The placement preference form will determine your way forward for your studies in Japan.
If you want to learn more about how to choose the best university and professor for you, as well as how to reach out to professors for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance, I go into much more detail in How to Find Your Best Degree Program and Advisor for the MEXT Scholarship.
The Placement Preference Form is only a single page, but it’s impact on your MEXT Scholarship Application can be significant. This form is where you tell MEXT what, where, and with whom you want to study. It might not have a significant bearing on whether you pass the Primary Screening, but it will help decide where you spend the next 2-3 years in Japan as a MEXT Scholar.
As with any other MEXT form (or Japanese government form, for that matter), it is not necessarily easy to understand. It is also the only form in the application process that you need to submit twice. Naturally, it inspires quite a bit of confusion, but this article is going to explain it in simple detail so that you can submit it easily and with confidence. Both times.
When to Submit the Form
In most cases, you will submit this form twice. Each Embassy or Consulate may have its own procedures, but typically, the first submission is with the rest of your application documents for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. This is the submission that generates the most confusion.
I will go into more detail below, but the most important thing to know is that the list of universities and professors can (and in most cases will) change before the second submission.
The second submission comes after you pass the Primary Screening and receive your Letters of Provisional Acceptance. At this point, you can only list universities that have awarded you a Letter, or at least have not rejected you. You should also be able to re-order the universities in your list.
How To Fill Out the Form
Basic details:
1. Name in Alphabet: This should match the application form exactly. As I discussed in that article, it need to match your name as written at the bottom of your passport page. If you look at the bottom of the page, you should see your name mixed in with a bunch of “<” symbols. It will start with P< then a three-letter code for your country, followed immediately by your name.
You will see that your last name and given names are separated by two < symbols, where is if you have multiple given names, they are separated by one < symbol. (If you have only a family name or only a given name, there will be no double <<).
You must fill in your names in the order shown at the bottom, with the same spelling (no special characters) even if that is not the customary order you use in daily life (e.g. Vietnam). If you have multiple give names, it is your choice whether to include them both as your “Given Name” in the form or to use one as your “Given Name” and one as your “Middle Name” but that is the only freedom you get. You cannot rearrange names.
Be sure to include spaces, too! I have known students who were surprised to learn during this process that there was legally a space in their last name that they did not know about. (e.g. Mc Cloud)
2. Gender: This is your biological sex, as written in your passport, not your gender identity. Japan is behind most of the world in recognizing sexual minorities.
3. Nationality: Write the name of the country that issued your passport. (In Japan, your “nationality” is a noun, not an adjective. For example, you would write “Japan” not “Japanese.”) If you have multiple nationalities, choose only one. If you are applying for the Embassy-recommended scholarship, you must write the nationality of the country you plan to apply in.
4. Date of Birth/Age: The tricky part of this line is filling in your age. If your age falls between the date you fill in the application form and April of the next year, you need to be sure to fill in the age you will be, not the age you are now.
Note: In Japan, your age goes up on your birthday. It does not automatically go up on January 1 or on the lunar new year as it does in some other countries. Your age at birth in Japan is “0”. I am aware that in other countries, newborn babies are considered to be “1” at birth, but use the Japanese system for this form.
Academic Details
This area tends to result in quite a bit of confusion, but if you fill in the details as described below, you should have no trouble.
5.(1). Field of Study in Japan: The Japanese explanation literally translates to your “major” in Japan. You should fill in the name of the Department that your first-choice professor is affiliated with at your first-choice university.
If you find that the name of the department or major is different at each of your universities and worry about insulting your number 2 and 3 universities, then try to find a name that is close enough that it could cover any of them, or use a slash, colon, etc. For example, if your first choice university has a department of “International relations”, your second calls the department “International development studies”, and the third just calls it “Political Science”, you could fill in “Political Science: International Relations/International Development”.
6.(2). Detailed Field of Study in Japan: The Japanese translation here refers to your “research field”. This is where you would fill in your proposed thesis title or, if you cannot propose a thesis title yet (e.g. hard sciences majors who will be working on a project assigned by their lab, in general), then you should fill in the field that you want to work in, in as much detail as possible.
This information will help the office that receives your application forward it to the right faculty division for approval.
Universities You Want to Attend
The purpose of this article is not to tell you how to choose your universities and professors. I have another article that is dedicated to that process.
I also have another article that focuses on how to contact universities in Japan to apply for your Letter of Provisional Acceptance, so I will not be covering that process here, either.
The purpose of this section is to tell you how to fill in the list each time you submit this document.
Submitting the Placement Preference Form at the Start of Your Application
Here are a few of the most common questions and points of confusion I hear from applicants at the start of the process:
What does it mean that I can not fill in the name of a university that has already rejected me?
One of the most confusing parts of the instructions for this form is the explanation, “Do not fill in the name of any universities you have already been rejected.”
Applicants ask me every year if that means that they cannot list universities that they applied to in the past (such as through the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship) and were rejected from. No, it does not.
When you first submit this form, along with your other application materials, at the start of the application process, you have not yet been rejected by any university. So, you do not need to worry about this instruction at all.
Even if you have reached out to a professor in the past and gotten no reply, that is not a rejection. You can still list that professor (though whether you want to or not is up to you).
Do I need the professors’ permission to list them in the Placement Preference Form?
No. At this point, you do not need the professors’ permission. You do not need to have ever been in touch with that professor or university. So, if you are not already in contact with them by the time you go to submit your application to the Embassy or Consulate for the first time, you do not need to worry about getting in contact with them then, at least for the purpose of the form.
Of course, it’s always better if you have been in touch with the professors on your list and even more so if you already have their support, but that’s not always possible.
What Steps to Take Before Filling In Professors’ Names
Ultimately, you are not even required to contact the professors on your list at this point, but that doesn’t mean that you can just fill in any name.
You should do everything possible to research your potential professors before putting their names on the list to make sure that they are able to supervise your research and someone that you want to study under. Consider that you may be asked during your interview why you have chosen each professor and university that you filled in there and may also be asked if you are in contact with them.
Make sure that you are able to answer that question in the interview so that you do not end up hurting your chances!
Submitting the Placement Preference Form After Obtaining Your Letters of Provisional Acceptance
Once you pass the Primary Screening, you will need to contact the universities and professors you want to study under in order to request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance. The embassy or consulate will also give you a deadline for when you need to submit your Letters of Provisional Acceptance along with your revised Placement Preference Form. (Note that this is different from the deadline for contacting the universities, as described in the article above).
You should be able to change the names and order of universities and professors in your Placement Preference Form when you submit it for the second time. In most cases, you’ll have to.
Reasons to Change the Universities/Professors on Your List
- A university on your original list decided not to accept you. When you submit your final Placement Preference Form along with your Letters of Provisional Acceptance, this is when the instruction that you may not list any universities that have already rejected you applies. If a university turned you down for any reason, you cannot leave it on the list.
If you found out about the rejection before the deadline to contact universities, then you can reach out to another university in its place and potentially add that one to your list. - You discovered another university that suits you better, and applied there instead. I often see applicants who continue to research universities after submitting their application to the Embassy and only later find a university or professor that suits them better. In that case, I have never heard of an Embassy objecting to an applicant adding a completely different university to their list.
- A university never replied to your request for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance. Technically, you do not have to remove a university from your list if they did not reply yet. You can keep that university on your list, but would you really want to? If the quality of the university’s communication has made you second-guess whether you really want to study there, and they have not responded, you may want to remove them from your list.
Are You Required to Contact all of the Universities on Your Original List?
No. You should probably want to – after all, why did you put them on your list in the first place? – but there is no requirement. The universities do not know that you have put them on your list unless you tell them that you have, so it is not rude to not contact them.
Are You Required to Submit All Letters of Acceptance that You Receive?
Yes. If you applied to a university and received a Letter of Provisional Acceptance from them, then you are required to put them on your list and submit that letter to the Embassy, even if you are not so interested in them anymore.
Of course, I do not know how MEXT would ever find out if you left a university out, but on the other hand, with every document you submit, you are attesting that it is true to the best of your knowledge and ability. Deliberately leaving out a Letter of Acceptance would be a lie and could get you disqualified from the scholarship if discovered. Just don’t risk it.
If you’re thinking about getting “safety” letters, just in case your first choice university doesn’t come through, then be sure each of those safety letters comes from a university that you would be willing to study at, if placed there. This is especially true if your first-choice university is a private university and any of your safeties are national universities!
What Comes Next?
If you’re submitting the Placement Preference Form as part of the document screening at the start of the application process, then your next step is going to be the language proficiency tests and interview. During that interview, you’ll need to be prepared to explain your choice(s) of universities and professors, as well as your contact status with them.
If you have already passed the Primary Screening and are submitting the Placement Preference Form with your Letters of Acceptance, then you are essentially done with the application process! At this point, your MEXT scholarship is essentially guaranteed and only the Secondary Screening, Placement, and long wait remain.
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the TranSenz supporters on Patreon, who help keep this site running through their generous contributions, especially to Daimyo Supporter Marck Rodas and my newest Patron, Ania. Your support is what keeps me motivated to reply to questions and work on new articles and books for this site every day. Plus Patreon supporters get early access to articles, discounts on coaching services/books, and priority responses to questions.
You can show your support for TranSenz on Patreon for as little as $1 (0.08% of a MEXT monthly stipend) per month. If TranSenz has helped you in your application process and you want to “pay it forward” to keep this site running to help future applicants, every contribution helps!
If you want to show your support but Patreon is out of reach, I’d appreciate it if you say hi on social media or in the comments below to let me know if you appreciate these posts. You can find me on facebook at @TranSenz or on Twitter at @tagsenzaki. I look forward to saying hi!
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Hello Travis,
I have a question I will fill and apply Placement Preference Form with the other forms and documents when I get past the first screening I have to apply the Placement Preference Form again with the letter of acceptance from a university
Regards,
Abdullah
Hi Abdullah,
I’m not sure what your question was, but yes, what you said was accurate. You will submit it twice. Once with your application and then once again when you submit your Letters of Provisional Acceptance. The second time, you might have to edit it, if any of the schools on your original list rejected your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you for the great information on your blog,
I currently have LoA from two national universities after passing the primary screening.
Isn’t it possible that I get accepted in my first preference cause I am interested in start working on my research plan, in this meantime, and also the advisor shows some interest in starting collaboration sooner?
Hi Arghavan,
If both your first and second choice universities are national universities, then I think there is a very good chance that MEXT will try to place you in your first choice. As long as that university is willing to accept you formally when MEXT contacts them, then there should be no problem.
If you start working with your advisor in advance, that should also help ensure that the advisor will advocate for the university to accept you, which should further increase your chances of being placed there!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
Thank you for all the information you provide us.
When submitting the placement preference form for the second time to the embassy, Can I also change the detailed field of study part rather than changing the names and order of the universities? Because my thesis topic is determined now by my professor. It also matches with my study plan.
Thank you for your time.
Hi X,
I’ve actually never had anyone ask that, at least not that I can remember. Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer, but you could ask the embassy.
You can’t change your Field of Study and Research Program Plan at this point, and the detailed field of study should be related to the FSRPP, so I think that’s why most applicants don’t change it at this point. The two should match.
However, you can of course change your research plan when you actually start studying! You are not committed to this proposal for the duration of your degree, it’s just for the sake of the application process for now.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, I have passed the Embassy Reccomendation from Papua New Guinea and have applied to three universities as a Research student for Masters. My first choice University (Meiji University) have accepted my application and sent me the Provisional Acceptance letter however my second choice University did not accept me due to Covid19. I have just applied to my third choice University (26/08/21).
Is there a possibility I can get accepted as a MExT recipient from my first choice University
regardless of the outcome of my third choice?
Hi Emmanuel Pori,
I saw you had asked the same question on another article and answered it there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello , I filled the direct placement form and submitted to my country’s embassy. Now they are showing names of shortlisted candidates for (Mext scholarship+ 1 year Japanese Couse) when will they shortlist the candidates that have filled direct placement form or does this means I am rejected? What must be my next step. Please respond I am very confused because of no information regarding this anywhere.
Hi Faiza faiza,
Unfortunately, the way that embassies release their results differs from country to country, so I do not know what the process would be in your country. I suggest that you contact them to ask if the Direct Placement results will be released separately.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you very much for your incredible effort in putting up such amazing articles on the MEXT scholarship. It helps a lot and I appreciate you so much.
Please I am having challenges with the field of study and research plan sheet. My proposal will not hold much relevance if I over summarize it to meet the two pages requirements of the field of study and research plan sheet provided.
Am I allowed to add some extra pages to it?
Even though, I am using a font size of 12 in Times New Romans.
Thank you.
Hi Abdul Malik Hussein,
Thank you for your kind words.
You cannot go over the two-page limit. But I have never seen a Field of Study and Research Program Plan that could not be shortened to two pages and still get the point across clearly. I know it’s tough, but you have to focus on what is strictly necessary and cut any fluff and additional explanation.
I have an article all about the format for that document that explains what you need to include and the level of detail that you should be aiming for, so I hope that can help!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I want to apply for undergraduate progam . I just want to know what all documents do I need to submit for the scholarship apart from direct placement form. Also if I want to study in English then do need to show ielts score? Or they will not ask for it as I have completed all my education in English ? Also is it different to get Letter of recommendation from japanese professors.?
Hi Faiza,
For the application documents, yes, you need to submit everything other than the Direct Placement Form (optional).
Proof of English language ability is not mandatory for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Application Form.
As an undergraduate applicant, you will not need to acquire Letters of Acceptance from professors in Japan. That is only for graduate applicants.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How can Travis,
How can I find name of graduate school and name of professor to fill in the placement form?
Hi Patrick Singoyi
I have another article (and a whole book!) about how to find the names of graduate schools and professors, as well as how to choose the best ones for you. I hope those help!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
First of all, I’d like to thank you so much for all the work you do in helping MEXT scholarship applicants, which truly cannot be understated.
I have been in dialogue with a few universities and supervisors but to be honest there is one whom I am more keen to work with than any of the others, and he has already expressed an interest in having me join him at his research unit.
I have seen that you recommend placing three universities on the initial placement preference form to avoid doubts about the level of research put into the application.
If I put three universities down on the initial application, and then secure just the one LoA (should I be successful in getting to that stage) and put down just that one university on the second submission of the placement preference form, is there any possibility of me being placed at the other universities on the initial placement form?
Sorry I didn’t mean for it to be that longwinded – thank you very much for your time and help.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thank you for your kind words. I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you.
After the Primary Screening and after you acquire Letters of Acceptance, you should have the opportunity to update your Placement Preference Form. At that time, you could remove the other two universities from your list.
As long as the universities are on your list, there is a chance you could be placed there, but I think there is a very low chance that you would be placed in your second or third choice with no Letter of Acceptance instead of your first choice with a Letter (unless, of course, the first choice university decided not to accept you in the end, which sounds unlikely).
If you are sure that you can be accepted at that university, then after the Primary Screening, you could remove the other two from your list.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am a potential 2021 MEXT scholar, I already received 2 letters of acceptance from 2 unis. I put the Private one first and then the Public one. My question is that is it possible for me to be placed at private uni according to my preference? Have you heard of it before? Please let me know.
Hi Skyler,
Congratulations on passing the Primary Screening and getting two Letters of Acceptance!
Is your second choice university National or Public? There’s an important difference – Public universities are established by prefectural or city governments, not the national government, so MEXT does not have the same level of involvement in their management. MEXT favors National universities but does not necessarily prioritize Public ones.
I have heard of applicants getting placed in their first-choice private university in the past, even when their second choice was a national university. (Of course, I have also heard of the opposite result quite often, as well).
While I have never heard of MEXT passing over a Private university to place an applicant in a Public one, that may be because Public Universities are relatively rare, so the situation just doesn’t come up very often.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for your kind reply. My first choice uni is Waseda (Private) and the second one is Kyoto University（National). I only came to know the difference between the two. I hope I could make it into the first one. You said ” I have heard of applicants getting placed in their first-choice private university in the past, even when their second choice was a national university”, may I know that have you recently heard about it? I am afraid that it might changed in recent years. Thank you indeed. 😃
Hi Skyler,
I’m afraid I do not remember precisely when I saw that applicants had been placed in first-choice private universities when their second choice had been national, but it would have been at least a year or two ago. I was part of an active forum of applicants at that time.
I should mention that only some of the applicants in the forum got placed in their first-choice private university. There were others who were placed in a second- or third-choice national university when their higher choices were private. Unfortunately, I was never able to determine what the criteria was for who got placed in private universities and who got placed in nationals.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Travis. I really appreciate your reply. I will wait for my university placement.
Hi Travis, my question is not directly related to this article, but something here just reminded me of it.
In section 6 (2). You made mention of something like “…if you’re not able to propose a thesis title (e.g hard sciences students that would most probably get a project from the lab they’ll work with)”, does this affect my Field of Study and Research Proposal form? Because right now I’m so confused on what to write as my thesis title or “detailed field of study”. I’m planning on doing my masters research on Micro-electro-mechanical Systems (MEMS) but don’t know a definite title I might focus on yet, in fact I don’t know what new project I want to do yet I just know I want to learn more about this and then use my knowledge that I’ll gain from the research to contribute to its development and innovations.
My proposed topic looks like this- “Exploration of PiezoMEMS” (PiezoMEMS is shortened, I’d definitely write the full words in the proposal but so as not to bore you with the long words that’s why I shortened it). Does this make sense or its too vague and not definite enough? Do I need to add a certain project I have in mind in front of this or what?
Thank you for all you do, I’ve actually read your article on the FSRPS and I’ve started reading your book on it as well, I just need answers to this my question because it’s bothering me and time is going already before the next application opens. Thank you.
Hi Bori,
Thank you for your kind words .
It sounds like you need to do some more work to develop your specific area of research interest. I do not think it is enough to go into a Master’s degree with just the desire to learn more about a subject. You should have a clear idea of how you want to use the knowledge from your degree to contribute to society after graduation and then choose a research focus area that will help you gain the knowledge and experience that you need to make that contribution.
In the early chapters of the book on the FSRPP that you mentioned, I talk about how to how to go from a general field of study to a specific research question via literature reviews and finding a research problem that excites you. I hope that process can help lead you to a more specific research topic.
For now, I do not think that “Exploration of PiezoMEMS” is nearly specific enough. Unfortunately, I am not familiar enough with your field to give a precise example, but I would recommend that your topic include a specific application of PiezoMEMS and problem. Something like “increasing efficiency of PiezoMEMS in inkjet printer heads” or how to produce more cost-effective PiezoMEMS for use in a specific application, etc.
Your current academic advisor might also be a good source to talk to about what research is currently going on in the field so that you can find a specific topic there that excites you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Alright Travis, thank you for your response, this is helpful. I’ll do more work on it.
Thank you once again…
Hi, there, I passed the first screening and has managed to secure two LOAs, my first professor changed my research title while the second accepted it as it is, so now am confused, which research title so I write in detailed field of study?
Hi Chacha,
Congratulations on passing the Primary Screening and getting two LoAs!
You mentioned that the professor changed your title, but what about the contents? If the contents of your research plan are the same, then I would recommend that you rewrite the field to describe the research contents under both acceptances, while avoiding the specific title.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
The contents are the same. Another person had the same issue and asked his embassy for guidance, they advised him to write both research topics. I have reached out to my embassy to ask if its possible to do so, so am just waiting for reply. I don’t know if this is okay too
Hi Chacha,
I hadn’t thought of writing both titles, but that makes sense!
I’m used to thinking of the form at the Primary Screening stage, when you are using it to narrow down your search for universities, but after you have the LoAs, matching your accepted research titles seems to be the best use.
I hope your embassy gets back to you with details soon!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
should I take a recommendation letter from my preferred Japanese professor at the time of the interview?
I am already in contact with a professor. will it make an impact?
Hi Shradha,
It is not necessary to bring the letter to the interview. Just explaining that you are already in touch with a professor, particularly if the professor has already agreed to supervise you, is enough.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am puzzled because I have two different but related study programs that I want to apply for. I am wondering if I should address both programs throughout my application forms or just stick to one. Also, is it ok to put both program names in the “field of study section”? Thanks!
Hi John,
You should be focused on one research proposal and one study program throughout the application.
If your two programs are essentially identical in content (same research) but just use different names, that is not a problem. In that case, choose a description that could cover both.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
If I write only one university name in my placement preference form, Can I add it more university name after passing the first screening?
Thank you very much.
Hi Sena,
Yes, you can add or change universities in that list after you pass the Primary Screening and get your letters of provisional acceptance. When you resubmit it after getting the Letters of Provisional Acceptance, you can only include the names of universities that have issued you a letter of acceptance.
In the meantime, though, I do recommend filling in three names for the Primary Screening. You are likely to be asked why if you have less and you do not want to give the impression that you simply did not do the research to find any others.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thanks very much for the support.
I have a few questions that needs your urgent help.
1. I would like to pursue a graduate program but the programs I see are MBA, MA and MSc even though the MEXT scholarship is mainly research based. How do go about it?
2. In the Field of Study Form, there is a portion for research plan. Do I complete just the form or am I required to write my research plan on another sheet and submit together with the Field of Study Form? Besides, apart from the Abstract of my undergraduate research, do I need to submit a proposal of the research I intend to do?
3. On the Placement Preference Form, there is “Field of Study'” and “Detailed Field of Study.” I want to pursue Logistics/Supply Chain Management so what do I need to write in the above spaces?
Thanks
Hi Kennedy,
I’m afraid I was not able to reply in time to help you, so I hope you were able to find answers anyway.
1. I’m afraid that I’m not sure what you’re asking. The purpose of the MEXT Scholarship in most cases is to sponsor your graduate degree. You would be doing research during the degree process, of course, but you would end up with a Master’s or Doctoral degree.
2. You should submit your research proposal on that form in the format that it specifies. I have a separate article about completing the Field of Study and Research Program Plan that should help.
The abstract of your undergraduate research is not part of your FSRPP. This document should describe the research that you want to do for your graduate thesis in Japan.
3. I covered this in the “Academic Details” section of the article above, so I would recommend re-reading that. “Logistics/Supply Chain Management” would be your “Field of Study”, and the “Detailed Field of Study” should be your proposed thesis title or research question for the research that you want to complete in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Mr Travis
By filling in the Placement Preference Application Form for MEXT, Is is necessary to include the title “Professor” following the professor’s name in the box of “Name of academic advisor”?
Kind regards
Hi Cézar Muchanga,
It is fine to leave out the title in the Placement Preference Form.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE Placement Reference
Application Form AND Placement Preference Application
Form
Hi Alexander,
There is no difference. There is only the “Placement Preference Form”. (Placement Reference Form is missing a “P” at the beginning of “Preference“.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, thank you for all these amazing resources that you have provided. Though, I do have a few questions. I am planning to apply for the undergraduate scholarship but unfortunately, our graduation will be held after March. I would be ineligible unless I try direct placement. Or I could skip a year but I don’t know if it will be worth it. I am also considering to give up the undergraduate scholarship and just pursue the graduate scholarship at a later time. Currently, I am more focused on the direct placement option, but if there are other ways to be eligible, please let me know. I wanted to know which universities I can apply to, so I asked my embassy but they said they couldn’t provide a list. How could I search for universities? I thought about asking the universities directly, but I am not sure if it is allowed. I might be bothering the respective offices of the universities. Also, if I pick direct placement, do I have to apply for the university too? As well as do their exams, if there are any?
Hi RJ,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
Unfortunately, though, my area of expertise is in the graduate scholarship, so I have never looked into the undergraduate option in detail and do not know about Direct Placement.
From what I can tell, though, you do not need to apply directly to the universities, at least not at this point. You would just need to submit the Direct Placement application form along with the rest of your application documents.
However, according to the instructions on that form the place to get the list of the universities that accept direct placement is the embassy, but if they will not provide it, you can get it from the website of other Japanese embassies in other countries. For example, I found a link to the list on the website of the Japanese consulate in Miami.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
First of all, thank you for every details that you put and for time you spend on this site for people like us.
i have a question, in the end of the placement preference form there are 3 column named “the name of the University” which i know, name of graduate school and name of academic advisor.
i don’t know what are the last two columns for? and what should i write in blank spaces.
thank you very much
Hi Aynaz,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
After filling in the name of the university (e.g. University of Tokyo), you need to fill in the name of the graduate school within that university (e.g. Graduate School of Science) and the name of a professor there who you want as your supervisor. This is going to require some research on your part to determine which professor is closest to your research theme and best-suited to supervise you.
You do not necessarily need to contact that professor in advance for permission to list their name.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am filling the 2021 research main application form. Its in excel format. The whole part of the form is absolutely editable apart from the part where we are to append our signature…I have tried everything possible and Down loaded several other copies, yet I can’t edit it. Pls, I can’t edit it, neither can I alter the form. Pls can I write in a black ball pen my full name at my signature point?????
Secondly, the research form is just two pages, but my research plan despite everything enters 3 pages after continuous removal of valid points! What is your advice to me Sir?
Furthermore, Pls I have my original diploma as issued to us by the university after being cleared by the senate and undergoing necessary screening and making statutory to the relevant offices after being cleared. We are advised not to submit our Original copy as it won’t be returned…. Can I make a photocopy in colored format and submit for the embassy recommendation? Some quarters (applicants) are saying it has to be notarized or attested! But I have my very original diploma from the university full page including every necessary details as well as the registrars and Vice chancellors signature that is more authentic than anyother thing. My opinion is any further notarization beyond the originality in the form will render it useless or invalid. So what’s your advice Sir? Its very urgent as am just waiting for this response to make submission. Thank you.
Hi Daniel,
Your signature must always be handwritten, so your suggestion is perfect.
You do need to get your research proposal down to two pages. Even if all of your points are valid, consider which ones are necessary to make your case. I have a template that should be helpful for deciding what needs to stay and go. I have never yet seen a FSRPP that needed to be more than 2 pages long to get the point across with authority.
A copy, even a color copy, cannot be accepted as an original document unless the copy is notarized or signed by an official at the school as being an accurate copy. You do not need any additional notarization on the original, but the notary or the school official needs to certify that the copy you make is true and accurate. In that case, the notarized copy can be accepted as an original.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your manifold help!! I have submitted my application after notarizing my graduate diploma!! I just pray and expect the best!
field of study or specialization in the form: what do i write there as an undergraduate student who is still on last eyar at school?
Hi Mena Mohamed,
Are you referring to the question about your academic records? If your past studies did not have a particular field of specialization (e.g. your high school did not have specialized programs and courses), then you could fill in “general education, no specialization.”
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thank you for the guidelines, they have been very helpful so far. But I still have a little worry. I don´t understand what am supposed to write under “Name of Graduate School” on the Placement Preference form
Hi Faith,
At the graduate level, every university is broken up into graduate schools that are administered independently (e.g. Graduate School of Science, Graduate School of Political Science, etc.). So you would fill in the name of the graduate school where the professor that you have selected works.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
dear travis, it’s me again with an other question
should the choices of univs and majors I pick, be all tought in English and not japanese ?
if yes, what should I do in case I could only find one univ that offers my major in English ?
Hi Imen,
You must have the required language ability for any programs you are interested in or you will not be able to get a Letter of Acceptance. So, if you do not have at least N2 Japanese, stick to only degree programs taught in English.
Even if you can only find one university that teaches your exact major, I suggest that you search a little more broadly and focus on what universities have professors that could advise your research, even if the major name isn’t an exact match.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hey Travis
concerning the field of study, the major of my first choice is “Industrial engineering and economics”, the second is ‘Industrial engineering and management’ and the third one is “Indsutrial and systems engineering”. I’m not sure now, what exactly to write in the field of study. Can you please suggest me what to write ?
thank you for your kind support
Hi Imen,
Where does your personal research lie? When the major name differs between programs, I would try to look for the commonality but stay as focused on your research topic as possible. Of course, you’ll have a chance to expand on it in the next field.
You can also go a level deeper than the name of the major – for example, if your interest is in systems engineering, but the major is called “industrial engineering and economics”, then as long as that major offers courses in systems engineering, it’s fine to list that as your field of study.
Sorry, but without knowing more about your particular research, I’m afraid I can’t offer any more specific advice.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis. Good day.
I would like to ask, (1) can i put the same university twice, but the labs/names of the adviser are different? Basically, there are two labs in the one school i am interested in, and i believe both can accommodate my research topic. Can I put them as my first and second choice in the placement form?
Also, as far as you know, (2) will it hurt my chances if I just put in top-ranking schools in the form? Since the competition is tighter with those schools or what not.
Many thanks and stay safe!
Hi Pablo,
I would certainly not recommend putting the same university twice. One of those labs should be closer to your topic than the other, so you should think carefully and choose only one.
The reason is that, while you might get through the Embassy’s screening with two professors from the same university on your list, one university is not likely to issue you two letters of recommendation, and it is not going to create a positive impression with them if you ask for two.
I wouldn’t factor “ranking” into your decision. Rank often has little to do with how good of an educational experience you are going to get at that university and may not even be related to how strong that university is in your field. Choose your universities based on which ones are best suited (appropriate faculty members, resources, etc.) to your field of study. If that means you end up in all high-ranking universities, then that’s fine. Ultimately, the MEXT scholarship competition is probably higher than the competition to get into any university. So, if you can pass the primary screening, you should be able to get a letter of acceptance from any university in Japan, regardless of rank, as long as you and the university are appropriate fits for one another.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
I found that from the required documents for the application, applicant has to submit their original degree certificate and academic transcript, and my university issues these only once. What do I do? Can I submit the Notorized copies to the embassy instead?
Moreover, can I use courier service to submit my application to the embassy. I stay in a very far location from the embassy. Thank you
Hi Nazifi Abdulrahman,
Please be sure not to submit your only degree copy or transcript! You will not get them back.
If your university will not issue new copies then usually, a copy that is certified as being accurate by the university can be accepted as an original. The application guidelines say:
“A copy of the graduation certificate or the degree certificate is acceptable if the copy is attested by an authorized official of the university. (Do not submit the originals as the submitted documents will not be returned.)”
So, those guidelines should apply to all documents from the university.
As for the submission method, each embassy sets its own specific rules, so I would recommend that you check the website for the Japanese embassy for your area to see how they will accept applications.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I want to know if i am eligible with 69.44% marks obtained in my bachelor course in medical imaging technology (field of radiology) for the MEXT scholarship. I am also willing to know whether i need to contact professor prior the application or not.
Hi Susmita Shrestha,
Unfortunately, you cannot simply convert your final average grade. I have an article all about how to convert your GPA to see if you are eligible that should help you do the conversion and check if you meet the requirements.
As for contacting the professor in advance, in general, it is not required, but it is always good to start building a relationship early, if possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I have a question, you said that the name in the form has to match exatly with the name on your passort, so if the name on my passport is writen in all capital letters,should I write it exactly the preference form?
Hi Luisa,
No, your name does not need to be written in all capital letters, if you are typing. (If you are handwriting the form, though, everything you write should be in all capitals, per the instructions).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am currently an Undergraduate Student in Mechanical Engineering! I am really interested in research in Nuclear Fusion Energy and in Space Transportation Technology like RamJet And ScramJet.
I just want to ask you , are these field of study banned for foreign students under MEXT?
Hi Avinash,
Research into weapons technology and research that has direct military application is banned. I am not familiar enough with your proposed fields, but I would think/hope that you could find a research topic in there that stayed away from military and weapons use.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I apologize for looking for your advice once again. I am currently waiting for the second screening results. However, two weeks ago I was contacted by my Embassy to report that MEXT was requesting me a couple of documents. These were to certify my current ongoing study, which is sort of a specialization, not my bachelor degree (Medicine).
Anyway, I gathered the required documents and sent them to my Embassy right away, so there should be no problem, but as you can imagine I am very worried because of this unexpected requirement. I am afraid of MEXT having doubts about my application, even though as I mentioned, this is not about my bachelor degree but about a specialization (which is not a requirement for MEXT scholarship), and the fact that I got the requested documents and sent them right away.
My Embassy assured me that this was something that happened every year and that my chances are still high, but I would really appreciate your opinion about this matter…
I got two national uni’s LoA. Thank you in advance!!
Hi Ayu,
Please don’t ever apologize for asking for help! That’s why I built this site, to try to help people. If nobody asked any questions, I might just think it was useless and get rid of it 🙂
I will admit that I have never heard of a case like yours, but like your embassy said, I do not think it should be a problem. It sounds like you enrolled in a postgraduate program that was not a degree program. (They are called different things in different countries, but I often here “Postgraduate Certificate”). Is that right? Did you list it in your educational history as graduate-level education?
If you did, that is probably why they asked for documentation. They may simply need to confirm/prove that it is not, in fact, a degree program (because if it was, that would affect the grades considered for the scholarship, etc.) It may sound silly, but it is not uncommon in my experience for the Japanese government to collect evidence just to prove that something is not a problem.
Based on what you have described, I see no cause for worry – unless your specialization is in a field related to weapons of mass destruction or something like that. It sounds like a simple formality and nothing that will affect your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you for your kind answer, I do feel more relieved after reading it 🙂 Indeed, this isn’t a degree program. But I did list it in my graduate-level educational history, because it explains what I’ve been doing during the past 3 and a half years (since I listed that I’m not working, but studying for this specialization program which lasts 4 years). It’s about surgery, so no weapons involved! I hope January arrives soon to know the results. Thank you once again for your time and your kindness! Wish you all the best
Hi Ayu,
Thank you for your follow-up. In that case, there should be nothing to be concerned about!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’m interested in the undergraduates scholarship and I’ll definitely be applying this coming 2020. I have a quick question about the MEXT exams. I’m interested in majoring in Economics so that means I’ll have to take a Japanese and Math test. I’m wondering how much impact these exams have on determining whether a candidate is suitable for the MEXT scholarship? Or at least, passing them on into the next stage of the process. And what I should be aiming for when I take these exams?
Hi Tatyanna,
It sounds like you are applying for the Undergraduate MEXT Scholarship. I do not have any expertise or detailed knowledge of that process, so I do not know, for example, how important the exams are.
However, I do know that it is a very competitive scholarship application process, in general, with few slots available. Assume that you are going to be going up against strong and motivated students in competition for the scholarship. In the case, I was recommend that you aim for a perfect score on the exams or as close to it as possible! Every last point you can earn in your favor will be helpful.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear TransSenz,
First of all same as vast majority here I dont know how to express so I am just gonna say THANK YOU for all your legit work here. It guided me and helped throughout the whole complicated process. I just wanted to make sure I understand clearly the structure of the “placement preference form”. Is it completely all right to put just one university name on the list (got LoA) and remove the other two from my initial list (the list for First Screening stage) ? It happened that I just wrote this one and was successful so technically I wasnt rejected from the other two on my previous list.
Thank you so much for your response!
Hi Charlotte,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
If you only applied to one university by the deadline, then you would have to remove the other two from your Placement Preference Form, anyway. You cannot list universities on the final Placement Preference Form if 1) They rejected your application for an LoA or 2) You never contacted them to apply in the first place.
So, I think that solves your problem! Put only the one university and you should be set.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis
I wrote a comment a while back to thank you for your work and because I had questions and I came here to thank you again. Your blog and response helped me so much with the process of how to get started with the application and how to choose universities wisely etc. The process that sounded so scary at first was made easily understandable by your blog, you are great.
I successfully passed the Embassy selection and received my three LoAs that I will submit tomorrow. So thank you for everything. Keep up the good work, you’re doing amazing.
– Naam
Hi Naam,
Thank you very much for your feedback! I am thrilled to hear that I was able to make it a little easier for you to navigate this process! It sounds like you’ve put in the work to get the results you were seeking, too. Congratulations!
I wish you continued success and look forward to hearing about the results of your studies in Japan in the future.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I’m not sure if this is the right article to leave this comment, but I have a quick question about arrival dates to Japan. On the LoA for my first-choice school, the arrival date is indicated as “either April 2020 or October 2020.” While it’s true that I am glad to go at either time, for personal reasons I’ve come to prefer to go in October if possible. At this stage, is there any way I can have a say in this or express this preference? Or is it pretty much out of my hands after I submit my letters to the Consulate?
Thank you, and have a great weekend!
Alex
Hi Alex,
That’s a great question. . . but unfortunately, it’s the first time I’ve seen it, so I don’t know that I can give you a certain answer.
You should have had the chance to specify your own preference in the Application Form. Did you choose October then? If so, that might help guide MEXT’s decision.
I don’t think I’ve heard of a case of a university saying that either one was fine in the past, so I do not have any direct experience to rely on. If you still have time, you could ask the school if they would be willing to reissue the letter, specifying October. Otherwise, my best advice would be to submit a personal letter attached to that LoA saying that while the university approved arriving in either semester, you would prefer to arrive in October if at all possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you a lot for your articles, they saved my life! You work incredibly hard to help applicants, thank you for your guidance.
I have a question about receiving the LOAs. I secured two letters, one from a private and one from a national uni. The one from the private uni just arrived, they sent me by DHL. However my first choice uni, the national one didn’t sent me a scanned version and since I requested the letter at the end of August I’m a bit worried if it will arrive at time. (The embassy in my country didn’t told me an exact deadline, they said I should submit LOAs in mid-October approximately.) 2 weeks ago I wrote to the student exchange office and they replied if there’s a problem they will contact me, and it’s silence since then. Should I be worried?…
Thank you very much!
Hi Linda K,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
It sounds like the national university has not yet processed or released your letter, based on what you described, so it is still stuck in the bureaucracy there. If it had already been sent, then they wouldn’t have any way of knowing whether a problem happened to it in the mail.
If the office there already knows that your deadline is mid-October (which generally means around Oct 15) and they haven’t reported a problem, then I would tentatively suggest that they are still planning to have it to you on time. Japanese university bureaucracy can be frustratingly slow and the people responding to emails have a tendency to be somewhat reluctant with the details, so the message you received sounds pretty normal to me.
Most Japanese universities have only just returned to session at the end of September, so it is very possible that your letter has been waiting on the appropriate faculty members to return for processing. I hope that you will hear good news soon.
In the event that they do not get you the letter on time, you are still permitted to list that university on your Placement Preference Form, pending arrival of the letter, as long as they do not specifically say that they have refused to accept your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! I am in the same situation regarding a National uni, last time I contacted them (3 weeks ago) they told me they were perfectly aware of MEXT deadline in mid-October… But anyway, there are only 10 days left until deadline and it’s impossible not to worry. I am just trying to remain calm and hope for the best. I hope our letters arrive soon 🙂
Hi Agus,
If they are delaying your answer, then they are delaying everyone’s who is in the same situation. The university would not take longer to issue a “yes” or a “no”, so the delay should not mean that you have anything to worry about. It is just a matter of their bureaucratic processes taking time to do anything.
You might want to check if your local embassy will accept a scanned copy of the letter of acceptance provisionally while they original is in the mail, just because at this point, it might be difficult for it to arrive in time.
(In my experience, embassies usually agree to this.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I just got my LOA from the national university too! I’m so happy, I hope I will be placed there at the end…
I’m so grateful to you. Without your blog, books and your kind encouragement I wouldn’t made it for sure 🙂
I wish you succes and inspiration in writing your book(s).
Thank you again for your help and your guidance.
Best regards,
Linda
Hi Linda K,
Congratulations on getting that last LOA!
Thank you very much for your kind feedback, as well, and for taking the time to share it. I can’t tell you how motivating that is for me to hear – it’s why I keep working on this site every day!
Good Luck with your placement and studies in Japan!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your feedback and information you give. It really helped me a lot throughout the application process
Thank you so much for the information. I just received a LoA from a professor. If I do get just one LoA and I only wrote one university in my placement form, what are the chances that I will get the scholarship to get into that university?
Hi Lee,
Once you have passed the Primary Screening and received/submitted at least one Letter of Acceptance, then your chance of receiving the MEXT Scholarship is practically 100%. And, since MEXT will only place you in a university that is on your Placement Preference Form, that would mean that if there is only one school there, then you should be guaranteed to be placed there. So, barring some unforeseeable problem (i.e. you have been deported from Japan within the last five years or are researching weapons of mass destruction), you should be guaranteed to receive the scholarship and be placed in that one university, as far as my experience goes.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am very hopeful for the Mext scholarship.
I will appreciate, if you can send me the form to fill in.
Hi Harris Yanquoi,
I deliberately do not provide any forms on this site because I want to make sure that you are actually contacting the embassy or university where you are going to apply to get the forms (and any additional instructions) from them. I also do not want to be giving out the wrong forms if they change in the future without notice.
Besides, it’s September now and you would have had to submit your application to the Embassy back around May to qualify for this year’s screening. So, if you are not already in the application process, then you should wait until next year’s process and forms are released.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
what I should do if I got 4 Letter of Acceptance?
Hi Neko,
You shouldn’t have applied for four Letters of Provisional Acceptance in the first place, but it’s a bit late for that.
I guess it depends on why you ended up with four letters. If, like some applicants I talked to, one university didn’t reply to you in a timely fashion, leading you to think they were ignoring you and forcing you to choose another, then that could be a reasonable explanation.
You can only list three universities on the form, so one is not going to make the cut. But if the embassy asks why you have 4 letters, be prepared with your answer.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz