Recently, I had the honor to be interviewed by Khamida and Kayta, two amazing MEXT Scholarship winners, for their video podcast, Tokyo State of Mind. We talk about:
- What the MEXT Scholarship covers
- My background with the MEXT Scholarship and why I started this blog
- Common applicant mistakes
- Common points of confusion in the MEXT Scholarship application
- Common worries of MEXT scholarship applicants
- Khamida and Katya’s application experience and challenges
- The most common reason my university rejected requests of letters of acceptance
- Why MEXT asks for a Field of Study and Research Program Plan
- What MEXT wants from the scholarship and how you can use that
- What you need to focus on while applying during the COVID-19 pandemic
. . . and more!
I highly recommend it as a great place to start for anyone wanting to learn more about the scholarship!
Please let me know what you think of the video in the comments below.
Hi Travis,
firstly, thank you for sharing these useful formations, as currently I’ve started to prepare my MEXT-Embassy Recommendation application. all of your informations are very helpful!
I have question in the application form in the point 14 (State the tittle of book or paper authored by applicant. I’ve published some papers and the available space seems does’t fit into it, so is it allowed for me to attached one additional page that state all of my published journal and write *attached in the separate page* in the blank?
thank you very much!
Hi Luftia,
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, the method you suggested sounds perfect!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you very much for your promt reply, now I feel more confident to prepare the documents.
Hello again Travis
Hope you are doing well.
I have good news, I finally arrived in Japan and started my lessons with my professor.
I usually go to the lab almost everyday, If I don’t have any exams.
There are some concerns about my thesis however. On the first day of our arrival here, the university staff warned us that we should finish our studies within a standard period which is 3 years for PhD students. If we don’t finish our thesis and paper within 3 years we won’t get any scholarship to continue our research. that made me a little worried because although I study a lot I’m still not sure if I could finish my studies within 3 years.
What is your idea about this? Is this true? and if it is how can I extend the scholarship from 3 years to 5 years? Or it is something impossible.
Thank you very much
Aida
Hi Aida,
I’m very happy to hear that you have finally been able to arrive in Japan! With the border situation changing so much with the new Omicron variant, I wasn’t sure if MEXT scholars were still able to get into the country.
For the standard period of studies, what your university told you is accurate. You have only 3 years to complete your PhD studies, assuming that you are already enrolled as a degree-seeking student. That is the “standard period of studies” for a PhD for all scholars. If you do not complete your degree within 3 years, unfortunately it is impossible to extend the MEXT scholarship, so you would lose the scholarship benefits as soon as it was clear that you could not complete the degree requirements on time – that includes the MEXT-funded flight ticket home.
However, in my experience, it is quite rare that scholars cannot finish in time. I have seen it happen a couple times when a scholarship recipient failed a class (usually at the Master’s level) and having to wait to retake it meant that they could not graduate on time, but that’s about it, as far as I can remember. If you’re worried about your research itself taking longer, perhaps your advisor can help you with ideas to change it so that it is possible within a shorter span of time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello transenz, I hope you are doing well. I wanted to know if someone has already a master from his country can he apply for the Mext scholarship?
For example in my case I already have a master in business administration from my country, but I want to pursue another master degree in economic by applying to mext scholarship. So am I eligible? Or will they reject me?
Hi Alex,
Yes, it is possible to apply for a second Master’s under the MEXT Scholarship. You would have to justify why a second master’s is more valuable to your overall career goals than a doctorate, in general. But in your case, since your master’s is an MBA (practitioner degree), it should not be difficult to explain that you want to pivot to an MA (academic degree) in economics, with possible future academic study, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I’m currently a secondary school maths teacher with 3 years of teaching experience.
Am I eligible to apply for masters degree studies?
Hi Theodore Taini,
Your career experience is not a factor in your eligibility to apply for the scholarship.
I have written about the eligibility requirements in detail in separate articles about the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship and the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, so I would recommend checking those to see if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
i am in my last year of btech UG course i wanna do taught masters as i wanna work in industry and not interested in phd is mext also for taught masters or research masters only??
Hi Avi,
The MEXT Scholarship is available for all Master’s Degree programs. However, all Japanese universities will require both coursework and research to complete the degree, so you are still going to need to submit a research proposal.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am international student under MEXT scholarship in japan. I am doing my master degree .I am in the 1st year of my degree.
My problem is
I want to change my professor now ,can I ? or Can I change the university under this scholarship at the same stage means can I left this university now and start my 2nd year with another university or professor?
Please reply me
Thank you
Hi Iftikhar,
Unfortunately, it is not possible to change your university in the middle of your degree as a MEXT Scholar. You would forfeit the MEXT Scholarship if you were to change.
About changing your advisor, I do not know whether or not that is possible. I could not find a clear rule among MEXT’s guidelines that says one way or another. The only thing I think you can do is to check with with the admin office of your graduate school and with the international students’ division (or whatever division manages the scholarship at your university) to ask them if it would be possible. If your grad school has a policy about changing advisors, you would have to abide by that. Then you would also have to check through the university to MEXT to see if it is allowable for a scholarship student.
I assume there would need to be some sort of serious problem between you and your advisor that could not be fixed, but unfortunately, I do not know the specific rules in this case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
ok Thank you so much
Dear Travis,
As i am writing this i am in absolute tears, The Japanese Embassy in UK London emailed me my interview result and with so much regret i did not pass. I am absolutely devastated i prepared for this scholarship for 3 years. I have a BSc in Biochemistry, a MSc in Regenerative and recently finished a Master of Research in Retinal Stem Cell Biology at the 8th BEST university in the world UCL. I had a strong research proposal checked by my professor and i spent 7 months crafting my application questions they ask such as why do you want to pursue graduate studies etc. I have been actively engaging in Inter Japanese culture activities since 2015 and have organized a few japanese festivals. I have also helped co-organize student research conferences and I have strived to the absolute best of my ability.
However, this was not enough. I passed preliminary document screening and was given a chance for an interview but I do not know why I did not pass the interview. Sigh. I believe some of my answers could have been better. In my rejection letter, the embassy mentioned the competitive nature of the scholarship and how slots were very limited this year. I spoke to someone on Reddit who is teaching English in Japan and she applied for the scholarship Ph.D. and passed the interview.
However, despite this setback, I won’t give up. i aim to reapply next year and also try the university-recommended route. I believe the first step is to find a supervisor who agrees to supervise you. Do you think I should start emailing now? Does the university track start in Nov?
Hi Nauman,
I am very sorry to hear that you did not pass the Primary Screening.
For what it’s worth, I have heard more applicants from the UK report that their applications were unsuccessful this year than anywhere else, including some of my coaching clients, to be honest. I can only assume that the screening there was very competitive this year!
I am glad to hear that you are still interested in applying for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholar, but as a UK citizen, you are not from a “Priority Country” so you would only be able to apply to PGP programs in your field. (In the past, anyone could apply for “General Category” scholarships, but MEXT requires that at least 75% of a university’s nominees in each category be from Priority Countries. Since the maximum number of General Category slots has been reduced to 3 as of last year, there is no way to nominate someone from a non-priority country).
Each university and program is going to have its own application procedure, so you would have to choose the program that you want to apply for and find their specific procedure. In mid/late August, I will be releasing an updated article about how to apply for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, with links to the current list of PGP programs so that you can find a target program there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis.
I really appreciate you using this your blog to educate us, aspiring MEXT scholars, on what we need to know to be successful in our applications. Thank you very much.
I have two questions. Could you please help me with them? I’d be very grateful:
1) One of the MEXT’s application documents is an employer letter of reference (for those who are currently employed). I am currently employed. But I am employed in a big organization that has several branches in my country and beyond. I do not have any specific individual who I can say is my employer. Everybody working in my organization are actually employees like me. I plan to apply for MEXT next year. But I am wondering, seeing that I do not have a specific person who I my employer, who then would fill the employer letter of reference for me? Or is there an exception for people like us who work in big organizations?
2) My second question is this: one of the disqualification criteria for MEXT is “Applicants who are planning to receive scholarship money from an organization other than MEXT”. Does that mean that we are not allowed to apply for another scholarship in addition to MEXT?
Looking forward to your reply. Thank you very much.
Hi Ifechukwu Ejiofor,
I saw that you had asked the same question several days ago and I have already answered it here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you, Travis. I have seen your reply in the other post. I appreciate.
Hi Travis
I hope you are doing well.
I have good news. I finally got my final results by the embassy and it was positive. However, I’m still worried about my initial proposal because If you remember I said that I have left a few sentences uncited. I was reading some comments couple of months ago and I saw another applicant made the same mistake just like me. However, on this video you were saying that since our initial proposal is going to change and it is not our final proposal then we should be fine. Do you think there is a slight chance that I might still get rejected even after being selected? I still have worries about this.
Thank you in advance
Hi Nima,
Congratulations!
I do not think you have anything to worry about at this point about the uncited sentences. Nobody else is going to screen your FSRPP at this point and once you arrive at the university, you’ll be working with your advisor to develop your research proposal, so it will certainly change and you can make corrections then.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I hope you are well. I have been checking my country Japanese embassy website every day and reading forums. It has almost been a month since i submitted my application. Still no news from the Japanese Embassy in the UK. i regularly check my email. Now that we are in the last two weeks of June i am starting to get worried. UK interviews will be in July with primary screening results due for late July. I thought by now i would have gotten a response from the embassy but nothing. I have also not received any email saying that i have been rejected. So i am really confused and nervous.
What do you think i shall do?
I know my application is very strong and my research proposal was written with my professor.
Best Regards,
Nauman
Hi Nauman,
It looks like the embassy in the UK has a long gap between the document submission in May and the interviews in July. It sometimes happens that embassies take a long time with the document review, but that is nothing to be worried about at this point.
You should get a notification one way or another once they have finished the document review, so I recommend that you wait for now.
Once we get into July, if you still haven’t heard back (or if you hear that other applicants from the UK have gotten results) then you could consider contacting them to ask when the results will be available.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I just finished my interview with my Japanese Embassy in London. I was really nervous but i answered the questions to the best of my ability. I was really professional. I tried to show them my passion about my exictement of carrying out iPS stem cell research in Japan and reiterated to them the importance that Japan and UK are pioneers in stem cell research. The Panel was 1 embassy staff and 1 professor from my research institute where i am currently finishing my second master of research degree. I told them the research proposal is an extension to what i am doing.
I am bit nervous as they asked me some nerve wrecking questions. One of the professor from my institute asked me why i did not contact the professor before submitting the application although he mentioned its not necessary but i told him i was just being cautious and did not want to send them a message as i did not even know i would get a interview.
They also asked me if i did not get the scholarship what would i do. i told them of my backup plan and my continued ambition to support UK-Japanese scientists.
I am nervous on how well they received my responses or were they were the right responses.
What do you think?
Best Regards,
Nauman
Hi Nauman,
Thank you for your feedback and sharing your experience. It’s pretty rare to have someone from your own current university on the interview panel! I know they bring in academic experts from local universities in some cases, but I have never heard of an applicant having someone from their own school on the panel before.
It sounds like your response about your back-up plan was a good one, especially if you mentioned that you still wanted to pursue the same research.
Your reasons for not contacting the professors in question seem alright as well. But in either case, I think the questions about your research and its impact will be more important!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for your email. It was quite a coincidence. He was the only Japanese professor in my research institute and I went to him last year in Jan 2020 to ask for advice about the scholarship. It was quite funny during the first few minutes of the interview the secretary of the embassy introduced himself and the then professor said I know you so he did not introduce himself. Funny thing is the interview was literally 18 minutes so around that mark the sec asked me if I have any questions.
I also wanted to ask you the final decision made the embassy how much is that influenced by the interview would say its 30% interview and 70% application.?
Best Regards,
Nauman
Hi Nauman,
Thank you for your follow up details.
I don’t know that there is a percentage difference like you suggested between the documents and interview. By the time you get to the interview stage, most applicants would have already been eliminated, and they likely have a ranking order of the remaining candidates. So, my guess is that they would be looking at the interview to determine if candidates move up or down their ranking, rather than an objective scoring matrix.
However, I have never been on the inside of a an Embassy Interview, so I can only guess what the process might be. There could very well be some kind of point system, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis, I’ve applied for the undergraduate MEXT scholarship and passed the first screening. I’m applying through the university (Hyogo) and have to prepare a presentation on the topic “How can you contribute to Hyogo Pref. as a MEXT Scholar?”, for the second screening. I really want to wow them with my presentation, any tips?
Hi Sabahat,
I would recommend that you read my article about How to Maximize Your Chances for the MEXT Scholarship, which covers my tips for making a strong impression through your application. The article about the Embassy Interview process, while not exactly what you will be going through, also has some suggestions about how to present your research/studies while emphasizing the contribution you will make.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Mr, Travis,
I changed my proposal and tried to get a supervisor acceptance but to vein. I’m afraid of being rejected again because of my proposal. The topic of my proposal is a hot one in the whole world, but unfortunately, not all the universities are interested in it.
Hi Nabdak,
It may be tough, but it is your job to find a professor in Japan who is working on a similar research topic and can supervise your research. Don’t just look for universities that cover that field, look at the professors there and check their individual research.
Even if your topic is a “hot” one, you should be able to find someone researching it. If you can find that person and write a well-constructed and compelling research proposal, then you should be able to get acceptance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, Thank you alot for the video!!, This is my second time applying for MEXT scholarship, should I change my research? I updated it, I added information and I cleared it up,
and is there a section in your book about the three questions about our interests in Japan? could you please provide me with any tips?
could you tell me please How much your book cost as a pdf version?
Thank you very much!
Hi Lma Hajmoosa,
If you are applying for the second time, then I would recommend changing or strengthening your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, if you can. That is the most important part of your application that is still under your control. Updating, adding information, and clearing it up sound like great ideas.
I do not cover the three questions specifically in my book, but in the first book, I go through planning your application strategy, which includes thinking about how you will use your research to benefit society and the relationship between Japan as well as developing a reason why your research should be done in Japan. I have also covered those questions in my article about filling in the application form. (I will be updating that article for this year’s form soon, but the essay questions are the same).
The cost of the book is the same in all digital formats. You buy the pdf version directly from me via the link on the book page above (the pdf is not available on stores like Amazon, etc., since they do not handle pdfs).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis, I’ve been reading your book 1 series and there is something i still don’t understand. It is possible to do a master program but study a doctor’s program at a different university after? Or is Just that you need to find a program which includes the master and doctoral degree at the same time? Thank you very much
Hi Francisco Medina,
Yes, if you are applying for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, it is possible to change your university after you complete the Master’s Degree. (It is not possible if you apply for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship!)
Your initial application is going to be only for the first degree. When you are in the final year of that degree, then you will be able to apply to extend your MEXT Scholarship to a Doctoral degree (you can choose up to two universities to be considered) and you would also have to apply separately to the degree program(s) you are interested in.
Please see my article about How to Extend Your MEXT Scholarship for more information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis! Great and interesting talk, thank you!
I am preparing my application, and have looked around for supervisors. Of the ones I’ve found doing what I want to do for my research project, 3 professors/PIs are at Keio. One even invited me to visit for two weeks in fall/winter if the pandemic settles down.
Is it a disadvantage to list a private, or for that matter any high-ranking university, in the application? Could it be a risk of having my proposal rejected?
Thanks for everything!
Regards Steven
Hi Steven,
It is not a disadvantage to list private or high-ranking universities in Japan. You should be aiming for the top!
However, if you apply for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship and all three of the universities in your Placement Preference Form are private, that might impact the evaluation. I would suggest including one national university on the list. (This year, you can only get Letters of Provisional Acceptance from two of the three universities on your list, so you could target just the two privates, in that case.)
However, you can only list one professor from each university, so you would have to choose among the three at Keio.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for the quick and thorough reply, I do appreciate it immensely! Yes, it is the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship. Luckily I have found some National Universites as well, so I will make sure to add at least one of them to my application.
I just ordered your books, looking forward to learning more. Thank you so much and I hope you and your family are safe and healthy during these times.
Sincerely, Steven
Hi Steven,
Thank you very much for your reply! I hope you find the books helpful, as well!
Please le me know if you have any questions as you read them.
We are doing well here, and I hope that you and your family are safe and well, too!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am currently a high school junior and am interested in the MEXT Undergraduate Program. I would have liked to apply for a scholarship this year, but if I did, I would not have time to prepare for the Qualifying Exam. ( by the chance I pass the First Screening). The next opportunity for me would be to apply in 2022. However, I would have already graduated by that time.
My concern is that I noticed the application process takes about a year from submission of documents to departure. If I were to apply in 2022, would I have to take a gap year while waiting for the results? Would I still be eligible if I was enrolled in a university at home while I was applying?
Hi Bolo,
Yes, the application process takes about a year. For the undergraduate scholarship, if you were to apply in 2022, then you would arrive in Japan in April 2023.
Unfortunately, that often means that applicants have to take a partial gap year, since the Japanese academic calendar does not line up well with most others.
It would not be a problem if you enrolled in a university in your home country during that time or if you worked, etc. The only rule is that you cannot enroll in a university in Japan while you are in the application process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, Thank you for the video what a great interview and also for your help with your blog. I would like to know about your inspirational blog which is about the guy with the art study plan which happens to be the same path that I’m pursuing. Do you have access to this information? Is the blog still available to the audience? Thank you.
Hi Andre,
I think you are referring to Lars Martinson. He wrote about his process of applying for the MEXT scholarship in the field of line art.
Yes, his website, including the articles about the MEXT Scholarship is still available.
Here’s the link to his research proposal: http://larsmartinson.com/research-proposal/
And here is the first of his blog articles on applying for the scholarship: http://larsmartinson.com/how-i-got-the-monbusho-research-scholarship-part-1-of-4/
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis
I have a Postgraduate Diploma and am interested in applying for the MEXT Postgraduate Scholarship to study a Master program. If my Bachelor’s degree CGPA is below 3.4, what can I do to make up for it? I studied Japanese for two years and hold a JLPT N2.
Thank you very much!
Hi Jenny,
MEXT’s requirement for your GPA is that it must be above 2.3 on MEXT’s 3.0 scale, so you would need to convert your undergraduate GPA course-by-course to the MEXT scale to see if you are eligible.
If your local embassy also requires that you have a 3.4 on your country’s scale, then you would have to meet that requirement in addition to MEXT’s to apply for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. If you meet MEXT’s requirement, but not the embassy’s, then you could choose to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, instead.
Unfortunately, if your GPA is below the threshold and you need to raise it, the only way to do so is to earn another degree and earn a higher GPA in that program.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello travis, i have few questions im quite confused about, is it acceptable to enroll in a master’s course if i already had my master’s diploma ? and about the third condition for academic background (Other than the above ① and ② conditions, applicants who are eligible for enrollment in a master’s/doctoral course at a Japanese graduate school) i have not understood it well?
Hi Max,
You can apply for a Master’s program in Japan if you already have a Masters. During the application process, you might be asked to justify why you are applying for a second Master’s instead of a PhD, but I know many applicants who have succeeded in the application, so you should be able to pass.
As for condition 3, there are a lot of alternative qualifications that universities can accept to determine that a student is eligible. (In the past, there used to be more than 15 different qualifications listed here), but they are all fairly minor (things like earning a degree from an online university, or alternative educational programs, etc.) and unlikely to apply, so MEXT stopped listing them in detail and left it up to the universities.
I can say for certain that if you already have a Master’s degree, you meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a Master’s in Japan (and most likely a PhD, too).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, how are you?
First of all, thank you so much for your blog, I found your blog one week ago and I’ve been learning a lot of things about Mext scholarship and about japan, it was very constructive.
I’m Laura from Brazil, I am in the second year of high school and I want to apply to graduate as soon as I finish high school, I’ve been searching and studying for the test for almost one year and I know the basics of Japanese Language. Unfortunately, I’m very lost about how to *study* and which *area* should I apply to…
I don’t know anybody that applies for Mext scholarship before and I don’t know somebody to talk about it, so I hope you can help me.
Thank you so much!
Have a great week.
Hi Laura,
I’m afraid my area of expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, so I do not have direct experience with the undergraduate application process details. But in general, before you think about your application, you should consider what it is that you want to do in life and how a university degree in Japan will help you accomplish your goals.
When you apply, you will need to be able to make a strong case about a field where you want to make a difference in the world and explain how your chosen field of study will enable you to make that difference. So, I would suggest that is your first step in deciding what you want to study.
Once you have a goal in mind, then you can move on to considering what field of study will get you there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I just bought your book on How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan. I’ve also downloaded and printed the bonus worksheets. I am really grateful that you are here to guide us and help us maximize our potential to get the MEXT scholarship.
I’m planning to apply for the Embassy-recommended Graduate scholarship next year. I graduated with a degree in Broadcasting seven years ago and obviously, it is related to Mass Communication. I know that it’s possible for me to get into any media and communications-related graduate course.
However, I’m currently working as a freelance professional focusing on e-commerce, B2C & B2B customer support, and digital marketing. I know that my current job is not closely related to my undergraduate degree, but, I’m really interested in studying and researching crisis communication and emergency broadcasting to disseminate critical information in the event of disasters and emergencies since my country, the Philippines, is prone to natural disasters.
Do you think I still have a chance against those who are working in fields closely related to their undergraduate degrees?
Hi Arlene,
As long as your master’s degree and research proposal in Japan are related to your undergraduate degree, I do not think that working in a different field in the meantime necessarily disadvantages you. You can emphasize the parts of your job that are related to your research and, if possible, mention anything about your current job that drove your research interest, but other than that, you do not really need to mention your work in the FSRPP if it doesn’t directly relate.
Do be prepared to address it during the interview, but if you do it well, you should be able to use it to your advantage!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
I have being following your blog for quite a while now and it has been way more helpful than any other resources out there for MEXT applicants.
Here is my question: if my graduation would due on date 20th January (2022), will I be eligible for the next emabassy-recommended MEXT (2021/2022)?
Considering the fact that I am planning to arrive in Japan in September (rather than April), would that graduation date be acceptable for the embassy?
Again, thanks a lot for all the help that you provide us with.
Hi Shaghayegh,
Thank you very much for your kind words! I am glad that this has been a useful resource for you.
For your graduation timing, as long as you graduate from your current degree before you will start your MEXT Scholarship, you are eligible to apply. So, if you are graduating in January 2022, you would be able to apply for the 2021/2022 application cycle (which should begin in April/May 2021). You would even be able to arrive in April 2022, if you wanted!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, My name is Mike,
First, I would like to thank you for our help and for this valuable information.
I would like to ask you two questions about this scholarship.
I applied for the embassy scholarship and unfortunately, they did not contact me and I did not qualify for the second stage. Can I apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship 2021?
What programs are available to apply in 2021 with University Recommended scholarship, I searched a lot and found these programs https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/kokuhi/tokubetu/07032702.htm. is this what I’m looking for.
thanks a lot.
Mike Shawn
What programs are available to apply in 2021 with University Recommended scholarship (PGP programs)?
Hi Mike Shawn,
I am sorry to hear that your Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship application was not successful. However, since that application is no longer active, you are eligible to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship this year.
There is no limitation on the programs that you can apply to via the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, except for any limitations imposed by the university. Under the “general category”, universities are able to nominate applicants for the scholarship in any program.
The link you listed is a list of “Priority Graduate Programs” from 2006. PGP are selected by MEXT for three years and assigned a specific number of slots, which you can see in that chart. Since that single program has a specific number of slots, which is often higher than the total number of “general category” slots that the university has as a whole, applying in a PGP gives you a much higher chance of success! However, the list you linked, being from 2006, is no longer valid.
At this time, the programs selected in 2018 and 2019 are still valid and MEXT is currently calling for universities to apply for new program approvals for 2020.
You can find the list of programs selected in 2018 and 2019 at the links below:
2018 PGP Programs
2019 PGP Programs
Keep in mind that the programs may have specific eligibility requirements, so there is a possibility that you might not be able to apply for all of them, but at least that should be a place to start your search!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
I am planning in applying for the MEXT scholarship this year.
Last semester I was on exchange program in Japan. So I was wondering if this could be a plus in my application, or maybe they would prioritize people who never went to Japan?
Also, I did take a course in Japanese B1, however my Japanese is still very limited (I know all Hiraganas and can introduce myself , but not able to communicate). Do you think that the fact I was in Japan for 6 months would require me to have some good knowledge in the langage?
Thank you so much!
Hi Meriem,
Simply having participated in an exchange in Japan is not going to give you a significant advantage by itself. What is more important is how you used that experience and how you can link it to your research. If you made connections with faculty in Japan and participated in their research during your exchange, that could be an advantage in your application, but if you spent your time touring around the country or hanging out with other exchange students and have nothing to show for it (I’m not saying you did, but this is pretty common among exchange students), then just having been in Japan won’t provide a significant boost.
It can help when the reviewers ask about how you’ll adapt to life in Japan, but I don’t think it will be enough on its own to give you a boost over other applicants.
As for your language ability, I would expect to see a little more after a semester in Japan, and your reviewers might anticipate the same. But if you have at least continued your studies after returning from the exchange, that would show continued interest and effort, which would work in your favor!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
In your video, I noticed that you said “so far I haven’t heard of any embassy skipping in-person tests or interviews.”
I would like to tell you of my experience to the contrary. I had my interview this week, and it was conducted entirely virtually via Microsoft Teams. Furthermore, there will be no in-person Japanese evaluation test. I was merely asked a few questions in Japanese near the end of the interview (self-introduction, what cultural activities I want to do in Japan).
I am a native English speaker from the US, so maybe that is why it is okay to skip test-taking altogether, since I don’t have to take the English language test.
I just thought you would find this interesting to hear about.
Hi Eva,
Thank you very much for your message!
We filmed that interview in late July, so some of the comments I made are out of date, I’m afraid. I have since heard of a few countries cancelling the in-person tests and holding interviews remotely, but each new piece of information helps, so I appreciate you sharing your experience very much!
Thank you again.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello! Thank you for this video it is very helpful! I was wondering if there is a way to find past research proposals in order to make sure to not porpose the same research. Also, I am a business administration student majoring in finance and international businees. However, I would like to work in the management or marketing field and I was wondering if it is okay to not do a research proposal related to finance.
Hi Meriem,
Thank you for your feedback!
Unfortunately, I am not aware of any way to reliably find past research proposals. That was one of the most difficult parts of my research when I wrote my book How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan. After intensive searching, I was only able to find three plans that past applicants had shared online. Unfortunately, none were in business.
Certainly, there is no way I know of to find an exhaustive list to make sure that your research is original.
If your major included international business, then management and marketing should be related fields, so I see no reason why you would not be able to write a research proposal in those fields.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
When e-mailing professors who could potentially supervise our research do you recommend getting a conversation going with them first? Or is it best to be straightforward and simply tell them we’re interested in applying for MEXT, our FSRP is attached, and ask would they be our supervisor (in a more formal/polite way obviously but you get the jist)?
Thank you!
Hi Sara,
It depends on what stage of the application you are at. If you have already passed the Primary Screening and obtained the Passing Certificate of the Primary Screening, then you should be up front about applying for the MEXT Scholarship (although, in that case, be sure to follow the university’s guidelines for how to contact them to apply for a Letter of Acceptance – the university should have specific contact instructions).
However, if you aren’t in a position where you need to apply and obtain an answer right away, then I certainly recommend trying to build a natural relationship with professors as an interested student to start out.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
Thanks for clearing that up and replying so promptly! I’d been looking all over for that kind of advice!
I have another question I hope you don’t mind answering as well: I thought I saw somewhere that we have to have an N2 certificate if applying for the Research Student scholarship and I was wondering if that’s an absolute requirement (by the embassy and/or across all Japanese universities)?
If it is, and we don’t have it, what should/can be done? I was planning on taking the JLPT earlier in the summer but then it got cancelled due to the pandemic and I have no other formal certifications of Japanese language ability.
Thank you again for all you do with this blog!
Hi Sara,
You should only need an N2 JLPT if you are applying for a degree program taught in Japanese. If your program is taught in English, then there is no Japanese language requirement, at least not by MEXT. Your local embassy/consulate may give preference to applicants with Japanese language ability, though.
You should be able to apply just fine without the JLPT. You can self-evaluate your ability in the application form and in the interview, describe how your plans to take the JLPT this summer were spoiled.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again Travis!
Thanks for taking the time to answer all our questions!
I hope you don’t mind but I had an additional question: I’ve been e-mailing professors in Japan but have been getting hardly any replies, and those that do reply simply tell me to reach out to someone else. I’ve read your articles here about contacting professors, and have your 2nd book on the MEXT scholarship, but was wondering if you had any additional advice?
My old university advisor has not been very helpful, and no one at my university seems to have any professional connections in Japan so it’s been kind of rough. Do you have any advice for someone who can’t find a personal connection to a professor over there (i.e. doesn’t know someone in their home country or at all who can connect them personally to a professor in Japan)?
Thank you again! Also, do you have any sort of time frame for when your other books will be released? I found the 2nd one incredibly helpful as someone who’s never attempted original research before!
Hi Sara,
It all depends on where you are in the application process. If you haven’t yet passed the Primary Screening, this is not yet the time to contact professors to ask them to supervise you. If you have passed the primary screening, make sure that you are contacting the professors in accordance with the university’s instructions (if they even want you to contact professors directly in the first place),
My advice about going through connections was based on the idea that you would be contacting professors long before the application process started in order to start building a relationship. Since you don’t have time for that now and are at the point that you just need the Letter of Acceptance, my best advice is to make sure you are following the instructions from the university about applying.
Regarding the other books (it sounds like the third one would be helpful right now), I had gotten involved in another project that has been taking up my time in the short term, but once that is done, I will look at going back to the Mastering the MEXT Scholarship series. It’s just a matter of arranging the time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi my name is Jacob Sake, I was currently form seven science at Selwyn college in Solomon Islands.I got a G.P.A of 3.8. on this first semister. I very interesting in the study of Bacheor Aviation next year but I have a problem of financial. Therefore I am now looking forward for any sponsor. Please let me know if you could help me on that.
Hi Jacob,
The MEXT Scholarship only covers studies in Japan, so you would need to be prepared to come to Japan for your degree.
I do now know of any Japanese universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in aviation, but it might be a subject that is covered at a Specialized Training College, instead. If you can find a program in Japan that teaches it, and if you find that it is a covered subject under the MEXT Scholarship type that you want to apply for, you can apply.
I would recommend that you read through the application guidelines for the different kinds of MEXT Scholarships (there should be information on the website of the Japanese embassy in your country) to learn what fields they cover and what the criteria are. Then look for appropriate programs in Japan for your studies.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to have this scholarship i am at 12th right now please tell me sm more information and help me to pursue my dreams a honest request sir/mam
Hi Tiya Sharma,
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, which you would apply to during the final year of your bachelor’s degree.
However, there is a scholarship for undergraduate students. The best way to find information about that scholarship and the application procedures is to check the website of the Japanese embassy or consulate in your area. That website should have information about whether the scholarship is available in your country or not as well as how to apply. Depending on your country, there may still be time to apply this year for studies starting in April 2021.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz