How to fill in the 2022 Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application form, step-by-step, including the essay questions.
This article is all about how to complete the 2022 Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application Form, step-by-step, including advice on how to best use the essay questions on page 5 to strengthen your application.
Get a Sample Filled Form!
If you’re signed up to my mailing list, I’ve already sent you a sample filled version of this form. If not, then you can get your sample copy by signing up here for my MEXT Scholarship email notifications. Whenever I have a new post about the MEXT Scholarship, or other news that I think you need to know about the application process, you will be the first to know!
Note: Do Not Fill Out the Form in Red!
In the sample form (as you can see in the image above), I have filled in all of my answers in red, so that you can easily tell what I wrote and what is part of the original form. Obviously, you should not complete your own application in red! Use regular black text.
Where to Get the Form
I am not going to send you the fillable form or make it available here. That’s a deliberate choice.
The reason I do not send it to you is that you need to get it from the embassy or consulate where you intend to apply. Why? To make sure that you’re in contact with them and that you’re also getting any additional information or explanations they might have. Besides, depending on when you are reading this, the form I used for the example might be outdated. (Even if the contents do not change, MEXT always changes the year on the first page.) Make sure you are using the most recent version of the form!
As of 2022, you can download the form from the official Study in Japan website, along with the other application documents and the application guidelines. Over the past few years, that link has stayed the same, so hopefully it will have the most recent version of the form no matter when you are reading this, but please be sure to check!
This article is about the application form for the Graduate-Level Scholarship Application. I have read the application forms for the undergraduate scholarship, and other types of MEXT scholarship (Teacher’s Training, etc.) and some of the questions overlap, so this article and sample will help you regardless of what scholarship type you are applying for, but be sure to check for yourself.
Instructions: Key Points
- You should type your responses into the pdf form using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Not only is it easier for evaluators to read a typewritten form, it makes it easier for you to make corrections, if you have to. If you are going to write by hand, use black pen and write in all capital letters.
*If you are typing, do NOT write in all capital letters!
If you are using another piece of software to open and edit fillable pdfs, then make sure that it does not leave a “watermark” (the software company’s name or logo) anywhere on the finished project.
- The instructions say to use Arabic numerals, which means “1, 2, 3” etc. Do not write out numbers (e.g. “one”) in the application form, even if it would be grammatically appropriate to do so. You should also use numbers, not words, when writing out months. (e.g. “05”, not “May”)
- Writing year numbers: Be sure to write all numbers in the CE or AD calendar used in most of the world. Do not use the Japanese, Buddhist, Islamic, Coptic Christian, etc. systems of counting years.
- You have to write out proper nouns, including cities, states, countries, etc. Do not abbreviate. (e.g. Write “United States of America”, not “USA”)
- Even if you are filling out the form in Japanese, write all non-Japanese proper nouns (such as names, places, school names, etc.) in English letters. Do not try to write them in Katakana and do not translate words in addresses, etc., into English. (For example, if your language uses words that mean “city” or “district” in addresses, write the original word in your language, in English letters, do not translate it to the English word).
Page 1: Basic Information
Photo: Your photo must meet the dimensions specified in the form, be clear and no more than 6 months old, and show your upper body.
Pro Tip: Include two extra photos in the envelope with your application form, keep them in a separate plastic bag to avoid damage.
1. Name: Your name has to match your passport, exactly. Specifically, it needs to match the computerized text at the bottom of your passport, as below:
To find your name and the correct order for the application form, refer to the bottom two lines of your passport. On the second-to-bottom line, you should see a three-digit country code along with your name. For example:
P<USATRANSENZ<<TARO<FITZGERALD<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Click here to join my MEXT scholarship mailing list and receive a sample completed application form.
Everything between the Country Code (USA in the example) and the “<<” is your surname. Everything after the “<<” is your given and middle name, in that order. It is your choice whether to list all of your given and middle names in the “given name” box or to split them between given and middle name, but you must include everything and cannot change the order, even if that’s not what you use in daily life. If you have no middle name, you can leave that question blank.
If you do not have a “<<” because you do not have a legal surname or have only one legal name, then you should leave the surname block blank.
You cannot enter any special characters, such as accented letters. Even if there are accented or special characters in the top part of your passport, near your photo, there should be none in the computerized text.
Yes, that’s a lot of instructions for a “name” line, but I’ve seen a shocking number of mistakes with this one in the past.
2. Gender: This must match your passport, regardless of your gender identity. Do not expect special treatment or even official acknowledgement of non-binary genders in Japan. Individual people might by understanding, but institutions are not likely to be.
3. Marital Status: This one is pretty straightforward!
4. Nationality: Write the name of the country that issued your passport. (In Japan, your “nationality” is a noun, not an adjective. For example, you would write “Japan” not “Japanese.”) If you have multiple nationalities, you will write only one and you should choose your “primary” nationality, which is the country that you are residing in and where you will apply for the MEXT Scholarship.
5. Japanese Nationality: Japanese nationals are not eligible to apply for the scholarship, but if you have multiple nationalities and choose to give up your Japanese citizenship to apply, they you would be eligible.
Most applicants will check “No” and leave the rest of the line blank, but if you do have Japanese nationality, then you would have to check “yes” and complete the line. If you have Japanese nationality (as a dual citizen) and want to give up your Japanese nationality to apply for this scholarship, then you would have to enter the date when you will surrender your Japanese nationality. Please note that I am not at all recommending this as a course of action.
6. Date of Birth: The tricky part of this line is filling in your age. You need to enter how old you will be as of the date shown in the form (April 1 of the year that you would start the scholarship). In the downloadable example, you will see that the fake applicant has a birthday of Jan 1. That means that he is 21 when he’s filling in the form but will pass his birthday before the next April, so he needs to enter “22.”
Note: In Japan, your age goes up on your birthday. It does not automatically go up on January 1 or on the lunar new year as it does in some other countries. Your age at birth in Japan is “0”. I am aware that in other countries, newborn babies are considered to be “1” at birth, but use the Japanese system for this form.
7.(1). Current Address: Your address as of the day you submit the form. If you will move between when you submit the form and when you travel to Japan to start the scholarship (for example, if you will graduate from college and move home), you will fill in your address after the move in 7.(2). In the downloadable example, the applicant is studying abroad in Japan when he applies for the scholarship. (And, based on his address, he lives at MEXT headquarters.)
If your current address in is Japan, you need to fill out your current visa status (residence status), too. This is important for confirming how you conform to the eligibility criteria.
In line 7.(2), check the box saying that your current address is your permanent address or fill your permanent address (e.g. Your parents’ address, etc.), if you plan to move between when you submit the application and when you come to Japan. That way, MEXT and the embassy have a mailing address where they can reach you even after you leave the place you’re living now.
You also need to acknowledge that you will not receive a plane ticket to Japan paid by MEXT if your address prior to departure (in 7.(2) or 7.(1) if you checked “same as above”) is not in your country of nationality.
To complete 7.(3), you will need to access the website in the form (https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/over/index.html) to find the name of the Japanese Embassy or Consulate nearest you. Depending on your country, there may be only one embassy for the country or there may be multiple consulates. In the latter case, you will need to figure out which one serves the area where you live. Your final answer should include the type of office and the city (e.g. “Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago”). I recommend you click on the “Websites of Japanese Embassies, Consulates and Permanent Missions” link on that page then use the search function on the page to find your country. In some cases, Japan may consider your country to be in a different region from what you think is accurate, so searching by region can be confusing.
In 7.(4) and (5), for your phone number and email address, I recommend putting contact information that can be used to reach you at any time. If you’re living abroad, as in the example, put a phone number in your home country. You’ll be going back there to apply, anyway, for the Embassy-recommended MEXT application.
Be sure to include the country code for your phone number!
Page 2: Scholarship Records
Click here to download a sample completed application form.
8.(1) Past scholarship awarded record: The JASSO scholarship and MEXT Honors scholarship do not count for this question. Only the scholarship types listed in the “Program No.” table are relevant. If you are not sure about your past scholarship type, you can ask the embassy or consulate for more guidance.
If you check “No”, you can skip to question 9 and do not need to fill out any of the other questions in between. If you answered “Yes”, you have to fill out 8.(2) and 8.(3)
If you have received one of the MEXT scholarships in the “Program No.” table in the past, then in 8.(2) fill in the start and end dates of your scholarship award and the name of the university in Japan. Then check the scholarship program in the section below.
If you filled in scholarship types 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 9 in any of the lines of 8.(2), then you need to complete 8.(3) as well. If you checked scholarship types 5, 7, or 8, then you can skip to question 9. Your past scholarship award is not in conflict with receiving another award.
In 8.(3), if required, you would need to fill in your research and education experience since the end of your last MEXT scholarship award. Typically, you would have to show that you have spent at least three full years (36 total months) enrolled in degree programs and or working full-time.
For the purpose of this table, count the actual years and months you spent in the degree program or employed, not the “standard years of study” as we will discuss for the Academic Record, below. So, in this case, if you completed a 2-year degree, but it only took a year and 9 months, you would fill in 1 year and 9 months.
9. Applying for Other MEXT Scholarships: You can only be applying for one Japanese government scholarship at a time, so if you are still in the application process for another scholarship (such as the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship or University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship from the previous year), you would have to check “Yes” here, which would make you ineligible to apply. Otherwise, check no.
10.(1) Overlapping receipt of other scholarships: MEXT does not allow concurrent receipt of other scholarships, so you verify that you are not receiving other scholarships that will cover the same period as the MEXT scholarship or that you will withdraw from any others upon receipt of MEXT. You are allowed to apply for other scholarship opportunities at the same time to give yourself a security net, but in the end, you must choose only one.
If you are receiving a scholarship for your current degree, etc., that will end before your MEXT scholarship begins, you do not need to fill in that information here.
While receiving the MEXT scholarship, you are eligible to apply for and receive one-time grants that do not overlap with MEXT payments. For example, you could apply for a grant to pay the cost of travel to a conference, or for a specific research activity. But you cannot receive a grant to cover the costs of your travel to Japan or provide a living stipend for you or family members, since the MEXT Scholarship specifically covers those same things.
10.(2) Other Scholarship If you are applying for or have already been awarded a scholarship that will conflict in time with the start of the MEXT scholarship, fill in that information here. If you checked “No” in 10.(1), you can leave this blank or write “none.”
Page 3: Academic Record
Click here to download a sample completed application form.
Instructions: Most of the instructions are straightforward, but there are a few items that can cause confusion, explained below.
- 1. The chart says to only list programs attended as a full-time student, but the Japanese term means “formally enrolled”, so it does not refer to whether or not you were taking a full-time load of credits. Even if you took less than a full-time credit load in a particular semester, as long as you remained fully enrolled, that still counts. However, courses at a university or any other school that did not lead to a degree (or to high school graduation, etc.) would not count. This includes language programs, extracurricular diploma programs, certification programs, or any other qualifications that are not academic degrees.
- 6. University Entrance Qualification Examinations: This refers to an exam taken instead of graduating high school. Usually, it is for home-schooled students, students who dropped out, etc. It will not apply to most MEXT applicants.
- 8. Attended Multiple Schools: As you can see in the “Primary Education” line of the example, I have included multiple schools for the sample applicant. You can fill it out the same way for your situation. If there is not enough space, you would write “See attached” in the Name line and explain the details in an attached sheet.
If you are attaching an extra sheet, you should still write the start and end dates on the application form!
As explained in 5., if you attended preparatory education for university (e.g. a one-year program between senior high school and university), that would be a second “Upper Secondary Education” and you should fill it out the same way. - 9. Attaching an Additional Sheet: If you attach an additional sheet because you attended multiple schools and cannot fit them in in the same column, then the additional sheet should include a full duplicate of the column you are replacing, with all fields. In that case, still include the overall start date, overall end date, and total years of study in the form, itself.
- Period of schooling attended/Total number of years of schooling attended: When calculating total number of school years, you should include extended vacations as part of the year!
The simplest way to think about it is that you are counting “school years” not “calendar years.” If your school year goes from September to June, that is 1 full year (even though it is only 10 calendar months). You should only use the months field if you attended less than a full year at some point, such as a 4.5 year program.
Primary Education: Typically, this would be your first 6 years of education, though it may be 5 in some countries. Do not include Kindergarten. If you attended a single school that covered elementary and middle school or elementary all through high school, be sure to separate it into the appropriate lines according to how education is formally divided in your country.
Lower Secondary Education: Typically 2 or 3 years. As with elementary school, above, if you attended the same school from Middle School through high school, be sure to separate it into the two lines.
Upper Secondary Education: This includes high school and any college prep school you might have attended, if that took place between high school and college. Do not count community college or polytech experience that earned you college credits here, as those would be considered Tertiary education and should be in the next column.
Tertiary Education: Enter college or university undergraduate education in the first line and graduate in the second and third (if applicable). If you attended multiple universities as a degree-seeking student (including dual or joint degrees), you would fill those in here. However, if you spent a year at another university as an exchange or study away student, indicate that in the remarks section at the bottom, do not include it as a university here. (During an exchange program, you would not be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the exchange university, so it does not meet the definition explained in 1. above.)
Location: Only the city and state (or prefecture, province, etc.) is required. You do not need the full address. As you see in the example I have separated the two cities with a slash in the Elementary column.
Remember, do not abbreviate proper nouns, this includes cities, states, provinces, etc.
Dates and Duration: As you’ll see in the example, I counted full school years, not calendar years. If you are still in school, be sure to count the full amount of time that you will attend up until your expected graduation, not just the time attended so far!
Status: This entry appears for the tertiary education only. Check the appropriate box. If you have not yet graduated, you should check “Expected to complete” and fill in the expected graduation date for your graduation date and the total years you will have completed upon graduation.
If you are currently enrolled in a degree program but plan to drop out or take a leave of absence from that degree if you are selected for the MEXT Scholarship, then you should check “Other Status” and fill in your detailed explanation in the “Remarks” section below.
Degree: Check the name of the degree you have earned (or will earn, if you checked “Expected to complete” in the previous column). If your country uses different degree names, be sure to check the appropriate response for Japan’s system.
Total Years of Education: This should be the total years as of the time you arrive in Japan. If you still have 6 months left in your degree, you would count those as if they were finished.
Remarks: In this section, you would list any special information pertaining to your academic history. For example, if you took a leave of absence from school for a year, skipped a grade, studied abroad as part of your education, etc.
If you transferred schools/attended multiple schools for one category of education and you did not attach an extra sheet to explain that, you could also explain the transfer information here.
Page 4: Academic Background (Continued), Scholarship Plans, and Employment History
Click here to download a sample completed application form.
12. Field of specialization studied in the past: List your focus, major(s) and minor, plus the department, faculty, college, etc., that you belonged to during your last degree.
For example, if you got a BA in History you wouldn’t write simply “History.” You would write something like:
Majored in Japanese history, with a focus on Bakumatsu-era industrial reform. (Department of Asian History, Faculty of History, College of Arts and Sciences)
Note: Remember that one of the eligibility requirements for the MEXT Scholarship is that you must apply in a field that you majored in at university or it’s related field, so you should use this question to draw as strong of a connection as possible between your past studies and what you want to study in Japan.
13. Have you ever written a thesis? This question refers to a graduation thesis at the bachelor’s or master’s level or to published articles, not to term papers for individual courses.
14. Publications: If you have any publications, including articles or conference proceedings, or any works that have been accepted for publication (and given a date) but not yet published, write them here. You should also list your graduation theses, if applicable, even if they have not been published.
Don’t worry if you don’t have anything to list. Many applicants, particularly those applying for Master’s degrees, do not at this point. It will not be held against you if your university did not require a graduation thesis.
Don’t forget to attach abstracts of all papers you list here in the “Abstracts of Theses” submission (document 8 of the required documents).
15. The first course you plan to take in Japan: Where do you want to start your studies? (Note: you might not always get what you want. It depends on the university that accepts you).
- “Non-regular (Non-degree) course” is sometimes called “Research student” by universities. In this status, you are not working toward a degree, but you should be able to upgrade to a degree-seeking status. In general, I recommend that almost all applicants start with this status, for the following reasons:
1. You would not need to take an official entrance exam to the degree program before arriving in Japan.
2. It gives you the opportunity to get settled into your new life in Japan and get used to the Japanese university system before you officially go “on the clock” for your degree. (You can get a maximum of 2 years of MEXT funding for a Masters and 3 for am academic Doctoral degree, so you don’t want to stumble during that time).
There are also other reasons that would benefit some applicants. For example, if your degree program only accepts students in the spring, but you want to arrive in the fall. Or in some cases, there are applicants who do not want to be part of a degree program in Japan, at all (for example, if they are enrolled in a degree program in their home country and only want to come to Japan for a year or two to conduct research for that degree.) - Master’s Degree Course: This would include MA, MS, MSc, etc. In Japan, it is a two-year course and, as a MEXT scholar, you would need to finish in two years or you would lose the scholarship. If you think you need more time, go for a semester or two as a Non-regular student, first.
- Doctoral Course: Academic PhD program. In Japan, this is a 3-year program. The same time condition as Master’s Degree applies.
- Professional Graduate Course: This covers all non-academic graduate degrees, such as MBA, MFA, JD, MD, and programs such as Teacher Training programs. These programs can be at the Master’s or Doctoral level. (You would have 2 years for a Master’s level course such as a MBA and 3 years or sometimes more for a Doctoral level course, such as an MD.)
16. Preferred Month of Arrival: You should base this both on your own situation as well as the program you wish to enroll in. Obviously, if you haven’t finished your previous degree, you would have to arrive in Japan after that is over.
You’ll also want to see which semester the degree program starts for your preferred program(s) in Japan. If you don’t speak Japanese yet, keep in mind that you may be placed in a semester-long survival Japanese course for your first semester after arrival. Account for that semester in your plans when deciding if it is best to arrive in the spring or fall. You can also leave the choice up to the universities, if you do not have a strong need to choose one semester or the other.
Ultimately, the decision as to whether you arrive in the spring or fall is going to be determined by what the university that accepts you writes in the Letter of Provisional Acceptance, but they may use your answer here as a point of reference.
17. Term you wish to study in Japan: This question does not guarantee that you’ll get the whole term you ask for – you’ll have to apply for each extension separately later. (See my article about How to Extend Your MEXT Scholarship) It does tell the Embassy and the Universities what your long-term plans are, though, so they have a better idea of your situation.
It is possible to start as a Non-regular student (in 15 above) at the Master’s degree level and select Doctoral degree here.
If you have are still a student and have no employment history, that will not be counted against you, so don’t worry about it.
19. Employment Record: List your most recent two full-time positions here in order of recency. The most recent position should be in the top line.
Page 5: Motivation for Studying in Japan
Click here to download a sample completed application form.
Keep in mind as you fill in this section that you want to have a theme to your application and every answer in this form, as well as in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan must revolve around that theme to create the strongest application possible and beat out the competition. Every answer you write should help persuade the reviewers that you are the best candidate for the scholarship and have a unique strength that you can offer. So, do not just write the first thing that comes to mind. Approach these questions strategically to give yourself the best chance possible of success.
20.(1). What was the trigger for having an interest in Japan? Do not take this question too literally! A lot of applicants will talk about what sparked their initial interest in Japan, which was probably a manga, anime, or game. But writing about how you were passionate about Pokemon as a teenager, etc., will not help your application and wastes an opportunity to stand out from other applicants. Instead, treat this question as if it said “What was the trigger for having an interest in Japan related to your field of study?”
Remember that throughout the entire application process, you are trying to present yourself as being able to bring unique value to the Japanese government and the government of your home country, plus the university that you’re applying to, by showing that you have more potential for achievement in the future than other applicants. Every answer needs to relate back to the theme of what you will contribute to both societies after your graduation. If you are researching wartime memory across cultures and your interest in Japan was sparked by Grave of the Fireflies, then it’s perfectly fine to mention that as your trigger. But if your research is in marine biology, I would not recommend saying that your trigger was Pokemon. Instead, focus on the first thing that interested you in Japan related to marine biology.
You could say something like, “I had always been interested in Japanese culture and art since watching Doraemon cartoons as a child, but my interest became serious when I learned about . . .”
20.(2). Why do you choose Japan as a destination to study graduate-level education? In this question, you want to be specific. Do not simply try to flatter the officials by saying “Japan has a highly developed education system” or “Japan is technically advanced.” I see that in far too many applications, and it is meaningless fluff. Certainly do not just talk about how you want to live in Japan because you admire the culture. Any of these answers fail to distinguish you from other applicants and waste space where you could be talking about your research or future contributions.
Instead, you want to focus on what advantages studying in Japan offers in your specific field of study or to your future goal to contribute to society. Instead of saying Japan is technically advanced, write about one or two specific innovations or recent research developments related to your research. Or focus on how Japan has unique experience in tackling the problem that you want to research and how you think you can leverage specific knowledge and experience in Japan to accelerate your research. Be specific!
20.(3). What kinds of things do you think you can contribute to Japan and your home country through your experience of studying in Japan? In my article about “How to Maximize Your Chances of Earning the MEXT Scholarship“, I talk about having an application strategy, and this question is where you will summarize that strategy. Your entire application should be built around a practical goal that you want to achieve after graduation, and your research and studies in Japan should be essential to achieving that goal. Your goal should never be something self-centered, but must be focused on how you can serve your society and the relationship between Japan and your home country. For example, if your goal is to become a professor in your home country and elevate the education level in a particular field (where Japan has more expertise), then you would be serving your home country by improving the education level and also serving Japan by maintaining connections to your professors and university in Japan to strengthen their research network and encourage future students to study in Japan, as well. Your goal is going to be specific to your and your country’s situation, but try to figure out how it will benefit others. Again, see the article above and my book How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship (link at the bottom of the article) for more strategy.
Page 6: Language Ability, Family, Contact, and Visit History
Click here to download a sample completed application form.
21. Language ability: You must enter an answer in each block of both the Japanese and English line here, even if the answer is “0”. Note that while the English translation for “0” is “poor”, in Japanese, the term can also mean “no ability”.
22. Japanese language qualifications: The question in Japanese specifically asks for your certifications. If you have passed the JLPT, fill in the level in the first block (N1-N5). If you have another official Japanese language proficiency test score, such as one conducted by your country’s foreign service office, you can list that in “other.”
If you’ve taken Japanese classes in undergrad, etc., but had no official test score, that would not count as a certification, but you can list it anyway (e.g. “8 semesters of Japanese language education”).
If you fill in language proficiency test scores, then it is mandatory to attach three copies of that test score as document 9 in the application package, “Certification of Language Proficiency”.
Proof of Japanese language ability is not necessarily required for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship if you are applying for a degree program taught in English. You will take a language proficiency test as part of the primary screening. (You must not leave it blank, even if you are completely guessing!) However, if you are applying in a field of study that would require primary research in Japanese (interviews, primary source reading, etc.), such as Japanese history, Japanese literature, Japanese law, it would be highly advisable to have language proficiency certifications. Your acceptance will be determined based on your language ability at the time of application. They will not offer you provisional acceptance based on your promise to study the language before you arrive.
23. English language qualifications: Similar to the question above, fill in your test scores for any official TOEFL (be sure to note the type) or IELTS test. You will probably be asked to produce the certificates from these tests when you apply to university. “Other” can include CEFR ratings, O levels, TOEIC, and country-specific tests like GEPT, but understand that those may not be accepted by all universities, so the universities may ask you to submit formal test results when you apply for a Letter of Acceptance. If you are a native speaker of English, I would recommend writing that in the “Other” category.
English language proficiency is only required if you are applying for a degree program taught in English, but I am assuming that applies to most people reading this article.
24. Accompanying Dependents: MEXT (and universities) discourages bringing your dependents (limited to spouse and children) with you when you first come to Japan. (In fact, in terms of visa requirements, you may find it impossible to do so.) They want you to come first, adjust to life in Japan, then start applying for Dependent CoEs to bring dependents, if necessary. Neither MEXT nor the universities will take any responsibility for your dependents or provide any support for them, including for their visa. However, if you are planning to invite and dependents, you would need to fill in their information in this section. If you will not bring any dependents, write “None” in the first line.
If you do plan to bring dependents with you, list their names and relationship to you in this table. (Relationship should be from your perspective, so a son would be “son”, not “father-son relationship”).
25. Emergency Contact in home country: To put it bluntly, if you were to die in Japan, who should the university call to pick up your body and bring it home to your country?
I know that sounds morbid, but MEXT wants a point of contact that is that close to you.
The person should also meet the following criteria:
- Must not be listed in the accompanying dependents question (24) above
- Must have an email address and access to a phone
- Should, if at all possible, have English or Japanese language ability
- Should be an immediate family member if possible
When I was reviewing these applications, any time an applicant wrote “friend,” “boyfriend/girlfriend,” “supervisor,” or anything other than a close family member, we would encourage applicants to choose someone closer.
You must complete every item in this section (although you can leave out the fax number).
Remember to include the country in the address, the country code in the phone number, and use no abbreviations in the address.
26. Past visits or stays in Japan: List your two most recent trips to Japan. In the “purpose” section, the purpose of your visa is sufficient (study, work, tourism, etc.). You do not need to go into too much detail. List your most recent visit in the top line. If you have not visited Japan in the past, write “None” in the “From” box of the top line.
Signature Block: Be sure to sign and write the date by hand. A typed signature is never acceptable. (I typed it in the sample application for the sake of completeness, but you must handwrite yours.)
Hooray! You’re finished!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon, especially Daimyo-level supporters Isaac and Flower as well as the newest supporter, Bradley. These generous people pledge at least $2 each month to help keep this site running for everyone. If you have found this website helpful and want to help keep it running for future applicants, then (after you have earned the scholarship), please consider supporting my work on this site. Patreon supporters also get priority responses to any questions as well as advance access to articles and discounts on my books and coaching services.
If you want to show your support, but Patreon is out of reach for now, I’d appreciate it if you share this post on your favorite social media platform.
Questions?
I am happy to answer all questions left on this article as quickly as I can. Please also consider reading 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.
Interested in Learning How to Maximize Your MEXT Scholarship Chances?
My ebook, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship, is designed to help you understand the scholarship and its purpose from the reviewers’ perspective, master the successful applicant mindset, and develop an application strategy that will give your application focus and give you the highest chances of success. For more details and a list of ebook retailers that carry the book, click the image to the right!
Ads by Google:
Good afternoon!
Can I ask a clarifying question on marital status?
At the time of filing, I was unmarried. Now I have received an invitation from a Japanese university, but I am going to get married next month. Now I dont understand. Can I change marital status? Will it affect the scholarship or the visa?
Hi Ekaterina,
Congratulations!
Your change in marital status should not affect the scholarship or visa. (However, MEXT and the university in Japan will also not provide any support for your spouse.) I recommend that you let the Embassy or University (whichever you applied to) know about the change and see if there is any paperwork to be filled out.
If you plan to bring your future spouse with you to Japan, you will have to travel to Japan on your own, first, then apply for a Dependent CoE for your spouse after you arrive so that they can get a visa and join you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
That’s great! Thanks!
Hello,
For this section, (22. Japanese language qualifications) should I write my JLPT N2 results even though I failed? I got 72 marks.
And thank you for the information!
Hi Bun,
I would go ahead and fill it in. It is better to show that you tried and didn’t succeed than to show nothing at all in terms of qualifications. At least a failing N2 score should indicate that you have N3 or above ability.
However, if you are applying for a degree taught in Japanese, universities might not be willing to accept you/issue a Letter of Provisional Acceptance if you don’t have at least N2.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks. I’m applying for English-taught Degree Program.
Hello Travis, first of all: Thank you so much for all the incredibe work you do on this blog! I’m currently applying for the MEXT Research Scholarship (Embassy Recommendation) and I have one question that I can’t really seem to find answers to online. I would be really grateful if you could provide any insights for me. On the health certificate, it says “裸眼 (without glasses)” and “矯正 (with glasses)” and I have no idea what it means or how my general practicioner is supposed to fill this out. I feel like it’s not a common thing to measure in my country. I do wear glasses but only know of one value that is measure at the ophtalmologist’s, which is “eyesight”. Can you enlighten me, maybe? Thanks a lot in advance!!
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for your kind words!
When your doctor measures your eyesight, is it with glasses on or off? In both cases, the “eyesight” measurement is the same, it’s just a matter of whether or not you were wearing classes at the time.
So, if your natural eyesight is 20/80 naturally and corrected to 20/20 with glasses, then your doctor would fill in 20/80 in the “without glasses” and “20/20” with glasses.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again and thanks for clarifying that! As it turns out, my general physician knew what to do and completed it without any problems (well, he was a bit surprised by all the info that the MEXT scholarship application requires but I guess many would be). Anyway, that worked out 🙂 However, I stumbled upon one more thing that I wanted to ask you about.
I’m writing my research proposal as well as the personal questions regarding Japan (in the application form) in Japanese because I’m a Japanese Studies major. The embassy encouraged me to use my Japanese skills to make a good impression. The graduate schools that I will apply for will mostly be in English though, and thus require English language certifications, which I won’t have by the time of the application deadline. I am currently looking to register for a TOEIC or TOEFL exam asap so that I would have one of those certifications by the time I will apply for Letters of Provisional Acceptance (if I manage to pass the first screening). Will that be enough, in your experience?
Thanks again and take care!
Hi Rachel,
As part of the primary screening at the Embassy, you will take an English language proficiency test. In most cases I have seen, the universities haven’t been too strict about asking you to submit TOEFL scores, etc., too. If you passes the Embassy screening, then they usually assume the embassy evaluated your language ability.
But that might be different in your case, since your FSRPP is in Japanese, so they might think you passes the screening in Japanese, instead.
In either case, all Japanese universities should accept TOEFL, so that should be sufficient. Some may accept TOEIC, but since that is not an academic test, it doesn’t have the same acceptance level.
You may find that they don’t ask for any proof of language ability, but if you have the TOEFL scores, then you would be safe in any situation. It should be possible to take a test now and have the scores in time for the August deadline!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you for all the information. I applied for the MEXT scholarship under the Top Global University project
I got a proffesor for supervision, got accepted by the department and was asked to send in documents via EMS.
At this stage what are my chances of getting the scholarship?
Hi Shekina,
At this point, your chances of receiving the scholarship are practically 100%. I have never heard of a TGU nominee being rejected for the scholarship after the university has recommended them to MEXT!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
First of all, thank you so much for providing us with all the important info that one needs to know regarding the MEXT application.
My query: you mentioned how special characters cannot be included in the application form. However, what about writing your address? For instance, House no. XX, Road no. XX OR House# XX, Road# XX?
Hi Sub,
By “special characters”, I meant accented letters that are not part of the standard alphabet, and that was only in the context of the name field of the application, since it needs to match the computerized part of your passport.
A symbol, such “#” in your address should not be a problem, although you can also write “no.” as long as mail with that notation will be delivered to your house!
Sorry for the confusing wording.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Noted. Thanks!
Also, I’ve posted on another post regarding internship. You can answer here for convenience.
My question was: I’m doing an internship now. So should I need an employer recommendation letter?
Also, I’ve just competed one month. And this internship will last for 3 months.
Hi Sub,
I saw your other question and answered it there first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
My name is Ronald, from Indonesia. I would like to ask a question about the Language Ability form. Should I include my native language (Bahasa Indonesia) in the Others column?
Hi Ronald Felix,
You can go ahead and include it. It’s not going to be particularly relevant to your application unless you are planning to use it in some way in your research (e.g. consulting research references in that language), but it certainly won’t hurt.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, first of All Thankyou
You advised me earlier to contact the Embassy for Any information regarding how the Application could be submitted, I did call them, They said That I need to submit the application form According to The UG Guidelines, I Received The Recommendation Letter from My Head Master it was a sample Recommendation letter That they Listed in the Official Website, Instead of Writing In BLOCK letters He wrote cursive writing also he didn’t answered some of the questions that they have asked,
1.Is that an issue or I request a new one?
2.If the recommendation letter is improper, Do they reject my Application?
Hi Praveen,
You’re welcome!
For the Letter of Recommendation, the template is only an example, it is not a requirement that your recommender use that form or fill it out completely according to the form, so your current letter should be acceptable.
1. The request to write in Block letters instead of cursive is merely for readability, but it is not a requirement, so they would not reject your letter over that.
2. Based on what you have described, I would not consider your letter to be “improper.” Even if the headmaster didn’t answer every question, etc., it should be accepted. The only thing I can think of that would get you rejected would be something like submitting a fake letter.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you for your continued work on the site and your books (I have the first 2). I have written to you before, but I somehow always have more questions.
I am planning on applying for the 2023 MEXT Embassy Recommended Scholarship. I applied before for 2020 admission and had the interview at the embassy, but didn’t make it to the final round.
For the application this time around, should I use English or Japanese? The research plan says that you should write in Japanese if you can. As I passed the N2 this past December and am a full-time Japanese language student in Japan at the moment, I plan on giving that a go, but which language is best for the application form itself? At the school I really want to go to, there are classes in English and Japanese (though my main supervisors will be native English-speakers), but the other schools will be taught in Japanese only, so I’m not sure what the best choice would be.
Also, I heard that because of Corona, people last year were having interviews online. Do you think that will be a possibility this year as well? As I said above, I’m currently in Japan, and am worried about quarantine times and if I could renter Japan after the interview as well…I know that’s more of a question for the embassy, but I thought you might have some insights as well.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Best,
Sara
Hi Sara,
It’s good to hear from you again.
For the language question, I typically recommend that you write your Field of Study and Research Program Plan in the language that you plan to study in, but when your programs are in different languages, that isn’t such a clear standard.
Instead, I would ask, are you comfortable writing a compelling research plan in Japanese to the point that you think it would be equal to what you could write in English? The quality of your research plan is going to be more important than the language that it’s written in, so if writing in Japanese will limit your ability to describe your field and express your research goals, then sticking to English seems better. If you think you can do just as well in Japanese, then write in Japanese. If I’m not mistaken, you are a native English speaker, so the reviewers should have no concerns about your English ability!
About the interviews, it’s really been a country-by-country situation. Some countries went online over the previous two years, but others were in person. It all depends on what social restrictions are in place in that country at the time. If the country is not under lockdown, people are able to work in-person, and there are few or no restrictions on gatherings, etc., then I would expect in-person interviews this time around. But I don’t have any concrete evidence to base that on!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I’m planning to apply for Embassy-recommended MEXT Scholarship next year. In one of the requirements it says 16 years of school education. My country has 12 years of school education and my undergraduate degree is 3 years. In total I have 15 years of school education. Is this going to be an issue?
Hi Ibrahim,
I think you may be looking at an old version of the application guidelines. In last year’s guidelines (see my article about eligibility for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship), it specifically says that you are eligible if you have “completed an undergraduate program with a standard length of study of at least three years at a university in a country outside of Japan and received a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.”
So, there should be no problem with your eligibility!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Tran,
Your site is pretty amazing, I understood every step explained above.
To my question ; in my home country Nigeria we use 5 point grading system, what point I’m I supposed to have to be legible for mext?… I’m currently in 300level (Economics) , just making my research in advance thanks.
Hi Bunmi,
Thank you for your kind words!
To be eligible in terms of your GPA, you need to convert your grades one-by-one to the MEXT 3.0 scale (It does NOT work if you just convert your overall GPA!)
I have an article about how to complete that conversion that should help you determine if you are eligible or not.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello !
First of all, thank you very much for all the information that you provide!
I have gone through and been accepted for the primarily screening. In my document application, I have submitted,in my Placement preference Application Form, the following university preference: University of Tokyo, Kyushu University and Nagoya University.
However, as I’ve got contact with the University of Tokyo during the process, they informed me that to apply for the University of Tokyo’s Graduate of Humanities letter of approval (you need to have N1 and write two essays in Japanese). Even with my fair knowledge of Japanese, it is really hard.
Therefore, I’ve searched for an alternative and found another university (Tokyo University of Arts) that offers a more suited program for my graduate studies.
Thus my question to you is: is it still possible to change my placement preference even after having been selected for the primarily screening?
Thank you very much!
Hi Hadil,
Yes, you should be able to change the universities on your Placement Preference Form after you get your Letters of Acceptance – in fact, in some cases, you might have to.
I have written more about this process in my article about the Placement Preference Form, so I would recommend reading through that, as well, particularly the section about “Submitting the Placement Preference Form after Obtaining Your Letters of Provisional Acceptance”
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thank you for the insights shared on this website, it really helped my son with getting the important tips and details when he was submitting his application for MEXT Scholarship for Undergraduate Students. We would like to know how long he should wait in order to know if he is short listed from date the application was close? Or how can we check if he’s application was accepted by the embassy? We are from the Philippines and we sent in his application forms and documents via local courier to Philippine Embassy before the given deadline.
Any information is greatly appreciated. More power to you and to your team.
Thank you very much
Hi Ztephen Mates,
Thank you for your kind words.
Each embassy/consulate has its own application timeline and takes a different amount of time to reply.
Sometimes, the dates will be listed on the Embassy’s website to tell you when you can expect the next steps of the application process, but if not, then calling after a week or two to ask when the results will be available should be fine.
It looks like in the Philippines, they only contact applicants who have successfully passed the document review.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
First of all, thank you some much for posting this great information!
I have passed the document round and now waiting for the interview. I have a question about the arrival date I ticked in the application form. At first I ticked “April” because I wanted to get to Japan as soon as possible, but now after checking again I found out that both of the universities I applied for only accept international students on September. So the question is will this affect my chance to get the scholarship? And what can I do to fix it? Im looking forward to your answer!
Hi Van,
Thank you for your kind words!
Ultimately, when the universities issue your letters of acceptance, they will write what semester they want you to arrive and that will be used for the final determination by MEXT.
However, if they only accept students in the fall semester, that could actually work well for your “April” selection. Most Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship spend their first semester in Japan in an intensive Japanese language language program, so you could arrive in April, take that program, then start your degree at the university in September.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Greetings,
I was fortunate to be shortlisted for the MEXT entry interview. I wish to ask if you have any general tips or for what questions in particular I should prepare for.
I heard that questions are rapid-fire, with not a huge focus on your research plan but how every facet of your decisions are impacted by or how they impact Japan and my home country.
If you have any tips, they will be much appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Zhang Jia Hao,
Congratulations on being shortlisted for the interview!
I have an article about preparing for the interview where I have collected the questions that past applicants have shared with me, as well as my own thoughts. Some past applicants have added more advice in the comments, too, so that’s a good place to check for additional information!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz