Have you ever wondered:
- How can I apply for the MEXT Scholarship to study in Japan?
- Am I eligible for the MEXT Scholarship for research students (graduate students)?
- How can I make my application for the MEXT Scholarship stronger?
This guide answers all of those questions and more with clear explanations and bonus worksheets to help you follow along.
Get the Most Trusted Independent MEXT Scholarship Application Guide!
The MEXT scholarship is one of the world’s most generous scholarship schemes for graduate students. It is competitive, but if you know what the reviewers are looking for and how to approach the application, there is no reason why you cannot earn it for yourself!
How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship introduces the scholarship benefits and requirements as well as its goals, then walks you through the process of creating an unstoppable application strategy.
What’s waiting for you: Free tuition. Living stipend of over 1.5 million yen per year. Round-trip flight to Japan.
Why this guide?
Travis Senzaki is an expert in the MEXT scholarship application process and has worked with over 1000 scholarship applicants over 7 years. He worked as the MEXT scholarship application coordinator at a large, private university for three years and has run the TranSenz blog ever since, where he has published over two dozen articles about the scholarship and answered thousands of applicant questions.
How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship is based on those articles and questions, putting everything together in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step presentation. It is designed so that no matter how much experience you have with the MEXT Scholarship – whether you just heard about it today, or whether you have applied multiple times in the past – you will be able pick up at the right part of the application for you and follow through to created a strong, successful application.
Invest in Your Success
If you want anything worth having in life, you have to invest time or money (or both). How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship is for applicants who don’t mind investing a little bit of money to save themselves a lot of time.
At less than 1,000 yen, the book costs less than 0.7% of one month’s scholarship stipend. Consider that winning the scholarship could be worth nearly 10,000,000 yen in stipends – not counting the free tuition and airfare. That’s a potential 10,000X return on your investment!
Pick up your copy, now, from TranSenz, directly or from your favorite online book store!
Here’s what others have said:
“I owe 99% of my coming so far to you (and 1% to sheer luck). Thank you so much for providing all these valuable information and managing the blog!” – Amber
“Thank you for being the greatest Sensei, I bought one of the books, and I cant get my hands off it. My confidence has elevated, I managed to arrange my thought process, and of course I am more confident to compete for this scholarship. Thank you for mentoring me through your great writings. I am hoping for a great outcome.” – Shabangu
“Thanks to all of your help, I have passed the primary screening for the scholarship, I contacted a Lab at Osaka university and they agreed to write me a letter of acceptance.” – Taylor
“Your good work in guiding numerous students across the globe regarding higher education in Japan is deeply appreciated by us all. Keep going!” – Afraz
Get started on your application today!
You will learn:
- What the MEXT Scholarship offers plus where, when, and how to apply
- The mindset you need to set yourself apart from other applicants and win the scholarship
- The difference between the embassy and university application processes, and how to get started with each
- How competitive the application is and why you need to develop an application strategy
- How to perform an eligibility self-evaluation – including checking to see if you have the grades to apply
- How to establish your application strategy and position yourself to overcome the competition and become one of the few, elite scholarship winners
The book also comes with worksheets, exercises, and resources to walk you through determining your eligibility and creating your application strategy.
Get Started Today!
This is a long application process – over a year in most cases – and you want to give yourself months to prepare in advance. Download and start reading today!
Want to Read it for Free?
If you want to check out the book, but don’t have the resources to buy it now, why not try to get it at your university library?
How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship is available in print, through Ingramspark or Amazon, and in ebook through Overdrive, Bibliotheca, and Baker & Taylor which are ebook distribution networks for libraries, if your library stocks ebooks. Either way, your library should be able to order it through their normal purchasing channels. Here’s the information your library might need:
- Title: How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship
- Author: Travis Senzaki
- ISBN: 978-4-909776-00-6
- Imprint: Travis Senzaki
- Year: 2018
Not sure yet?
No problem. In the meantime, why don’t you take advantage of the free resources I have to offer? If you sign up for my mailing list below, I’ll send you a sample completed application form, plus an email course introducing the MEXT scholarship and the most important things to consider as you start your application. No strings attached!
hello sir.
first of all, I must thank you for all of your valuable information and kindness for sharing them.
second I have a question to ask: does it really matter whether I chose national or private universities in the placement preference?
I mean can I write down 3 private universities without worrying about anything?
and also how about the orders? is it better to write the national universities or it doesn’t matter?
thank you in advance for your reply.
Hi Mahrokh,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
For your university choices, you should choose the universities that are best for your research interest without worrying too much if they are national or private. I do not think that you should change your preferences based on that. Research and program suitability should be the top priority.
It is not a problem to write down three private universities during the initial application. You should also have the chance to change your university choices later after the Primary Screening and after you apply for Letters of Acceptance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Am calling Nigeria Mext number since last two days they didn’t pick my call maybe they were selecting category of people to attend to please is there any alternative.
Hi Oladokun,
I noticed that your comment was on May 3. In Japan, April 29 and May 1-5 are a series of holidays called Golden Week, and the embassy would have been closed during that time. I hope you’ve been able to get through to them since then!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis, i’m a high school student currently in grade 11 and by June 2022 I will be done with my high school, am i eligible for MEXT?
Hi Apeh Genesis,
In order to qualify for this year’s application cycle, you would need to finish high school no later than March 2022, since you would have to arrive in April 2022 to start your studies in Japan. So I think next year would be the best year for your application.
The only exception is if you apply for Direct Placement and choose a program that starts in the fall semester. In that case, you have to choose a program that you already meet the language proficiency requirements for, and it is a bit of a risk, but if you really want to start your studies in 2022, that is your only possibility, as far as I know.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis I just want to know that what documents I can attach with my application form in place of my last one year’s record as my school was unable to provide it due to pandemic, also what other documents are required to be attached with application form except health certificate, recommendation letter and to be graduating form.
Hi Naina sharma,
For your transcript, you are required to submit the transcript for all years of your current program for which grades are available. If your university has not been able to provide any documentation for grades, then that should count as “not available”, although I imagine it would depend on the reason. If it is not possible for them to issue grades in any form, then you should be able to explain that to the university.
As for the list of other documents required, I am putting the finishing touches on an article that is going to cover that information for this year and it will be available tomorrow. But in the meantime, you can refer to the official application guidelines on the Study in Japan website. I also recommend that you check the website of the Japanese embassy in your country where you will apply, as they may have additional requirements, or ask for the documents at different times.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
I have completed my Masters in Philosophy(Mphil) in agriculture sciencce here in my county in 2016, However i want to apply for the scholarship to undergo MSC in agriculture economics is it possible, will i be accepted.
Thank you.
Hi Lydia Jane Tasi,
I do not see any reason why your degree history would prevent you from being accepted. It is permitted to apply for a second Master’s under the MEXT Scholarship, and it looks like you have a slight change in field (though they are clearly related), so I can see the logic of pursuing a second Master’s rather than a PhD in your situation.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis
I am from Lesotho and want to apply for the graduate program, I wanted to know what exactly would be my chances of getting in. Also how strict is the GPA system? Cause I obtained my degree in South Africa and the GPA system isn’t really used here. I just wanted a bit of help and any motivation I can get to continue applying.
Hi Midhat,
It’s impossible to guess your chances. I do not know anything about your application, your grades, etc., or about your competition. There are a limited number of slots each year, so you have to be the best applicant among all of the others applying this year. The best place where you can make a difference in the competitiveness of your application at this point is to have a strong Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
GPA is one of the key requirements because it is a way to compare applicants’ performance. Even if your country does not use the term “GPA” itself, then the comparison would be based on grading/marks, regardless of what terminology is used.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello Travis , I hope you are doing well , I have a question about this application document it says” Academic transcript(s) for all
school years of school/university attended ” , my question is let`s that one of my school years was sort of bad but the rest were absolutely excellent , how much would that affect the chances of my acceptance?
Hi Mohammed,
When calculating your GPA for the eligibility criteria, they are going to look at the grades of all of your classes, so as long as the other years make up for that one bad year, it would not end your chances.
However, depending on when that bad year was, they might also ask you about what led to your grades being poor during that time and they could be concerned that whatever triggered the poor grades that time could happen again in Japan.
There is nothing concrete in the rules that says it will absolutely hurt your chances (any more than poor grades do in any other situation), but there is always the chance that reviewers will be concerned.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis, I’m very thankful that I found your website and it has cleared up a lot of things I had misconceptions on. However, I’m a bit uncertain about one thing. I am currently studying in a university as a first-year, would that affect my application as an undergraduate student? Thank you.
Hi Oksana Projku,
It is not a problem to be enrolled in an undergraduate program already while applying for the MEXT Undergraduate scholarship. You will probably have to submit your records from university as well as high school, but please check the application guidelines directly for more information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, This is Andrea from Colombia and am interested in the MEXT scholarship for a Master’s degree. After checking the application checklist I saw that a summary of the thesis of my undergraduate degree is needed, turns out out that my university requested a report on my exchange program instead of a formal thesis and that ended up being the only requirement for graduating. Would that be an issue when applying to the scholarship? Not having written a thesis ever before. Gracias!
Hi Andrea Acero,
If you do not have an undergraduate thesis, you can still apply and it will not be a problem. There are many degree programs that do not require a thesis!
However, there’s a chance that the embassy may ask you to submit an alternative, so I would recommend that you contact them and ask what you should submit in your case. In the past, I have heard of them asking for an abstract of a major paper you wrote, instead. Or they might ask for a summary of that report on your exchange program. It’s going to be specific to your situation.
In any case, it should not hurt your application to not have a thesis!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Muchas gracias Travis!
Hi, Travis.
I’m currently finishing reading your first book and worksheet and I can’t thank you enough for your help. I’ve applied last year through Embassy recommendation but I didn’t make it to the interview, so let’s hope things work out better this time!
I’ve got some very specific, long questions and I’d love to get your feedback, if you can:
1. Even though it isn’t required, I decided to take the TOEFL last year. However, I didn’t complete the exam on time and I got 89/120 points, which equals to a B2 level. I know that my level of English is higher and equals to a C1 level. Should I still include the TOEFL results in my application?
2. All my favorite graduate schools are private universities. In order to improve my chances, should I list two national universities and one private university, or can I be confident and include two private universities on my preferred universities list? Also, if and when I request provisional acceptance letters, would it hurt my chances if I got the two letters from two private universities?
3. Last year I got a recommendation letter from the dean of my current graduate school. Can I use it one more time, not changing the date or anything, and add a new recommendation letter from my current supervisor? Or should I just go with the new letter from my supervisor?
4. The general outcomes of my research are pretty much to deepen the existent research on the theme, since it focus on two recent concepts that started to be studied and applied (together) only a few years ago. I want to research real examples, develop my own campaigns/theory and hopefully accelerate their implementation in the business and academic fields. I know why I want this degree – essentially because I want to specialize on this field, which has room f0r more research, and I want to become a professor at university. I’m not sure how I can justify my goals better or defend that I want to discover something new that hasn’t ever been discovered in the world. My field’s marketing. Would you have any advice? This has been my biggest struggle.
5. My other big struggle is this question: “why does your research have to be conducted in Japan, or at a particular university in Japan?”. I could probably answer this if I focused on my most desired university, or even if I focus on the three universities I’ll be listing. I don’t know if I should do it though, considering that I’m applying through Embassy recommendation. However, I’m afraid that my theme doesn’t necessarily need to be researched in Japan. I need to study it outside of my country, but the UK or the US could also be reasonable choices, for example. What do you usually suggest when candidates have this issue?
6. I’ve already reached out to some professors in the [recent] past, pretty much asking them to be my supervisors and and tips for my research plan. I probably didn’t have the smartest approach. Overall, these things happened: I received negative responses but positive advice and valuable help; I received a positive response but they asked for my research plan and I didn’t have one yet, so they stopped replying to me; I didn’t receive any response at all, I politely send one or two other emails and I gave up. I regret this so much. I should have waited, but what’s done is done. Anyway, when I reach out to these professors/universities once again, should I apologize for having reached out too soon, or should I just ignore my past attempts? Also, should I actually wait for passing the First Screening and have no connections stablished at all when I ask for letters of provisional acceptance, or should I try to reach out to professors once again but only when I finish writing my research plan?
Thank you in advance for your help, I’m looking forward to your third book!
Hi Rui Pedro Bessa,
Thank you for your kind words!
I am sorry to hear that your application was unsuccessful last year, and I wish you better luck this time! I will try to address each of your questions below.
1. In most cases, a B2 is all that Japanese degree programs ask for, so yes, I would still recommend including it.
2. If you want to include one national university on the list in your placement preference form to avoid limiting your chances, then I think one would be fine. (Two should not significantly increase your chances over one). This year, again, you will be limited to getting letters of provisional acceptance from only two of the three schools on your list. So, you can have the national university on your list to increase your chances to get through the screening, but apply to the two private universities for letters of provisional acceptance to increase the chances of being placed there.
3. I recommend getting a new letter for this year.
4. Discovering something new is not only an acceptable goal, it sounds ideal. However, when you write your research proposal, you should focus on the specific case study or data you will add to the existing knowledge in the field. You can refer briefly to how that will impact the overall field, but concentrate your writing on the problem that you want to solve.
5. You are going to have to solve this, and I am afraid I do not know enough about your specific research to offer advice. Usual reasons I see for this question are that applicants have a specific research subject in Japan (in your case, since you want to test new marketing campaigns/theories, you could come up with a reason why you specifically want to test them on a Japanese audience, or how you need to refer to ongoing efforts by a specific Japanese company for your research), or that Japan is on the leading edge in that particular field of research. Can you make either of those ideas work?
6. You can’t change what’s done. If you reach out to the same professors in the past, I think you should refer to previous contact (if you don’t and they remember you, that might not look good). You can mention that you now have a research plan (I do not recommend contacting them until you have it!) and are ready to move forward with your application. Also, thank the professors who replied in the past. Once you finish your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, you can try to reach out again. If there is enough time for some dialog between when you finish that FSRPP and when you submit your application to the embassy, then reaching out at that point makes sense. Otherwise, once the Primary Screening starts, I usually recommend waiting until you pass that screening and are ready to apply for the Letter of Provisional Acceptance, particularly in the case of private universities.
I am in the last proofreading pass of book 3 and hope to have it released within the next few weeks!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your answer, Travis. It was very helpful!
Hi, Travis. I hope it’s ok if I ask you one more question before I submit my application.
I was told by a current MEXT scholar that if I choose any month of arrival in Japan, my chances of being accepted by the Embassy or my preferred universities are higher, because there are some universities or supervisores that will only accept me if I arrive in a specific semester. However, due to some circumstances, it would be a lot easier for me if I arrived in the Fall semester. I had decided to select any month in the Application Form and if I was approved for the scholarship and I was asked to come in the Spring semester, I was going to ask my supervisor to arrive later. I want to start as a non-regular student, so the start of my degree wouldn’t necessarily be affected.
I would like to know your opinion on this matter. If I select only the Fall semester, will it decrease my chances of being accepted?
Hi Rui Pedro Bessa,
Once the university decides what month you should arrive and writes that in the Letter of Acceptance, you cannot change it, so if you need to arrive in a specific semester, you should make that clear up front in the application form.
As long as you research the universities that you want to study at and check what semester they accept students in advance, then it should not be a problem to specify a fall arrival. It will not hurt your application chances.
Keep in mind that if you are not proficient in Japanese language, you will likely spend your first semester in an intensive language program. So, if you arrive in Japan in the fall, you would start your studies at that university in the following spring. If you start your studies as a non-regular student, then you should be able to start your degree program in the university’s preferred semester to accept new students, anyway.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am Getachew from Ethiopia, I have been graduated from Bahir Dar University with MPH in Health system and project management. I want to continue my Ph.D. program in Japan. Please help me
Hi Getachew Wubet Belete,
Most of the articles on this site as well as my books are written to help you in the application process. I hope that by reading those articles, you can find the advice you need to get started with your application! Here is a link to the index of all of the MEXT articles:
https://www.transenzjapan.com/blog/mext/
If you have specific questions about any of the articles, please feel free to ask in the comments section of the particular article.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, My name is Hasan. I have successfully passed the entrance exam at the University of Hyogo. Besides, I have also applied for MEXT. There’s one particular question that keeps roaming around my mind. I was reading an article regarding MEXT, it says that you cannot change your resident status even after completing the tenure of MEXT which means we have to go back to our country after completing graduation. So what about the students who want to stay as permanent residents after their studies.
Hi Hasan,
In general, I think the application for admission to the university and the application for the MEXT Scholarship should all be part of the same process, but I assume that’s what’s happening in your situation.
I do not know where you heard that you cannot change your residence status after completing the MEXT Scholarship, but that is not accurate in my experience. If you find a job before completing your degree, then your employer can help you change your status after you receive your final MEXT Scholarship payment. In general, you cannot go straight to being a permanent resident – there are qualifications to apply for that – but you should certainly be able to change to a working status.
If you can direct me to the site you were referring to, I might be able to provide additional information, but as far as I know, what they are saying is not true.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for your reply. Below is a note from the form which I was filling for MEXT Scholarship.
” Please be aware that even if the applicant applies for the permanent-resident or long-term resident status of residence after the expiration of the status as a Japanese Government Scholarship student, the possibility exists that the application may not be approved. ”
Please elucidate this statement to clear my misconception.
Actually, I am planning to work in Japan after completing my graduation. But this statement, I assume contradicts my future plan If I am successful in achieving the MEXT scholarship.
Please Guide.
Regards,
Hasan.
Hi Hasan,
If I am not mistaken, that part you quoted is specifically directed at people who are living in Japan already with a permanent resident or long-term resident status. It means that if they give up that status to apply for the MEXT Scholarship, they are not automatically guaranteed to get it back after completing their studies. So, that does not apply to you.
In any case, all it says is that is is not guaranteed that they will be able to change their status, it does not mean that it is impossible.
Also, in Japan, “Permanent Residence” and “Long-Term Resident” are specific statuses. If you plan to work in Japan after completing your MEXT Scholarship, you would not be applying for either of those statuses, anyway. You would be applying for a working status. So this statement does not apply to you in any way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m very eager to to get MEXT scholarship to study in APU to hold my second Degree in Development Economics. Because of I’m outstanding student and also APU is world-class university.
Hi Geleta Dereje Wende,
I wish you luck in your application. But when you apply, your reasons should not be about your quality as a student or the quality of the university. You should focus on the unique contribution that you intend to make to society and how your studies in Japan, particularly the research that you will complete at APU, is necessary to your making that contribution.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi..I’m looking for your scholarship in order to support me to afford all the tuition fees and other payments
Hi Godfrey,
I do not offer the scholarship, the Japanese government does. I merely provide information about how to apply for it.
The MEXT Scholarship is highly competitive and requires quite a lot of effort to successfully apply for, so if you are considering it, I recommend that you read through the articles on this site and start to prepare yourself for your application as soon as possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am currently a high school senior and will be majoring in computer science at the University of Maryland College Park this upcoming fall. My plan is to pursue my master’s degree at a Japanese university. I have been studying Japanese independently for the last two years and am aiming for the JLPT N1 in December 2021.
For the time being, what kind of preparations do you recommend? In addition, what can I do to maximize my chances while studying at university?
Thanks,
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
It’s great to hear that you are preparing so early, and that you’ve been able to advance your Japanese that much through self-study.
While you are in university, here are a a few things that you can do to maximize your chances when you get ready to apply for the MEXT scholarship for graduate studies.
Those are my primary recommendations. Your undergraduate grades, a well-developed research proposal, and connections with faculty members in the field in Japan are valuable assets in your application process!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for all the invaluable information you are providing for us all! I am in the process of getting my research plan and application documents together for the upcoming 2022 MEXT application as a graduate student of Fine Arts. I was hoping to borrow a few moments of your time to ask a few questions regarding the Research Program Plan.
1. As a student of the Fine Arts department, can you provide any tips on creating a research plan that embodies the ideal components MEXT is searching for while still taking a creative approach, or would it be better to approach the plan in a way that communicates the nature in which I plan to grow skill-wise and how studying in Japan will achieve that?
2. I have been teaching myself as much basic Japanese as possible over the last 6 months (all katakana, hiragana, some Kanji, + basic vocabulary and common phrases), would you consider this as knowing any Japanese and list it on the application or list it as no Japanese skill since I have not learned grammar or sentence structure at all yet. Also I know that the program I am seeking the scholarship for is an English speaking department, will the low level of Japanese skill not be too much of an issue because of that?
3. I know that the program I am trying to be accepted by is very small and competitive – with only 10 students a year getting a spot. Do you think MEXT scholarship recipients have any chance of getting to that program when it’s already so competitive on a normal level?
Thank you so much!
Hi Alexandria,
Thank you for your kind words!
1. For fine arts, you do, indeed, need to shift the framework of the “research” plan. Typically, your graduation project is not going to be a research paper, but rather an exhibition or portfolio of some kind, at least as far as I understand. In that case, your Past and Present field of study would refer to artworks created in the past. Your title would be the theme of your final project. I think it’s a great idea to describe how you plan to grow skill-wise in Japan. You could describe different techniques that you will undertake or exhibitions that you will put on throughout your research process.
Actually, one of the references I used when writing my book How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan was from a past applicant who applied in the field of line art. It was years ago, but I think his example is still excellent.
2. I’m afraid I would probably rate your Japanese level as described as none/limited. But as long as your program is taught in English, that should not be a significant problem for your application. If you are applying via the Embassy, make sure to make an attempt at the Japanese language test during the primary screening. A poor score will not ruin your chances, but leaving it blank can.
3. In my experience, the MEXT scholarship is more competitive than any admissions process in Japan. On the other hand, the embassy and university are going to be looking at your application from very different perspectives.
If the program is competitive, that means that it would benefit you to put extra effort into ensuring that your Field of Study and Research Program Plan is targeted specifically at one of the instructors there and also to try to establish a relationship in advance, if possible. I still think it’s possible, but anything extra you can do to make your application stand out would be good!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I find difficulties to convert my percentage score to GPA, as my graduation university(india) have only percentage not grade not credit. I see the eligibility criteria is 2.3 out of 3.0 scale. In India I have 76%, that seems a very good score, but I kind of confuse about 3.0 scale grading.
Hi Sudhir,
It doesn’t matter if your grades are in percentages and if you don’t have letter grades or credits, you can still use the conversion methods I described in my article about converting your grades (in the appendices of this book, I also include specific examples of different systems, including percentage systems). The important thing to know is how the different percentages are classified. For example, what range of percentages are considered “excellent” (in an “Honours” system, this would be the percentage that corresponds to First Class Honours), which are “good”, “average”, “poor”, and “fail”. If you can determine those percentages, then you can calculate your grade for each course you took.
If your university does not have a credit system (or a different amount of marks assigned to different courses), then all courses have the same weight, so you can consider the credit value of each course to be 1 for the sake of calculating your average GPA.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I am planning to study a PhD in American literature at the university of Tokyo and I have a few questions to ask:
1. Concerning the scholarship itself ( Mext), I read that they wont give students the first check untill the end of the first month. Does it mean I ll need to pay rent, food, admission into the university with my own money?
2. Concerning the Japenese language, I have to admit I don t really know anthing in japenese. I am worried if I put 0 for japenese within the application that I might not be selected.
3. Is the Japenese test conducted in the home country of the applicant before departure to Japan? Or do students take the test when they arrive to Japan? In case the latter is true, do students benefit from language courses to prepare for this test when they arrive to Japan? And is the test free?
3. I noticed in your application that you put Non-degree student. Should I put the same if my intent is to study a PhD? because I do have a Bachelor and Master degrees in English Literature and history.
4. Because I have a master degree in English Literature, am I really required to take the TOEFL? Or is my diploma enough for the LANGUAGE requirement?
5. You also included inside your application a brief summary of your research. Did you include other attached papers to your application? Such as the research plan as outlined by the MEXT that you can download from the embassy website along with the health certificate.
Kind regards,
Nassima Ferhaten.
Hi Nassima Ferhaten,
1. Actually, in my experience, many applicants do not get the first payment (by bank transfer, by the way) until the end of the second month, particularly if they arrive during the middle of a month. It takes a while to set up your bank account and for the paperwork to process so you can start receiving payments.
I recall seeing in the past that MEXT recommends that applicants bring the equivalent of about $2,000 in cash with them to Japan (or be able to access that amount right away by ATM, etc.) to cover their expenses until the first payment arrives. Personally, I think more would be better, particularly if you are living in a high cost-of-living area, such as Tokyo. You are going to have higher than usual expenses in the first month as you start your housing contract and buy any necessities for your life in Japan.
2. Putting a “0” for the Japanese language question will not disqualify you (but not completing the Japanese language test during the Primary Screening could, if you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship). I have seen a preference in the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship for applicants with Japanese language ability, but many still earn the scholarship without any background in the language. I would recommend that you start studying some Japanese on your own now so that you can at least show them that you are making an effort to learn!
3. If you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, it is conducted at the embassy during the Primary Screening and is free. If you are applying for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, there is no Japanese language test.
3. (There were two “3”s) In the sample application form, I indicated starting as a non-degree student and continuing through the end of the degree. I do recommend starting as a non-degree student for one semester then taking the entrance exam after you arrive in Japan and matriculating into the PhD program at that point. It adds a semester to your study period in Japan, but that first semester can be useful to help you get used to living and studying in Japan so that once you start the degree proper, you are ready to focus on your studies.
4. If you are applying for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, there is no requirement to take the TOEFL, at least not by MEXT. You will take an English language proficiency test at the Embassy during the Primary Screening. However, the universities that you apply to for a Letter of Acceptance might want to see official test scores. If you are applying for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then they usually do require that you submit test scores, such as TOEFL. Some universities will waive the test score submission requirement if your previous degree was taught entirely in English or if you earned your degree in an English-speaking country such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand. But it’s going to be a university decision, so you should refer to their specific guidelines to see what they will accept.
5. I’m not entirely sure what you are referring to in “my application”. Do you mean the sample application form? In that case, I think you are referring to the question about the field of study specialized in the past in the application form. That is just one of the documents that you have to submit. You are required to submit all of the application documents, including the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, the Health Certificate, your transcripts, etc.
I have written separate articles about the required documents and how to apply for the Embassy and University Recommended Application Processes, so I would recommend reading those articles for more information on the other required documents.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
What is the syllabus of “Mathmatics A” and”Mathmatics B” for the MEXT scholarship exam? And what is the difference between ” Mathmatics A ” and ” Mathmatics B”.
If I want to study in medicine, then which Mathmatics exam is for me?
Hi Md Wazed Hossan Shahab,
You can find the tests from previous years on the official Study in Japan website, so I would recommend that you look at the tests for Mathematics A and B and check the differences for yourself. According to the undergraduate application guidelines, the Mathematics for any natural sciences or medical field is “B” (Math A is for humanities/social sciences).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir is there any specific book to study for MEXT SCHOLARSHIP test?
I want to study MD.
Hi Sunny,
I do not know if any particular study books, but the past tests are available on the official Study in Japan website.
If you are applying for a graduate degree, the only tests are for English and Japanese language proficiency. (For an MD, you would almost certainly need to have native-level fluency in Japanese)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir i applied 3 months ago but still there i don’t find any sms or mial from your website. …
Hi Naeem Ullah,
I am just a blogger. I am not officially related to the MEXT Scholarship, so I have no way of telling what individual applicants’ results are. I would recommend contacting the embassy where you applied to check on the results.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey sir,am kelvin phiri from Zambia.I did my bachelor’s degree in science with education at kwame Nkrumah university.I want to apply for a scholarship ,what should I do?
Masters scholarship in mathematics or science related programs
Hi Kevin Phiri,
Before you think about applying for the scholarship, you’re going to need to decide on what exactly you want to study, including your specific research topic. If you don’y have a specific research goal, your application has very little chance of success.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Kevin Phiri,
I have dozens of articles on this site about the process of applying for the MEXT Scholarship for graduate school in Japan. If you are interested in pursuing your degree in Japan, I suggest you start reading through those to get a better idea of the process and what you’ll need to do.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi my name is Ezra Yakubu, I want to apply for undergraduate course, cyber security.
Pls is there any help?
Hi Ezra Yakubu,
My area of expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, so I don’t have any specific advice for undergraduate applicants. I think cybersecurity would fall under the category of information science and engineering when you choose your major in the application form.
Aside from that, if you follow the application guidelines and the instructions from your Japanese embassy, and write compelling arguments for why you want to study that field in Japan, that is the best you can do to give yourself a shot at the scholarship!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I have recently found your website, and became quite surprised and interested in all the information you provide to everyone interested in applying to the MEXT scholarship. However, I have a quite different question to address you. From what I have read, notice that maybe I have missed it somewhere, no one has ever questioned you about applying to MEXT scholarship in an Performance graduate degree (ex. Music). So my question is:
Do you have any specific advice to someone interested in applying in a graduate degree in Music Performance? I propose this question because usually most of the graduate degree in Music around the world don’t require a research plan, as the degree is more focused in the performance itself and many graduate degree don’t even require a thesis, but just have classes and a final Recital or Concert. Having this in mind to you have any advice, knowing that the MEXT application requires a Research Plan?
Thank you for your time and attention.
Best Regards
Hi Filipe,
Thank you for your kind words.
My first advice with regards to a performance art graduate degree, whether in music or any other field, is to make sure you find a program that you have the language qualifications for. Most of those programs, as far as I know, are going to be taught in Japanese.
In terms of your “research plan”, actually one of my first resources when I was researching past successful plans was a FSRPP for an applicant in line art, which is a form of performance, and I have adapted his methodology into how to approach a research plan in a few cases.
If you are applying in performance art, then your “research plan” is your plan for how you will prepare for your final concert/recital/etc. What do you hope to achieve in your final performance, is it a combination of specific different styles? What is it about it that will make it worthy of an MFA, rather than just being a recital that could be given for a regular audience?
Your “research” then is all of the practice and mastery of methods and other skills that go into that final recital and help you achieve that unique performance.
My knowledge of performance music is rather limited, so I’m afraid I can only talk in general terms, but I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am Rejoice Elijah. A high school graduate from Nigeria. I want to apply for the MEXT undergraduate schorlarship 2020, but I couldn’t access the application form. I need your help please.
Hi Rejoice Elijah,
The best place to get the forms and any information about the application process is the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country. That should have links to all of the information that you need.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Greetings. I’m Tychael Harvie. I was unable to purchase the book that was intended to help applicants for the MEXT scholarship program and therefore I was unable to obtain certain information about the program. I am a student who is graduating from highschool this year in South Africa. I want to know if the program will allow for an applicant like myself to apply for a university scholarship.
Hi Tychael Harvie,
This book is focused on the MEXT Scholarship for graduate students, so it is probably a good thing that you didn’t buy it!
There is a MEXT Scholarship for undergraduate students, but it is not available in all countries. The best place to get information about it and whether or not you can apply is to check the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country for the application guidelines and specific instructions.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hy
i want to apply for phd in japan on scholarship what procedure i should follow?
Hi Rubia Ismail,
You can choose either the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship or University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, but the former is accepting applications now, in most countries, and overall has the better chance of success, so I recommend that, if you can get your application together in time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day, I’ve started filling out the forms for the Embassy Recommended Scholarship but I have a few questions about the forms.
* Are we to submit the Field of Study and Research Program Plan with the application form or we are to do that later.?
* About the recommendation letter, must it be submitted in a sealed envelope with the academic advisor’s signature on it?
* The Medical form should it be typed or hand written?
*Can I use a physical copy of my passport or a digital photograph?
Thank you for the guidelines, and thanks for your time.
Hi Olukotun Toluwase,
I am afraid this answer is coming too late to help you, but I’m finally catching up on some I missed.
– In general, you should submit all of the application documents together by the submission deadline, unless your embassy has specifically instructed you to do otherwise.
– MEXT does not require that it be submitted in a sealed envelope anymore, but your embassy might. I would recommend that you double-check their requirements.
– The medical form should be handwritten. You will print it out and bring it to the doctor, so in most cases handwriting is going to be the only option.
– A regular photocopy of your passport should fine, if that is required. (It is not required by MEXT, but it may be required by your embassy. In that case, be sure to check the embassy’s requirements, too!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz Japan, I am interested in applying for Medicine College in undergraduate mext scholarship , and I noticed in your posts that having a field of research and future perspective is crucial to guarantee this scholarship. By now I have not decided a specific area I want to study later, so should I start searching it so I can refer to it in my application and a further interview?
Hi Rodrigo,
My comments about the Field of Study and Research Program Plan are for the MEXT Scholarship for Research Students (Graduate Students). You do not need a FSRPP for the undergraduate scholarship.
You do need to have a firm idea of why you want to study your particular field and how you will contribute to society in Japan and your home country after earning your degree, though, so I would encourage you to think about that!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir Travis.
Thank you for helping us in this process for Mext scholarship. I tried to find a professor and I couldn’t. I read and followed one of your article talking about it but I couldn’t. we are less than two weeks before the deadline and I am truly worried about that part specially. if you can explain more or advice others simple article for it, I’ll be happy. Thanks
Hi Amouzoun,
I’m sorry to hear that you struggled to find a professor that you might want to ask to supervise you. Were you at least able to identify a university and graduate school that teaches your program in English? From there, you should be able to find a list of faculty members and their research interests or information about the courses they teach. That is a good way to find potential supervisors.
Other than that, I’m afraid there really isn’t much else I can suggest that is simpler than the article I had written about how to find potential supervisors.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi I’m klawu king an African student from Liberia west coast of Africa.
I’m a student of the African Zion university.
I’m a graduate student and willing to achieve my master degree in business administration in Japan but been searching for a scholarship before I found this.
Please I’m in need of your help to have me out or educate me now how can I be a part of this unique opportunity.
I love love to have a reply please.
Hi Klawu King,
It has been a while since your comment, but I hope you have taken the time to read the other articles on this site in the meantime. I have dozens of articles here about how to apply for the MEXT Scholarship and carefully reviewing all of them should help you understand exactly what you need to do to apply – and to succeed in the application!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello I’m Ashuja and I want to study in Japan,what steps may I follow??
Hi Ashuja,
Most of the articles that you will find on this site are dedicated to helping you apply for the MEXT Scholarship, so I hope they will help you with your goal.
The first thing you need to do is to figure out why you want to study in Japan and then look at the steps that are required to help make that goal a reality. I hope the articles here will help you!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis
I don’t really get the whole meaning of the quality of“ Field of study”.
I studied Chemical Engineering in my undergraduate studies. Am I required to just write Chemical Engineering in that space?
Please can you shed more light on it
Thanks
Hi Collins,
Which form are you referring to and which question?
In the Placement Preference Form, it is enough to say that you want to study chemical engineering as your major, but once you get into the Field of Study and Research Program Plan, you need to have a specific research problem, methodology, etc.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I need form of Mext scholarship in english
Hi Gulsher Junejo,
All of the forms are bilingual in Japanese and English. You should get them from the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country. That website will also have specific information for you about when the forms are due and other important details.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
thanks alot sir for all the guidance… can you give the sample paper for science students for PHD student i am so confused what should i write in motivational section, Thankyou!
Hi Sajawal,
I’m afraid that the only samples I have are the ones that I send out to everyone who joins my mailing list.
Your “motivation” is your reason for pursuing your degree in the first place, and it should be related to the specific way in which you want to serve your country/society or the relationship between Japan and your country in the future. Of course, your studies in Japan should serve that goal.
I wrote more about having an application goal and theme in the book, as well as in my article about maximizing your chances for the scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
My mission to Japan is to learn and study language course..
How should I summit?
Hi Nwaeze Chukwuka Jude,
This scholarship is for a full degree, not for Japanese language studies. I am not aware of any scholarships that only cover language school.
In some cases, during the MEXT Scholarship, you will have Japanese language training before the start of your degree, but ultimately, the scholarship is for the degree.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi transenz I am 20 years old at the moment and I want to apply for a graduate degree program.. By September next year I’ll be 22 (my birthday is August) I was born 1999
My question is I’ve noticed most universities in Japan has a requirement of being at least 22 before applying for masters. In two forms I have been asked to indicate the age I will be April 1st next year… I put 21 but I specified that I would like to start in the September semester. I will input universities that start in September as well as April too…
Will this hurt my chances?
Should I specify that I will be 22 in time for the September session or will the reviewers realize this
Hi Ummie,
In the application form, you need to fill in how old you will be as of April 1, 2021, which in your case would be 21.
April 1 is the start of the school year, so that is what is used for all official calculations. Even if you start your program in the fall, it is your age at the beginning of the academic year that matters.
There is no requirement for the MEXT Scholarship that you be at least 22 years old. If you have completed a bachelor’s degree, then that is usually the only requirement.
I have seen in some cases in the past that age was a requirement if your bachelor’s degree program was shorter than the Japanese expectation, but that eligibility criteria has been removed from the MEXT scholarship, at least, so it should not be an issue as far as I know.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Supuni sandunika.
Hello sir,
I’m twenty years old and i’ve done A/l examination in sri lanka and i ‘ve applied for the university in my country and i’m not started to study in university ..my ambition is to get a digree in japan ..can i get MEXT scholarship ??i think i’m not undergraduate student yet .please tell me can i apply for MEXT Scholarship ..what should i do to get that?Should i complete a digree in my country to get that??
Thank you and have a nice day
Hi Supuni,
The undergraduate scholarship is for students who want to apply for an undergraduate degree in Japan. If you have completed – or will be completing – your secondary education, then you would apply for that scholarship. If you have already completed an university bachelor’s degree, then you would apply for the scholarship for research students/graduate students.
Please see the website of the Japanese embassy in Sri Lanka for the specific details of the application process there as well as all of the application eligibility criteria, to make sure that you meet them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz,
By the virtue of your experience in the assessment of MEXT applications, is the quality, i. e. ranking of former university of study of the applicant considered?
Does University ranking has serious influence on an appllication?
Thanks.
Hi Fadaiya,
I processed applications directly for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, and in that case, it made a difference if your previous university had a relationship with the university in Japan. But aside from that, minor differences in ranking weren’t significantly considered. For most applicants, the universities in Japan would not be familiar with the difference in ranking of universities in your home country, unless we’re talking about world-famous universities.
In any case, the ranking of your university is not officially factored in to the application process in any way. (Besides, university ranking seldom has anything to do with the quality of undergraduate education offered there). It could impact a mental bias by reviewers, but ultimately, they have to show objective reasons why you were ranked the way you were.
If you went to a university with a lower reputation and are worried about that influencing reviewers, the best thing you can do is to impress them with the quality of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan. Ultimately, a strong applicant from a lower-ranked university is going to have a better chance than a weak applicant from a top-tier university.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello , I hope you’re doing good;
I was wondering when will be the official anouncement of the MEXT scholarship this year… is it going to be delayed or even cancelled beacuse of the current situation in the world ?!
thank you and have a nice day
Hi Imen,
The reports I have seen are that the application process will be delayed 1-2 months. Those announcements have come from embassies and consulates around the world.
So far, it does not seem like there is any indication that the scholarship will be cancelled, the process will just be starting late.
In the meantime, I recommend you make the most of that time to prepare as much as you can while you are waiting! Starting getting your application documents together and, especially, working on your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hy… Here is Muhammad Naveed Hashim.. I have done matriculation with above 80%marks and intermediate with above 70% marks and bachelors with above 65% marks and master with above 75% marks.Now i want to get MAXT scholarship for master of philosophy. Kindly tell me about it and also tell me about the eligibility for this scholarship.
Hi Muhammad Naveed Hashim,
This book goes into detail on all of those subjects, so if you want an in-depth understanding of the application process, eligibility, and how to proceed, I would recommend that you pick it up (or ask your library to purchase it in paperback or ebook format and borrow it from there). However, I also have a ton of free articles on this site that cover all of the questions you asked about, including how to apply, how to calculate whether your grades are eligible, etc. So, please have a look at those articles and if you have specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments of the appropriate article.
Check the “Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarship” link in the header for all of my free articles.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir I have got 91 %in matic and 75 %in intermediate is this enough for mext scholarship
Hi Zaigham,
I have an article all about how to calculate your GPA on MEXT’s scale to see if you meet the eligibility requirements, so I would recommend that you read that, then calculate your grades to see if you are eligible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
English 6
Maths 5
Science 3
Music 3
Biology 7
Geography 6
Hi John,
I cannot calculate your GPA for you, but I do have an article that will show you how to calculate it yourself to see if you are eligible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir, I got 89% marks in matriculation & 60% marks in intermediate part 1, Is it possible to get mext scholarship with these marks
Regards Rehan Shahid
Hi Rehan Shahid,
Unfortuantely, it isn’t possible to make any guess about your eligibility based only on your final marks. I have an article all about how to calculate your GPA for the MEXT scholarship to make sure that you meet the eligibility requirements, so I suggest you refer to that to calculate your own eligibility. (The book also covers the same topic in more detail, with several samples of different grading schemes from around the world).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I’m john iwont your scholarship in your university, I need to study masters in construction technology so please herpeme to continue my education thank and Gad bless u.
Hi Muhayimana Jean,
I am not offering the scholarship. I am giving advice to applicants who are applying for it. This site is a collection of everything I have studied about the scholarship over the past nine years, so I hope you can find the resources here that you need to help you understand the scholarship and how to apply!
I recommend that you start with my article introducing the scholarship so you can understand better how to get started.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, i am interested in the scholarship to continue my education. I need a master’s degree in Education so please help me to have the form in order to fill in or help me for the guide
Hi Faya David Tonguino,
The forms and application guidelines for this year’s application process have not been released yet, so you will have to wait for those to become available.
Once they are, you will be able to get them from the website of the Japanese Embassy in your country. I would suggest that you start checking that website every weekday to see if the application process has started.
The application process for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship typically starts in mid April each year, so the guidelines release is already late this year. I assume the delay is due to having to adjust the application process for COVID-19 and social distancing, but so far I have not heard anything about when the announcement will be made.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am really looking for a sports (basketball scholarship in Japan…I need you help to get the info and assistance that I need
Hi Immanueal,
My area of expertise and this blog is focused on strategies to apply for Japan’s most prestigious and generous scholarship for graduate studies. I have no knowledge of the sports scene in Japan, so I recommend you find someone else who can help you in that area.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to Study my education up to master fo4 foreign country thus I am ready for that
So wait you
Hi Ahmed,
There is nothing that you need to wait for me for. You are the one that is going to have to do the work to research the process and complete the application. This book and the wide variety or articles and guides on this site will help point you in the right direction, so I would recommend you get started with your research soon.
The application process for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship usually begins in April, so I would recommend that you get started learning more and preparing now!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi sir Travis. I computed my grades from 3rd to 4th year in college and the gpa is 2.18. Our grading system in our university was 1.0 being the highest 3.0 was passed and 5.0 was failed grade. I just want to know if that is also the same from mext gpa computation:-)
Hi Sonny,
I have an article about how to convert your grades to the MEXT 3.0 scale (3.0 is the highest) that should help you with that question. You will have to convert your grades to the MEXT system course-by-course and then take the average. Calculating the average in your home system and converting it will not work.
GOod Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz