/Chile/Grading-System
Should I trust my calcs? Or the conversion to US grades table?
By the way I’ve seen that MEXT 3 starts at 60%, which would be 4,5 In my scale.
Hi John Smith,
The word descriptions are most important in considering the conversion, since the meaning of percentages, etc., can vary between countries.
If 4,0 – 4,9 is the “Lowest passing grade” then that would have to be a “1” and anything below it would be a “0”.
That leaves 5,0 – 5,9 as a “2” and 6,0 – 6,9 as a “3”.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for your quick response!
Thankfully I still have enough time to get those grades up so I’ll work harder from now on.
Another small question that i forgot to ask is: do extra curricular activities (sports and such), that are not related to my field of study but DO show on my grade compendium sheet with at least 1 credit, count for the total MEXT GPA score?
Note that in my Uni, those activities don’t help me pass any subject and are there just for formation purposes, however they indeed show up with one credit alongside all of my grades.
Hi John Smith,
If the sports appear on your grade compendium with a credit and a grade on the same scale as your other courses, then they should count, based on my experience. If they just show a credit but no grade (or a pass/fail grade, etc.), then they would not be counted.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much!
I can clearly see what I need to work towards from now on, you’re a life saver, Travis!
Dear Travis,
Can you please help me with how do I compare the MEXT scale with my uni’s grading system?
Marks Grade Grade Point Remarks
80-100% A + 4.00 Outstanding
75-79% A 3.75 Excellent
70-74% A- 3.50 Very Good
65-69% B+ 3.25 Good
60-64% B 3.00 Satisfactory
55-59% B- 2.75 Above Average
50-54% C+ 2.50 Average
45-49% C 2.25 Bellow Average
40-44% D 2.00 Pass
00-39% F 0.00 Fail
Hi Nabila,
This looks like a clear 5-Level system from the chart in the article!
Just refer to the letter grades and ignore plusses and minuses.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Do you mean like the following?
All A’s; A+, A, A- counted as 3
All B’s; B+, B, B- counted as 3
All C’s; C+, C counted as 2
D counted as 1
F as 0
Hi Nabila,
Yes, that’s it!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Actually, I am confused with the fact that the mark percentage of each grade assigned by my uni is different than the 5-Level System 100 – 90 89 – 80 79 – 70 69 – 60 59 – 0
My marking as you can see is different than this one. So, do I only have to compare my A, B, C, D & F (no matter how the mark percentage has been assigned) with the MEXT grade directly or do I need to consider marking also?
Hi Nabila,
The letter grades and number grades in the chart above are just meant to be separate examples, read individually. You would use only the letter grades or only the number grades.
Since the scale you shared with me was for letter grades, I recommend using only those and ignoring the mark percentage.
If you were to use the marks, then you would need a scale for that and would ignore the letters.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Okay! Thanks a lot for your help. Now, I am clear with the concept.
Can you please suggest to me an article of yours for the preparation of the written exam offered by the embassy in the candidates home country? Also, a guideline/basic idea regarding the entrance exam after moving to Japan?
Hi Nabila,
JASSO has published past embassy written exams on its official Study in Japan website, so I recommend checking there!
As for the university entrance exam, that will be different for every university and graduate school in Japan, so I recommend you look for resources specific to the school where you will enroll.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thanks for the detailed article.
I want to know,
For PhD, doctoral candidates, will the embassy recommended MEXT and/or University recommended MEXT consider the Master’s CGPA course by course (as described in the article) on a scale of 3 or as well as the Bachelor also?
For instance, if a candidate doesn’t have min 2.3 out of 3 in BSc but in the MSc, he/she obtained min/above 2.3 out of 3; will that candidate be passed in the criteria of GPA requirement in the embassy recommended MEXT and/or University recommended MEXT?
Summary: I am confused if the embassy & university MEXT follows the same GPA criteria or not?
If yes,
Do they consider the MSc & BSc’s CGPA both for PhD candidates?
Else,
Which one do they consider?
Hi Nabila,
You are required to submit your transcripts from each of your previous university degrees, but as far as I understand, only the most recent degree is counted for the eligibility check.
To the best of my knowledge, this same calculation applies to both the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship and Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship (as well as all other JASSO and MEXT scholarships).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Okay, Travis! Thanks, got the point.
Hi Travis, my failures don’t show up on my transcript, but they affect my CR (which is like my GPA at my university), so should I only calculate the courses passed on my transcript or the failures too?
Hi Gabriela,
If your failed classes do not show up on your transcript or university records, then the Embassy/University should have no way to calculate them, so they should not affect you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Please I need to make some enquiry from you about MEXT scholarship (University recommended). I graduate at the Federal University of Agriculture in Nigeria. I want you to help me look into the grading system that my University is using;
70-100; A
60-69; B
50-59; C
45-49; D
40-44; E
Below 40; F
Now using MEXT GPA scale, I want to know if I am right with my calculations;
70-100; 3
60-69; 3
50-59; 2
45-49; 1
40-44; 1
Below 40; 0
If I am correct with the ranking of the grade point used for the MEXT 3.0 GPA, I have 2.82 out of 3.00 for the last two academic session and I have 2.69 out of 3.00 in my Bachelor degree transcript overall.
However, I am currently doing my Master’s degree subject to defending of my thesis and I am currently on 68% which might increase to 70%+ after defending my thesis . I want to ask that what is the minimum grade to apply for PhD under MEXT scholarship (University recommended)?
In Nigeria here, the minimum PhD grade is always 60%.
I am finding out this information to know wether I should opt in for another Master’s degree or PhD if I am eligible with the grade I made from my MSc.
I will be awaiting your gracious reply because I already have a Supervisor that has acceoted me as a potential student.
Thanks in anticipation
Hi Olowoniyi Johnson,
Assuming that “E” is a passing grade, I agree that the calculation method you have described seems accurate.
If you are applying for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then the minimum grade is only calculated using MEXT’s scale and it must be 2.3/3.0. However, in practice, the scholarship is extremely competitive and you would have almost zero chance to get the scholarship if your grades were only 2.3. There is no minimum percentage score for your thesis. It would be factored into your GPA calculation like any other grade if it is assigned a credit weight. If you are doing a Master’s by research and your thesis is your only grade, then you would calculate that directly to MEXT’s scale.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am from India, Could you please convert my grading system to MEXT 3 point GPA system.
My grading system is as follows
Letter Grade | Grade Point | Class Interval (in %)
O | 10 | Above 90 and upto 100
A+ | 9 | Above 80 and upto 90
A | 8 | Above 70 and upto 80
B+ | 7 | Above 60 and upto 70
B | 6 | Above 50 and upto 60
C | 5 | Above 45 and upto 50
P | 4 | Above 40 and upto 45
F | 0 | Less than 40
The Cumulative Point Average(CGPA) obtained by a student shall be classified into the following division:
CGPA | Class/Division
Above 9 and upto 10 | Outstanding
Above 8 and upto 9 | First Class(With Distinction)
Above 6 and upto 8 | First Class
Above 5.5 and upto 6 | High-Second Class
Above 5 and upto 5.5 | Second Class
Above 4 and upto 5 | Third Class
Hi Kushagra Shekhawat,
I can give you my best guess, though please keep in mind I am only basing this off what you shared. The official conversion could be different.
I would convert the grades as:
O/A+/A/B+ = 3
B = 2
C/P = 1
F = 0
This was based on comparing the grades to the CGPA designations. Typically, the grades that would result in a First class degree if you earned all that degree should be a 3.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis.
Thank you for bringing this hidden fact to our attention.
I graduated from the UK where our grading system consists of First Class (70% and above), Upper Second (60-69%), Lower Second (50-59%) and Third/Pass (40-49%). Anything below 40% is a fail.
I managed to slot this into the 5-bucket system as First = 3, Upper Second = 3, Lower Second = 2 and Third = 1.
Unfortunately I did not reach the threshold. Is there any point in trying? I wanted to apply for a Masters scholarship, which I have heard is easier than undergraduate. Also, there are not too many people applying from my country, Botswana.
Do you know if JASSO Scholarships also operate the same? If I can’t make it with MEXT, might as well try them.
Hi Mos,
Your conversion method sounds right to me. If you are sure that you completed the calculation correctly and your grades do not meet the 2.3/3.0 threshold, then I am afraid there is no point in applying. Unfortunately, JASSO uses the same scale to calculate eligibility for their scholarships and the same 2.3 threshold.
I hope you are able to find another alternative.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I am form Kolkata( India ) and my grade system looks like this
O: 90% and Above
A+: 80%-89.99%
A: 70-79.99%
B+:60-69.99%
B: 50-59.99%
C: 40-49.99%
P:30-39.99%
F: below 30%
Will you please convert my number to MEXT scholarship 3 Grading system?
Thank You
Hi Shreetam,
Is there any explanation that goes with the letter grades, such as a Honors system or other statement of quality?
My guess would be (using the 5-bucket system in the article):
O,A+,A = 3
B+,B = 2
C,P = 1
F = 0
But an official description would make it easier to tell for sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis and thank you so much for your help!
I have a question, how much does 3.07 equal to MEXT 3.0 grading system?
I would like to know so I can start applying
Thank you again
Hi Omnia Osman,
Unfortunately, it is not possible to convert an overall GPA, since that will not give you an accurate number. It is also impossible to make any conversion at all without knowing your grading scale. This article explains the process of calculating the conversion values and going through the conversion process, so I recommend following the steps explained above.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello travis,
does that update which says you have to count all grades apply to the embassy recommendation as well or is it only for the university recommendation?
also do i have to explain the grading system in my university on a separate paper and submit it with the other documents since it isn’t mentioned on my transcripts like how many credits each subject has?
Hi Lawen Sardar,
As far as I know, the same GPA calculation is applicable for the University and the Embassy application.
The explanation of your grading system and description of the credits (if applicable) must be official descriptions from your university, not something that you write yourself.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is last semester students can apply with hope certificate and is there any chance for them?
Hi Ayesha,
Yes, if you haven’t graduated yet, you can apply and submit a “Certificate of Expected Graduation” from your university that shows that you will graduate from your university before the scholarship begins. In that case, you have just as much of a chance as any other applicant!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello travis,
does that update apply for the embassy recommendation as well?
also will i need to submit a separate document explaining the grading system in my university and how many credits each subject has since none of these are on my transcripts?
Hi Lawen Sardar,
As far as I know, the update should also apply to the Embassy recommendation. However, instructions for that process are not generally made public, so I cannot be sure.
Yes, you will need to submit documentation that shows the grading system at your university. If your courses had different numbers of credits and those credits are not shown on your transcript, you would need to send documentation from your university showing the credit values, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
I want to know that i have completed my master’s degree without thesis should i eligible for the phD scholarship or not?
Furthermore, that I want to know to do another so shall MEXT consider my bachelor’s CGPA or Masters?
Hi Khurram Shaikh,
Yes, you are eligible to apply for a PhD even if you did not complete a thesis for your master’s.
For the application process, you will need to submit your transcripts from your bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but only the master’s GPA should count.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I want to ask that I failed some of my courses before. Then, I retook them and passed. Will the old grades be evaluated in the calculation? Also, I extended my undergraduate education for one term to raise my GPA. Would it be a disadvantage for the MEXT application?
Hi Efemdi,
In general, it should depend on your university/country’s grading system. The calculation should follow however the grades are calculated by your university for your cumulative GPA, as long as that calculation method is explained in the transcript.
So, if your home university includes the original grades from retaken courses in your GPA, then they would be included for this calculation, too. However, if your grading system specifically says that original grades are not counted when courses are retaken, then they shouldn’t be counted for the MEXT GPA.
To be honest though, having failing grades on your transcript is probably going to look bad to reviewers even if the grades are not ultimately counted.
Extending your degree to take additional courses and raise your GPA should not hurt your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello travis,
does that update which says you have to count all grades apply to the embassy recommendation as well or is it only for the university recommendation?
also do i have to explain the grading system in my university on a separate paper and submit it with the other documents since it isn’t mentioned on my transcripts like how many credits each subject has?
Hi Lawen Sardar,
Both the original guidance to only count two years and the change to include all years were targeted at universities. MEXT posts the calculation instructions and other application submission instructions to universities publicly (if only in Japanese), but I have never been able to find the directions for the Embassies. However, the same calculation rules apply to both Embassy and University scholars when applying for scholarship extensions, so I assume they apply at the application stage, too.
If your courses do not have different credit values, that is fine. Each one would be counted as one credit. However, if they have different credit values and that information is not shown in your transcript then you would need to include that information separately.
The explanation of your grading system is not about the credits but rather about the relative value/quality of the grades. If that is not mentioned in your transcript, then you would need to include an additional explanation that is officially issued by your university..
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Can I participate for a master degree if I’m currently studying a master and show my current master grades ?
Hi Carlos Cienfuegos,
Yes! You can apply to MEXT for a second Master’s degree. In that case, you would have to show your records (transcript and certificate of expected graduation) for your current Master’s program as well as your undergraduate. You can also apply if you plan to quit or suspend your current Master’s degree if awarded the MEXT Scholarship. In that case, you would not need the Certificate of Expected Graduation for the Master’s degree, but you would need to explain that you plan to suspend it to study in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello travis
I have a bachelor’s degree and I want to apply for a bachelor’s degree again in a field close to my previous field, can it increase or reduce my chance of being accepted? I’m still 23, and I have a new high school diploma, too, after I graduated.
Hi Fatima,
All I can say is that you are eligible to apply for the undergraduate scholarship even if you already have a bachelor’s degree. There is no official scoring system that says that it would increase or decrease your chances and a lot of the impact depends on your performance during that degree as well as the case you make for why it is better for you to get a second bachelor’s degree instead of moving on to a graduate degree.
So, in the end, I think whether it increases or decreases your chances depends completely on how you present it during your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis !
Thanks for your website !
All grades will be count ?! Or only the grades that related to my study field that I wish to apply ?! I mean even physical education and these kind of grades will be count or nah ?
Hi Mohanna,
All grades that count toward your degree program and the GPA at your home university should count!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir!
I am currently having 3.4/4.0 which is above 80% in pakistan am I eligible to apply ? and also I am supposed to complete my degree in june 2022 can I apply?
Hi Hassan Raza,
Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine if you are eligible based on the MEXT scale by converting your overall GPA. You would have to convert it grade by grade.
However, I saw that the Embassy in Pakistan also requires that your grades be over 80% in the local scale, so it sounds like you meet that criteria.
If you will complete your degree in July 2022, you can apply during this cycle, but you would have to select a September/October 2022 arrival to Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! Thank you for all the recommendations and the free content you’re proving for the scholarship. I have calculated my MEXT GPA and it’s slightly below the requirement (2.12/3), do you think that I have no chance of passing the first screening? Should I drop my application process for 2022/2023?
Hi Israa,
If you are certain that your calculation is correct, then I am afraid that as far as I know, there is no chance that you could earn the scholarship. If you are uncertain about your calculation method, then you can try though.
I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
First of all thank you for your great article.
I had a question.
only GPA is matter or every single unit must be over 2.3?
Hi Aram,
Only the cumulative GPA (calculated by converting each grade to MEXT’s system then taking the average) has to be over 2.3. If you have individual classes that are lower than 2.3, that is not a problem for your eligibility.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Cumulative GPA or Overall GPA? because my cumulative GPA in some semesters is slightly below 2.3! but my last cumulative GPA (or in other words my overall GPA) is 2.5.
thanks in advance !!!
Hi Aram,
Cumulative GPA and Overall GPA are the same thing. (Your cumulative GPA from the most recent semester is the only one that matters).
However, as I explained in the article, you cannot convert your cumulative GPA – it will not give you the correct value. You must convert the courses one by one then take the cumulative grades of the converted score.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you so much for your amazing resource!
I’m currently undertaking a BA in Australia, however, I’m a bit uncertain how to calculate my score as my university both uses letters and scores.
High Distinction (85–100)
Distinction (75–84)
Credit (65–74)
Pass (50–64)
Fail (0–49)
Would it be correct that both “high Distinction” and “Distinction” would be worth 3, while “credit” is 2 and “Pass” is 1? Or do I have to calculate “Distinction” as either a 2 or a 3 depending on the score?
Thanks again for all of your hard work putting together all of this information! I’m planning on getting your book once I know if my grades are good enough to apply.
Kind regards,
Silvana
Hi Silvana,
I would calculate both High Distinction and Distinction as 3, Credit as 2, and Pass as 1. The descriptors are more important than the actual numerical scores, so I do not think there is any situation where you would divide “Distinction” into two categories based on the scores.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis!
I’m Vito, from Indonesia. Would you convert my grading system to MEXT scholarship’s 3point system?
A: 80-100
AB: 70-80
B: 65-70
BC: 60-65
C: 50-60
D: 40-50
E: >40
Thank you.
Hi Vito,
In general, when a grade mentions two letters, I suggest treating it as the lower of the two. That is going to give you a more conservative calculation of your GPA and if the conservative calculation is good, then you should not have any problems. So, in your case, I would convert the grades as follows:
A = 3
B, AB = 3
C, BC = 2
D = 1
E = 0
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I am aks from India ,could you please convert my grade system to MEXT scholarship’s 3point system. My current grading system is given
Grades Grade Point (GP) % of Total Marks obtained in the course
O (Outstanding) 10 90% and above
A+ (Excellent) 9 85% and above but less than 90%
A (Very Good) 8.5 80% and above but less than 85%
B+ (Good) 8 70% and above but less than 80%
B (Above Average) 7 60% and above but less than 70%
C (Average) 6 50% and above but less than 60%
P (Pass) 5 45% and above but less than 50%
F (Fail) 0 Less than 45%
FE 0 Failed due to eligibility criteria
I Course Incomplete
SGPA and CGPA are calculated based on the above grading norms
Hi Akshitha,
This is a tricky one, and I cannot be certain that my conversion would be correct, but in my experience, the most important thing is to prioritize the descriptions, so I would convert your grades as follows:
O, A+, A, B+ = 3
B, C = 2
P = 1
Everything else (except I) = 0
For “I” grades, I don’t think they would be calculated until a final grade was given.
It isn’t often that I recommend splitting two grades with the same letter (B+ and B), so that’s why this is tricky, but since the description changes at that point, it seems appropriate in your case. However, it could also be possible that the embassy/university will take a more lenient approach and convert a “B” as a 3, as well. You might want to try converting your grades both ways to see what the results are.
Your SGPA and CGPA do not matter in the conversion process. You will need to convert your grades course-by-course and then take the average of the converted grades.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis
Hello Travis,
Thanks for the article, it is well explained. please, i need you to help confirm this grading system to know if i am right with the MEXT system. I graduated from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and the grading system is:
70-100; A+; Excellent
65-69: A-: Very Good
60-64: B+: Good
55-59: B: Good
50-54: B-: Good
45-49: C+: Credit
40-44: C: Credit
0-39: D: Fail
Now, using MEXT Grade, i would like to know if am write with this for right calculation. If No, pls, correct. Thanks in anticipation.
70-100; 3
65-69: 3
60-64: 3
55-59: 2
50-54: 2
45-49: 1
40-44: 1
0-39: 0
Hi Olanrewaju Ayorinde,
In general, I recommend that you ignore “+” and “-” after the letters, unless your grading system specifically groups them differently. So, in your case, I would change the score of the “B+” grade to 2, to match the rest of the “B” grades, as below.
65-100 = 3 (A+, A-)
50-64 = 2 (B-. B, B+)
40-49 = 1 (C, C+)
0-39 = 0 (D)
That is just my interpretation based on the information you shared about your grading system, but I cannot see any reason why a B+ would be grouped together with the As.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thanks for you response, the correction is well noted. Obviously you are very correct. I have calculated my last two academic years in my transcript using the MEXT system, i ended up with 2.5 on a scale of 3.0. Meanwhile when is it most likely for 2022 application be opened because i have been searching for supervisors from different schools as i will be applying through the University recommendation.
Hi Olanrewaju Ayorinde,
Thank you for your reply. It sounds like you are qualified, but you’ll want to make sure that you have a strong Field of Study and Research Program Plan for your application in order to be competitive.
In a typical year, the Embassy Recommendation application starts in April and is due in May or June, while the University Recommendation opens in the fall. Since each university decides the start time of their application, I have seen some significant variation, from a September start in some cases to December in others. I recommend that you try to find out when the application process opened for the specific university that you want to apply to last year and start checking their website regularly a few weeks before that date to look for the start this time around.
In the meantime, unless there is a particular reason that you are avoiding it, the Embassy Recommendation will occur sooner, so it might be a good idea to give that a shot!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis!
I was very sad after I read your comment, because my master transcript wasn’t on my side at all (only one course and it doesn’t meet the 2.3 requirements).
Luckily, after some time waiting, my university finally responded that only scores at the time of the application will be taken into account!
Hence I am officially proceed to be recommended by the University! Thank you so much, I’ve been following your blogs, without your articles, I’m not sure I could get to this point!
Thank you Travis, I did get lucky !
Hi Alex,
I am glad to hear that you found a resolution to your concern!
Yes, your scores would be based on the time that you submit your application, so they wouldn’t go back and recalculate your GPA later. I didn’t realize you were already at that point in the application process.
Thank you very much for your kind words, as well!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you for this wonderful work you’re doing.
I graduated from an Indian University and the grading system is as follows:
75-100: A Excellent
65-74: B+ very good
55-64:. B Good
45-54: C Satisfactory
40-44: D Poor
0-39:. F. Failure
Can you help me convert this to Mext scale. Thank you!
Hi Aubrey Sato,
This looks like a standard 5-level system as I described in the article. Simply ignore the “+” and treat B+ and B as the same grade, and you should be able to calculate the results using the ABCDF scale above.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz