If you’re applying for the Embassy-recommended MEXT scholarship, have passed the document screening and (maybe) the tests, your next step will be passing the embassy MEXT scholarship interview.
I have another article about the University-recommended MEXT Scholarship interview. While there are differences between the two, some questions overlap, so it is worth reviewing that one, too!
In this guide, I will cover the kinds of questions you should expect, what the interviewers are looking for, and other preparation recommendations.
MEXT Scholarship Interview Process
Depending on how your country does it, you may have the written exams and the interview on separate days, or they may be different events altogether. Check with the embassy where you are applying for details.
MEXT Scholarship Tests
I have written a separate article about the tests that you will have to take during the MEXT Scholarship Primary Screening. Please see that article for more advice and links to sample tests.
Preparing for the MEXT Scholarship Interview
First, you should understand the structure and conduct of the interview. Next, and most importantly, you need to know how you will approach it to maximize your chances.
Interview Set-Up
I have never participated in one of these interviews directly, and there could be some variety in how the interview is set up, but if you were to face a typical, Japanese-style interview, it would be something like this:
Typically, there will be a panel of three interviewers seated behind desks facing you as you enter the room. There will also be a chair (but usually no desk) for you in the center of the room, around 2-3 m (6-10 feet) away from the interviewers.
The set-up and distance can be rather intimidating, but don’t let it get to you.
Stay confident and focused on your goals (more on that below). If you approach the interview with the confidence (but not cockiness) that you are the best candidate for the scholarship and answer the questions clearly and confidently, there is a very good chance that you will perform better.
Online Interviews
As recently as 2022, some countries were still holding interviews online, but most have gone back to face-to-face interviews. The format may vary from country to country so please be sure to check the details for your specific country.
MEXT Scholarship Interview Panel Members
Based on feedback from past applicants, embassy MEXT scholarship interview panels typically consist of three interviewers. Two are embassy officials and one is often a professor from a local university. According to past reports, the professor is typically someone from your general field of research (e.g. social science, engineering, etc.) but may not be well-versed in your particular area.
In past examples, I have heard of a Buddhist studies professor being on a panel for an applicant in policy studies and a mechanical engineering professor being on the panel for a software engineering applicant. On the other hand, I heard from one applicant that his previous academic advisor was the expert professor on the panel!
This means that you should avoid deep, technical discussions of your research, but be prepared to answer expert questions it asked. In general, you want to be able to communicate the purpose, desired outcomes, and importance of your research to someone outside of your field. Keep that in mind as you practice your interview questions.
Practical Considerations
Wear a simple, professional suit to the interview, or the equivalent of a suit in your national dress.
Since your interview will be at the embassy or consulate, you’ll have to leave all of your electronics behind at the entrance, but if you do have anything, including a digital watch, make sure that it is on silent mode or off.
Expect about a 20-minute interview, although in some cases–when there were relatively few interviewees–I have heard of interview up to twice that length. If you look around at the other interviewees waiting on your day, you should be able to get an idea of how many interviews the panel needs to get through and how long or short they might be.
Conduct in the Interview Room
When you first enter the room, you should bow to the interview panel from the doorway. If you are confident in your Japanese, you can also say よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu). They will direct you to sit.
Address your answers to the panel member who asked the question, but make eye contact with the others while you speak, too. If you get a multi-part question and forget the second part halfway through your answer, do not hesitate to ask the questioner to repeat the second half.
Answer in the language the question is asked in. If you have indicated some Japanese ability, or if you have taken the Japanese language proficiency test, then you may get some questions in Japanese. These are more designed to evaluate your ability than for the quality of the answer, so don’t worry too much about them. (Unless you are applying for a degree taught in Japanese!)
Once the interview is over, you also want to stop at the door, bow again and thank them for the interview. (ありがとうございます arigato gozaimasu).
If you cannot give the greetings in Japanese, then it is fine to thank them for their time in English (both on entry and departure), instead.
Conduct in an Online Interview
If you are participating in an online interview, some of the above will still apply. You will already be sitting when you start the interview, of course, but you should still bow to the camera at the start.
Make sure, of course, that the background to your interview video is clean and free of distractions. A white wall, etc., is best, or a bookshelf. You could also use a virtual background showing your university, or the university that you want to study at in Japan.
You do not want a cluttered living space and also make sure that nobody else passes through the video area or makes noise around you during the video. Dress as you would for an in-person interview (at least from the waist, up!).
In an online interview, to make “eye contact” you want to look at the camera lens, not at the screen showing the speakers. It helps to keep your camera as close as possible to the screen. If it is in a different location, like far above or below, or off to the side, then every time you look at your screen, it’s going to look weird to the interview panel.
MEXT Scholarship Interview Strategy
The most important thing you can do to prepare is to have a clear focus on the academic and practical goals of your research.
I covered this in the article on writing your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, so check out that article if you haven’t already. One way to think of the MEXT embassy interview is as a chance to expand on that research plan, though there will be some other elements, as well.
When I have sat as a member of an entrance exam interview panel, we could immediately tell when an applicant was prepared, confident, and competent. The difference in impression that it makes is enormous!
Your Basic Selling Points
Come up with your three top selling points that you want to communicate during the interview. One approach would be to have one sales point for each of the following categories:
- Your academic/research goal (what you want to contribute to the field)
- The practical outcomes of your research (how it can be used, and/or your own post-scholarship career)
- Why you will make a good ambassador to Japan (your intercultural experience and adaptability
Interview Strategy
Use every question you receive strategically.
That means you want to answer each question to the interview panel’s satisfaction and tie it to one of your sales points.
MEXT Scholarship Interview Questions
Here are some questions past applicants have faced, along with my interpretation of what the interviewers are looking for. At the very least, you should practice and be prepared to address these!
- What do you want to study?
The purpose of this line of questioning is to make sure you have a clear research focus and know your field. The interview panel has read (or at least scanned) your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, so expand on the contents there and particularly on connecting your studies to your academic and practical outcomes.
- What are the limitations of your research?
This question will usually follow your explanation of your research and is designed to see if you have really thought through your research topic and know your methodology. The tricky think about this question is that an interviewer can ask it even if they don’t really understand your research topic.
Be prepared to explain one or two limitations and how you will overcome them or why your research is still valuable despite the limitations. (I recommend that you prepare this as part of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.)
- Why do you want to study that topic?
This line of questioning is also focused on your intended outcomes. It is OK to mention personal inspiration that started you on this path, but your focus should be on what you want to accomplish in the future.
Remember the panel is looking at you as an investment in positive relations between your country and Japan, so discussing outcomes that benefit both countries or bring them closer together is going to be helpful here. Also, remember here that your panel is not experts in your field, so you need to explain yourself clearly.
- Is your research appropriate for the program you picked? (From an MBA applicant)
I heard about this question from one of my Patrons who was an MBA applicant, but it could apply to other fields that do not have a thesis as their culminating project. Even though the FSRPP asks you to write a 2-year plan (for a Master’s), many MBA programs do not have a thesis requirement and might only have a capstone class as one course in the second year, so the program doesn’t match the research plan requirements.
If this is the case for your application, you should know that in advance and describe how you will use other courses and time outside of class to prepare the research that you will submit during the final capstone. Describe how the topic and intended results are most important to you and that you will consult with your advisor at the university about different ways to approach it, but that your proposal is one way that you think you can achieve your academic goals within the degree and prepare for your future career.
- What university do you want to study at in Japan?
They may also ask about your contact status with the universities you selected.
The purpose of this question is to assess how prepared and proactive you are. If you have been in touch with any professors, and have their informal approval to supervise you, mention that. If you have tried to contact universities but received no response, explain that and tell them that you understand many universities do not write back until after applicants can prove that they’ve passed the Primary Screening, so you plan to follow up.
At the very least, you should be able to explain your reasoning for selecting the universities and professors on your list based on their relevance your research and practical goals. It’s a good idea to have one or two other universities that you have researched but rejected to mention in this conversation. (e.g. I examined the programs at University X and University Y, but the professor at University Y was more aligned with my research)
- Why do you want to study in Japan?
Note: Since 2020, this question has been added to the application form as an essay, but it still comes up in interviews. Another variation is “Why did you choose Japan instead of another country.”
The purpose of this line of questioning is to determine how serious you are as a scholar and how prepared you are for your studies.
Maybe you have always been interested in Japan since you saw your first anime as a child. It’s OK to use that as a brief introduction, but hopefully that is just an introduction and Sailor Moon is not the only reason you want to study microbiology or economics in Japan.
If your first encounter with, or passion for Japanese culture got you to look at the country in more detail and that helped you find a field of study or field of work where you could contribute to relations between Japan and your home country, that is an excellent thing to bring up.
If Japanese research or technical expertise in your field is more advanced than in your country and you want to leverage Japanese experience to benefit your home country, that’s a great thing to mention, too!
“Because of the scholarship opportunity” is not a good answer!
- What do you think you can contribute to the relationship between your home country and Japan?
Note: This is also an essay question in the application form, but I heard an applicant report they were asked the question during the interview in 2023.
Try to be specific and highlight a unique contribution that you can make. If possible, avoid something that anyone else can say.
Think about this question in two phases: What can you do in Japan while you are a student to contribute to the relationship between the countries (i.e. intercultural exchange related to your research topic or to a unique talent) and what can you do after you graduate to strengthen connections, regardless of whether you plan to work in Japan or your home country (i.e. a professional, diplomatic, academic, or volunteer contribution).
- How do you think you will be able to handle living in Japan?
This line of questioning is intended to determine if you’ll be able to settle into life in Japan without any disruption to your studies.
If you have experience living in Japan for any length of time, you can bring that up as part of your example of how you will succeed.
If you don’t have any experience living in Japan, then you should give examples of how you are adjustable to other cultures or uncomfortable situations, such as friendships with people from other cultures, experience living abroad in other countries, or any experience interacting with foreigners, especially Japanese.
On the other hand, if there are any obvious challenges to you living in Japan, you should mention those and how you will adapt. For example, if you have a spouse and/or children, talk about what they will do while you are in Japan (hint: If you’re bringing them to Japan, MEXT recommends that you come alone first then invite them to Japan on a Dependent Visa after you have settled in.) If you have religious or dietary needs (e.g. halal food), mention how you plan to take on those challenges in Japan. No matter what your needs, there should be groups of international students from the past who had the same needs. Find these groups online and see how they handled the challenges you will face!
- What do you know about Japan/the Japanese Language?
(Or, “How long have you been studying the Japanese language?”) Similar to the previous question, this aims to see how prepared you are to adapt to life in Japan. Take this opportunity to show the panel that you have done some basic research on the status of your research field in Japan as well as what day-to-day life is like in Japan. If you have any Japanese language ability, even if it’s at the level of basic interaction skills, you can bring that up, as well.
- What are some famous places you want to visit in Japan?
This question is just a test to see what you know about the country to make sure that you are really interested in Japan, and not just the scholarship.
To prepare, look up some locations in advance that are related to your research, if possible, related to the reason you described for your initial interest in Japan, or are at least near your intended universities.
- Tell us about your academic background.
Another variation on this question is, “Do you have any research experience, or will this be your first time?” (Particularly for MBA or master’s students without a thesis).
In this question, the reviewers are looking for evidence that you can handle the academic workload and research in Japan without needing a lot of support and hand-holding. So, this is a great chance to talk about your performance in your previous degree while highlighting the research methods you have used and any publications, presentations, or awards, particularly related to your field in Japan.
- Tell us about your background. (without the “academic” in the question).
Seemingly open-ended questions like this can be the most tricky. The key here is that you want to focus and use this to your advantage. If you tell any anecdotes about your past, make sure they relate to one of your sales points.
For example, if you moved around a lot as a child, you don’t need to talk about that, unless it specifically relates to your research topic. If you grew up in a single-parent household, that isn’t necessarily relevant. But, if growing up in a single-family household taught you independence and self determination, or inspired you to take action to help others in similar situations, then that is definitely something you want to mention.
If you get this kind of question before you have talked about your research interest or intended outcomes, then this is also a great opportunity to introduce those. What inspired you to this research topic? How did your background make you want to create a positive change in the world?
- What do you plan to do after your studies?
I have a lot of people ask me whether it’s “better” to say that you want to work in Japan or go back to your home country. But that’s the wrong question.
The best answer is to have a clear plan that involves contributing to relations between your country and Japan. Whether that involves working in Japan, or your home country is not so important. Having a realistic, well thought-out goal is.
- What is your plan if you do not get this scholarship?
Do not let this question discourage you. The interviewer is not foreshadowing failure. Instead, they want you to prove that you are dedicated to the goals you described and not just seeking a free degree. When you think about your goals before the interview, make sure that you have a Plan B – another way that you can make progress toward the same goals even if you do not receive the MEXT scholarship. (Ideally, that Plan B should not be more effective than your Plan A of winning the scholarship, of course.)
- Why do you deserve this scholarship?
For this question, I recommend that you mention your past academic accomplishments and practical contributions (such as work experience or community service, etc.), to show that you have a track record of success and contribution, then pivot to explain how you will continue that pattern as a MEXT scholar and after graduation. You are trying to persuade them that awarding you the scholarship will better achieve the government’s goals of strengthening the link between the countries and contributing to society in both Japan and your home country than awarding it to another applicant.
- Do you have any questions for the panel?
Personally, I have always hated having to answer this question, but it comes up on almost all interviews, regardless of what it’s for. When I have sat on the other side of the room, as an interviewer, though, I have seen that it makes a significant difference if the applicant has prepared a well-thought-out question for the panel. It shows a level of interest and passion that gives a much stronger impression than someone who says, “No, thank you.” (Although a question that you should have been able to answer yourself, or a selfish question about the process, do not give a strong impression.)
One best practice is to ask a question that refers back to your previous conversation or a comment by the interviewers. For example, if the academic expert made comments about your research proposal or mentioned their own research, you could follow up on that.
Some “general” questions that almost anyone could ask would be about how the interviewers have worked with past MEXT Scholars after their studies, or you could ask the Japanese members of the panel what their one piece of advice would be for an international student when they first start their studies in Japan.
Other Questions?
I have put this list together based on feedback from readers like you and from other blogs and forums, but you could always come up against something I haven’t seen before.
If you get a type of question I didn’t include above, let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to the list!
Good luck with your interview!
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What is your plan if you do not get this scholarship?
Can I say about other scholarship that belongs to other countries?
Hi Sara,
Yes, you could say that. Tell them that you will keep trying for other opportunities to pursue your research, even though you prefer to study in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your advices
Hi Travis!
I applied for research students program in Humanities. I was invited for the interview. I thought that the interview would be conducted in English, because the embassy didn’t specify their language preference. The interviewer told me that they expected me to explain the research in Japanese right on the spot. I wasn’t prepared for that and stick to English. Only one interviewer directed the interview. In the end, the other interviewer asked me to re-explain my research in Japanese. I was utterly gobsmacked. I can’t even remember a word in Japanese despite having high degree of proficiency in the language. Can you tell, what is my chance to obtain this scholarship?
Hi Clementie,
Thank you for sharing your experience. That sounds quite difficult and surprising. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone else being blitzed by research question in Japanese. Are you applying for a degree taught in Japanese?
If you are applying for a degree taught in English and wrote your FSRPP in English, then it shouldn’t hurt you too badly, but if you are applying for a degree taught in Japanese and weren’t able to explain your research in Japanese, that could be a problem.
It’s hard to say for sure what the results will be, but I hope this won’t be a bad result.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Trav,
I applied for a program taught in English and completed all my forms in English. However, during the interview, I was expected to answer in Japanese. Additionally, one of the interviewers broke their non-disclosure agreement by leaking the results to my coworkers. Not only did I incur travel expenses for the interview, but my reputation at work has also been damaged. I regret applying for this scholarship and hope no one else has to experience this. MEXT needs to improve their interviewer selection process because big names from academia don’t guarantee that they can uphold their NDA.
Hi Clementie,
I am sorry to hear about your situation. Usually, if you apply to a program taught in English, then the only time they would ask you questions in Japanese would be to test your Japanese level if you indicated proficiency in the application.
I don’t know if there’s an NDA involved, or just a professional expectation to keep the contents of the application and interview confidential, but either way, sharing the contents of your interview with someone else is certainly not appropriate, even if that person thought they were helping you (which doesn’t sound like it was the case this time, but could be in other cases).
Have you lodged a complaint with the embassy about the interviewer sharing your interview contents with your coworkers? The only way they will know there is a problem would be if you file a formal complaint.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis how are you?
Can i give this answer to the interviews in case i was asked
Q: Why you picked these universities?
My answer: I was aiming for X university and Y university but they don’t offer the program in English, So i did more search and found that these 3 universities offers English programs in the chosen field.
What do you think of this answer? Kindly share your suggestions
Thank you
Hi Sidra,
I would not recommend that response. That makes it sound like you’re not really interested in the universities, but settled for whatever you could find that offered your field in English (even if that’s not what you meant to convey).
Don’t mention the universities that didn’t have English-taught programs. Instead, describe how the three universities you selected were the best for your research field that taught in English. Give specific examples to show why, such as describing the state of research in your field there or the research output of specific professors. An answer like that focuses on positives, shows that you are interested in the universities you listed, and also demonstrates the level of research you put into selecting them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your complete information about the interview sessions. It’s very helpful, truly! But I have a question for you: am I allowed to bring some handouts of my research plan presentation for the panelists on D-day? Will they prepare the laptop and projector so that I can present the PowerPoint of the research plan?
Hi Winter,
As far as I know, no. There will be no opportunity to present and you will not have access to a computer, projector, or slides (including hand-outs). The interview should consist of question from the panel for you to answer.
You could always contact them in advance and ask if it would be possible (if you do, please tell me how it goes!), but I have never heard of an applicant giving a presentation in the style you described.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Thank you so much for all the wonderful work you are doing. Truly. I have been shortlisted for the interview and exam in my home country which I will be taking in two weeks. I wanted to ask this: when they ask you “what university would you like to study at?” Is it a trick question? Because we choose 3 schools on the preference form. Am I supposed to mention all three schools and their respective graduate schools and preferred professors ? Or do I just mention the first school on the list and talk about why I like that school. I have also been able to establish contact with one professor for try first choice school so I’ll definitely be mentioning that. Thank you!
Hi Vanessa,
Congratulations on making the shortlist!
It is not a trick question. I recommend that you start with explaining why you want to study at your first choice and emphasizing that. Then you can mention your second choice comparatively. For example, something like “If I do not get into University A, then University B offers the opportunity to . . .”
The point is to communicate that you have researched these universities and are confident that you can pursue your research there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis. Thank you for all the support you provided so far. I just took the written examination today. I pray for being selected to the interview phase. I have a question. Are those 2 people gonna be Japanese ( and one local professor) ?
Hi Fidan,
Thank you for your kind feedback. I hope the written exam went well.
The interview panel is determined by each embassy. As far as I know, there is no consistent standard that applies worldwide.
That said, the most common pattern I have seen is two Japanese embassy staff members (not necessarily academic experts) and one local academic who may or may not be in your field. Usually, it seems like they try to find academics who are in the same general area, but depending on how many applicants there are, the “general area” might be as general as “humanities”. (On the other hand, I knew an applicant whose academic interviewer just happened to be his own academic advisor from his university, so it could be specific!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much for your wishes! Can I ask something else? So as I understood, after we took exam, the results will be based on our documents, most likely FSRPP, GPA, application form and written examination. So based on those things, I will be passed or not. But how about after interview? What I mean is, will they only pay attention to my performance on interview and choose me based on it? Cuz they already eliminated me based on test and my documents. Or, are they gonna consider the test results and documents as well after interview to pass me into 2nd screening?
Hi Fidan,
As far as I understand it, the scoring is cumulative throughout the process. Even though you have already passed through several stages already, there is still going to be an order of merit within the remaining applicants.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much
Hello transenz, I hope you’re doing well🖐
Regarding filling out the application form for specialized training course, I have a question:
My field of study in high school was science, however I want to apply for music in a specialized trainig college(for the record I have participated in examination for entering art university in my country and I have achieved astonishing result. I am going to upload my results for the embassy as well).
In a section they ask about your field of study in the last high school/university which there is pace for about a 4-line paragraph.
Should I mention anything about my examination result or how I discovered my passion for art during high school or anything like that(Because there is a lot of space there)? Or should I just write science in that section?
Hi P,
My area of expertise is the scholarship application for graduate students and I have never worked with Specialized Training College application, so I don’t know how useful my advice will be.
In general, you do not need to fill all the space given for each question, as long as you cover the important points (just writing “science” would be too little detail, I think. The question asks about what you have experience studying, so you need to cover that, but you can also mention that you took the entrance exam in a different field. (You might need to explain why you did not follow through and enroll, though).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks a lot Transenz🌷
Hi TranSenz
I hope you’re doing well🌺
I have two questions about Mext documants
First, Is it ok if the photo on my highschool transcript is different from the photo on my diploma? The one on my transcript is taken recently and was updated by my high school because my previous photo was very old.
Secondly, is there any problem if the current high school principal who will be signing my transcript and give me a letter of recommendation is different from the pricipal of my education period? They hired a new pricipal.
Hi P,
It is not a problem if the photos on your transcript and certificate of graduation don’t match, unless they are clearly of different people!
It is fine if the new principal signs your letter.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks a lot🌺🌷
Pingback: How to Apply for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship in 2024/2025 | TranSenz: MEXT Scholarship and Visa Information for Moving to Japan
Hi tranSenz. I hope you’re doing well.
I was wondering after winning MEXT scholarship specialized training through embassy, do I need to have my high school diploma(the original one not translated), on me for the language course or for enrolling in college when I go to japan ?
Hi P,
If you had not yet graduated when you applied, then you will need to provide proof of graduation (Certificate of Graduation, which is not necessarily the same thing as a diploma–NEVER submit your only original diploma) and your final certificate of grades, typically no later than the month before you travel to Japan.
The embassy should give you more guidance about where and when to provide it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
So that means not at first but eventuly I will have to hand them the original diploma(which tis language is not in english or japanese). Is that correct?
Hi P,
No! NEVER give them your original diploma under any circumstances.
You will eventually need to give them a certified copy of the diploma and a certified translation into Japanese or English.
In my other articles, such as the article about How to Apply for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, I describe the necessary documents and how you should prepare them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Oh, ok. Thanks for mentioning the article about how to prepare documents. It was very helfull✌
I still have one question though, you said not to give my original diploma to the embassy, will I need to hand it to the language school I will be attending or the college I will be enrolling in when I’m in japan?
Hi P,
No. You will never need to give your original diploma to anyone. A certified copy or other form of Certificate of Graduation will be acceptable in all cases.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello
Thankyou for such wonderful guidance. I will be very grateful if i get guidance regarding certain questions that could be asked in an interview because I’m very confuse as to what the nature if the answer should be to those questions. Question number 1, is “why should we choose you. Many candidates came to us that were very qualified (or even more qualified than you).” I don’t think boasting about your good grades would be a good idea here.
Question number 2: why didn’t you apply elsewhere? (I refuse to apply anywhere else due to personal reasons and my preference for japan but i feel like that’s not a convincing reason and they always ask more “why” questions and wants convincing reasons that they can’t argue with).
Question no 3: if you were told to change your research topic when you go to Japan. Will you defend it or accept it and why?
Question no 4: what’s your biggest weekness and strength?
Your answers would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance ^_^
Hi Nazi,
You have done a good job identifying potential questions. And the points you make about what makes a “bad” answer are correct in my opinion.
Your answers should be focused on what you plan to do in the future, both for your academic field and to contribute to Japan/your home country, and how you are uniquely suited to do so.
I have covered suggestions for your first two questions in the article above, though I worded them differently, so please refer to the article for those two.
For changing your research topic, I recommend that you mention the issue that you want to work on/solve, and how you are dedicated to that, but that you are willing to change your approach to it based on your academic advisor’s guidance, since they are an expert in the field. The answer to this question would also depend on whether you are a STEM major or humanities/social sciences and whether or not you have been in contact with potential advisors already.
For strengths, choose a strength that has obvious benefits to your research topic or application of it after your graduation. For weaknesses, they are looking to see how you overcame challenges or shortcomings, so choose a weakness that you have been working to overcome. Try not to choose a cliche “fake weakness”, like “I tend to get too absorbed in my work and lose track of time.” Trust me, the reviewers have heard all of those before.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello TranSenz
I hope you’re ok🌺
In the guidelines for undergraduate and specialized training college scholarship, one of the documents to submit is refered as “Certificate of university enrollment qualification examination”.
In my country this kind of examination is held once a year and I have my last year’s exam certificate which is very good, but due to personal reasons I didn’t enroll in college or any university.
Can I submit this certificate if I am not currently a student at university?
Hi P,
Yes, if you have that certificate, you should submit it, particularly if the results are good!
There is no rule saying that you can only submit it if you have already enrolled in a university. If you have the certificate, you should include it in your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hi! I found your site accidentally while preparing for my interview tomorrow! For the “do you have any questions to ask us”, is it okay to ask for their opinion on how I handled the interview and feedbacks on my proposal to work on? I am still young so I was hoping to get their feedback in the case I fail and want to apply again the next year.
Hi Kimenunwol,
I would not recommend asking that. They won’t be able to give you any feedback about your interview, since it would be unfair to other applicants, and it would be a difficult and awkward question for them to answer.
If you want feedback on your interview technique for the future (probably not this time, since you mentioned that the interview is tomorrow), then I recommend finding someone to help you with a practice interview.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
I recently finished my MEXT interview for Research Student in my country. And overall my answers were not as good as I imagined due to nervousness. 3 panelists interviewed me and I’d like to think my answers were okay with 2 of the interviewers, only one of them gave me a tough time. The interviewer asked me what I would do after I finish my MEXT program and I answered I would like to work in Japan or contribute to my country in some ways. She then proceeded to tell me that I should just come back to my country or else “Brain Drain” would occur and my country would lose out on educated people. She also grilled me why I didn’t include any Japanese researchers on my Reference list on my Research Plan. So the things I really want to know is that are the document screening, language tests and interviews cumulatively scored like you mentioned? Can the one tough interviewer(a professor from my country) have a final say like don’t give him the scholarship? Do I still have a chance even if I didn’t do well on the interview?
Because I’d like to think I have a strong application and also did pretty well on the English tests, my interview just haunts me now. Also, it’s been 3 days since my interview finished.How long does it usually take after the interview process finishes for primary screening results are notified? Thank youAlso, it’s been 3 days since my interview finished.How long does it usually take after the interview process finishes for the primary screening results to be notified? Thank you for all the work that you do for the blog and materials you share, I’m sure they helped many people because it sure did for me.
Hi Rocky,
I am sorry to hear that you had a stressful experience with the interview. It might be difficult now, but please don’t take it personally. There’s a good chance that interviewer gave other candidates a hard time, too. Maybe they have a bone to pick or wanted to test how you respond to stress. That can happen.
In any case, the evaluation is cumulative and one interviewer should not have a deciding factor. (If anything, the embassy officials would have more “power” in the decision than a local professor.) The decision of the interview panel should be consensus between the members, though the leader will usually make the final decision.
As for the time between the interview and the final results- that can vary significantly from country to country based on several factors, so it’s really impossible to say, but I think it would certainly take more than 3 days! A week would be quite fast.
For example, if there are multiple consulates conducting interviews, they might have to coordinate their results. The number of interviewees will also affect the decision timeline. In other cases, it may take longer to get the selection committee together to make the decision then go through the admin processing to formally release the results. A late reply should not be considered bad news. They should inform all applicants in the end.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I just failed my written test and was not called for the interview session. I would like to know what are the tips to get written exam right next time?
Hi Mossy,
I am sorry to hear that.
The best advice I can give is to study the areas where you struggled so that you can improve next time. In another article, I shared links to past tests that MEXT had released previously, so you can use those for studying, too.
Keep in mind, though, that the evaluation is cumulative, so having a stronger initial application (documents) will also help your chances by boosting your overall score.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I have an interview on the day after tomorrow.
So can help me to find somebody who got scholarship under CoT?
Hi Ayush Dey,
I haven’t heard from anyone specifically about the CoT application, but I hope someone else can reply. In the meantime, look at the question above and adapt them to your situation to prepare. It is likely that you will face some of the same types of questions!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks for all the support! I have another question – if I am asked in the interview if I know any Japanese, do I mention that I have started learning it with the help of Duolingo, and am at the very early stages? I haven’t enrolled in any courses formally, so I wasn’t sure if mentioning Duolingo would be looked down upon? I am thinking of how to frame the answer so that they understand that I have taken some step towards learning it, atleast.
Hi Arundhati,
It certainly cannot hurt to tell them that you are studying Japanese on your own, even if it’s not through a “formal course”. I recommend that you focus on how long you have been studying and how much work you are putting into it. (i.e. “For the last three months, I have been studying Japanese for 30 minutes each day using the DuoLinguo app to prepare for living in Japan.”)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi good day. So I did my interview yesterday and to me it went well as in I used your guidance and answered all of the questions properly although i was extremely nervous and trembling and i stuttered a bit more than I would like. Due to the nature of my research the terminology used was a bit complex, no matter how simple I tried to make it. Initially I had made a full length proposal (about 10 pgs long) which i condensed into the 2 page Field of study and research program plan. using guidelines you provided in your book certainly helped with this. I wanted to know if it would be wise to ask the program coordinator (who was also on the panel) if he would want to peruse this full length proposal? or do you think that is unprofessional?
Hi TJ,
Thank you for your feedback!
I can’t recommend approaching your interview panel after it’s over to ask if they “want” to see additional material about your proposal (essentially you’re asking them to look at it for your sake, not theirs). You would basically be asking them to give you an unfair advantage over other applicants. I do not think it would reflect well on you.
One purpose of the page restriction is to give all applicants an equal amount of space to make their cases. I have never seen a proposal that needed more than 2 pages, either, since the focus of your FSRPP for the embassy’s purposes should be on the outcomes and impacts, not the technical details of the experiments/research. The time to offer to provide extra, detailed material would be when you approach your potential supervisor for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance. (Though even then, I doubt they would do much more than skim a proposal that long.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello there! Thank you for your guides, they were a great help for me while preparing the documents. I wanted to share my experience with the interview since the situation was a bit bewildering and made me question everything. Last year I got to the interview stage, but didn’t do too good, so I was unable to get the scholarship in the end. This year I decided to try again and was invited to the interview again. To my surprise, one of the three interviewers turned out to be my former research supervisor! Unfortunately, I don’t have a good relationship with them, and they probably tried to pretend not to know me on purpose, but I do wonder if the results might be skewed in this case, or the decision about who passes the primary screening is made unanimously by everyone conducting the interview? I can’t confidently say that I did good this year either, so if I end up failing again, it’s probably due to me being lacking, but I do wonder about the possibility of a conflict of interest happening and it influencing the results.
Hi Yolo,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I imagine that must have been surprising to see your former supervisor on the panel, especially given your previous relationship.
Standard ethical behavior would require your advisor to declare their past relationship with you to the panel (not necessarily in front of you) and state whether or not they could give an unbiased opinion. But in reality, I think it is impossible to avoid some influence, since they might make a comment about your aptitude as a student. By the way, that wasn’t the advisor that wrote your Letter of Recommendation, was it?
In my experience with interview panels, each reviewer rates each applicant independently. In the panels I have been on, we tried to select a clear #1 and #2 by consensus following the interviews, but other than that, we all submitted our scores separately and they were tallied by another set of administrators. In those cases, I have never been privy to the final results. So, you should have a fighting chance!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you for your reply!
Meeting them there was definitely quite a shock, but the full extent of panic hit me only after the interview was finished, haha. They definitely did not say that we know each other during the interview, and I did not do so as well because I was way too focused on trying to remember how to speak Japanese to answer the questions properly. In any case, their name comes up on my diploma, so the fact of our acquintance is probably not a secret to the rest of the panel. And yes, they were not the person who wrote my Letter of Recommendation; in fact, they refused to write me one when I asked, so it makes me even more anxious.
Thank you for your explanation! It does seem that even if they were strict with their evaluation, there might still be a chance. We shall see once the results are out! Thank you, again.
Hello Travis
I have a question, a month before the start of this scholarship, I have spoken to two professors and they have told me once I have finished the first phase I could get back to them. However, one of the scholarship rule is that I shouldn’t talk to the professors unless I pass the first phase. If I was asked, should I mention the fact that I talked to the professors or not during the interview?
best regards Abdullah
Hi Abdullah,
There is no rule saying that you should not speak to professors before passing the Primary Screening!
You cannot officially request a Letter of Provisional Acceptance before you pass the Primary Screening, but you can certainly be in contact with professors beforehand to build up your personal network. In fact, that is advantageous and I recommend it, if possible. So I definitely think you should mention that you have been in contact with professors, particularly if they have indicated that they would be willing to accept you after you pass the primary screening.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am Mariam. First, I’d like to thank you a lot for this essay, it helped me a lot in preparation.
I had my interview today. However, I screwed up. I’m not usually like this and I don’t know what got into me.
Anyway, was there ever a time where an applicant was given a second chance at the interview?
Hi Mariam,
I am sorry to hear that!
A lot of applicants end up thinking they did worse than they really did on the interview, though. Sometimes, an interviewer decides they want to test how you respond to stress and get deliberately belligerent, so that can leave applicants feeling like they did poorly.
Unfortunately, I have never heard of anyone getting a second chance at the interview. It wouldn’t be fair for the embassy to offer that chance to one applicant without making it available to all.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, I have cleared the document screening test for research student and am now awaiting the written test and interview. The embassy has asked us to carry the application form, along with all supporting documents, on the examination day. I am guessing they will make a decision on who’s to be called for the interview on the basis of all of the documents? In that regard, I had a question. I had originally listed a graduate program as my first preference because the Professor’s work matches with my research interests, and the Professor offers supervision in English. However, I wasn’t aware that the other courses that I would have to take as a part of the program would be offered in Japanese. The rest two programs in my preference list are, however, in English, and the professors had agreed to supervise the research if I get selected. After submitting the preliminary application, I have also heard from Professors from universities I hadn’t initially listed, who have also shown interest in the research.
My question is, since the embassy is asking for the application form on the day of the written test only and would probably check it before calling for interview, should I make it clear in the application form (perhaps in the second question where they ask why Japan is the best choice for my graduate studies) that I wish to pursue courses offered in English, and particularly mention my second and third preference universities – that the professors have told me that my research interest fits well within their graduate program? Can I, also, additionally mention the name of the Professor and the Graduate Program who I hadn’t listed in the preliminary application form, as they have shown interest in my research too and you said that we could later ask LoAs even from universities we hadn’t listed?
I am sorry it is such a long query. I hope I am clear about what I am asking. Since my first preference, accidently, is primarily a Japanese taught program, I don’t want my limited Japanese ability to reduce the chances of me being called to the interview at all. Thanks for being patient with me through all of this!
Hi Arundhati,
Since you said that you have already passed the document screening, I do not think it is likely that the Embassy staff will re-check your documents on the day. That would seem to be impossible, anyway, unless they had already eliminated most applicants. Checking the documents is quite a time-consuming process. I can think of two reasons why they might have made that request:
1) If they only asked you to submit digital copies at first, then now is when they will collect the originals form you.
2) They want to be able to ask you question about the documents in the interview and want you to have the documents as reference so you can answer.
In either case, since you have already submitted the documents (and passed the screening based on them), you cannot change the contents.
I do not think you need to worry too much about your first choice professor being in a Japanese taught program when you get to the interview. Instead, emphasize that you have been discussing you research with the professors on your list and that your 2nd and 3rd choice professors have responded positively. Regarding your first-choice professor, you can say that the professor’s research field interested you the most, but the programs at the other universities might be a better fit, overall, if it comes up. (You don’t have to say they’re a better fit because the other one is in Japanese!)
You can ask for LoAs from universities that are not on your original list, but remember that you can only ever be in contact with two universities at any one time to request a LoA and you can receive a maximum of two.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thank you so much for your reply! Would that mean that I don’t need to mention anywhere that I am seeking English taught programs? I wasn’t going to change the content of the original form; we were not asked to fill this application form (the one with the three questions) at the document screening level. There was another which included the field of study and research plan. That is why I asked if in the second question on why Japan is my choice for Graduate studies, I could mention that there are English taught programs which also fit my research interests. I wasn’t sure how it will look so thought of asking you first! Thanks again.
Hi Arundhati,
Thank you for the update. If this is the first time you are filling in that form, then my comments about changing it are irrelevant :).
However, I do not think mentioning that there are grad programs taught in English in question two is a good answer. Many other countries (that are better known for their quality of education) have grad programs taught in English. Your answer should be specific to your research and why Japan is the best place for that specific research in order to make an impression. Details are helpful.
You do not need to mention anywhere in the application form that you are applying for programs taught in English – it is understood, particularly if you don’t have Japanese language ability.
It would be a good idea to mention specific English-taught programs in your interview, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
you just sent me a email about how to prepare for the exams with examples of past exam papers and that’s very useful but the link you put gives a error and the page won’t open if you can please fix it i really need those past exam papers there very useful.
regards,
ABDULLAH
Hi Abdullah,
Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I am sorry for the inconvenience.
I just sent out a follow-up email with the correct link, but here it is for you, too:
https://www.transenzjapan.com/blog/embassy-recommended-mext-scholarship-exams-resources/
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hi Travis,
Hope you and your family is doing well!
Your blog was and is very useful, so I’d like to thank you and the parents who raised you for helping people around the world.
If you don’t mind, I had one question. I just passed the English and Japanese exams for research students. The results are not out yet.
I wanted to know, after how many days from the announcement of results will an interview be held. If I am out of country for an important work trip, is it possible for it to be conducted online?
If it helps, I am applied to Embassy of Japan in Uzbekistan.
Thank you very much in advance for your response.
Abdulaziz
Hi ABdulaziz,
Thank you for your kind comments!
Unfortunately, the timeline of the Primary Screening varies from Embassy to Embassy, so there is no pattern I can refer to (in fact, many embassies have the language exams in interviews on the same day).
I have not heard any reports in the past of the usual time between the tests and interviews in Uzbekistan, but I hope that someone with experience there will see this comment and can respond!
As far as I know, you can only participate in the interview in person, but you could always contact the embassy, let them know about your situation, and see if any arrangements are possible in your case, since it sounds like it is out of your control.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Dear Travis,
Thanks for your informative and helpful insights on each round of the MEXT application, I have managed to pass the first screening from Vietnam for the 2023 cycle!
I just want to share a bit of my experience in the written exam and the interview round since I have noticed that there haven’t been many experiences from Vietnam in particular in the comment section.
For the ENG written exam, it is helpful to revise the past exams. I even went further and did some of the EIKEN Tests. The latter was quite difficult IMO, but it is great to have as many sources as you can get as possible to practice.
For the JPN written exam, given my inexperience with the language, my only take is that try to complete the test even if I have no clue about Japanese. As you said somewhere in your posts, it is one of the criteria to show your determination to study in Japan. I also did try to write my name in Japanese where I was allowed to.
For the interview round, each of the applicants will have 20 mins with the selection committee. In my case, the interview was conducted online and the committee I saw was just only two people and I guess that they are embassy officials. They asked me most of the generic questions such as:
– Tell us about yourself
– Why do you want to study in Japan?
– What famous and beautiful sceneries/things you would like to visit/do in Japan?
And 2 on my RP:
– Tell us about your research
– What are your limitations in the research?
Since I tried my best to expand my answer so there weren’t many follow-up questions.
For my preparations for the itv round, I deep dive into the comment section to search for possible questions and answers from other applications all around the world as well as had three mock-up interviews in advance.
I hope my experience in Vietnam can reach anyone who has an interest in studying in Japan, especially through the MEXT scholarship. And I hope my comment would reach any Vietnamese student out there who stumbles to your insightful blogs.
Kind regards,
Hi Khang,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I am sure that will be a valuable resource for many applicants in the future, not just in Vietnam, but other countries, too!
I had never heard the question, “What are the limitations in the research?” I will add that one to the main article.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thankyou so much for this post. I am Aditya From India and i have my MEXT Interview on 20th, i have been trying to become familiar with types of questions they might ask. Your post helped a lot. I have written points for each kind of questions, i want to make them short and crisp. My field is Animation and i emphasizes cultural exchange and support cultural interaction between my country and japan to strengthen bonds. Can I share you my answers to some questions on mail. Would u be so kind to check them and give me tips and how I can make them more on point . Thankyou again!
Hi Adtiya,
Unfortunately, there is no fair way for me to offer individual feedback to everyone who asks – I’d never be able to keep up or get to it all.
I do offer individual feedback on a paid basis through my coaching services, but I have not done feedback on interview questions before. If that is something you are interested in, please contact me at the coaching address and we can work something out!
Otherwise, I hope you can find someone in your area, like a professor from your past/current university, who might be able to help you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
Thank you a lot for all your guides. Thanks to them, I have made it to the interview round in the next week.
Based on your guides and my observation, I expected my interview panel will consist of two embassy officials and one professor from a specific local university, in Japanese Studies field (which is my research field as well). Professors in our country have a habit to ask very tricky question to test interviewee’s ability. I know they don’t have bad intention, but I worry that will hurt my chance if I can’t answer some of them properly.
1. Should I answer their question with just enough information, or do I need to expand it? For example, if they ask how many books I plan to review, do I need to also tell answer with the name of those books or the reason for choosing those books? Is it okay if my answer for this question coincidentally covers the next question that they are about to ask?
In my internship interview, the panel seems to don’t like it when I answer just enough information. And in another interview, they also don’t like it when my answer covered some next questions that they are about to ask.
2. Should I expect a “Tell us about yourself” question? And same as above, what if my answer covers some of their next question?
3. Assume I get a question with difficult words that I don’t understand. I ask them to repeat the question with easier wording. After they do that, I understand the question and can answer it clearly. Will my points drop if I request for repeating the question with easier wording like this?
4. Should I expect a “Do you have any question for us” question? If so, what kind of question is okay to raise? I know they want to check if I am interest in their organization (in this case, the scholarship), but honestly saying, almost all things I’m interested in is considered sensitive information to them (like, what is my performance in this interview, does my research theme look interesting, how many applicants will be selected, what they will do in the Secondary Screening, etc..).
Hi SK,
Thank you for your kind feedback.
1. I recommend that you expand your answer and don’t just give the minimum. Having been an interviewer in both admissions and hiring processes in Japan, I, and most other people on the panels I have been on, tend to mark down applicants who just give the minimum answer. Remember, in addition to answering their question, you should have a message that you want to convey throughout the interview and should use every opportunity to do so.
Don’t worry about covering something they might ask in a subsequent question. There’s no way you could know what was coming anyway!
2. Yes, you should expect/prepare for a “tell us about yourself” question. Make sure that your answer has a clear message that you want to convey and isn’t just a rambling autobiography.
3. Asking them to repeat the question is better than not answering it correctly or going off in the wrong direction because you didn’t understand it, but both will likely negatively impact your overall evaluation. (Part of what they are evaluating is your comprehension ability, but both asking for a simpler explanation and misinterpreting the question indicate a lack of comprehension).
However, asking for clarification, “Do you want to know about X?” should not hurt you.
4. Always be prepared for a “Do you have any questions for us” question in any interview you go into. You might run out of time and not have get that question, but you never want to be unprepared. I have known interviewers who will automatically reject any candidate that does not have a question for them.
The point in the MEXT Scholarship interview is not to show that you are interested in MEXT and the scholarship, it is to show how you will contribute to Japan, your home country, and the relationship between the two if you are selected. The only question I would suggest that you might want to ask about the process is when they expect to have the results of the Primary Screening, if they haven’t told you already. Otherwise, I would suggest a question more closely related to the purpose of the scholarship, like how the embassy keeps in touch with MEXT Scholars after they graduate and what kinds of activities those scholars are involved in in your home country now.
Also, be sure to thank them for their time!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis! Thank you for keeping this blog which has helped me a lot in my application. I’m actually going to take my interview in two weeks, and I was wondering how long should my answers be in the interview? Will 1-2 mins be enough?
Hi Lind,
Your answers should be long enough to thoroughly answer the question and also to use the question to make any points related to your application strategy that you think will help you. The content of the answer is more important than the time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good afternoon Travis! Thank you for answering my other question regarding the scholarship. This one is about the interview specifically so I thought I’d leave it here instead.
As I said in my previous comment, I’m currently waiting to see if I’ll get called to the interview (postgraduate) or not, but I’m still trying to prepare in case I do. I met the other applicants when we had our tests last week, we are a small group (around 15 people) so we made a group chat to exchange info. Some of them have previous experience applying, and one of them explained that last year embassy officials expected him to do give them a Meishi card + all the formalities that come with it. He made it sound like he didn’t know this was expected (Although they might ask for it in the email invitation for the interview. I’ll have to wait to confirm this though) How common is this? And should I maybe prepare one?
I’ve never heard of this before, not even from previous scholars from my own country and this isn’t common here either as far as I know (I’m from latin america).
Once again, thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my questions. Have a nice day!
Hi Maria,
I have never heard of anyone being asked to present a meishi (business card) at the interview and that seems highly unusual. In all the job and scholarship interviews I have participated in in Japan, that has never happened, and frankly, it would be odd from the interviewer’s perspective. Maybe it was just a test to see how familiar the candidate was with Japanese culture. But it still seems silly to expect that an applicant would even have a card.
Unless they tell you to present a card in advance or bring one, I don’t think that you should need to worry about it.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
First I’d like to once again thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Second, I have been called to take the interview!
I believe the meishi might’ve been a requirement for last year, as this year we were not asked to bring one. However, the embassy did ask for a self-introductory document where we have to sort of explain our hobbies, personality and to focus in extracurricular activities we might’ve taken part in during our undergraduate studies. We can use whatever format we want.
I have some ideas about what I could write, but I’d also appreciate if you could give me some tips as to how I could approach this.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Maria,
I haven’t heard of embassies asking for that kind of self-introductory sheet in the past, either, but I would approach it the same way as if they had asked you those question in the interview, itself: Be honest, but selective in your answers to steer them toward the points that you want to make about how you will be the best candidate possible. If you can connect your hobbies and self-description to characteristics that will help you adjust to a new culture or be an ambassador for your country in Japan, that is ideal. When you describe your hobbies and personality, in particular, try to do it in a what that will allow you to expand upon them in the interview to explain how they have changed you or made you who you are – how you have changed for having those hobbies, etc., or what they have enabled you to do.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Your guidelines and continuously answering our questions makes me prepare for my IELTS exam this 30th June at the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands. Well, my questions is, is it only English subject for the research Qualifying Examinations for Applicants for Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships 2023? Or do we have to do Math as well.
Thanks
Hi Ronnie Vavu Vozoto,
Thank you for your kind words!
Are you applying for the undergraduate scholarship or the graduate one? If you are applying for the scholarship for graduate students, then you only have to take the English and Japanese language exams. If you are applying for the undergraduate scholarship, you need to take both language exams plus the exams specified in the application guidelines for your chosen field of study.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good afternoon Travis,
Thank you so much for all this information! It’s really helped in my preparations for my upcoming interview. I was curious if you had any information you could share about the types of questions that are often asked in the Japanese position of the interview? I’ve heard rumors that questions to test your Japanese language proficiency often relate to small talk type of questions (your family, things you like, etc.) but I was wondering if these rumors had any merit to them or if higher level Japanese questions about one’s research application would be asked. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I’m looking forward to your reply. 🙂
Hi O,
If you are applying for a degree program taught in English, I don’t think they will ask you higher level questions about your research in Japan. It would likely be closer to the types of questions you mentioned, just testing your ability to function in day-to-day life. If you do really well on those questions, they may start asking more difficult questions in Japanese to see how advanced your level is, but at that point, you would have already passed their basic expectations, so if you couldn’t answer the more advanced questions, it wouldn’t hurt you.
Of course, if you plan to conduct your research in Japanese, you had better be able to explain it in Japanese!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for the information.
I have applied for the MEXT scholarship as a research student to then go for a master’s program, and I am close to having my interview. I am a little nervous since I think I do not know how exactly are the next steps.
I just chose some Japanese labs where I would like to do my research. However, I do not know how I then connect with the master’s program. On the page of the labs I chose, there is not much information about access to the master’s program. Please, Travis, any info would be helpful.
I do not know if I should know at this point how to contact the professors or the process to get the master. Would that be something that could come out in the interview?.
Please, I really appreciate any comment.
Hi Nathaly,
Typically, if you haven’t been in touch with your potential professors in Japan before the application deadline, then the time to contact them would be after passing the Primary Screening. It is not something you have to do during the interview or even something that will likely come up then. (They may ask if you have already been in touch, but you can simply answer “no”).
I have another article about how to contact universities to apply for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance, which is the next step after passing the Primary Screening. The current version is from last year, but I will update it next month with the new deadlines, etc.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello travis,
I would first like to thank you. Your book on the research proposal and blogs tremendously helped me in passing the document screening. I am currently preparing for the interview. My question is, this month I accepted a better job offer and will start soon. Should i mention this to the embassy since my letter of recommendation and application states a different company and the job is slightly different than my previous one.
Thank you in advance
Hi Dina,
Thank you for your kind words and your feedback. I am excited to hear that you passed the document screening!
For your job change, I would recommend explaining it if it comes up or if the new job is more closely related to your research in Japan. Otherwise, I would say that you should focus the interview time on your research in Japan and the benefits you expect it to have.
Talking about your job change is going to take precious time and shift the focus of the interview – they will also want to know if your new job is aware of your application and has no problem with your potentially quitting soon – so I would recommend that you try to keep the focus where it will benefit you most.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! Thank you so much for this article!
I have passed the exams and now I am preparing for the interview (I don’t know whether or not I’ll get one, so it’s just in case and also to distract myself from the stress of waiting lol).
I was wondering one thing about the interview though. I am going to Japan this autumn as an exchange student for a year and I am extremely anxious about how this will be viewed by the committee. It will take me a year longer to complete masters because of it, so I am quite sure that it may come up at the interview. Do you think this will be viewed negatively and lessen my chances to get the scholarship?
For context, my research can only be done at one university in Japan, it is very specific and I won’t be able to get the resources I need at this other university. I will also be taking loads of classes in Japanese (both language classes and classes in my field).
I was thinking that mentioning this would show that I will have more preparation and chance to succeed as a mext scholar, on the other hand, it might just not look good that I am going to go to Japan in the first place.
Hi Sylvi,
I don’t think there could be any negative interpretation of your spending a year in Japan on exchange! If anything, it shows your dedication to studying here.
If you can, I recommend that you try to visit your target university and professor during your exchange year and start building your relationship with them in addition to your exchange studies. Mention that plan in the interview, too. It will help to show your level of dedication and preparation so they will be able to see that you will be acclimated to studying in Japan, have connections here, and that you are proactive about your studies.
I think you can certainly use this experience to your advantage in the scholarship application!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis, thank you so much for your answer! That is very encouraging to read!
Actually, the number of applicants in my country doubled compared to next year (now there is around ten applicants, which is not much compared to countries like India, but still there are only two spots). I feel like the pressure of the interview are is getting to me and I might be overthinking thigs a little bit, so I am very happy to hear that this is something positive.
こんにちは Travis さん,
with the guidance that you provided through your blogs and articles, I was able to clear the preliminary stage of the first screening. I opted for master’s course in physics. Now I have to appear for the Japanese and English written exams. My question is that what documents do I need to take along with me when appearing for the exam? please if possible can you mention the necessary documents that are required. I also want to know how well versed do I need to be in Japanese to get a good score on a Japanese written test? ( if compared to any JLPT level)
Hi Kushagra Uniyal,
Congratulations on clearing the document screening stage!
You should not need to bring any documents to the language exams, unless your embassy has specifically told you to do so (I have never heard of anyone having to bring them.)
As for the Japanese language test, I’m afraid that I don’t know, but hopefully someone else with experience on the test can chime in! As long as you are applying for a degree program taught in English, you shouldn’t need to worry much about your score on the Japanese test. Of course, it looks a little better if you have some Japanese knowledge, but it isn’t going to be critical to your success or failure in the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
Thank you for all your guides and information.
And sorry for the following wall of text.
My major in university is Japanese Language Studies. I did write a thesis in Japanese for my graduation.
I am going for Embassy-recommended MEXT Scholarship 2023.
Please help me about how to reply to certain questions on Embassy interview: should I answer truthfully, or make up another story for it.
1. “Why did you choose this research theme? Why do you think it is necessary to conduct research in Japan?”
The research theme I choose is the same as my graduation thesis, just more detailed on the topic. My (thesis) supervisor said that I can extend the topic on my thesis and use that as research topic.
The necessity is due to there seems to be no teacher/supervisor in my country that even know about that topic. According to my supervisor, not even Japanese know much about it. There is a pretty small amount of Japanese document about the topic, and none of them are available in my country. Also there is no research around that topic has been conducted in my country.
2. “Why did you choose MEXT scholarship among all other scholarship like A, B, C, …?”
I’ve aimed for MEXT scholarship since first year in univ., because that is the only scholarship (that I know) that pays 100% tutor fee and doesn’t limit to 1 student only. My family can’t provide enough financial support for 2 years in Japan (we are not that poor, but not enough for 2 years in Japan).
Why not conducting research in my own country, they may ask. That’s because in my country there is no Japanese ‘Language Studies’ research lab, only “Japanese Language used in other major” (Japanese in Economy, Japanese in IT for example)
3. “Did you write this Letter of Recommendation?”
My advisor told me to write the letter myself, whatever I want, and he will only sign it (trust-based). Yes, my advisor, and he is also the Department Head. My university’s University President, Dean, or even Department Head don’t sign any LoR (unless he is also an advisor in this case).
Thank you for taking time, and sorry for this wall of text.
Hope you can help me.
Hi SK,
You should always be truthful, but also select the details that are most relevant to the interviewer and their objectives. For example, in the case of 2, below, you would want to focus on how the scholarship would allow you to study at a top Japanese university and focus completely on your studies. (Don’t mention your family’s financial situation, since this is not a need-based scholarship and that is not a relevant detail.)
1. Focusing on how your research topic is only available in Japan sounds perfectly sound to me. You’re going to want to learn more about the Japanese researchers that do focus on your topic and identify them by name as people that you want to study with. You should also be prepared to describe why the research itself matters.
2. As mentioned above, try to focus less on the financial aspects and more on what opportunities the MEXT Scholarship and studying in Japan offer.
3. You can tell them that at your advisor’s request, you provided a draft of the letter for his consideration and he determined to accept it. I doubt they would ask this, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I would like to ask about the undergraduate MEXT scholarship university recommendation interviews. Could I know how should I prepare for the interviews and who will be in charge of the interviews, the university admissions team or MEXT representative?
Hi Ryan,
There are very, very few university-recommended undergraduate MEXT scholarships available overall and they would all fall under the PGP programs.
The interview should be conducted by the university faculty members, not the admissions administrative staff or MEXT. You should be prepared to explain what you want to study, why (e.g. how you want to apply that knowledge to help society in the future), and what particular areas of study/research you might be interested in, looking forward to your capstone project at the end of your degree. I know that’s a lot to think about before you even start your degree, but the clearer image you can present, the better impression you will make!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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1 . Also,For Natural sciences student The total score of the test is 500 and For Humanities Based student is 300, Is both of these score are calculated and compared in the same manner or they have different approach?
2 . Which one of these has higher chances of success,when compared to each other,
Humanities background or Natural sciences.?
Hi Praveen,
1. Since the total possible score is different, they can’t compare the two fields based on absolute scores. I have seen cases in the past where the embassy pre-determines a certain number of slots for Humanities and a certain number for Natural Sciences. It is more likely that they compare the outcomes to expected performance for each test – and of course, to the other applicants in that field!
2. There is no “higher chance of success” just for choosing one field or the other. It all depends on you, the quality of your application, and the competition level for each field. You should choose your field based on your future career/academic goals and make sure it is a field that you can excel in.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
First of all thank you very much, Travis
First of all my Grades,
10th ( Native lang – 93, English- 91, Maths -86, science- 100- social science 96)
Due to financial situations I didn’t able to attend the school for the next two years in a row.
11th(Native lang- 60 , English- 61 – ,Maths -45, physics-47- Chemistry- 80, Biology – 49.
Here’s the scenario, Due to the virus My 12th exams got cancelled, The Government Distributed The 12th marks Depends on 11th and 10th marks.(Mean,I haven’t written any single exams from 12th)
12th(native language- 90 , English- 89 -Maths- 88, Physics-91, Chemistry -93, Biology- 91.
You previously answered my question that I needed to calculate each of the subjects individually.
I don’t know about MEXT calculating scale,
I wish to opt for Business Administration as My first choice,2nd Law and 3rd Economics.
I tried Mock tests of the past 2yrs of Math A ,Eng and Japanese.my scores are..
Math A – 25/100
Japanese – 0/100
English – 44/100
I’m studying for N5 over a year.. only 80kanji, I’d like to study Japanese for real that’s my main motive to Give a MEXT so that I can learn Japanese with Native speakers.
I really worried about The questions in the UG Application(no idea)
How can you able to contribute both nations…
Trigger for studying in Japan.
Also I don’t know much about the fields that I’ve chosen,,
I really worried about if my application pass the first screening test.
Sorry for my grammatical mistakes.
Hope you reply soon
Thank you
Hi Praveen,
If you want to convert your grades, I have an article that walks you through that process. You will need to know your current school’s grading system in order to figure out the conversion.
I don’t have an exact reference to what typical passing scores are on the test, but the scores you reported seem really low, so I think you would need to study to get them a lot higher! Remember, too, it’s not just a matter of passing a certain mark, you need to be better than all of the other applicants, so try to get your scores as close to 100 as possible. (Obviously, with Japanese, that is not going to be possible, but you should work on the others).
If you have no idea about how to answer the questions in the application form, then I honestly don’t think you are ready to apply. I have an article about maximizing your chances for the MEXT Scholarship that describes creating an application strategy. I think that might be a good place to start, but you should work with a trusted teacher or university applications counselor at your current school to help you decide what it is you want to do in the future and how you can use the scholarship to get there. You should be able to answer all of these questions confidently and also have a clear idea about how the fields you have chosen will help you reach your future goals.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis, Btw here in India they’re using 0-10 grading scale.
First, I want to thank you for giving a proper idea about the interview. It will really help when I face it my it in person.
I am going to be 11th grade student soon and I am planning to prepare myself for Mext at the same time. It would be a big help, if you could give me a proper guideline for preparation.
Is it necessary to do IELTS ? Also, I read somewhere that JP Embassy isn’t willing to let people participate who don’t know Japanese.
I am planning to participate in the undergraduate program. Do I need to try contacting the teachers in those Japanese university ?
I am not a native English speaker and I didn’t do English medium studies. So, I have to do a lot.
And again
Thank You
Hi Shahariar,
Thank you for your kind words.
Most of the articles and guides on this site are about the scholarship for graduate students, which is where my expertise lies.
For the undergraduate program, you can find the official guidelines in English from last year on the Study in Japan site, so I recommend looking through those. You’ll see in the guidelines that you aren’t required to have IELTS or other proof of language ability during the application process. You will take language proficiency tests at the Embassy (along with subject tests) during the Primary Screening, after you pass the document screening stage. However, it would be to your benefit to learn Japanese as much as possible and to prepare for the English language tests, too!
You do not need to contact professors because in the undergraduate scholarship you do not get to choose where you are placed. You will spend your first year in an intensive language program, then MEXT will decide on your university placement. (Unless you are applying for Direct Placement at a university, but in that case, you would need formal proof of language ability.)
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am ushno, a 9th-grade student
I wanna ask you to tell me how should I prepare myself for MEXT undergraduate scholarship. And should I start preparing from now ??
And also could you tell me about the syllabus …
Thanks in advance.
From Bangladesh.
Hi Ushno,
It’s impressive that you are starting so early!
The first thing I recommend is that you decide on what kind of career you want in the future, and think about what kind of contribution you can make to society through that career, then decide what you want to major in in order to set yourself up for that career. Those will be important questions in your application, and the earlier that you decide and start making progress toward that career (participating in extracurricular activities, etc.), the better.
Of course, you will need excellent grades in high school. You can also start preparing for the tests that you will take during the Primary Screening (you can find more information about what tests are required for different majors and sample tests on the official Study in Japan site).
If you can, I also recommend attending events held by the Japanese embassy to start building relationships, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am ushno, a 10th grade Bangladeshi student.
I am interested to study medicine in future.
So, can you tell me “is Japan a suitable country for studying medicine? ”
Thank you for providing these information, it helped me a lot.
Hi Juhita Yesmin Ushno,
Japan has quite a good medical system, so it stands to reason that it would be a good place to study medicine, but there are a few things you need to consider:
1) You should check if a medical degree earned in Japan will give you the ability to practice medicine in your home country.
2) Be aware that most medical programs are taught only in Japanese and you would have to be fluent in Japanese to pass the national licensing exams to be able to do the residency part of the education. If you want to study medicine in Japan, you should start intensive study of the language.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am Ushno, from Bangladesh. I am a 10th grade student.
In future I want to study medicine in japan through MEXT scholarship.
So, can you tell me the syllabus and question pattern of this exam?
and also, can you suggest me any website for learning japanese?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Hi Ushno,
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so I don’t have a lot of specific details about the undergraduate application, but hopefully I can point you in the direction of some better resources:
Application guidelines – You can find a list of the subject exams that you will have to take on page 7 (Medicine is under “Natural Sciences – C”)
Examples of past exams – for practice.
I don’t know any online resources for learning Japanese that I can recommend, but I’m sure that you’ll be able to find that information from another source on Japanese language learning.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis,
I am Ushno from Bangladesh. I recently passed the SSC exam and unfortunately, I didn’t get A+ in mathematics.
In this case, can I apply for undergraduate MEXT scholarship in Natural science (medicine).
And can you tell me about the GPA calculation system in japan.??
Thanks.
Hi Juhita Yesmin Ushno,
I have a separate article about how to convert your grades to the Japanese system, so I hope that will help. I’m not sure what an SSC exam is, but there is no mention of it in the MEXT eligibility criteria. I recommend that you check the criteria posted by the embassy of Japan in Bangladesh to see if they have any specific requirements for the SSC exam.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for the information provided~
I am applying as an undergraduate this year. I did perform badly in the mathematics examination since I don’t understand either one of the questions. I am not confident with the performance for other subjects also.
Luckily, I still received the chance for an interview. I have read the information you provided and it really helped me a lot with the preparation. However, due to the nervousness, I think I didn’t do my best during the interview also. I gave up using Japanese for answering questions in the beginning and even cannot speak fluently in English.
But, after waiting for few weeks, I received the notification for passing the first screening. The news cannot comfort me much since I have poor performance, I am really afraid that I could not pass the second screening. Therefore, may I ask is there a high chance the candidate, who is recommended by the embassy, cannot be approved by the MEXT?
On the other hand, I also wonder in what case, I may be rejected due to a health problem. If I have some disease, but the doctor thinks that my health status is suitable to study in Japan, will I still have the chance to get the scholarship?
Thank you for spending time to read this comment!
Hi CK.L,
Congratulations on passing the Primary Screening!
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so I am not as familiar with the process for undergraduate applicants, though I assume that it is similar.
In my experience, the Secondary Screening is not competitive and it is more of an error check. It is very rare that I hear of an applicant being rejected during that stage. The only exception was a year when MEXT reduced the slots dramatically during the selection process and had to eliminate applicants at that stage, but I do not expect that to happen again.
If you have passed the Primary Screening and you have been honest about your health situation in your application documents, then that should not be a reason for rejection moving forward. As long as the Doctor has checked that your health is sufficient to study in Japan, you should have no issues.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, unfortunately I was not able to pass the first screening this year. However, I would still like to tell you about my experience which may help someone else in the future.
For the documentation there was no major problem, the instructions from the embassy, in conjunction with the models you have on the blog are sufficient reference to easily pass that part.
The exam on the other hand, although I was able to pass it, I was informed that not having a high score was one of the causes of my final disqualification in this opportunity. I know that on the internet you can find past exams from the years 2007 to 2016 (not counting 2011) but I still don’t feel that there is enough material to practice and you have to end up looking for exams from other sources with similar fragments. My recommendation in this case would be to have a good tutor in English, even for native speakers because the grammatical knowledge needed is quite a lot.
As for the interview, it was a bit strange, I’m not sure if it was due to external causes or in my country is the usual way to conduct it, in it most of the questions were in my native language, which were:
1- Why study that specific topic and 2- Why in Japan, however, they asked one question not on the list which was: 3- Do you have a plan B of your thesis in case you cannot carry out your plan A. I suspect that this question was because my proposal was considered too ambitious to get good results (another reason for my disqualification) but I consider that it could happen in some other scenario. And they only asked one question in English which was: 4-Tell me about your extracurricular activities during your undergraduate years.
On this occasion we were 10 applicants and 5 passed successfully the first screening, so here is the final question. Do you have any advice about the acceptance letter, the format? What it should say? That will be helpful for my colleagues.
Finally, I remain grateful for all the information provided both in your books and in the blog and I know I will be writing to you again next year. A friendly hug from Venezuela.
Hi Augusto,
I am sorry to hear that your application was not successful this year, but thank you for sharing your experience! I am also glad to hear that you will try again next year.
I appreciate the feedback on the tests in interview! I’m sure that will be helpful for future applicants.
I have heard of applicants being asked what they will do if they do not get the scholarship, but I think this was the first time I heard of anyone being asked about a plan B for their thesis.
Regarding the Letter of Provisional Acceptance, there is a set template, so you do not need to worry about it. In the past, MEXT asked applicants to send the template to universities along with their application documents, but that no longer seems to be a requirement this year. (It was pretty useless in the past, too, to be honest, since most universities already had it!)
Just in case a university asks you to send it, here is the template for the 2021/2022 application cycle (word file download from MEXT website).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you again for your helpful comments.
Just an update from my initial contact: Fortunately, with the help of your website and confessions of MEXT Scholars, I have been able to pass the primary screening. I would like to share my experience.
Just to provide a clear background, I do not have any Japanese proficiency and I was honest about it on my application form as well.
I was worried because I was dressed semi formal , But now that I think of it, I believe that my attire might have been a good representation of how I may look as a student.
With the help of the sample papers, online tests and IELTS/TOELF sample papers, the English exam went well. The Japanese exam on the other hand was completed in 5 mins ( the examiner also joked about it but she encouraged us that it will not affect our application.
My interview time was meant to be for only 20 mins. It was in a huge room with 3 interviewees (two Japanese officials). I will mention the list of questions that were asked below but one thing I was mostly surprised during the interview was that they did not asked a single question about my research topic. ( Economics; Macroeconomics; Public policy)
1. Introduce yourself and explain why do you want to travel to Japan.
2. Your first choice is a uni in Tokyo. How will you manage the cost of living?
3. What will you do to maintain the relationship between your country and Japan?
4. Classes in Japanese Universities may end quite late at night, do you believe you will be able to manage?
5. Did you get in touch with any faculty members?
6. At the moment you are unemployed, if you get a job, with a very good pay prior to the scholarship, will you take it?
7. Would you prefer to work in Japan or your country?
8. What obstacles do you believe you will face in Japan?
9. During your UG studies, did you travel to your home country?
10. What are your plans after your PG?
11. How will you represent your country during your stay in Japan?
The interview went on for around 40-45 mins. For the first few minutes, I was nervous( also had trembling fingers), but after that, The line of questioning was so lively and fun that I ultimately feel like I didn’t have a interview but a long informal conversation. After the interview, they gave the timeframe and within 1 week, I was advised that I had passed the primary screening.
Now, I am in the process of waiting for a LOA and I had a doubt. The embassy requested for the Placement preference form during the document screening phase where I added uni A, B and C on the form. After a more detailed research, I found Uni C to be better for me that Uni B and I requested for LOA from Uni A and B. Both of them replied and said that They will start the screening after 27th Aug and will get back before 29 Sept. (deadline)
1. Will I need to submit an updated Placement preference form since my number 3 is now number 2?
2. if both of them reject after 27th Aug and the deadline to request a LOA is over, Do you believe I will lose the opportunity to get the scholarship and an admission at my 3rd choice as well?
Thank you again for all your help and Support. Really appreciate it!
Hi Krishtee,
Congratulations on passing the Primary Screening!
I appreciate your feedback on your Primary screening process and sharing the questions from your interview, too! That is very helpful for future applicants.
It’s interesting that in some cases the interviewers focus entirely on the research and in others, they don’t ask about it at all.
About your questions:
1. In general, you will need to resubmit the Placement Preference Form again after getting your Letters of Acceptance, no matter what, and you should be able to change the list of universities. In fact, you might have to! If one of the universities rejects your application, then you would be required to remove it from your Placement Preference Form. Even if none of the universities reject your application, you should still be able to reorder them on your form (or add a completely new university, for that matter).
2. If both universities that you applied to for an LOA reject your application, then you would not be able to list them on your final Placement Preference Form. You would have to replace them with new universities. In that case, you would still resubmit the Placement Preference Form to the embassy, even if you had no Letters of Acceptance. You would not automatically lose the scholarship opportunity. MEXT would still screen your application and reach out to the universities on your list to ask them to accept you, but ultimately if none of the three universities on your final list accept you, then you would lose the scholarship.
Over this last year, I have seen both results from applicants who did not get any Letters of Acceptance. Some still earned the scholarship and were placed at a university on their list, while others could not be placed and so lost the scholarship.
Hopefully you get two Letters of Acceptance and have nothing to worry about. If you have researched your universities and professors well, then there should be no problems!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I want to share a terrible interview experience. I thought the interview is going to be conducted in English with some simple questions asked in Japanese but it turned out to be ENTIRELY in Japanese. I also heard from a past scholarship recipient from my country that the interview is going to be mainly on general questions like why study in Japan but mine was mainly on research! I was so shocked and frustrated that I could not give complete answers and I am 100% sure that I will fail! I guess they did so because I wrote the research plan in Japanese and I applied for Japanese Applied Linguistics. But really? I don’t think it was a fair interview because those asked in English must perform way better than me and I am sure that I could have given good answers in English as I have prepared scripts for the interview. If I apply it again next year (well, I was quite discontent with the unfair treatment), I will not write the research plan in English and may consider other program choices.
Hi Yoyo,
I’m sorry, that sounds like it was a very challenging experience!
If you plan to conduct your research in Japanese and write your Field of Study and Research Program Plan in that language, they will expect you to be able to discuss your research in Japanese, but frankly, I’m surprised they had an interview panel that was capable of interviewing you all in Japanese. Usually there are some local experts from your field of study, too.
I hope the panel considers that you were presenting in Japanese when they evaluate the results in comparison to the applicants who spoke in English. I have heard of other cases where applicants with Japanese language ability tended to be favored over those without, so maybe that will help you.
I know you’re not expecting to succeed in the Primary Screening now, but if you do get good news, please let me know.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Great work Transenz I will like to know if the interview phas is the only criteria for embassy selection. Particularly for graduate students.
Hi Humility,
The document screening, language tests, and interview are all parts of the embassy selection. Your combined performance on all of them should determine your final results.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your efforts in helping people to be more competent for the scholarship.
Well, I have some bit off-topic question.
1) I am still doing my master’s and I have applied for a Ph.D. degree in humanities. I have an interview within 10 days, and I am wondering if I can change my application to have a second master’s degree rather than a PhD, how applicable is that?
2) After finishing the language preparation period and taking the entrance exams, if for any reason I failed and could not get in after the 6-month language preparation in Japan, what would be the possible consequences?
3) finally, before ending my interview, the moment they ask me “Do you have any questions for the committee?” what the perfect answer should be to leave the interview with a good impression?
Sorry if the questions are a lot. Thank you!
Hi Emma W,
1) If you have already submitted your application saying that you wanted to apply for a PhD and it has gone through the first part of the document screening, I do not think it is possible to change it to a second master’s degree at this point.
2) If you start in the language program, you would be considered to be a research student and you can remain in the research student status for up to two years (if you arrived in April) or three semesters (if you arrive in the fall), including that language program. You could continue to remain in the research student status and try again to pass the entrance exam, as long as it was within that time frame and there is no gap between when you finish your research student status and start your degree.
3) In my experience as an interviewer (not for the MEXT Scholarship, but other roles in Japan), one of the best responses I have seen in that situation is when applicants take the opportunity to make a statement instead, focused on their goals and what they hope to contribute to society after earning the scholarship or a summary of the key points they have made in the interview.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey,
I’m really glad that I found your blog, it has been super helpful through my MEXT process. I am a research student, with the Embassy interview coming up soon and I’m almost done preparing for it. I have a question that may possibly come up during my interview and I request your assistance regarding it. The professors that I mentioned in the placement preference form, and my research plan are from a different department/field/school from my current ongoing bachelor’s degree program. Should a question arise something along the lines of “why did you choose this field while your current course of study is different?” what would be the best course of action?
Hi Ramshey,
You should certainly be prepared to explain why you are changing fields, and you also need to be able to show how the research you plan to pursue in Japan is related to what you have studied in the past, since that is a requirement.
Ultimately, you should be able to explain why you are interested in the field you plan to study in Japan – explain it in terms of how you will use that research experience to work to improve society – as well as what motivated you to pursue those studies, which should include your academic background.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Hope you are well and safe.
I would honestly like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the hard work that you put in setting up this website and replying to everyone.
I have passed the document screening and will be going for the written exams & interview on 30th June. I have a doubt and would be grateful if you could please help me.
The universities that I have selected and written on the preference form require a research/thesis on the 2nd year and therefore there is no need for an entrance exam in the beginning. Do you believe I must let the interviewers know this particular information and whether this information may hinder my chance of getting this scholarship?
Hi Krishtee,
Thank you very much for your kind words and congratulations on passing the document screening!
An “entrance exam” is always required for every degree program. Without passing the entrance exam, you cannot enroll at the university. It has nothing to do with your thesis or completing your degree.
However, an “entrance exam” does not always require a paper test. Sometimes a university considers the screening of application documents and interviews to be the entire entrance exam.
I would recommend that you do not try to tell the interviewers that there is no entrance exam, since that would not be correct and it would indicate that you do not understand the university system.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I find your blogs about the MEXT scholarship very informative and helpful and aiming to reply for MEXT scholarship to pursue my PhD degree.
I have a small question related to English proficiency certificate. Is IELTS or TOEFL test score mandatory before filling the application form either for Embassy Recommendation or University Recommended MEXT Scholarship?
Thank You
Nadir
Hi Nadir,
Thank you for your kind words!
IELTS/TOEFL is not required for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, but some universities may require language proficiency test scores when you apply to them for a Letter of Acceptance.
For the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, though, TOEFL/IELTS (etc.) are almost always required. You would need to have your test scores before submitting your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks to your books i was able to pass the document screening, and now i am waiting for the written examination to be done next week. I want to make you some questions, firts i am afraid for the Japanese test, i know is not mandatory to pass it, but i also know is very helpful in my postulation if i can answer some of that question in the test. Do you know what is the bare minimum to past both Japanese and English Test? I fell mor confortable with the interview, but i need to pass the written examination first.
Second, How can i do the approach with my posible tutors, before recommendation letter period, because i feel more confortable with a preview contact but i don’t know what write to them or how to write a mail without sound annoying, there is a example or a format that i can see to guidance?
Thank you for your time
Hi Augusto Arvelo,
Congratulations on passing the document screening! I have very happy to hear that the books were helpful with that process.
If you are applying for a degree taught in English, there is no minimum grade for the Japanese test. Do not leave it blank, since I have heard of applicants being rejected for that in the past. The better you do, as opposed to other applicants, the more it should help with your application, but that is not going to be as important as the FSRPP, your grades, and your interview.
For the English test, you would need at least B2-level proficiency on the CEFR, but I do not know exactly what that would be on the Embassy test.
In general, I do not recommend contacting potential professors during the primary screening process, since you are less likely to get a response. In many cases, they will know the application cycle and they know that most applicants for the MEXT Scholarship get rejected during the primary screening, so some universities even have policies to not reply to anyone who hasn’t passed the Primary Screening.
I haven’t written an article with a template email yet, so I do not have anything specific to direct you to. (There is one in my book that just came out, but I haven’t gotten it updated here yet). In general, though, if you are contacting professors before asking for a Letter of Acceptance, I recommend that you keep it to about 3 short paragraphs, make sure it is tailored to each professor and expresses why you are interested in working with them, in particular. I recommend that you briefly describe your research topic and ask if they would be willing to have a follow-up conversation with you about whether they would be able to supervise your research.
I’m sorry that isn’t much details, but I hope it helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, i am glad to tell you that i pass the written examination screening and have my interview next week. Thanks to all your advises and books i can move forward thought the primary screening, if i achieve my scholarship and have the opportunity to know you let me buy you some beers (in my country it is a sign of gratitude and respect for someone)
On the other hand, I would like to ask you about the interview, I have already found out from you what I can say, but I would like to know what I CAN’T say, phrases and other things that can be misinterpreted. also the embassy asked me for a self-introduction document where I talk about myself and my extracurricular experiences, together with a Meishi, what is the best way to elaborate both documents?
All thanks to you and your time
Hi Agusto Arvelo,
Thank you very much for your kind words. I look forward to meeting you in Japan for a beer next year!
That’s an interesting question about what not to say. Nobody has asked me that before and I’m not sure I can think of anything in particular. You should avoid sounding like you know better than the interview panel, etc., (so, avoid absolute statements about whether or not you think you need the Japanese language program, or avoid making statements about the education system in Japan, etc., unless you are absolutely sure that what you are saying is correct, or you can cite a reference). But that’s really just common sense level.
As for elaborating on your self-introduction and meishi, I would recommend trying to think of connections between your current/past activities and your research goals in Japan as well as your ideas for community interaction. If they give you the chance, then highlight activities that you want to continue in Japan to get involved or ways that your past activities have prepared you for your research, living in another culture, taking responsibility for yourself, etc.
I hope that helps.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you for all the helpful tips for application and interview. Honestly, without your blog as a guidance I would not be able to pass the document screening for sure. I just received the invitation to interview yesterday, and the interview is only four days away! I am applying for PhD position, and in the email the consulate sent me they mentioned that there is going to be a Japanese language proficiency assessment during the interview and I have no idea on how to prepare for it. I do have some knowledge on the language, but they are limited to reading and listening since I do not have the environment to practice Japanese conversation. Is it possible that they can let me reply to their questions in English? I did marked on the application that my ability to speak Japanese is poor.
Another question I have is that will the committee have a higher standard for English proficiency for applicants in the United States? I immigrated to the United States when I was 17, so my English fluency is definitely not comparable to native speakers, and I am afraid that this will hamper my chance of being selected.
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your kind words!
Unless you are applying for a degree program taught in Japanese, most of your interview will be in English. They may ask one or two basic questions in Japanese to assess your ability if you listed Japanese language ability in the application form. (Sample questions I have heard before include “What are your hobbies?” or “How did you get here today?”). All serious interview questions about your research, etc. should be in English.
The Japanese language exam is separate from the interview. You can find examples of past exams on the official Study in Japan website. Again, if you are applying for a degree taught in English, that is not going to be a major factor. However, make sure that you do not leave it blank. You should make an attempt no matter what.
I do not think that there will be a higher standard of English language ability for applicants in the US, but it is unavoidable that interviewers will compare your performance to other applicants. If your spoken English is as good as your written English in this comment, though, you should have no issues. They are not looking for perfection, just competence.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
For the interview, I was wondering what kind of questions do they ask in Japanese. Also, I did an exchange program in Japan where I took Japanese B1 and did an online class with Japan last semester where I took B2. However, my Japanese is still not that good especially when it comes to conversation. Do you think it can affect my eligibility to succeed?
Hi Meru,
As long as you are not applying for a degree taught in Japanese, having B2-level ability should be more than sufficient! If you are applying to study in Japanese, you may get some research-related questions, but if you are applying to study in English, they are probably going to ask you some simpler questions just to check your language ability. Other people have shared in the comments what they were asked, but I remember some questions being things like “How did you get here today.” or “What do you like to do in your freetime.”
If you are not comfortable with conversing in Japanese, I recommend practicing in advance if you can!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much for your reply, dear Travis.
I chose to do my master in English
However, if I have conversation in Japanese, and my ability does not demonstrate that I am a B2 level, do you think it will decrease my chances? Like the fact, I have studied Japanese but I am still not good at it? Is it going to look like I do not want to learn it? The thing is that I want to, but I just need daily practice and it’s been a while since I did not speak it, so I feel pretty stressed since the interview is in 3 days. Also, I wish to take 6 months of Japanese classes if I get the scholarship because I want to learn it bettert, or is it only for students who never studied Japanese?
Hi Meru,
If your research and degree program is in English, then there would be no language ability requirements for you in Japanese. The fact that you can speak any would be beneficial to your application!
Most universities and officials in Japan are aware that students who have studied Japanese in the classroom outside of Japan tend to have technical ability, but struggle with actually using it in context. However, that gets a lot better once you’re living in Japan and using the language on a regular basis.
As for the language program, that’s going to be up to the university to decide. If you already have B2-level ability, it might be too low level for you. I’m not entirely sure what level it is targeted at, but maybe someone else who has gone through it can add a comment here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
A big thanks for all your blogs! I have my interview in a weeks time and all the information has been of great help!
I do have one question though – I sent in my Placement Preference form alongside my initial application documents stating my preferred supervisors. However, I have reviewed them and found a better supervisor related to my research at my first choice university.
Whether or not I pass my interview (fingers crossed!) would it look bad if I contact the embassy to try and edit my choice?
Thanks again for the all the help,
Yusuf
Hi Yusuf,
Thank you for your kind words!
In all cases that I know of, you are allowed to change the list of universities and professors in your Placement Preference Form after the primary screening. (And in some cases, you may have to!)
After the Primary Screening, you will contact universities for Letters of Provisional Acceptance, but you might not be able to get a letter from each university that you reach out to, so in that case, you would have to change your list, anyway. It should also be no problem to change the list (and contact universities that aren’t on the list at present) based on your preference, too.
There is no need to contact the embassy now to change the list, you will have the opportunity later.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
So I had my interview two weeks ago today and still have not heard any response from the embassy. Not even in the Spam box!
I think it went quite well – they were far more personable than I was expecting, someone asked me if I would do kendo in Japan because I enjoy fencing – but have gotten stressed by the complete silence. Especially considering the timely process of reaching out for Letters of Acceptance.
If I didn’t pass the interview is there a chance they wouldn’t say anything at all?
I’m thinking of trying to contact them by the end of this week but thought to first ask if you have any advice?
Thanks,
Y
Hi Y,
I think if you get to this stage, they ought to contact you with the final result. Did they give any projection about when the results would be released? If they gave you an estimated timeline and that time has passed, I think it would be a good idea to reach out to them.
Otherwise, you can still contact them now and ask when the results are expected.
Either way, I hope you hear good news soon.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again Travis,
An update! I’ve just received confirmation that I passed the interview and primary screening!
Got the email today, a lengthy 5 week-long wait but it came through. I did email them though and they said I would have been notified regardless.
Now onto the next step! Thanks again for everything,
Yusuf
Hi Yusuf Latief,
Congratulations! I am very happy for you.
Good luck getting the Letters of Provisional Acceptance!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hi Travis, Thank you very much for such kind of nice and helpful information. i have done my interview today. Due to Covid-19 they cancelled the written test and held interview by phone. I have M.Sc degree from one of the universities of Japan through one of the projects of JICA, and now I am candidate for PhD studies. They just asked me three questions.
1) What is your study topic?
2) Why do you want to study in japan?
3) What will you do after completion of PhD studies and how will you will utilize your knowledge.
I answered all the questions by detail then the interviewer told me another person will ask some questions in Japanese, But unfortunately I couldn’t succeed to give answers in Japanese language. I am worry about my result due to no answers in Japanese!
Hi Johny Johny,
Thank you very much for your feedback and sharing your interview situation.
An interview by phone sounds difficult!
If you listed in your application that you had no Japanese language ability, then not being able to answer questions in Japanese shouldn’t hurt you in the interview. After all, the staff should have already known that!
(There are some countries where I have heard that they prefer to select applicants who have Japanese language ability, but even if that is the case, the interview is not going to make a difference, since they would have already known from your application form.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis!!
Thank You so much for creating this blog and guiding us through the mext process.
I have been selected for the exam+interview in the embassy of my country and I am applying as a candidate for phd studies. I guess I could say I am getting really nervous as this is my ultimate dream to carry out my research in Japan as it is related to directly to Japanese urban and architectural context and the topic of seismology – this is the only destination I consider as it is so strongly correlated with what I do – it’d be the worst not to get accepted. I am starting to wonder if as a Plan B it is possible to apply to the universities directly (university mext track) after you’ve been rejected at your embassy, the same year? Are there any chances I get accepted there after being rejected?
I was also wondering how many applicants I can expect at the interview stage? Is it that they are putting through everyone who has applied to interview? Or was there already some selection carried out? My country offers 7 scholarships – at the interview can I expect hundreds of applicants? Or more in the numbers of 10s? I am so nervous I do net get it :O
I have also only started learning Japanese so the most I can do is introduce myself and talk about my favourite Japanese food : D I’m afraid that could put me a little bit behind, especially since I am applying for pdh research (do the embassy prefer to give scholarships to masters students, or phd is also welcome the same way, or are there smaller chances?) However I made sure to choose english and international-friendly laboratories and professors, as I would like to carry out the research in english. At the same time I would love to better my Japanese skills to become fluent by the time I am in Japan, that could help me carry out site analysis and interviews for my research. I hope that is feasible.
I was also wondering how long after the interview the results come in?
Do You have any phd-specific tips for the interview?
Thank You so so much!!
Hi Anna,
Congratulations on passing the document screening and getting invited to the exam and interview! That’s a huge first step.
For the short term, I would recommend focusing on preparing for the next step of the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship, not worrying yet about your back-up plan if it doesn’t go well.
(But yes, if you do not pass the Primary Screening, you can apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship in the same year and I have seen cases where applicants didn’t pass the embassy screening but were selected for the University MEXT. I suspect in many cases, it was when those applicants had a strong academic appeal, but were not able to frame their research and future goals in a way that appealed to the embassy staff).
Each country and embassy is going to run their selection process differently, so I can’t say for sure how many applicants you will see at the interview, but logically it should not be many. They would not want to invite applicants who did not have a chance of passing, since each applicant that they interview is additional work for the staff and also an additional infection risk in the current pandemic situation. So, I suspect that they would only invite the applicants who are already in the top 7 based on the document screening so far and those who have a chance of displacing someone in the top 7, based on the results of the exams and interviews. At least, that’s how I’d do it!
I do not know if any specific preference for Master’s or PhD students. I think it is more about how you show how your research and degree will help you serve society in your home country and strengthen the connection between Japan and your country. Remember, at the embassy, not everyone on the interview panel is going to be an academic expert. You will likely have some bureaucrats mixed in there, so you need to make sure that you can state the importance of your research both in academic and practical terms. (All my tips are in the article, so I do not have anything else that I have been holding back!)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis!
Thank You so much for the reply! It is very reassuring to know that there might not be many applicants at this stage and that in the case of failure I will be able to recruit for university recommendation. I will try to do my best at the interview though. Thank You!!
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your reply. I wish you the best of luck at the interview. Please let me know how it goes!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
What you are doing here amazing, just reading your comments gives a ton of information. I would like to thank you for that.
I am applying for undergraduate and I wanted to know if all the 3 rows in field of study in Japan section has to be filled or if the other 2 are optional.
If yes, will doing so affect my chance of getting the scholarship?
Hi Mussie,
The application guidelines do not say that it is required to fill in all three lines, so it should not disqualify you to fill in only one or two. Personally, I would recommend choosing at least two, just so you have a back-up plan.
Honestly, I do not know how it would affect your selection chances beyond saying that it won’t disqualify you. I think other factors, like your grades in secondary school and your performance on the tests and interviews, will be much more important.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Pls I really need help on this, am writing my mext exam this year, pls anyone guide me and pray for me, how do I go about this
Hi Blessing Egurefa,
If you’re just getting started, this probably isn’t the most helpful article.
Check out my index of all the most recent articles at https://mext.transenzjapan.com/ and choose the articles you need as you proceed through each step of the application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi Travis, thank you so much for this platform, i can’t appreciate you enough. i wanted to ask for some clarifications when applying for the MEXT. do i need to also apply at the school if i’m going to spend a year studying Japanese or i’ll do that when i get the scholarship (i’m not doing a direct placement), i want to be sure because i don’t want to mess things up at the embassy and also because i’m actually having some problems with the applications at the schools. i’m also going to be required to write mathematics but as an art student, i’m not well versed in the subject so is there a particular scope to it that can help me with at least knowing enough to be able to pass the exam because that’s the only thing keeping me anxious because i’m confident i can ae the english exam and at least give a good impression in the Japanese exam as well.
Hi Doyin,
It sounds like you’re applying for the undergraduate scholarship. In that case, you do not need to apply to universities in Japan, you only need to submit the application to the embassy.
As for the exams, you can find examples of past exams on the official study in japan website, so I recommend reviewing those to prepare!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you Travis for the good work you are doing.
I’m in Ghana and I want to apply for the scholarship this year but I’m kind of nervous even before submitting my application forms. I want to know if there is a quota for the number of student they will choose for each county. And if there is a quota, how many Ghanaians will they pick this year?
Moreover, I want to know the percentage of students that are selected each year in Ghana among those who apply in a particular year
Hi Emmanuel Nyame,
Thank you for your kind words!
Yes, there is a quota assigned to each country each year, but MEXT does not make that information public. Sometimes embassies release it when they announce the scholarship and another way you can guess what it might be would be to try to find our how many Ghanians won the scholarship last year.
The percentage selected depends on the number of applicants. There are a fixed number of scholarship places available, so more applicants means a lower percent accepted.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I am applying for the embassy recommended MEXT scholarship and on the application form, there is this question I need you to help me this through. “What kinds of things do you think you can contribute to Japan and your home country through your experience of studying in Japan?”
Thanks
Hi Yakubu,
I discuss that question in my article about how to fill out the application form, so I would suggest checking there for my tips!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi Travis, thank you for this, i’m currently planning to apply for the MEXT this year and i’ve gotten the form. do i need to have written an english proficiency exam or it isn’t necessary? also, i’m not well versed in mathematics so if I don’t pass the mathematics exam as well as the others is it going to reduce my chances of getting chosen? also, i should be about to enter the second year in university but due to covid, i haven’t even started yet and was just given admission. do i just need to submit my admission letter instead?
Hi Doyin,
It is not mandatory to have an English proficiency test score, unless your embassy tells you otherwise. In most cases, you will take a language proficiency test at the embassy during the primary screening.
All of your test scores will likely be a factor in your final selection, including math, if you are applying for the undergraduate scholarship.
If you have not yet started university, then you should not need to submit your letter of acceptance or any other documentation about it, but you can ask your embassy directly to be sure.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello. Thanks for this blog. Are the exams being taken on the same day of the submission in the undergraduate program??
Hi Sandra,
No. Only applicants who pass the document screening are called for the exams and interviews. It could be a few days or even weeks after the submission deadline that you get the notification about being invited to the exams. The specific schedule is going to be different from embassy to embassy.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello again Travis!
As I mentioned in my other comment a few minutes ago: I’m reapplying for the research scholarship this year. My question is: does it look bad to reapply? Obviously that’s subjective but I’m worried about it coming across as desperate. I was initially just going to apply straight to graduate school on my own after getting passed up last year, but when I read about the different graduate schools it really felt like the coursework–not my research–would be my priority as a “regular” graduate student in Japan. This made me realize how passionate I am about my research, and how important it is for me to do be able to do it.
As someone who knows the graduate school climate in Japan well, could you comment on whether that is a legitimate concern or not? Also I’m applying for a Master’s in BA or Economics–would a lack of relevant career experience be a red flag for the panel or MEXT? I’ve heard various responses: some people say an MBA with no job experience is a waste of time, others say it doesn’t really matter. Once again, I’m sure this is dependent on the panel, but what are your thoughts?
Thank you again!
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your feedback in the other comments.
I do not think that it looks bad to reapply. I have heard of applicants being successful on their second or third attempts in the past. I would recommend that you try to strengthen your application in the meantime, though, particularly your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
Most Master’s degrees in Japan combine coursework and research, but it is going to be the same whether you apply directly or through MEXT. MEXT makes you emphasize your research in the application process, but once you get into the degree, your experience will be no different from anyone else there. Some programs are heavier on research than others, though, so choosing your university is going to be important. For example, the Master’s program in Economics at my former university did not even assign advisors until the second year, since the first year was all coursework.
If you are passionate about your research, then I think Economics might be better than Business Administration. An MBA is a practitioner’s degree and would be more focused on application than research. Economics degrees should have a thesis. It would also be slightly more common to go straight into an Econ degree with no working experience than it would for an MBA.
I do not think that a lack of working experience would be a red flag for the MEXT review panel in either case, though.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis and everyone!
I applied last year and made it to the interview stage but unfortunately someone else was selected (unfortunate for me, but good for someone else I suppose!). I’m in the process of reapplying this year. was looking back through my notes and thought I’d share what my interview experience was like:
Mine was virtual so that likely impacted things (it was through Microsoft Teams which I wasn’t super familiar with) but it wasn’t like what I was expecting. It was 4 people (they never introduced themselves so I’m not sure who they were or what their roles were) two were Japanese and asked me questions in Japanese. Of the two one asked me very very simple questions in incredibly slow Japanese (what did you eat today? what day of the week is it? etc.) I’m assuming this is because there was no test portion. The 2nd person spoke normally to me but I had a hard time understanding them which probably didn’t look great–their sound came in muffled and a bit distorted but I didn’t have that issue with anyone else. They asked me if I had been to the areas around the universities I was interested in and if I liked them.
I really recommend reading this guy’s article if you’re going in for an interview: https://www.wemakescholars.com/blog/fulbright-scholarship-interview
While the Fulbright and MEXT are two very different scholarships most of what’s written in that article I felt after finishing my interview. I’m not sure if other scholarship interviews are like this (or even if other MEXT interviews are like this) but my interview was very, very serious: no introductions, we went straight to questions and there wasn’t much room for conversation. This is not at all what I was expecting but is covered in that guy’s article so I really recommend reading his to see what yours *might* be like. I was also told by a family friend to always ask “When should I expect to hear back from you?” at the end of interviews and that did not go over well. One guy was trying to (and failing miserably) cover the fact that he was laughing after I asked that. Now, it was a video call so I suppose he could have been laughing at something going on in his house but it really felt like he was laughing at me and my question (maybe it looked presumptuous, maybe it was seen as too aggressive–I’m not sure). So I recommend NOT asking that during the interview, Instead send a note following the interview to whoever the consulate/Embassy lists on their website as being the person to contact regarding the scholarship (if you don’t know who interviewed you) and ask what a time frame looks like for when results should come out.
Other than that I recommend trying not to read too much into facial expressions/body language, I know it’s difficult but like I said everyone was very serious during mine and nothing I ever said really seemed to elicit a reaction (I tried being bubbly, then matching them at serious, and even a mix of the two but they never changed). This was very weird for me as usually during job interviews people are friendly cuz you’re trying to see if you’ll make a good fit for the company, but this is not a job interview it’s a scholarship interview so maybe that’s why it was different. Or maybe it’s cuz it was online. I’m not sure, but I just wanted to warn others about it cuz it really messed with me mentally and (negatively) impacted my ability to answer the questions.
Now then: following the interview I wrote down all the questions they asked me and will list them here (hopefully they’ll be useful to somebody!)
1. What drew you to the MEXT Scholarship? (it seems so obvious but I really was not prepared for this one, I thought they would start off by asking me about my research)
2. This was specific to my research.
3. Methodologies? Although this was covered in my proposal they asked me how I planned on conducting my research and I pretty much restated what was in my proposal.
4. What sort of culture shock did you face in Japan (I’d previously studied there for a year) and how will you handle being there for 3 years instead of just 1? They asked me this question 3 times in 3 slightly different ways so I’m assuming they didn’t like the answers I had. The first two times I said the same thing: I didn’t really have culture shock (true). Most of my friends are in Japan and through their stories, pictures, etc. I didn’t really have any difficulty adjusting (and I explained this to the interviewers). When they asked me this a third time I really felt that they just wanted me to say *something* so I said I got homesick but was able to get over that through technology like LINE and Skype. This seemed to satisfy them as they didn’t ask again but I did find it weird that they kept pushing so I recommend having a pre-prepared answer for something like that even if you have to tell a white lie.
5. Japanese questions (discussed above in 1st paragraph)
I had some questions for Travis, but this comment already seems long enough so I’ll post them in a different comment! If anybody has any questions about my interview experience please feel free to reply to this comment and I’ll do my best to respond! Good luck 2022 applicants!!
Hi Sarah,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I’m sure that is going to be very valuable to the applicants who are preparing for this year’s interviews.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sarah!
Thank you so much for your comment. It is really helpful to read someone else’s experience as I am going to be going through the interview process soon (via Microsoft Teams). I just wanted to ask: could you expand a little more about the Japanese oral exam? You mentioned that they asked questions like “what did you eat today?” and “what day of the week is it?” etc. Do you happen to remember any other questions you had?
I understand that the Japanese exams are not supposed to affect our chances of getting the scholarship, but I seem to see that that is a main contention point for many applicants, so I would like to be as prepared as I can!
Thanks for any help you provide.
-Mark Nugent
Hi. Thank you for sharing helpful information.
I have a question about Mext Master degree.
1. I’m 1 year student in Master degree in univercity at my home country. Can I apply for another Mext master degree in Japan?
Hi Shoxrux,
Yes, it is possible to apply for a Master’s degree under the MEXT Scholarship if you are already enrolled in, or have already completed a Master’s. However, you will need to justify in your application why a second Master’s is the best degree to achieve your goals, rather than a PhD.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks so much for your good wotk on this blog. I am completely inspired to here. My few questions include
1. When applying for undergraduate scholarship, do i need a field of research article or speech for the interview.
2. Is it true that programs for undergraduates are in japanese. I hope i would also need some japanese ability too?
Thanks alot again.
Hi Chinonso,
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so I am less clear on the details about the undergraduate scholarship, but I will answer your questions as best I can and hope that someone else can chime in with more experience, too!
1. You do not need a Field of Study and Research Program Plan, but you will need to participate in the interview. I do not think you would be giving a speech there, but you should be prepared to answer questions about your study plans in Japan and how you will use your studies to benefit society in the future.
2. My understanding is that most undergraduate MEXT Scholars study in Japanese. There are some English undergraduate programs in Japan, but unless you apply via Direct Placement to one of those programs, then the typical pattern is that you will spend your first year in Japan in an intensive Japanese language program that is designed to get you to the point that you can participate in a degree program in Japanese, then you will move on to your degree. So, you do not need to be fluent in Japanese in advance, but it certainly wouldn’t help to have some knowledge of the language before your application.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks so much Travis, I am all grateful. Dont mind that i also ask please, will need to submit transcripts. Actually am supposed to be in my Second Year inbthe university but due to covid-19 and other factors i would still be in my first year at the time of application so how many years transcripts would i need. I dont know if transcripts are even needed just heard it from somewhere.
2. I also want to know, in which major can i study Software Engineering. Would it be under the Information Sciences.
Thanks alot again for your time and quick response.
Hi Chinonso,
If you haven’t yet done so, I would recommend that you read the official application guidelines. They will tell you what you need to submit, including an explanation of what transcripts are required.
Here are the guidelines from last year from MEXT’s site, in English.
Regarding the field of study, my understanding is that software engineering would be under information engineering, but to be sure, you could look up the degree programs offered at a few Japanese universities to see how they are structured and where software engineering falls.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
First, I want to say thank you for all you do! All of your guidance and advice has been really helpful to me and I truly appreciate it.
I am from the U.S. and will be graduating in May 2021 with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am currently applying for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship at Hokkaido University (specifically a PGP program slot where only applicants of the English Engineering Education program are eligible). There are two screenings. The first screening is a document screening and an interview with my prospective Research Supervisor. If I pass the first screening then I move onto the second screening where I have an interview with a nomination committee.
My question is regarding the interviews. I imagine the interview with my prospective Research Supervisor would be mostly about my research, but is there anything else they may ask me? And I imagine in the interview with the nomination committee I may be asked questions that would also be asked in the embassy interview. But I think I could also be asked more specific questions regarding the University, like why I chose Hokudai over other Universities. Also do you have any idea who might make up the panel for the nomination committee? Should I expect it to be made up of Professors, admin staff, or maybe even a Dean?
I read your article about the embassy recommended interview, but I wanted to know how much of that applies to a university recommended interview. Is there any information or advice you can give me regarding these interviews?
Also, since these interviews will be done online, how should I go about conducting myself? For example, I can’t really bow at the torso since I’ll be sitting down right from the beginning, but I should probably still bow my head? And should I conduct the interview in a room where there is just a blank wall behind me, to prevent distracting the interviewers and to look more professional?
I looked to see if anyone else has asked these questions before, but I did not see it anywhere. If it has been asked and I missed it please feel free to direct me to it!
Thank you in advance!
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa,
I would expect your interview panel to consist of professors for the university interview and a it seems likely that the Dean or at least the Program Head would be present. As you said, you can anticipate questions about your research (at both interviews, since the professors will still be from the same graduate school!), as well as why you chose Hokudai (or why you want to study in Japan, in the first place, but in that case your answer should still be about Hokudai). You may also get some questions about how you think you will do living in Japan and particularly in Hokkaido, but I would assume the main focus will be on the research an the benefits it offers to the field.
As for the Zoom format meeting, everything you said sounds like what I would suggest. You can bow from the waist while sitting and definitely keep your interview environment clean and professional behind you – that includes visuals and sounds! Also, dress for the interview like you would if you were attending in person, of course.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Travis,
Thank you so much for your advice!
Vanessa
hello Vanessa
I have also applied for a master’s in Hokkaido University, If you get the results for the application please let me know.
Hi Kaushal Vora,
In general, I do not censor any posts on this page, but the one exception is that I do remove any personal contact information. I actually get a lot of spam posts on here, and I am afraid that if you post your email address, then you will receive spam, as well.
If Vanessa replies to this post, you should get an email notification about it (the same as for my reply right now!) so hopefully, you can exchange information that way.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Vanessa!
I didn’t have an interview with a university like you did, but for my interview with the embassy it was conducted via Microsoft Teams so I feel like I can maybe respond to your questions. I recommend a plain white background and that you try to bow from the waist while sitting down. They’ll see your head bob when you do this and that combined with your greetings should cue them into the fact that you’re bowing (even if it may not look exactly like it).
Perhaps they will be more professional since they’re a graduate school but those that interviewed me last year did NOT have a plain background. 1/4 did but the rest all had items in the back that were distracting (one even had a large analog clock partially in their background which was incredibly distracting) so I recommend really trying to focus on your camera lens and only looking down occasionally if you can help it.
Hi Sarah,
Thank your for your feedback here, too.
Good idea to look at the camera! That gives the person on the other side the impression that you’re making eye contact.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hi
I just wanted to thank you for the information and tips about interview cause this part was my nightmare before reading your website. I graduated as an electrical engineer in my home country but I applied for MEXT undergraduate program and I passed the interview! if I want to share my experience it goes like this: there were 4 judges 2 of them from my home country and the other 2 were Japanese but they were really fluent speaking my native language which is Persian. there was a desk and a chair for in front of judges’ panel. and most of the questions were exactly the same as you’ve mentioned in your website but one of the judges form my country asked me why I’m not applying for research program and why undergraduate again and I answered because I want to learn Japanese(I already have N4 level certificate and I think it really helped me in interview cause they seemed to like it that I learned Japanese by myself) cause undergraduate courses are in Japanese and also because educational system here is too old I kinda need to update my current knowledge before applying for research program . and they also asked about my dream job and I answered joining a robotic laboratory and working on robots with artificial intelligence.
the best part was the question from the last judge who were Japanese and I was shocked! he asked “what is your favorite anime?” I couldn’t stop smiling when he asked me and I told him with a smile that I was advised not to mention watching anime 🙂 and he told me(with a smile)that’s okay and I wanna know so I answered his question and told him my favorite anime is Naruto!
Hi Maral,
Congratulations on passing the interview!
Thank you very much for sharing your experience, as well. I think you are the first person I’ve heard from who successfully applied for a second undergraduate degree, so that was very interesting to hear. (I have heard that applicants for a second masters get the same question about why they are not applying for a PhD). It was great that you had an answer ready!
Thank you for the question about anime, too! If they ask you about anime, it’s fine to say you like it and name your favorite, like you did. I just advise against bringing it up on your own because you want to make sure that the reviewers know that you have a serious interest in Japan related to your research.
It sounds like your preparation worked out very well for you!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi again
I think I should add that the major I want to study there is information engineering and is totally related to my current field which is telecommunication and I also mentioned that I have some work experience as a robotics laboratory member in my university so I kinda was telling them not only I don’t wanna change my major but also I wanna be better at it at the same time I’m learning Japanese. Cause I really think that they’re not interested in people who wants to change their fields of study completely!
Hope that was useful 🙂
Hi Maral,
Thank you for the additional information!
I agree that a complete change of field likely would not be viewed very positively. Obviously, the approach that you took worked very well!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How exactly these interview should go, I mean when I went to the interview it was obvious that the interviewer who should ask me about my research, field of study and so on, was know nothing about my field more over he didn’t even read my research plan, he was telling me that I didn’t write certain things, while I did write them specifically and included a paper as a reference for my specifics topic and other paper and books for the field in general, it was so weird to be honest, and it is not fair at all to be interviewed by some one who didn’t even know any thing about your field.
Hi Might,
It really depends on the interviewers themselves. The interview should be consistent between you and other applicants in your country, but it might not be the same for people in other countries.
It is not uncommon to be interviewed by someone who is not directly familiar with your field – they have to keep the panel consistent in order to have a fair review of all applicants, but your experience sounds particularly frustrating. Sometimes it happens that an interviewer tries to antagonize you to see how you react to stress, but I’m not sure if it was deliberate or just ignorant in the situation you faced.
In either case, thank you for sharing your experience! I’m sure it will be useful to others facing their interviews, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis
I have a question if i apply for master study is there an exam or a test i have to pass first and if there is how do i know the question form like what should i read ?
Thanks alot for your effort
Hi Jane Ali,
Aside from the MEXT Scholarship application, you are going to have to gain admission to the Master’s Program at the university in Japan. At some universities, that will include passing an entrance exam, but the exam is set by the specific graduate school, not general to MEXT, so I can’t really give any general answers. You would have to find the information for the specific university that you will apply to.
For the MEXT Scholarship (Embassy Recommendation), the only exams you have to take are language proficiency exams in English and Japanese.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis
Thank you for giving such a wonderful information on this site I’m from iraq and i’m a dentist i graduated last month and i want to apply for mext for master degree and i have a few questions is experience required to study master in japan ? And if i did study master there will i be able to work there after i finish my study?
Thanks alot
Hi Zainab al-iqaby,
You do not need professional working experience to apply for the MEXT scholarship. Many if not most applicants come to Japan directly after their previous degree.
To find a job working in Japan as a Dentist (after your DDS), you would almost certainly have to be fluent in Japanese. In fact, you would probably have to be fluent before applying for the scholarship, unless you can find a dental program taught in English.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Sir Travis, good day.
Your post is very informative and it has helped me with all my preparation. And I will have my interview tomorrow! Very nervous, yet very excited! I will update my reply if I have passed the primary screening, and the overall experience.
But, I would like to ask for one thing. Do you have a proper email example to communicate with the professors? I have read your other post regarding how to communicate with the professors, but despite my best effort to create a custom email to each professors, it will always sound very generic and seem to not have much praise for their research. But this might partially contributed to the topic that I’m actually interested in is something that the professors have never experimented on, but the field is related to theirs. Your feedback will be appreciated very much !
Sincerely yours,
Tengsejing.
Hi Tengsejing,
Thank you for your kind comments. Good luck with your interview!
Unfortunately, I do not have a sample email for how to reach out to professors, yet. It was something that I had planned to create for the next book in my Mastering the MEXT Scholarship series, but that has been delayed.
In any case, contacting professors before and after passing the Primary Screening are two very different things. The approach I recommend about appealing to the professors is primarily for contacting them before passing the Primary Screening when you are trying to network and build a relationship. After you have the Passing Certificate of the Primary Screening, it should be more of a business-like approach.
First, you’ll want to check to be sure whether or not you should even be contacting professors in the first place. Make sure that you know exactly how your target universities expect you to apply for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance and make sure you contact the right person or office. You can usually find that information on their website. If they do want you to contact professors directly, then it is fine to be up front about applying for a Letter of Acceptance for the MEXT Scholarship at this point, since you are in the official application process. You can be rather more straightforward.
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Update, I passed the interview ! Although there are some questions that were not mentioned by you, such as:
1.) Do you really have to receive scholarship for your goal? (I was asked beforehand; what would you like to do after you finish your Master? I answered that I want to experience work in Japan, and that triggered this question)
2.) There are no Japanese researcher that has the same interest as you, then why still want to go to Japan? (I made a presentation and apparently, I made a stupid mistake where I forgot to refer any Japanese researcher that has the same interest as mine)
3.) Where did you get the idea for your research?
4.) What will you do with the end result of your research?
I think those are the ones that I was not prepared for beforehand, but it seems I managed somehow. Thanks again Travis, you clearly had helped me to pass the primary screening. Have a great day !
Hi Tengsejing,
Congratulations on passing the interview!
Thank you very much, as well, for your comments on the interview. Those are some really good points to cover and I’m sure that it will help future applicants.
Ideally, at least 3 & 4 (and probably 1) should have been covered in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, at least in brief, so you could build on those answers, but it sounds like you successfully got through the questions, anyway.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis,
Hope you are well. I want to know I have waited so long but not received anything after the interview. It means I was rejected right? I am an Ontario resident. I was wondering why don’t they send me the rejection letter? It’s been many days and many people have already gotten their acceptance letter.
Hi Cici,
No word does not necessarily mean rejection. They should contact applicants who did not pass, as well, to give them their results.
It may sound pretty basic, but I would recommend that you check your spam mail box to see if there is anything there. If not, then I would recommend contacting the embassy/consulate directly to ask.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for your reply but it’s been 2 weeks after the interview since September 29, it’s already passed the early October. I am sure I got rejected I think.
Hi Cici,
Even if you’re sure you weren’t selected, I do not think there would be any harm in checking directly. What do you have to lose?
Of course, it is ultimately your decision.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks a lot for your advices and guidance it really is helping me a lot, I’m also grateful to everyone who has shared his experience in the comment section! So I wanted to ask, as I’m an aspirant comic artist and chose to study comic art in Japan, is it okay for me to bring my personal works ( 3 comic books ) for the interview even though I already submitted them within my application folder ?
Hi Hazem,
If you already submitted your work in the application, then your interviewers should have access to it. They should have reviewed your application package in completeness before the interview.
I do not know if you will be allowed to bring your works into the interview – I have never heard of anybody doing that before but maybe someone else can comment here – but you can always try. Even if you do try to bring them, though, I would recommend that you be prepared to complete the interview without them, just in case you are denied.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thanks to your efforts and instructions, I’ve succssefuly passed the interview. the embassy says that I have to wait for another email to guide me what to do next.
Meanwhile, I’ve contacted some professors and told them that I’ve passed the primary screening and attached my proposal to the emails. Some have replied, but it’s always the same reason; that their labs capacity is already over. while others didnt reply me yet, I’m starting to feel a bit nervous.
My question is, should I wait for the embassy to send me the passing certificate of the first screening and attach it (as a proof) to the emails I send to professors ? (especially the ones who haven’t replied yet), even though I’m not sure if it’s the reason why they’re not replying.
I’m confused, could you please suggest me what to do.
Hi Imen,
Congratulations on passing the interview and Primary Screening!
Once you have passed the Primary Screening, your next step should be to apply for Letters of Provisional Acceptance from universities. (That article is from last year, so the dates will be difference, but the process should be the same.)
You will need the Passing Certificate of the Primary Screening before you can start the official application process, so I recommend waiting to send your emails until you have it, but you can prepare now so that all you have to do is attach the document and press send.. Once you have it, make sure that you are contacting the university according to their instructions. Some universities will want you to contact professors directly, but others will direct you to contact a specific administrative office. If you do not follow their instructions, they won’t treat you as officially applying for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance.
I would also recommend that you take a look at the email you are sending. Make sure that you are tailoring your message to each individual professor or university and that the email is one that they would be happy to receive and reply to (e.g. not all about you and what you want from them).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Again, thanks so much for your content and hard work. You’re the reason I got shortlisted for the interview. Fingers crossed!
Just a question: you know how at the end of the interview, the interviewee sometimes asks questions and this segment of the interview can be what makes one stand out especially if the questions are good (usually in job interviews one can ask abt the company, culture, etc). What do you suggest here during the MEXT interview? Do japanese interviewers also appreciate that or is it against the culuture? Do they invite questions at the end of the interview in the first place? (Also, it’s an online interview only.)
Thanks again for all your help! 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Thank you very much for your kind words!
That’s always a part of interviews that I have struggled with on the applicant side. I’m terrible at figuring out what to ask, but I’m generally bad at asking questions, anyway. I don’t know that I could offer any useful questions here or do anything other than quote conventional wisdom, like don’t make the question about you or make it sound selfish (e.g. what are my chances). If there was something that the interviewers seemed particularly interested in during your conversation, you could ask a follow-up question about that.
Perhaps a question that could be used in any MEXT interview would be about how scholars work with the embassy after completing their scholarship. MEXT wants you to stay involved, participate in embassy events and follow-up surveys, etc., so asking about what kind of events and programs the embassy has and how you can get involved with those could give you a slight boost from being interested in giving back. If you have nothing else that comes up, that could be a fallback option.
I have been asked if I had any questions at the end of Japanese interviews before, so it is not against the culture. In my experience on interview panels, we have often asked or at least given the applicant the chance to make a sort of a closing statement, but sometimes don’t get the chance if the previous answers are long and we run out of time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks a lot for this post, I had my interview a few days ago and this side helped a lot in preparing, and I think it went quite well.
One important thing that I did not expect, was the language. I’m from a European country and they actually held the interview in our local language rather than English. Maybe this should have been expected, but it surprised me a bit.
In my case it was only four embassy employees, Japanese and local seeming, but no external professor, so we did not speak much about my specific research plan but more about relations between Japan and my country. How would I contribute to them, cultural differences/cultural similarities, why I want to go to Japan, language abilities (self-introduction in Japanese), how I will continue studying Japanese, plans for after my studies.
So pretty much what you described.
What I did not expect is that they also asked some questions that tested my knowledge about Japan, like:
* what happened recently in Japanese politics? (prime minister changed)
* names of prime ministers and emperor
* name of current era, current year in Japanese (reiwa-2)
* population of Japan compared to my country
* basic structure of Japan (regions, provinces)
* how many prefectures are there
I have been to Japan before for an exchange, so they also asked about that experience, what cultural things I took part in while I was there, if I went on visits to other parts of the country.
The English language exam is doable, the Japanese one is split into three sections – beginner, intermediate and advanced – which I think approximately correspond to N5-N4, N3 and N1. I haven’t taken N1 so I can’t really say, but it seemed like it from comparing to the practice JLPT’s at least.
I think having lived in Japan before is definitely a big plus as well, as it solves questions about language and culture, cultural differences etc.
Overall the interviewers were really friendly, so I think if prepared for these questions, nobody really has to be afraid of the interview.
Anyways just wanted to share my experience, maybe it’ll help somebody.
Best wishes and again, thanks a lot.
Hi No Name Specified,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I think this will be very helpful for other applicants.
You are the first person who has told me that your interview was in your local language. That was a surprise, so thank you for making that possibility clear. They also asked you some pretty detailed factual questions that sound more like an oral test than an interview.
Thank you again and good luck in the final results!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I had my interview 2 days ago and I would like to share my experience below:
The panel consisted of 5 people (3 Japanase + 2 from my home-country) and the overall interview lasted about 20 minutes. All panelists were very ffriendly and asked general questions like: 1) What do you want to do after you finish your studies in Japan?, 2) What do you like to do in your spare time?, 3) How do you think you can apply your research back in your home-country and 4) What was the greatest challenge that you faced in your academic career and how did you tackle it?
All other questions were specific for my research plan so they might be irrelevant for other candiates.
Best,
Georgios
Hi Georgios Boumis,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I’m sure this will be helpful to other applicants.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis! I have passed the written exams and will be sitting for the interview very soon. I would like to share a worry of mine about the interview. I’m generally a socially anxious or at the very least shy person. So if the interviewers ask me a question like “Why would you make a good ambassador?” Or “How would you improve the relations between our countries?” I worry that I don’t really ahev an answer for those kinds of questions. Any tips or examples of how I should be answering these questions? I would like to thank you for this article as it has helped me prepare myself for the interview and had alleviated some of my anxiety for this interview.
Hi Syauqi,
I understand where you are coming from. I’m quite shy and nervous in person, too! I particularly hate being in groups.
For interviews in the past, I’ve simply had to practice potential questions with a partner until I felt like I could give confident answers.
About your particular questions, even if you are shy, you can still be an ambassador if you leverage your other strengths. What else are you good at that doesn’t require being in front of people? For example, I would not be comfortable going out and giving speeches to try to connect people, but I do enjoy blogging about my experiences and writing articles that help people understand living in Japan. Could you do something that helps educate people about other cultures without having to be social and gregarious? Writing, planning an event (where other people do the speaking), or putting together videos, etc., are all valid ways to connect people and cultures, too,
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis,
My name is Alina. I was wondering how many people do they usually select for the interview and how many people actually get the scholarship after the interview? If you receive an email notification for the interview date after other people, does it mean that you are not as adequate as the others? No document has returned to me, is it weird? I am just so scared. Thank you
In addition, do I have to bring and submit a complete research proposal to the embassy? Is it necessary to do it. In addition, do I need to bring 3 copies of those finished application and research proposal again? Thank you
Hi Alina,
No, unless the embassy specifically tells you to bring those things, you do not need to. They should still have everything that you submitted originally.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Alina,
The number of scholarships available varies form country to country and each embassy or consulate decides on its own how many applicants to invite to the interview, so there are no “usual” numbers that I can offer, unfortunately.
However, the interview is the last part of the Primary Screening, so having made it this far is great progress. In most cases, the number of applicants would have been pared down significantly by this stage.
By the way, I would not read too much into receiving your interview notification later than other applicants. There’s no way to tell what the reason might be.
Your interviewers should have your application documents in hand when you arrive for the interview, or at least they will have reviewed them in advance, so you do not need to bring additional copies. You will only get your application documents back after the Primary Screening is complete and it is time to apply to universities.
As for what to bring to the interview, make sure you follow the instructions from the embassy. If they do not tell you to bring anything specific, then you should not need to bring anything.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much, Travis. I really appreciate it. I will try. Have a great day.
Thank you,
Alina
Hello Travis, hope you are doing fine at this moment. As always, thanks for all your help. I just had my interview today, I don’t think I could have made it this far without all the useful info you share with us.
Also wanted to take the moment to share about the questions I was asked, maybe it could be useful for your blog or other people. I do think however that my interview might have been a bit different than the usual ones. I’m saying this because I would say about 70% of my interview was questions about my specific research rather than the usual “generic” questions they might ask like the examples you give in this blog post.
The embassy official started right away by asking “What do you want to study and why in Japan”, kinda similar to the essay-like questions from the application form. The second question was regarding the cultural aspect of the scholarship, “What sort of cultural activities would I do once in Japan”. After that, they asked about my exposure to Japanese culture, if I had traveled to Japan before, or how have I interacted with their culture throughout my life (just like you suggested I didn’t talk about anime or manga! Lol).
After those 3 “generic” questions, the rest of the interview was oriented towards my research proposal. Maybe about 5 questions related to it. I know you recommended us not to get too much into details or to talk about technical terms and so on, but I ended up mentioning technical stuff anyway because they kept asking about it. I did make sure to always show a clear benefit to both countries and to talk about the benefits my research could give to others rather than myself. I won’t get into details about the actual questions since they are very specific to my research topic and area, but I found it interesting that the interview would go into that direction considering what you shared with us. A friend of mine who participated in the scholarship before was also surprised.
But well that was my experience. I don’t know if I should take it as a good sign that they liked my research idea so much they wanted to know more about it, or as a bad sign that they hated it so much they had to ask me more to understand, lol. They did seem pleased with my answers and several times throughout the interview, it became more like a conversation between all of us rather than an extremely formal and tense environment, but who knows.
Fun fact: when they asked me about my exposure to Japanese culture, I mentioned my love for Japanese literature, so for a moment we were just discussing Japanese authors and books we all liked, that was interesting. I guess it could be a good thing.
Another thing perhaps worth mentioning is that the Japanese exam was slightly different from the sample ones in the Study in Japan website. I suppose it’s to be expected considering that the latest sample is from 2016. Anyway, the entire Kanji section of the test was completely different. In previous years you were asked to “translate” between Kanji and Hiragana, and vice versa. This time, however, each question had about 5 sentences and you had to find those where the same kanji would be used (answers were written in hiragana, of course), so it was more about knowing the multiple readings of each kanji to be able to identify them in multiple scenarios.
I think that pretty much sums my experience. Once more thank you very much for all your help. Let’s hope I can get a good result. Take care.
Hi Johnny Navarro,
It’s good to hear from you again. Thank you very much for sharing your interview experience!
That is quite a bit different from what I have heard from applicants in the past, but it sounds like you handled it well. If the interviewers were asking about the technical aspects of your research, then of course it’s fine to get into those – you never want to not answer their questions. Sorry if I made it sound otherwise. My comment was more about applicants who weren’t specifically asked about the technical details, but got bogged down in those and lost focus on the overall purpose and outcomes of their research. Since you tied everything back to the goals, it sounds like you did an admirable job of both.
I’m curious, if you don’t mind sharing, what was your interview committee like (all Japanese embassy officials? Local officials? Local or Japanese professors?) and was it virtual or in person. I’m wondering if some countries have been shifting to virtual interviews and if that format lets them bring in more academic experts in applicants’ specific fields to the interview team.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thanks for your kind words!
Well, in my case the interview was in person. Everyone had to wear masks and they took our temperature before going in. Once inside the embassy, all the applicants had to sit far from each other and we were forbidden to talk unnecessarily. They did have me sit quite far away from the committee which was kinda weird but it was to be expected.
The committee was formed by three people, one Japanese embassy official, and two former MEXT scholars. None of the MEXT scholars seemed to be from my particular field but they still asked a lot of technical questions regarding my research. Even the Japanese embassy official asked questions about the research itself. Based on body language all three committee members seemed satisfied with my answers regarding the research and one of them even said it was something interesting that we should do in my home country too. So I guess perhaps my answers were good. I tried to apply all your suggestions, always trying to speak in a professional way. I think I did “sell” my idea pretty well, but who knows what might happen.
If there’s anything else you would want me to share about my experience feel free to ask! Thanks.
Hi Johnny Navarro,
Thank you very much for continuing to share your experience in detail! That is very helpful for me when I go back to update this article and also for other applicants now!
It’s interesting that they brought in ex-MEXT scholars. I think you are the first person that’s told me about have former scholars in the interview.
It sounds like you did well in it, so I’ll be hoping to hear positive results soon.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
I wanted to give you the good news that I’ve been selected for the MEXT 2021 scholarship! Well, at least in my embassy, I know I could still be rejected at the second screening, haha. You did mention is highly unlikely for people to fail at this point, but I guess I should still brace myself for whatever could happen. For now, I have successfully passed all the procedures in my home country.
I want to sincerely give you my thanks, is not an exaggeration to say that without your help I wouldn’t have made it this far. I started reading both your books and blog back in January of this year, and despite wanting this scholarship throughout pretty much my entire undergraduate career, I honestly didn’t know anything about how it all worked before stumbling upon your material. So you could say I started preparing quite late, but in a couple of months, your books help me recover all that “lost” time.
If I can ever help you in any way possible just tell me and I’ll gladly do so. Like for example sharing my Research Plan as complementary material. Although I suppose I cannot share that publicly just yet, not sure how the whole procedure works since as you said I’ll most likely end up doing completely different research altogether depending on my professor. Anyway, I’ll always be open to help in any way possible.
For now, I think the next step would be to look for the letters from the universities, but the embassy officials told me I have to wait a little bit for further instructions.
Once again, thanks for everything and I hope to continue hearing from you.
Best regards,
Johnny
Hi Johnny Navarro,
Congratulations! That’s an incredible achievement.
I’m glad I was able to be of some help in the application process. I’ve noticed that you have been a regular poster and contributor here, and I thank you for that.
If you would be willing to share your Field of Study and Research Program Plan later – after you start your degree, or whenever you are comfortable with it – I would appreciate that very much and I think other readers here would get a lot out of it! If you had any unique experiences during your application or advice that I haven’t covered well enough here and would like to write a guest post, that would also be most welcome. I would love to have more input here from successful applicants.
Like you said, your next step is getting letters of acceptance and the secondary screening. I have to look into what might have changed this year with the Letters of Acceptance process, but it should be relatively similar, just with different deadlines.
Congratulations again, and good luck with the rest of the application!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!
For some reason I cannot answer directly to the last reply you left me so instead I’m replying to one of the previous ones, hopefully you can see this haha.
About my Field of Study and Research Program Plan, I’d be more than willing to share it if it can be used as reference material for future applicants! I suppose I cannot share it just yet, but when I’m able to I would be happy to do so.
Regarding the guest post you mention, if that’s something you would be interested in doing then I would like to participate! I sent you an email in case you want to discuss it in a more direct way, otherwise, I still plan to continue visiting your blog and perhaps help in any way I can.
Once again, thank you for everything.
Best regards,
Johnny Navarro
Hi Johnny Navarro,
Thank you very much! I will follow up with you separately by email.
In the meantime, I do appreciate you continuing to read and post in the comments here, it’s very helpful and you have some insight that I do not from being on the applicant side at the moment.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Congratulations Johnny! I have been reading your comments throughout the blog posts and they’ve always been insightful! I’m so happy for you!
Thank you so much, Lan! I appreciate your kind words. I’m glad my comments have been useful! I hope that by sharing my experience I can help other applicants prepare for this scholarship. Along with Travis’s amazing blog posts of course!
Hello, I firstly would like to thank you for good job that your doing to help who are in need.
I real tried to pass into different sites including yours,trying to check for the past papers for english test, some sites dont exist at all and some have papers written research but down shows its for undergradutes.
Kindly requesting you to help me with past paper for english test, since am going for test soon.
Thanks.
Hi Baraka,
Thank you for your kind words.
Previous tests are available so you can review them on the official Study in Japan website. The link below will redirect to that site:
http://www.transenzjapan.com/tests/
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis!!
should I prepare a little bit of my introduction in Japanese for my interview?
Hi Shradha,
Have you stated in your application form that you have any Japanese language ability? If you have, they might ask you a question or two to demonstrate it, so it would be a good idea to prepare to be able to introduce yourself or answer some of your simpler questions in Japanese as well as English.
Assume that the level of difficulty of the questions that they will ask in Japanese will correspond to your self-evaluation of your Japanese ability level in the application form and prepare accordingly.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I firstly want to express my gratitude for all the information and advice you’ve given regarding the MEXT Scholarship! It has helped me so much with understanding the application process and I’m forever thankful that you started this page.
I am applying for the Research student scholarship and have a question regarding the Japanese language examination since the examinations are later this week. Normally, I would try to answer every single question on a test to scrape every possible mark, but would it be ill-advised to guess the answers for the Japanese examination? My Japanese is quite poor at this point, so I completely understand that I’d have to attend the language course later on if I am awarded with the scholarship.
Sorry for asking this question if the answer is rather blatant. I feel like I know what the answer is, but I thought confirmation from someone knowledgeable in the MEXT process would be best!
Thanks in advance!
Clarissa
Hi Clarissa,
You are very welcome. Thank you for your kind comments.
I recommend that you try to answer every question in the Japanese language exam. Your performance, in terms of points, is not really that relevant if your Japanese is poor and you are applying for a degree taught in English. The point is that you’re showing the effort.
Last year, I’m aware that in some countries applicants were rejected during the secondary screening because they had left the Japanese language test blank, so you certainly do not want to do that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
I would like to thank you first for all the work you have done on this site. It is truly the best site for anything related to the MEXT Scholarship.
I did my interview this past Thursday ( Research student) and I thought I would share my experience with you here.
I was interviewed by 5 people 3 of them were Japanese the others were from my country. Anyway, they asked me the following questions
1- Why did you apply for Mext?
2- my research plan was about locating the best suitable sites for wind energy in Japan and they asked me if I were to do it in my home country, what area would be best to investigate?
3- if you have the chance to work internationally would you do it? ( this question really throw me off guard)
4- what do I know about the Japanese language?
5- did the universities that I have chosen have English taught programs?
6-Before I left one of them asked me a question that was completely outside my area of expertise and it was about solar panels and how it might be more useful as a research topic for japan than doing research in wind energy (my topic).
I really did not have an answer for that last question, all I said was that its not something I have studied before and that solar energy and wind energy are both valuable sources under the umbrella of renewable sources of energy and since the Japanese government is looking for ways to diversify its sources of energy, focusing on one source like solar energy wouldn’t achieve the goal that the governmnet is trying to accomplish.
and that’s about it. They didn’t ask me a lot of questions because every answer I gave was long and we ended up talking for 30 minutes instead of 20 which is the length that was set for the interview ( not sure if that’s a good sign or not)
Anyways that was my 2021 Mext experience, I wanted to share it and wish good luck for my fellow applicants. As for me, I’ll just have to wait for the results
Thanks again Travis and please keep up the good work!
Hi Khalid,
Wow! Thank you very much for sharing your detailed experience with the interview. It was particularly valuable to hear about the questions that threw you off guard.
I think that last question – about solar – indicates the level to which your interviewers are not experts in your field. To a layperson, we might lump all renewable energy forms together, but from a researcher perspective, I think the scientific expertise makes wind and solar completely different fields. It’s very helpful for other applicants to know that they may face that kind of question from an uninformed interviewer.
Thank you again!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis, it’s me Khalid again
I received an email from my embassy today saying that I have passed the first screening! And again I would like to thank you because, without this site, I would’ve definitely struggled to get past it!
With that being said I would like you to clarify something for me, please.
If I manage to obtain an LOA, what are the chances of me passing the second screening because I heard some conflicting things about it, some say it’s very rare and some say that MEXT sometimes changes its mind and reduce the number of the assigned slots to a country in the last minute and thus ending up cutting out some of the people that passed the first screening any information on this topic would be highly appreciated. Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Khalid,
Congratulations! I am very happy to hear that you were successful in the primary screening.
At this point, obtaining a LOA should not be terribly difficult, as long as you have done your research on the programs and you are applying for a university/professor that matches your research interest and language ability. The LOA screening is not as intense as the Primary Screening.
About the Secondary Screening, last year it happened that several applicants did not pass the Secondary Screening, despite having passed the Primary Screening and receiving LOAs. That was the first and only time I had heard of that happening at least in the 9 years that I have been working with this scholarship. My understanding is that MEXT cut the number of funding/slots during the application process. In some countries, that information came before the Primary Screening, so applicants were reduced at the point, but others did not and had to reduce their nominees at the Secondary Screening. (This isn’t confirmed by MEXT, just what I observed).
I do not expect this to happen in consecutive years. Last year, there were major changes in Japanese education that affected MEXT’s budget. This year, even with COVID, there has not been a similar change. So, I still think you have a very good chance of passing the Secondary Screening!
By the way, everyone I heard of who did not pass the Secondary Screening last year left the Japanese language test blank.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for the clarification Travis ^^
the first screening results were delayed in my country for almost a month and the reason being, according to my embassy, is that they were waiting for an email from Tokyo to confirm the number of slots for this year, luckily I was one of two that passed the cut.
when it comes to contacting professors, do you think that it would be ok to send them my CV too? because there things in it, that I simply couldn’t fit into the MEXT application and I would like for my potential supervisor to know more about them
Hi Khalid,
Thank you very much for sharing this additional information! I hadn’t realized that there was a question about the number of slots again this year.
Congratulations again on passing the cut and the Primary Screening!
When contacting professors, I would recommend not overwhelming them with information. The chances that a professor would go through the trouble of looking through your CV after the first emails are very small. Instead, I would recommend a short email explaining why you are interested in studying under them, first (this email should focus on the professor and how your research is similar), and in that message offering to send them more information, including your CV, if they would like to see it.
My first recommendation would be to search the university’s website and make sure that you know how they want you to apply for an LoA. (Do they even want you to contact the professors directly? Not all universities do. Is contacting the professor enough, or do you need to contact an admin office to make your application official?)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis
I’ve done my interview today and waiting for results. I have already contacted some professors last week to ask them for supervision , got rejected by some and others that are more aligned with my research (from Keio Univ and Tokyo Tech) still didnt answer me. My qst is : should I re-contact those profs again in case I passed the primary screening to ask them direclty for LAO’s, or is it better to contact other new Profs instead ?
another qst, how many days should I wait for a Prof’s feedback before sending another email to another Ptof ??
Thank you for your help.
aaand should I attach my research plan (that I’ve joined to my MEXT application) to the emails I send?
Hi Imen,
Once you have passed the Primary Screening, the university should have a list of the documents that they want you to submit and instructions for doing so. If you are contacting professors before that, I do not recommend attaching the FSRPP to the first message, as that can be pretty forward. I would start the conversation first and send it in the second message, instead.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Imen,
I know this is way too late to help you, and we’ve gone back and forth on a series of other questions in the meantime, but I am catching up on old questions and wanted to address it in case it could help future readers.
In general, I would not advise contacting professors after your interview but before getting the results of the Primary Screening. You can’t start officially applying for Letters of Acceptance until after you get the Passing Certificate of the Primary Screening, which shouldn’t be long. Once you have that, you are must more likely to get a response.
I would recommend recontacting the former professors once you have passed the Primary Screening, since that may be why they were not responding.
If professors still do not respond, I recommend sending a reminder after one week, and then trying to contact them through the administrative office of their graduate school a week after that. If even that does not work, then you may want to reconsider if this is a professor you really want to work with. If you decide to switch targets, I would recommend sending one final email to thank the professor for their time and explain that you will be contacting another potential advisor instead.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am Aayman from Bangladesh. I plan on applying for MEXT scholarship next year for an undergraduate degree. I read your article and I found it very helpful. Thank you.
But I had a few questions. For an undergraduate degree, will the questions change? for example, Will I still need to tell them about any universities or professors I have contacted?
Will I still need to tell them about my academic background?
And will it be rude or insensitive to tell them that I had been amazed and curious about Japan and have wanted to live there ever since I read about World war 2? Or the 2011 tsunami and how I have been amazed at how the Japanese people picked themselves up from these situations?
Sorry for asking so many questions. But would appreciate it if you replied back
Hi Aayman,
My area of expertise is the scholarship for graduate students, so I haven’t done any specific research into the interview for undergraduates, but I would assume that there will certainly be some differences.
For example, there is no Placement Preference From in the undergraduate scholarship application, so you would not be asked about universities or professors.
You may still be asked about your academic background, but there would be less to say.
If you describe any potentially controversial topics (like WWII), I would recommend focusing on the positives – like how you mentioned the resilience of the Japanese people and how they rebuilt. Also, try to keep your descriptions of your interest in Japan focused as closely as possible to your intended studies in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis. Thank you very much for this informative blog. I am trying to figure out a few unclear things stated in the guidelines.
First question: So I have been employed for three years but I left my job. Do I need to ask my previous employer for a recommendation letter? I have only one recommendation letter from my university supervisor is it enough? They only asked for one recommendation letter from the university supervisor and one from your current employer, but I am unemployed.
Second question: Will they ask for the thesis I wrote in the university? I have the abstract but the complete thesis was submitted to my university and the softcopy kind of got lost.
Third question: Could you please elaborate more on how we can answer the contribution question to both Japan and my country?
Hi Zeynep,
First: If you are not currently employed, then you do not need to submit a letter of recommendation from an employer. Just the letter from your university should be sufficient.
Second: Typically, they are only going to want to see the abstract during the application review. Your future academic advisor may want to see more once you start your studies (although I understand that is not possible in your case), but by that point, you would have already earned the scholarship.
Third: This really depends on your field of study! What are the possible social benefits of the research that you want to do? Think about how the outcomes could be used and that use could benefit society in both countries.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Thank you for running this blog it’s very helpful.
I’m applying this year and if you don’t mind, I have 3 questions:
1. I want to go to Japan as a MEXT student for 18months, do my 1-year research and then continue my professional career, I do not want to prelong my scholarship to full-time graduate studies. Do you think that would lower my chances of getting the scholarship?
2. Is it by any chance possible to study one major and have Academic Supervisor from another major? I’m a graphic design student and as a part of those studies I learned packaging design which I want to pursue in my research. But on Japanese universities packaging design is usually a part of Industrial design/Product design majors – and all the experts in the field of packaging are professors of those majors. That is something I could never study, because I literally never learned that – except for the very narrow area that is packaging design and in this specific field I am trained.
So now it seems like I have to choose – either work with Academic Advisor that is NOT an expert in my field, or work with an expert, but in the major I literally have never studied.
3. Regarding the question in the form “What do you think you can contribute to Japan and your home country by your experience of studying in Japan? ” – I’m studying at Arts University and I wanted to mention I wish to contribute to exchange between my home univeristy and the japanese university – to help organize an exhibition that will be the exchange between students from the two Universities – my home Uni already have been doing such exhibitons with Univeristies from Japan before. Now – do you think that would be relevant and worth mentioning or in this question I should refer more to my professional career and how can I use specific skills I I learned in Japan in my home country etc.?
Sorry the questions are so long. Thank you!
Hi Gabriela,
I am afraid this answer is coming much too late to help you.
1. If you can show that your research scholarship will enable you to make a strong contribution to society and to the relationship between Japan and your home country, then I think you still have a chance. But you are going to be under increased scrutiny, since your path is outside of normal expectations, so you’ll have to work harder to make a case for your applications.
2. No, your academic supervisor must come from your department. It is possible to consult with professors in other departments or even other graduate schools, if they are willing to work with you, but they cannot be your supervisor.
3. I think that your stated contribution to Japan and your home country must be something that will only become possible because of what you are able to accomplish during the MEXT Scholarship. You need to make the point here that you will make a strong contribution, but that it relies on your earning the MEXT Scholarship and accomplishing your specific research goals in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
I am Deborah from Ghana thank you for this educative article. however, I have a few queries. Can you please elaborate on the research theme and research plan. I’m aspiring to study in the field of public health.
Also, the field of study in Japan and a detailed field of study in Japan are a little bit confusing. thank you.
Hi Deborah,
I use the word “research theme” to refer to the idea of how you want to serve society/the world that guides your choice of research topic. If your field of study is public health, what is it that inspired you to study that field? Is there a particular disease or condition that you want to work with? If so, that is your research theme. For example, if you wanted to help prevent the spread of anything from AIDS to obesity, the specific cause that drives you is your theme.
Within that theme, you select a research question that will contribute in some way to that theme or will enable you to contribute to that theme in the future. Your research plan is then the practical steps you will take to answer that research question.
I talk about both of these concepts in more detail in my books, particularly How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan, which walks you through the entire process, but that is the basic idea.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you TranSenz. This piece is really educative. I have few queries please.
Do i have to contact the academic advisor before putting his or her name on paper.
What might be the most appropriate way to answer the field of study in Japan and detailed field of studying in Japan? i’m a little bit confused. Thank you
Hi Deborah,
You do not need to contact your potential academic advisors in advance. It is never a bad idea to start trying to get in touch for the sake of networking, but I would not recommend contacting them just for the sake of asking if you can list them as a potential supervisor in the MEXT application. It is better to start working on a genuine relationship, if you have the time.
I have an article specifically about the Placement Preference Form where I talk about how to fill in the field of study and detailed field, so I hope that will help answer your question.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis.
I am Tso, a master student applying the MEXT scholarship this year. And I have already sent my application to the embassy. Hopefully, I can pass the document-screening.
Here are my questions:
1. Considering the Covid-19 circumstances, how possible do you think that the embassy will hold the interview online this year? And what should we prepare for?
2. I have submitted the documents with the abstract and cover page of some research articles I wrote in recent years, which related to my previous study experiences, but slightly different from the professor I choose e.g., same methods but different participants, children vs elderly. Would you consider having published papers as one advantage? And should I prepare the response of the difference between those two topics?
3. To be honest, I don’t have much confidence about interviewing in Japanese although I have passed the JLPT n2. So I plan to respond in English. however, might I do the translation in Japanese when speaking of some technical terms?
4. Can I mention that one of my senior colleagues had received this scholarship when talking about motivation? Or should I avoid those relationships in the interview?
5. My last question is, what if I say I would choose to be self-funding when the MEXT rejected my application? Could this might let the interviewers think that this scholarship is not as much as essential to me comparing with others? Should I avoid these answers?
Looking forward to hearing from you………
Hi Tso,
I’m surprised to hear that you have already sent in your application this year. As far as I know, the application process has not yet started and MEXT hasn’t released the application guidelines or forms. (On the other hand, I know that some countries, like Malaysia, have a pre-screening process that they run to determine who can apply, and some of those have started.)
1. I don’t have any official information about holding interviews online, but I suspect that is what will happen. (I think that is part of the reason why the application guidelines are so late this year). Already in Japan, job interview interviews have largely moved online, so it would not be surprising to see the MEXT interviews online, too. In that case, prepare for the same questions, but also prepare for the format of a virtual interview and what will be expected. I would also recommend practicing a virtual interview with a friend.
2. Having published papers is never going to hurt you, even if the topic is slightly different from what you will study in your graduate degree, so there is no need to worry there. In general, you should be able to explain the connection between what you have researched in the past and what you will study in grad school in Japan, but really, all you need to explain is how your past research led to your interest in the new topic. It is not a problem at all to have a minor change like you described, so you should not need to worry about any severe questions on that point.
3. In general, you should answer interview questions in the language they are asked. In most cases, the majority of the interview will be in English, but there will be a few questions in Japanese for the primary purpose of testing your language ability. Be sure to answer those in Japanese. If the interviewers ask you to answer in one language but you use another, that would not be good. Including some Japanese terms in an English answer is OK, but be sure to explain them in English as well, as some of your interview panel may not speak Japanese. (Often, local officials or academics are invited to the interview panel).
4. It is fine to mention that your senpai earned the scholarship and that that was part of your motivation to apply and to study in Japan to further your own education.
5. The MEXT scholarship is a merit-based scholarship and financial need is not a factor, so it should not impact their decision. Ultimately, the quality of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan and your grades are also significant factors in the selection, so even if one interviewer thinks that you do not necessarily need the scholarship, that shouldn’t make enough of a difference to change the outcome. However, just in case, I would suggest that you be cautious about expressing that you will go as a self-funded student. Express that you would like to do so and will work to find alternate sources of funding to pursue your dream, but try not to make it sound like it would be easy for you to fund your own study in Japan without the scholarship, if that makes sense.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for your advisers. In fact, in China, where I came from there process of applying the MEXT scholarship is quite different. Yes, we do have a pre-screening with a pre-education program of language for all candidates. So the official enrollment will Be in 2021. Hope it will answer your concerns….also thank you again for your kindly reply, much helpful…..
Hi Tso,
Thank you for satisfying my curiosity about the pre-screening! I hope my advice is still valid and helpful for that stage as well as the embassy screening to come.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for this post! It has helped me tremendously in my application for the MEXT scholarship. Should I pass the document screening, I will have an interview with the university directly. I was wondering if there are any differences in the interview (questions) as compared to the embassy one?
Thank you so much for your help! 🙂
Hi Bea,
Thank you for your feedback!
In general, the university interview is going to be more focused on your research than how you will use that in the future to benefit your country and Japan. After all, your interviewers will be faculty members from the university, not bureaucrats from the embassy. So, make sure you know your field of study and research program, as well as the research behind it, and be ready to answer questions about that.
You might also be asked questions about why you want to do your research in Japan or at that university (don’t just flatter them, be able to give specific reasons), and how you think you will be able to adapt to life in Japan, as described in the article above.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Transenz
Thank you so much for this blog as it has helped us tremendously I got a question
When they ask the question of “ how is this research or scholarship going to help the relations between your country n japan ?”
Can you please give an example for an answer for that ? I did come up with an answer like it will help promote the japanese culture on a more sophisticated level because my research topic is on the historical relation between music and architecture ,which are vital elements to any culture , and I would like to further my study on this topic while showcasing it to my students as I’m planning on becoming an instructor in a university Where originally finished my undergraduate studies ..do you think its a reasonable answer ?
I hope u can answer my question
Thank you
Hi Marwa,
Yes, I think that is a reasonable answer. It’s hard to suggest more without knowing more about your research field, specifically, and how your intended research could be applied. But between applying the results of your research in Japan to your home country, which will strengthen the relations between the two countries, and becoming an advocate for Japan as a university instructor in your home country – as well as a bridge between the research cultures in both countries – you have a solid framework for your contribution. Now you just need to add specifics, as best you can, based on your research.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis – just wanted to reach out to thank you for all the resources you’ve made available. I’ve followed through your guidance for each step of the process and it’s been a huge help.
I had an interview in Australia last month and I’d reiterate some earlier comments that there was also a focus on why the research needed to be conducted in Japan, and how you would get involved in cultural activities in Japan.
Cheers, Tpup
Hi Tpup,
Thank you very much for your feedback! That’s the kind of thing that motivates me to keep working on this site.
I’m glad to hear the interview questions were relatively similar for you. Thank you for confirming that they still ask about the “why in Japan” question, even though it’s now in the application form.
I will keep the cultural activities question in mind, as well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Would it be wise to write these questions on a text and write responses and review them everyday.
Hi Kaylen Cole,
If that’s how you prepare best for an interview, then I’m sure that would help!
My preferred approach in my own situation (job interviews, etc), was to write an outline of what I wanted to say and how I could use each of the questions to showcase a point that I wanted to make, and have someone else ask the questions to me once per day to practice answering them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I wanted to thank you for all your articles here and the books which really helped in my application and interview process! I passed the document screening and I thought the interview went well, but it has been a month and I still haven’t heard anything about my results. I was wondering if this means I didn’t pass the interview stage? I heard from another candidate that they don’t contact people who don’t pass, but I thought that was strange since at this point there were only 3 candidates interviewing at my embassy.
Thanks!
Hi Erin,
Thank you for your feedback!
I had heard that there was a delay in many countries this year before the results came out, but as far as I know, they should have contacted everyone by now. If you haven’t heard from the Embassy, I would recommend reaching out to them.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks so much for your amazing review and information Travis. I’m Victoria from Nigeria. And I’m about to go for my interview today. Fingers crossed!
Hi Victoria,
Thank you for your kind words. Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey there good samaritan
how do we address professors for supervision? and anything else you want to advise on during the interview
Hi S.S.,
This article includes all of the advice and feedback I have about the interview, based on past applicants’ experience and my own experience in Japanese interview panels.
As for addressing professors, it’s essentially similar to addressing anyone that you want to network with. You should be polite, indicate a personal interest in them (know their work) and why you want to work with them, and try to make it clear how your research relates to theirs. Keep your first email short and easy to reply to, so that you can get a response quickly and start building a relationship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
Thank you very much for all the tips you have given!
I’d like to ask you some more questions regarding the Letter of acceptance. I have an interview at the Embassy after a week but I haven’t written to any proffessors yet. Is it must thing to write before the interview for graduate school? And if yes, should I send them my research plan same as I turned in the embassy?
Thank you very much for you time!
Hi Ozi,
Technically, you can only contact professors to apply for Letters of Provisional Acceptance after passing the Primary Screening and receiving your documents from the Embassy, so it is not a problem that you have not contacted them yet.
When you apply for a Letter of Provisional Acceptance, you will have to send the university the same documents that you submitted to the Embassy, plus the Passing Certificate of the Primary Screening (see the article above for details). You cannot swap in a different Field of Study and Research Program Plan at that time.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I do recommend trying to contact them earlier for the sake of building up a relationship and networking, but it is not a requirement.
Hello Transenz, I’m still waiting for the results of the primary screening but I wouldn’t get here if it weren’t for you and your blog. I’ve written a reply to this page to give you an update with regards to my experience for MEXT 2020. So far the mechanics have been the same except for the application form and interview. In the application form they have asked more or less the content you posted here, so in the interview they focused more on the research plan and in gauging if you can survive the stress there. Maybe future applicants would have to prepare more on defending they proposal rather than showing their proficiency in English during interviews. I wish good luck to everyone!
If you want more clarifications, you can email me. Thanks for everything.
Hi Hanami,
Thank you very much for the feedback on the interview. I hadn’t thought about how the changes to the application form would impact the questions there, so that was very helpful! I will update this article as soon as possible.
I had been working on an updated article about the application form, but wasn’t able to finish it in time to actually be helpful to anyone applying this year, so I put that article on pause to update the Letter of Acceptance one. I will be going back to it, but I’m afraid that won’t help you. Either way, I will look at the two articles in conjunction.
Thank you again, and good luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis!
I am also here to share my experience in the interview. The key question on my interview was “Why do you need to undertake the research in Japan?”. I asked other interviewees and I believed they got more questions about their research proposals, especially if their original field of research is very different from the research they are proposing. In my case though, they moved on halfway through the interview and asked me questions regarding how I can adapt to the life (and the laboratory life) in Japan, previous experiences in Japan (which I had none), previous work experience, and some personal questions.
Thanks for all the advice, and whether I make it through the first screening or not, I owe a great part of my success in the earlier steps of the application process to you.
Hi Steph,
Thank you very much for your feedback and sharing your experience!
I will look at the questions you shared and see how I can update this article to better reflect them! I had been hearing that the “why does your research need to be done in Japan” question was losing popularity this year because of the application form changes, but it seems that is not true across all locations.
I hope to hear good news from you soon about the results!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
What if the first choice of university and the research plan for the first we submit during document screening and the one to be submitted during interview are different?Although still in the same field,but the major is slightly different.Is it acceptable?
Hi Max Amr,
It sounds like your embassy might have a different procedure that I have never heard of before. As far as I knew, you submit your Field of Study and Research Program Plan (and all of your other documents) only once at the beginning of the application process. I hadn’t heard of resubmitting them before the interview.
Perhaps your embassy has a pre-screeing process where they ask for fewer document at the beginning?
If that is the case, it would be a local procedure, so I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell you what to do unless you shared with me the exact instructions you received. Could you share those instructions, or perhaps a link?
In the meantime, you could also contact the embassy directly for their advice on changing your research topic at this point.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for the reply. well in my case, during the document screening they ask for what we plan to study in japan (in detail but with less documents). For the interview, they ask us to provide field of study and research plan. Anyway, I asked the embassy and they said the research plan could be changed as long as it is in the same field.
Hi Max Amr,
Thank you for the update. It sounds like your country has a bit of a different process than most. I’m glad that you were able to follow up with them and get approval to make the necessary changes!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I studied pharmacy for 3 years, and I want to continue my studies in Japan.
Is there any way for me to take a scholarship?
Hi Mohammad,
Unfortuantely, that’s really not enough information for me to be able to make a guess.
I would recommend that you read my article on eligibility for the MEXT scholarship to see whether you are eligible to apply or not.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello ,my name is Sun Seyha.Oh! I know some question that I known from my friends befor ,but I want to to help me to answer it .I answer it already in my preparation paper but I’m not sure that is such as a greatest answer .Here they are
-What wold you do after ypun fel this exam?
-You might heard that Japn is one of countries in which some kind of terrible natural disasters could occur,for in stand earthquake.Aren’t you afraid of that?
Hi Sun Seyah,
Those are pretty common questions.
The purpose of the first one is to make sure that you really are motivated to pursue your research and achieve the goals you have set for yourself, even if you do not get the scholarship. This helps weed out the applicants who are only looking for a free education and do not have any higher goal to contribute to their country/Japan. So, your answer should indicate how you can make progress to your goal even if you do not receive the MEXT scholarship.
For the second question, of course, it is up to your individual opinion. But my suggestion is to say that every country has its problems and risks and that you have to accept them. Japan is not the only country that has natural disasters, but it is one of the countries that is best prepared to deal with them. And other problems, like violence, are less common here.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis,
I’m going to the interview in a couple weeks, but I’ve already got an acceptance from the University of Tokyo. I told my supervisor about my situation and he said it should be okay for me to delay enrollment to next year if I should pass the interview. So I think I’m gauranteed at least one LoA (and placement at the University). If I don’t pass, I will just attend the University on my own and look for other scholarships/funds/jobs/etc.
My question is, do you think I need to get a 2nd or 3rd LoA? I have another professor that I’ve been talking to, but if it’s not necessary, I plan to let them know that I won’t be applying. What do you think?
Also, should I mention that I already have an acceptance during my interview or should I just keep it at “I’ve been in touch with professors in Japan”?
Thanks for all the info on this site, it’s been helpful!
Hi Space,
I saw that you had left the same question on another post and answered it there, first.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Went to the interview today, I think it went well overall, but I wish I talked more about my interest in Japanese culture (kinda went on another topic when answering the cultural ambassador question then never got back to it). All I can do is wait now. I followed your advice and mentioned it during the “backup plan” question. Actually, I don’t think the backup plan question is mentioned in your article, and I’ve read from other sources that they’ve had similar question as well. The other parts of the article are solid though, very helpful!
Thanks!
Hi Space,
Thank you for sharing your feedback from the interview. It sounds like it went well. Getting side-tracked is not necessarily a bad thing. It could mean that they were more interested in what you had to say than sticking to their list of questions, which would indicate a positive impression, based on my experience.
I’ve been hearing about the back-up plan question a few times over the past few days and I am going to add it to this article as soon as possible, as well!
I hope that the results are favorable and that you hear good news soon!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi! What if i am not sure if i would get an LOA In the same field as my research proposal? I was suggested to change my field of intrest by my master’s professor but is that possible?. I am applying for research (phd).
Hi Swathi Balaji,
Once you have submitted your application to the Embassy, you cannot change your Field of Study and Research Program Plan form contents. That’s one reason I recommend that you always check for professors and programs in Japan before submitting that form.
If you want to make a minor change, then you could try to explain yourself to potential advisors in Japan and say that you are willing to make changes to fit into their lab, despite what the plan says. To do so, you would need to get into direct contact with them while applying for your letter of provisional acceptance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Do I have to contact any university if I’m applying for a undergraduate scholarship? How can I do it ? Should I? I don’t understand please I would be really grateful if you respond.
Hi Lily,
My expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, so I have not written about the application process for undergraduates. I do know that you do not need to contact universities for the undergraduate scholarship process, but I do not have many details, so I would recommend that you read the official undergraduate application guidelines from MEXT’s website and contact the Japanese Embassy in your country for more details.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you for this article sir it really help me i just have one question with regards to the undergraduate category since it requires a japanese language exam, could you give some advice or what type of questions will come out because i have no idea and getting anxious not to passed the exam
Hi Leehi,
The Japanese language exam is required at all levels (undergraduate and graduate).
You can find past tests at: http://www.transenzjapan.com/tests/
(This is a redirect link to the Study in Japan website that is officially approved to post old tests).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis i’ve applied all of my papers to the embassy there’s just one problem …
I gave a copy of my certificate to the embassy and they said the copies must be attested will they reject my application based on that?
i am applying for Teacher Training program
Hi Meshall,
If your application documents do not meet the minimum requirements, yes, that can be grounds for your application being rejected.
If the requirement is for an original or attested copy of a document and you submit just a photocopy, that would not be considered to meet the requirements, so the document may not be accepted or considered.
I recommend that you replace any documents with the attested copies, per the embassy’s instructions, as soon as possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, I’d like to ask a question. I’m currently a third year student of Japanese philology, hopefully finishing my bachelor degree this June 2019, and I was said to try scholarship to Japan. How does it work? Am I applying as an undergraduate student or as a research (graduate) student? I’m planning to apply for master this year and I hope I’ll pass (but I’ll know the result in June). When I tried to fill the application form for MEXT scholarship earlier, there was a part saying that those who are graduating before September 2019 are not eligible. What does that mean? Do I have to apply next year then?
Hi JR,
I recommend that you start with my article describing the Basics of the MEXT Scholarship to get an overview of how the scholarship process works. You would be applying as a Research Student (Graduate Student). From there, you can go on to explore the Embassy or University Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application process, depending on which appeals more to you. You can find all of the articles at the link below:
http://www.transenzjapan.com/blog/mext/
In most cases, it is too late to apply for the MEXT Scholarship to start in 2019 (even where the application deadline has not yet passed, I do not think you have enough time to prepare), so you should be looking at applying for Spring or Fall 2020.
I’m not sure what form you were looking at that said that those graduating before Sept 2019 were not eligible. That doesn’t sound right at all, unless you were looking at the Japan Studies Scholarship form, which would not be the right one for you (that is for undergraduate exchange students).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi ,I am from India ,I lived in Japan for 6 years , will this be of any use for mext and to get admission in university of Tokyo as an undergraduate?
Hi Ssb,
Simply having lived in Japan is not an advantage itself. What matters is how you leverage that experience to show how it makes you a better candidate for the scholarship in the reviewer’s eyes!
The articles I have written on this website are about the MEXT scholarship for graduate students and I am not as familiar with the application process for undergrad. But I do know that for the undergrad scholarship, you do not choose your university, MEXT chooses for you, so you wouldn’t necessarily be applying to the University of Tokyo on your own.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you very much,, can I also let me know ,What are the portions for the written exam for an undergraduate
Hi Ssb,
My area of expertise is the MEXT Scholarship for Graduate Students. I have not done any specific research into the scholarship for undergraduates in any detail.
My best recommendation to you would be to check the application guidelines when they are posted on the Embassy or Consulate’s website, usually around mid April.
In the meantime, here is a link to last year’s guidelines on MEXT’s website as a point of reference to answer your question:
http://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2018/04/17/1403843_02.pdf
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi there!
I will be in Japan until the end of November of 2019.
I want to start with the Embassy Recommendation, but I cannot go back to my country, in the Middle East. I will have classes during the examinations and interview process at the Embassy. Plus, it’s too expensive, but it might be worth it though.
To your knowledge, is there any way I could apply through the Embassy Recommendation here from Japan?
Thank you for your blog and the information you have been sharing with everyone.
Hi Rekan,
You do need to physically appear at the embassy at multiple stages during the Embassy Recommended MEXT scholarship application process. You do not necessarily have to be in your country the whole time, but I do not know any way around appearing for the interview and language tests, for example.
You can apply for the University Recommendation application from within Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Firstly, I would like to thank you for such a comprehensive guide of increasing chances of getting the MEXT scholarship.
Secondly, while reading the official “Application guideline” for undegraduate students, there is an interesting stipulation in the paragraph 6(1) about the Nationality. Here it is:
<>. I think I misunderstand this, for example I am a Tatar(this is nation and my historical hometown is Kazan, Tatarstan which is in Russia), however I live in Uzbekistan and I am an Uzbekistan citizenship holder. In my passport, it is written that I am Tatar and not Uzbek. However I am patriot of my country and want to contribute to the mutual relations between Japan and Uzbekistan. Therefore, I wonder if I am eligible for this scholarship?
Thank you in advance
Best regards,
Abdubakir
Hi Abdubakir,
“Nationality” refers to the country where you hold citizenship – the country that has issued your passport.
Even if your passport notes your ethnicity, that is not relevant to the scholarship application, only the name of the country that issued the passport is, so for the purpose of the scholarship application, it sounds like your nationality would be Uzbekistan (in Japan, nationality is the name of the country, not the adjective).
So, yes, you would be eligible!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, how important are my highschool grades? I don’t have bad grades, they’re better than average but they’re not perfect. Do they care that much about this aspect?
Hi Daniel,
My expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, and if you are applying for the scholarship for graduate students, then your high school grades would not matter at all.
If you are applying for the scholarship for undergraduate students, I am afraid I do not know what exactly goes into the scoring system, but I would assume that your grades play a significant role.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I hope that I can find solution for my issues.
Hi MR.Travis ,,,
Thank you for your advise that is really help us a lot.
I have passed the document screening and invited to do the exam next week 22July and If will pass the exam the interview will be in 23July .
I need help in exam that is really made me worry a lot just because the English is my second language and I reviewed the exam samples and find it really advance for me eventhough that my English is Excellent and all my undergraduate studies was in English .
But I really dont know what to do ,,,If there is resources that can help me I will really appreciate that for you .Or if any one can help me please . Everything is really fine even the interview except this exam . Thank you
Hi Afnan,
If you know what part of the test you struggle with most, then I would recommend that you find ESL textbooks that focus on that particular issue and study those. I’m afraid I am not an expert on ESL resources, so I would not be the best person to help you. Perhaps someone from the English department at your university would be able to offer some suggestions, though!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
First, I wanted to thank you for your great help and advise
second, i have a question regarding how do i answer ” tale about yourself or introduce yourself” question, can you recommend some key points that should be in the answer?
Thanks a lot
Hi Hala Al Takruri,
I covered this in the article above under the section about academic background. Essentially, you want to tell the parts of your background that relate to your studies in Japan as well as your sales points, as mentioned in the article.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis,
Thank you in advance for your articles about MEXT Scholarship! it helps me a lot so far through my selection process. I’ve passed the documents screening and the language test and will be facing the interview next week.
You said it is not necessary to have a LoA in this time, but it will help, right? So I am already sending many emails to many professors (incl. professors listed in my placement preference), but I only got one reply from my first-preferred professor. What happens is that he said my research doesn’t fit his, so I should find other professors from another field (His field is law and he thinks that my research is more of the sociology of law or law and society than pure law). I got his replay long after I applied to MEXT.
So I am afraid that it will affect my scholarship process since he was my first choice in the placement preference form and the other (from the pure law field and the sociology of law field) didn’t answer my email. What do you think based on your experience?
Thanks a lot!
Best Regards,
Farrah
Hi Farrah AM,
Congratulations on getting this far in the application process!
Universities are not allowed to give you a Letter of Acceptance until after you have passed the Primary Screening, so not having one at this point will not hurt you. During the interview, you can say that you have started reaching out to professors to see if they would be willing to supervise you if you pass the Primary Screening, but have not had any positive responses yet. That is an honest answer and doesn’t bring up the one professor who suggested that you turn to a different field.
They should not ask you at this point whether any of your universities have rejected your appeals. But if they do, you can say that one professor suggested that he was not best suited to supervise your research and directed you to a more appropriate field and that you plan to use that advise to continue following up. It is not at all rare for applicants’ first choice professor to direct them to someone else if they don’t think the research is a complete fit!
Good Luck in the Interview!
– Travis from TranSenz
What if I’m NOT confident that I did well in one of the subject areas during the qualifying exam but is very confident with my other exam in another subject area. Would the results still be favorable?
Please reply asap I’m panicking
Hi Andrea,
Unfortunately, I don’t know what to say.
I do not have any expertise in the scholarship for undergraduates, so I do not know how big of a factor the individual exams are.
I hope someone else can chime in and offer advice!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
This guide, man. Thank you so much. I’ve gotten a call today saying that I have passed the interview. Your site made the entire preparation a lot easier. This guide in particular impressed me with how easy it made the interview.
I admit though, I was super anxious and thinking I had been rejected until that call came in.
Hi Necuno!
Congratulations! And thank you very much for your kind comments. I really appreciate hearing back from readers who were able to use the articles to achieve success!
Good Luck with your Letters of Acceptance!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis! I wasn’t sure where the best place to ask you is,but I have a really big question that hasn’t been covered: I think I might have potentially passed the Primary Screening (fingers crossed – I passed both English and Japanese exams and was congratulated on my presentation and my interview went very well) but I was a bit surprised to be called after the documents screening because my Bachelor’s marks are quite average. I have top marks in a UK Masters which however is only 1 year.
Is there any chance that, if I passed the Primary Screening, I might be rejected on the bases of my documents later from MEXT during the Second Screening? Thank you so much for all your help, time and invaluable resource!
Hi Celine,
The Secondary Screening is not competitive, so I do not think you have anything to worry about.
Unless MEXT discovers that your grades would make you ineligible for the scholarship, then there is no reason they would come back and disqualify you. By the way, “average” grades in one system can sometimes look very good when converted to the MEXT grading scale, so don’t sell yourself short. Your converted grades might be better than you think!
The only reasons I know of to get rejected in the Secondary Screening are if you do not acquire a Letter of Recommendation or if your research field is in a prohibited area like weapons technology.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir!
This is Pépé from Guinea-Conakry.
What is your advice on how to apply for admission at a Japanese University?
Best regards!
Hi Pépé,
A large part of this site is dedicated to exactly that topic. I have written dozens of articles covering my recommended approach, as well as a book 🙂
I would recommend that you start reading through some of the articles on the MEXT Scholarship page.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis, I’m grateful for the wonderful posts. I want to ask in a situation where my first choice Professor specializes in the same field of study but has a slightly different research focus to mine. But the second and third does have the same as mine. I want to ask if that will hinder mine chances of being admitted to the 1st choice university. I took tokyo as my first because they are ranked as one of the best in my field . Anticipating. Thanks.
Hi Daniel,
If your research proposal is close enough to your professor’s research that he or she can supervise you, then it shouldn’t be a problem if it doesn’t match completely. But then again, I don’t know how “slightly different” your focus is and I can’t say for sure how any individual professor will react.
It’s all about getting the letter of acceptance from the university. If you can get that, then you have just as much chance of being placed there as you would if your research was an exact match.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hola! Travis I read your article and its very informative thank you for that. I wanted to ask you after how much time do we usually get response from Embassy after sending our entries and what do we do if we have 0 ability in Japanese language what are we going to do in the test which is mandatory??
Hi Ezra Scarlet,
Response time depends on the embassy or consulate. I have heard of some getting back to applicants within days and others taking weeks. I would recommend that you check the application guidelines on your particular embassy or consulate’s website to see if they provide any information about how and when candidates will be notified.
If you are applying only to degree programs taught in English, then it is fine to turn in the Japanese language test blank. It should not hurt your application to do so.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi dear Good day
I am applying to doctoral program in Medicine field.
Kindly help me by sharing a sample of field of study and research plan for medical students.
I shall be very thankful
Hi Muhammad Tahir,
I’m afraid I do not have a sample Field of Study and Research Program Plan for any field. I did write an article about what that document should cover that may be helpful to you.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sir,
This is Suraj from India I had recently visited Japan as a participant of sakura science programe organised by JST there I came to know about Japanese universities and now I have applied for MEXT scholarship ,so I want to take aero space engineering and I wanted to know what is the scope for this field after my graduation
Hi Suraj,
My expertise is in the MEXT scholarship application process, not career counseling. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about employment opportunities in space engineering fields, whether in Japan or anywhere else.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
What happens if I mention anime and manga during the interview?
Hi Jrj,
It’s fine to mention as something that sparked your interest in Japan. My recommendation is just that you don’t spend the interview dwelling on it and how much you love it. Mention it as inspiration then move on to what it inspired you to do (learn more about Japan, get involved in Japanese culture, etc.)
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Another question, will I be permitted to play video games when I’m in Japan when it’s break? (No classes)
Hi Aski,
Of course you would be permitted anytime. How much free time you have depends on how much time you need to spend in the lab on your research, though. I’d recommend making that your priority.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Should I smile and have eye contact during the interview?
Hi Aski,
Yes, I think that’s a very good idea in any interview!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
How do I contact a department or a professor in the university Im interested i ??
And How and when do I show them that I did ??
Hi Daniel,
I covered how to identify and contact professors in my article about getting started with the Embassy Recommendation MEXT scholarship in the 2018 version.
You would let the review committee know during the interview, but you would also fill in that professor’s name in your Placement Preference Form.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Tranz,
I just recieved this email with good news! Do you know how big the chances are i would be rejected anyway later in may? I am still really exited though. I got these mail after the Japanese tests and the interview.
“Thank you for your participation in the first screening.
Please be informed that your application documents and examination results will be forwarded to Tokyo for the second screening.
We hope to be able to inform you of the final result in late May.”
Hi Jeroen,
Congratulations!
If you have been selected for nomination, the chances of your being rejected later are virtually zero. The secondary screening is not competitive, it is administrative. They will be checking to make sure the embassy did all of its eligibility screening correctly, that you aren’t an internationally-wanted criminal/terrorist/etc., and that you have never been deported from Japan in the past. That kind of thing.
You should be hearing more good news in May!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Sir,
Thank you so much for all your info and tips. I just finished my interview and wouldn’t be able to have done it without this. But I am wondering. I am studying Japanese and economics at my university right now. Before i had the interview , I made a Japanese test. My interview went really good i think, but i am not so confident about the test. Wich is the most important? And could a good interview safe a bad test?
Hi Jeroen,
Thank you for your kind words!
May I ask what process you are applying for that you had the interview and Japanese test at this time of year? That might help me better answer your question.
As for the interview saving the test, it really depends on so many other variables – including your competition.
In general, I can say that if you are applying for a program that is taught in Japanese, then a bad test might be difficult to overcome. They may have a specific cut-off score. But if your program is taught in English, then the Japanese test score really isn’t that relevant, in my experience.
Overall, language proficiency tests are mostly about hitting a minimum standard. If you hit that standard, then you don’t really get bonus points for doing better. Or if you do, those points are going to be less significant than your interview and other research-related measures.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Sir
Thank you so much for your fast reply. The university where i study has a lot of influence, because of that they were able to push back the date of the test and interview for a couple of weeks. This is why it is so late. I applied for a scholarship for this year 2018. My course in Japan would start at the end of september until the end of August 2019. It is a scholarship speciffically intented for students who are currently enrolled in Japanese studies, so a bad test would indeed be a dealbreaker. The test consisted out of 3 diffrent parts, each becoming more difficult as the test went on. The first part went good, the second ok and the last was just to difficult. I think my nervousness will also play a big part in this.
The pannel interview went as you described, but because I am enrolled in Japanese studies the asked me to do a 自己紹介 before we started. I was really nervous and not so prepared, but it went alright. Maybe this would be a great tip to give fellow mext appliers. Please prepare a jikosyoukai.
I was also wondering. Is there a possibility to know if your interview went well if you look at the reaction of the jury? They posed a lot of difficult question, but seemed happy with the awnser and didn’t continue to ask more indept questions. If they are satisfied with my awsner, is this a good thing or does it mean the aren’t interested? Sorry for the long reply.
kind regards.
Hi Jeroen,
Thank you for the reply. I’m vaguely familiar with the Japan Studies Scholarship from having worked with students on it at my last university, but I am not as familiar with the details of the application process as I am with the scholarship for graduate studies.
If it’s the same test that they use for the graduate scholarship, it’s designed to match the levels of the JLPT and to figure out where you might be along that test’s scores. If the last section was too hard, that was probably the N1 level. But you probably don’t need to be at that level, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Since it’s a placement-style test, they’re not going to be looking at your overall score to the same degree, I don’t think.
Thanks for the 自己紹介 tip. I must have missed that!
It’s really hard to tell your interview results from the jury’s reaction. I’ve talked to loads of applicants who were sure they had no chance because there was someone one the jury who was just constantly attacking them, but that was a role-play as much as anything. Some people decide to be hard on everyone just to test your reaction to stress. (Not having that person on your jury is not necessarily a bad sign though, so don’t worry).
They probably have a set scheme of questions to ask each applicant and are not as flexible with digging in further, unless they have extra time, so I wouldn’t worry about that much either. Japanese interviews can be fairly rigid.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
dear TranSenz
Thank you so much. And the thing is though there was one Japanese guy who was very hard on everybody. To one of the candidats he flatout said: “I don’t think you deserve this sholarship. ” But to me he posed a difficult queston, but was satified with the awnser I think. I am not really sure now if that is good or bad.
Hi Jeroen,
Thank you for sharing the further details. I don’t know how to explain that one interviewer, except to say that interviewers are human, too, but I hope it means good news for you in the end!
Please let me know when you get your final results.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is MEXT scholarship is conducted every year?I have been influenced by Japanese culture and inspired the higher studies of Japanese universities. MEXT is not conducting examination in 2018 in India.
Hi Paras,
Yes, the MEXT scholarship application happens every year. It usually starts in April, so there may not be any information about next year’s application yet.
Where did you hear that it wouldn’t happen in India this year?
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Greetings to all,I have done my BBA with the specialization in Finance.And the degree is 3 years bachelor degree.So question is can i apply for MEXT scholarship for masters in Finance with this 3 years bachelor degree?Awaiting for your kind reply.
Hi Badhan Roy,
I recommend you read my article on Eligibility Criteria for the MEXT Scholarship. Everything I could tell you is already written there!
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thank you for the wonderful guides. It has helped me a lot in the application process. I passed the primary screening and got the letter of acceptance from the unis that I wanted. But I just want to ask, what are the chances of me actually getting the scholarship after this? Because there’s still a chance that I won’t get it due to budget reasons etc, right? I heard from someone that they didn’t get the scholarship because the embassy called them and said they didn’t get it due to budget reasons despite passing primary screening, so I don’t wanna keep my hopes up high. Thank you for answering.
Hi Lance,
Congratulations! It sounds like you are well on your way. I’m glad you’ve found the guides useful on your way!
Personally, I’ve never heard of anyone who passed the primary screening and got at least one LoA not receiving the scholarship for budgetary reasons before. That’s between hundreds of commenters here and well over a thousand forum posts that I’ve been reading on other sites. The person you spoke to is the first example I’ve ever heard of.
So it’s possible, I suppose, but I’d say there’s better than a 99.9% chance of your getting the scholarship at this point!
Depending on your country, you may get a notification around November or December with the results of the Secondary Screening. (Although some countries don’t release that until you get your final placement). That will be your next milestone.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Good day Travis
I’m Jude from Nigeria
I’ve applied for the MEXT schorlaship and submitter before 9th June 2017
When I’m I getting a response feedback from them.
Kinda worried
Would deeply appreciate if you reply this one
Hi Jude,
Hopefully you’ve heard back by now.
Unfortunately, the schedule varies for every country and I do not have any country-specific information on when they contact successful or unsuccessful applicants.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, thanks so much for this guide! It is super helpful!
I would like to ask, is it more important for the Japanese interviewers to like you, or the interviewers in your own home country? I mean of course you have to impress all of them, but is it more important for the Japanese interviewers to like you since you’re going to study in their country if selected?
Also, a few applicants in my country said that one of the interviewers (from my country) in the panel this year kept trying to find loopholes in their research plan and criticizing it, so I’m kinda scared. What do you think is the best way to counter without sounding too defensive/argumentative? Will the other interviewers view you in a bad light because of this?
Thanks so much for answering
Hi Jack,
I don’t have experience with the embassy interviews directly, but in my own interview panel experience, I’ve never been in a position where one interviewer liked a candidate and the others didn’t, or vice versa.
Even if there is one curmudgeon in the group who likes to tear people apart, they are almost certainly being that way toward everyone, so when they rate you relative to the other candidates, they’re not likely to be that far off the kinder interviewers. (Sure, in the meantime, it makes it a little more miserable of an experience for you, but at least you know and can prepare!)
In terms of countering, it is perfectly OK to admit that there are some areas in your research plan that you will develop later. Ultimately, your Field of Study and Research Program Plan is a starting point. Be confident about the research you have done so far (and clear about how much you have done), but accept the possibility of change as you research proceeds. Especially once you arrive in Japan and start getting your professor’s guidance.
I’m terrible about being defensive, too. One thing I’ve found that works well, personally is starting with “I see your point, but I think. . .”
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Sir,
I am writing to express my gratitude to you, for all the information you have given to us regarding MEXT application. Thank you very very much! Such thorough research and writing have helped me tremendously for many months leading to this day, the interview. I think I did okay for the interview, not truly satisfied with my own answers, but it’s okay, I’ve learned a lot throughout this process, and now just have to wait for the result. Whatever it may be, I have done my best.
For fellow and upcoming applicants, I can’t stress enough the importance of preparing and presenting a solid study plan for this interview. Know it inside and out. Know it by heart. Anticipate possible questions such as ‘what will the findings be? how can this study strengthen the relation between your country and Japan?’
In my experience, it’s the final day of interview at the embassy for my country, and my slot is the final one in the evening. You can imagine the panelists all getting weary, and its up to me to sell the ideas, the plans, make it an interesting session. While you’re talking, just keep it simple and easy to understand, because the panelists are still scanning and skimming the many papers of your forms submissions, they didnt get them to study beforehand, so its up to you to summarize or highlight the main ideas comprehensively. In my case, I didnt even get the questions such as “Why did you choose Japan? How can you adapt?” They were focusing more on the research proposal, as well as my plan after finishing my studies. All the best!
Hi May,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
How significant is obtaining unofficial acceptance from potential supervisor before interview (primary screening)?
I mean they also have given time after primary screening to obtain acceptance.
Also is it OK if my past research supervisor gives letter of recommendation or should it be from dean itself?
Because university dean doesn’t know me at all. There is no concept of departmental dean here.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Vikram,
Obtaining unofficial acceptance in advance shows the interview committee that you are dedicated and a good prospect for the research part of the scholarship. I think it would be a strong mark in your favor, but it is by no means necessary, so if you cannot obtain it, do not worry too much.
You cannot officially ask for a letter of acceptance until after you pass the primary screening, anyway.
For the Embassy-recommended scholarship, your research supervisor can write the letter of acceptance. For the university-recommended, it would have to be the Dean (not a departmental dean, but a Dean of the Faculty or Dean of the College).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you TranSenz. That was a great article with detailed explainations.
I have few queries.
1. You have explained little about dress code. I want to know how much Japanese people are concerned about dress code in MEXT interview?
2. My research proposal more focus on my first preference (supervisor). Second and third are quite far related. If I get unofficial acceptance from second or third preference will MEXT reject my application saying your research proposal and potential supervisor are not matching that much?
In summary, I want to know whether research proposal is just to assess one’s research knowledge?
Is it necessary to conduct same research what we proposed If we get into Japan?
I hope questions are clear enough.
Thanks in advance:)
Hi Vikram,
Thank you for your kind comments.
1) The dress code isn’t a scored part of the interview, but it will probably affect the interviewers’ initial impression of you. As long as you show up dressed nicely, even if it’s not a suit, you shouldn’t suffer any ill effects. Personally, though, I believe that if you look more like their expectation of what a Japanese student would look like for an interview (how they dressed for their own university/job interviews), then they may be more favorable toward you, even if it’s subconscious.
2) You are going to be required to research in the same field as your Research Proposal, but of course you will end up revising your specific direction with your advisor’s guidance after arriving in Japan, so you’re not going to be held to that exact research plan. You won’t be able to change fields, though.
Getting unofficial acceptance prior to the interview would not be a negative thing in any circumstance. If you got unofficial acceptance from a professor that is relatively far from your specific research field, then that would be an indication to the interview panel that the professor (a specialist in your field, which they are not) considered it “close enough” to be comfortable supervising.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thank you so much Travis