- “How can I improve my chances to win the MEXT Scholarship?”
- “Will [insert experience] help my chances to win the MEXT Scholarship?”
- “Do I have a good chance of winning the MEXT Scholarship?”
I’m willing to bet that at least one of these questions has crossed your mind. If not, they should have. After all, the MEXT scholarship is highly competitive. You have to be prepared to be better than all the other applicants to succeed.
The best way to strengthen your application and stand out is to create a clear, appealing application strategy and base your application around it.
Being an Excellent Student is Not Enough
You cannot rely just on your academic background. Or any other background, for that matter.
Even if you have a perfect GPA, that is not a guarantee of success. Chances are good that there are more applicants with perfect or near-perfect GPAs than there are spots available. An applicant with a weaker GPA can still beat you out with an outstanding Field of Study and Research Program Plan and interview performance based on a solid application strategy too.
If you don’t have a perfect GPA, then your getting your strategy and the other parts of your application right are especially important!
Approach the MEXT Scholarship Application Like a Professional
If you were a professional football player (soccer for my American friends), would you go into a match thinking, “We’ll just kick the ball toward the other goal and that should be good enough to win”?
That kind of strategy didn’t even work in elementary school!
No. Professional athletes have coaches who have been training them to work together, to maximize their individual and team strengths. They have a plan to control the game and flow from start to finish. They know how to maximize their unique strengths and they study each opponent to take advantage of their weaknesses.
Each team, each player on the team, doesn’t just want to win, they have a clear vision of how they will win.
That’s what you need. That is your application strategy.
What is a MEXT Scholarship Application Strategy?
You will not be kicking anything around, and you don’t have teammates in this competition, just a coach (me), but we still need a strategy. So, what will yours look like?
Crafting your strategy consists of four steps:
- Determining your application theme.
- Determining your application goal
- Identifying your unfair advantages
- Assessing your opposition
We will go through these steps in more detail below, as well as how and where to apply your strategy to your application.
Determining Your Application Theme
Did anyone ever ask you as a kid, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
I hate that question. It led me down the wrong path for years. The better question is “What do you want to do when you grow up?” To determine your MEXT scholarship application theme, we need to change this question slightly:
How do you want to serve when you finish your scholarship?
Your application theme is a statement of the difference you want to make in the world. For example, you might want to contribute to world peace, ending hunger, improving access to education, reducing poverty, etc.
While we will get into specifics a little later, try to narrow down your theme a little more from the examples above. For example, you might want to contribute to world peace through promoting intercultural interaction, or reduce poverty by tackling corruption in your home country’s government.
Determining Your Application Goal
Your goal is not to earn the MEXT scholarship, even though I know that’s what you want. Your goal for your application strategy is what you will accomplish because you earned the MEXT scholarship.
Your goal should be a specific action you can accomplish that will contribute to your application theme.
I recommend that you focus on an action that you think you can reasonably accomplish within 5 years of finishing your MEXT scholarship. It should also be something that requires further research before you can start work. After all, if you could start now, you wouldn’t need to earn the MEXT scholarship. You could just get to work.
I recommend that you set a SMART goal. A SMART goal is:
- Specific: It includes details such as who, what, where, why, when, and how.
- Measurable: It is quantifiable so that you know if your progress is sufficient and know exactly when you have achieved it.
- Achievable: It is something you have the ability to accomplish.
- Relevant: It matters to you so much that you would pursue it even if nobody else supported you.
- Time-Bound: It has a deadline.
Once you have your application theme and goal, you will know exactly what you are working toward. You can choose your research question based on what will best serve your goal. Your goal will help you determine which graduate school in Japan is best for you. It will help you decide what you want to present during the interview. It will help you choose which of your strengths to emphasize during your application.
Speaking of strengths. . .
Identifying Your Unfair Advantages
You have an unfair advantage over other applicants, you just have to figure out what it is.
Make a list of your strengths, whether obviously related to your goal or not, your experience and relationship with your application theme, your environment and background, and any challenges you have overcome. Think about what your friends and family come to you for help with and ask those closest to you what they think your strengths are.
Next, try to link each one with your application theme and goal. How can you use your strengths–or the underlying skills or aptitudes–to pursue your application theme?
Also consider how the challenges you have overcome have made you a stronger person or given you more dedication to pursuing your goals.
If you can, list specific ways that you have demonstrated your strengths. If you have demonstrated them in an academic context, in practical work toward your goal, or in community service, that is an added bonus. (This can be fodder for your Letter of Recommendation, later!)
In addition to strengths and connection to your theme, you are almost certain to be asked about your ability to adjust to other countries (particularly Japan), so list any intercultural experience you have, (even if it is just moving from a rural area to a city to attend university and adjusting to that cultural difference). Try to link that that experience with your strengths. If you can present your intercultural preparedness with a strength during your application process, especially during the interview, you can kill two birds with one stone.
Consider Your Opposition
Who is your opposition?
I used the analogy of a football match earlier, but perhaps a more appropriate comparison would be gymnastics. In the MEXT scholarship application, you never go head-to-head with another applicant in direct competition. You compete by how well each of you are able to impress the judges.
So, your “opposition” is the judges themselves.
As you think about your application strategy, consider what the judges want. What do the Japanese Embassy staff want from scholarship winners? How about your local government (who might be involved in the selection process)? What does your prospective advisor want from an advisee? What do the university admin staff expect from an applicant?
- To the Japanese Embassy staff, the MEXT scholarship is a form of “soft power” for increasing Japan’s international profile. The purpose of the MEXT scholarship is to train future leaders (in government, education, business, communities, and culture) from around the world and to instill in them a sense of gratitude and connection to Japan. In developing countries, the emphasis on training future government and education leaders appears to be stronger, based on past reports, while in developed countries, the goal of creating community, movement, and cultural leaders seems to be a stronger outcome.
- Your own government staff will most likely be looking to know how you will serve your country or its future connection with Japan.
- Professors in Japan want to develop strong deshi (students/advisees) who will make contributions to the field and thereby raise their advisors’ profiles.
- University admin staff want students who will be self-sufficient and easy to work with.
Of course, these are just general overviews. You should dig deeper – know what the Japanese government’s priorities are for your country, what your own country’s priorities are, and know as much as you can about your prospective advisors before contacting them.
How to Use Your Application Strategy to Win the MEXT Scholarhsip
Now that you have committed to an application theme and goal, you have listed your unfair advantages, and you have studied your opposition, it is time to leverage your strategy to make a strong impression on the reviewers.
You have three primary tools at your disposal:
- Your Field of Study and Research Program Plan: Your application theme and goal should be clear when you discuss the outcomes of your research. Reference your strengths and what you think your reviewers’ needs are whenever possible and relevant to the subject.
- The interview: When you prepare your personal statement and in every answer to every question, you should seek to highlight your strengths by example and in the context of your application theme and goal. This will give you focus in your interview and make you appear to be better prepared and a strong candidate.
- Your Letter or Recommendation: Never leave the contents of a letter of recommendation solely to the recommender’s discretion. You should always offer a list of your accomplishments or strengths (with examples) as a “reference” to your recommender when writing the letter.
- Your Application Form essay questions (Embassy-recommended MEXT Scholarship, only): When you write about what sparked your interest in Japan, why you chose Japan for your studies, and what you can contribute to Japan and your home country, all three answers should relate to your application theme and goal.
Interested in a Step-by-Step Guide to Developing your MEXT Scholarship Application Strategy?
My book, How to Win the MEXT Scholarship, will help you understand the scholarship and its purpose from the reviewers’ perspective, master the successful applicant mindset, and develop an application strategy that will give your application focus and give you the highest chances of success.
Also available on all online retailers or request it via your local library or book store!
Questions?
Let me know in the comments below!
Thank You, Supporters!
Thank you to my supporters on Patreon, who help keep this site running through their generous contributions. Special thanks to everyone who has been supporting this site (and its predecessor, TranSenz) for months or years!
You can support this site on Patreon for as little as $1 (or your currency of choice) per month or make a one-time donation through that site. Patreon supporters get one-on-one answers to questions, early access to articles and updates, and discounts on my coaching services/books.
If you want to show your support but Patreon is out of reach for now, please come back again after this site helps you win the scholarship, to help keep it running for future applicants!
Helllo sir. seriously keep up the good work, we’ll always appreciate it.
and as to my question, wouldn’t they – those who analyze the application form – be triggered, if I were to write just one Japanese sentence in the form, like say “I know Japanese a little in Japanese.”?
Thanks anyway.
Hi Mohsen,
There is a place in the application form to rate your own ability in Japanese, so that would be the best way to let them know.
Otherwise, there is no other natural place to insert a sentence like you mentioned and it would seem silly/unprofessional to force it in, and wouldn’t offer any significant benefit, so I would not recommend that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
you saved me from a silly action.
Thanks
Hello there!
I am a first year Law student that is interested in applying for the MEXT Scholarship for Undergraduate Students.A question that I have is Am I allowed to turn in notarised Academic transcripts and graduation certificates in place of the original ones?
I apologise for asking it but I can’t seem to find a direct answer for it and I wanted to ask here before I turn to the Embassy.
Thank you for your time!
Hi Dafina,
Yes, notarized copies or copies that are certified to be accurate by an official at the school that issued them would be fine. They would be considered to be equivalent to an original in that case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hey, you really deserve a round of applaud for your contribution. I got a really quick and profound question. If Japan’s government priority is the one who are expected to get back to their home country as soon as they are finished studying, then how do they do they expect us to contribute the THEM, as well as our home country? The case has been really under my skin, and it just doesn’t make any sense. (The delicate point is – I’ve heard it many times- that you are not supposed to tell them that you are going to stay in Japan whatsoever. And, THAT is what makes it hard to even think about it.)
Hi Mohsen,
Thank you for your kind feedback!
First of all, it is not absolute that you must say that you will return to your home country. The point is that you must have an idea of how you will contribute to Japan, your home country, and the relationship between the two. If there is a legitimate way that you can do that by staying in Japan, for instance, working for a company or international organization that has a relationship to your home country, where you will be able to make a unique contribution and gain experience that you can later apply when you return home, then that is fine. But you cannot just be looking at the MEXT Scholarship as a way to permanently emigrate to Japan because the working conditions, economy, etc. are better than in your home country. You shouldn’t give them the impression that you want to stay in Japan just for your own benefit.
If you apply the same logic–that it is possible to contribute to your home country while in Japan–then you can think of ways to contribute to Japan from your home country, too. It’s a matter of framing. For example, if you return to your home country and (eventually) become a leader in government, industry, or academia while maintaining your ties to Japan, that will benefit Japan in the long run. They will have developed a government leader who has positive feelings toward Japan and will be likely to want to work with Japan in the future; or an industry leader who can increase trade with Japan; or a researcher with a strong network in Japan that will open more opportunities for international collaboration (and will encourage your own students to study abroad in Japan in the future). These are the kinds of contributions that I think the Japanese government is looking to develop.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Well, sir, that WAS absolutely amazing, and constructive. Actually, I have found a way to do – to contribute to both countries. Again, thanks for YOUR feedback, and I shall never forget thee to the dawn of my demise.
Hi Mohsen,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback! I’m glad I was able to help!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis,
I am preparing my documents in order to apply for MEXT this year and although i have already made an appointment with the Japanese embassy in my country there is one question no one is able to give me answer. In order to receive the MEXT scholarship for Research Students I have informed that I have to be under 35 years old and have graduated college or to have complete 16 years of studies. My questions is if there are limitations around the college or the degree I have. For example I have taken my master degree from a private college in my country is it considered eligible in order to proceed with the application?
Hi Elena,
Since I don’t know what country you are from, I don’t understand what the significance is of a private college in your country.
In Japan, private universities are essentially on the same footing as national ones and in countries like the US, private colleges are often ranked higher than public ones. Is it different in your country?
As long as the university that issued your degree is accredited and approved to offer that degree by the ministry of education in your country, that should be fine, as far as I know.
If you are applying for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, then it also helps if there is a formal relationship/partnership between your current university (the last one you graduated from) and the university in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, I’m a secondary school teacher and did apply for MEXT research scholarship and was asked to do Japanese language examination at the embassy. I’m a beginner and Japanese language examination will be a bit very difficult and challenging for me, I assume I might not do well and have a lesser chance to go for interview but it’s my dream to study one day in any Japanese Universities.
Thankyou
Hi William Billy Kawak,
How important the Japanese language exam is depends on what kind of scholarship you are applying for. It you’re applying for the Research Students scholarship (for graduate studies) and all of the programs you want to apply to in Japan are taught in English, then it’s not that significant. Applicants who know Japanese might have an advantage, but it is not going to be as important as other factors like your GPA and your Field of Study and Research Program Plan. Just make sure that you give it a try and don’t leave it blank!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis;
After what I believe to be a reasonable amount of research, I have yet to find information that directly pertains to my question (perhaps from negligence). Currently, I am pursuing a bachelors degree in astrophysics in the USA. Post graduation, I plan to attend a language school in Japan. After, or near, completion, could I apply for MEXT? Would I still need to reside in the USA? Would this positively impact my chances? I appreciate any help you might be able to provide.
Sincerely Matt
Hi Matt,
I cover this to some extent in the article about eligibility criteria for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship. (Note: The requirements are stricter for the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship).
For the Embassy, the eligibility criteria state that you cannot be enrolled in a university or other institution in Japan (that would include language schools) with at “Student” Residence Status (Visa) at the time of your application or at any time between your application and when you start your studies in Japan. The only exception is if you are in a program that has a defined end date and you will definitely return to your home country when your program ends.
So, if you enroll in a program that has a defined completion date, or if you are able to come on a Temporary Visitor visa (visa waiver for US citizens, for up to 90 days), that would not be a conflict.
Of course, you will have to be physically present in the US for part of the application process, such as the tests and interviews at the embassy.
As for whether or not it would improve your chances, the mere act of attending a language school in Japan is not going to improve your chances. It’s what you do with that experience that matter. If you use your time to visit universities, meet professors, network, learn about their research and the current situation related to your field in Japan so that you can craft a better research proposal, that would help your chances. If you improve your language ability to the point where you would be able to conduct primary research in Japanese, pass a high level of the JLPT (N2 or N1) and do well on the embassy language test, that could also help your chances (though not quite as much, in my opinion). But just saying “I studied at a language school in Japan” is not likely to move the needle much. It’s the outcomes and how they relate to your research plan that matter!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Dear Travis:
I really appreciate your thorough reply. Even though this is all very confusing, you provided a much easier way to understand it all. I’ll make sure to consider what you explained before making my decision. Thanks again
Sincerely Matt
Hi!
I’m in college/sixth form at the moment and wish to pursue the 2023/2024 undergraduate scholarship I have been preparing for at least what I can say on the interview and application form. While I am not strong in the mathematical field for the exam, I have hopes that at least from studying Japanese since last July (I’m around N5 level atm), I may be okay in the Japanese and English exams.
My only question is that while yes they will expect high grades if I still don’t have like an A or A* grade in my subjects at school, could my performance in the interview and exam still help me get accepted for the program? I’ve been having a rough year so while this affected my grades, my expectation grades aren’t so bad but I cannot help but be afraid I would still not be chosen. It’s my dream to do fashion in Tokyo so I’m doing everything I can to be prepared for the embassy.
Thanks!
Hi Mel,
Yes, your grades are going to be important. I have an article about how to convert your grades to the MEXT 3.0 system that might help you see how competitive your grades will be. Actually, in most systems even a “B” grade converts to the maximum grade, though, so you don’t have to be perfect.
I am most familiar with the scholarship for graduate students and don’t know how much of a factor grades are in the undergraduate scholarship, though. The tests will also certainly be a significant factor for the undergrad application.
Have you checked the list of available fields of study that you can apply for under the undergraduate scholarship? Fashion is not one of them. Fashion is covered under the “Specialized Training College” scholarship, which is a different category of educational institution. If you are focused on that career path and not an academic degree, then please check the different kinds of scholarships and their various application periods. You would still apply via the Embassy for the Specialized Training College scholarship and the announcement about the application process should be around the same timing as for the undergraduate scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
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Hi Travis,
I’m trying to get the International Priority Program for 2023, as I’m preparing to apply for the university recommended scholarship that would start later during the year. I’ll like to confirm if the list in this link applies: ( https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/kokuhi/tokubetu/07032702.htm ); if there is any other list or where i can get the information so as to inform the school and supervisors I’m reaching out to.
Hi Tosin,
The link you shared is more than a decade old and does not apply any longer.
PGP programs are only approved for a period of three years, so you need to check the most recent lists. I have links to the most recent lists in my article about how to apply for the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship.
In your case, you will want to focus on the lists for 2020 and 2021, since those will still be valid next year (the call for universities to submit programs for 2022 won’t go out until the fall).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Sir,
If an applicant is selected for MEXT through embassy recommendation, is it the onus of the applicant himself to separately contact the supervisor and the university after embassy selection to get accepted to a PhD? Are they going to certainly be accepted once selected?
HI MK,
After passing the Primary Screening at the embassy, applicants are responsible for contacting the supervisor and university to obtain a Letter of Provisional Acceptance (Note: Article is from last year, but I will update it soon with the new dates), which they will then submit to the Embassy along with the updated Placement Preference Form.
This occurs before you are finally selected for the MEXT Scholarship and is one of the factors in selection.
In general, universities that grant an applicant a Letter of Provisional Acceptance will accept them in the end, but it is not necessarily 100% guaranteed. Also, since you will typically obtain Letters of Provisional Acceptance from two universities, MEXT will decide which one to place you at and then ask the university to confirm that they will accept you before releasing the final scholarship award results.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I want to apply for the undergraduate degree and I would like a guide on how to be successfully selected.
Hi Ridwan,
My focus is on the scholarship for graduate students. You can still apply a lot of the mindset for that application to the undergraduate scholarship application, so I think these articles will help you, but if you are looking for a specific guide on the undergraduate scholarship, I’m afraid that I have to recommend that you find someone else who specializes in that area.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hello
I intend on applying for the scholarship this year. My bachelor’s degree was in Japanese. The topic of my research for the master’s degree is the application of the Montessori method in adult language education. I want to research this field and teach Japanese in my own country with this method. And I am currently conducting online classes in Japanese for my compatriots. Do you think my topic is appropriate to address?
Hi Aisha,
I don’t know enough about your field of study to be able to tell you if your research topic is appropriate for the field. (I don’t know what other research already exists, etc.) I would recommend talking to an academic with expertise in the field to be sure.
In terms of whether or not your research field in Japan is close enough to your bachelor’s degree to qualify, as long as you are studying Japanese language education, then it certainly seems close enough to me!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
My bachelor’s degree is in Japanese language and literature. Basic Japanese language is taught. And at the same time, the culture of Japanese literature, Japanese history and so on.
Hi Aisha,
I meant that I am not familiar enough with the current state of research in the field that you plan to apply to for your Master’s degree. Without knowing the current state of research, I can’t tell you if the topic is appropriate or not. But if you have researched the field thoroughly and know that there is a research gap there or another way that you can contribute with new, unique data, then that should be fine.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi transenz. I applied for mext for masters via the university route. After the interview, I was informed I am one of those to be recommended to mext and my university has four slots. What are my chances now when result will be announced come June?
Hi Chaiks,
If you passed the interview and the university has said that they nominated you to MEXT, then you are nearly 100% certain to receive the scholarship when the final announcement comes out!
There are no further competitive screenings involved in the process, MEXT is just running the final administrative double-checks and procedures.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks transenz. It’s a PGP. I will keep hope alive till June.
Hi TranSenz, I’d like to apply for the mext researcher scholarship next year and was considering to apply in the field of tourism. I have a bachelors degree in asian studies with a focus on Japan & China and I have worked for a Japanese airline (marketing) for last five years since I graduated college. I am interested to get your thoughts on whether my work experience within the area of tourism & travel would be enough justification for me to apply to get a MBA in tourism despite not having majored in that particular area during college. Thanks!
Hi Adriana,
MEXT requires that your field of study be something you have majored in in college before or its related field. You cannot meet that qualification by working experience instead, but that shouldn’t be a problem in your case.
Changing fields of study from something academic into an MBA is relatively easy to justify! If you can show how your business studies would approach a similar topic to what you studied in undergraduate from a business perspective, that should be sufficient. You could even use your working experience as your motivation for the change and also proof that you will be able to put your studies into action.
For example, if you were to focus your research proposal on how to leverage a certain aspect of Japanese culture or history from your previous degree as a marketing approach for inbound tourism, that would clearly link your previous studies to an MBA. (If you wanted to target bringing Chinese tourists to Japan, since you have a background in both countries, that could be an even stronger connection, though it isn’t necessary).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello,
Is my undergraduate grade the most important factor to get into research/ graduate study with mext scholarship?
What are the other factors that are important to cover up ?
Hi Abc,
Your undergrad GPA is important, but I can’t say that it’s the most important factor. A low GPA is enough to get you eliminated from the application, but a high GPA isn’t enough to win the scholarship all by itself. You need to have a high GPA just to be considered, then you need an excellent Field of Study and Research Program Plan to have a chance in the application process. In my opinion, the Field of Study and Research Program Plan is the differentiator between applicants after all other criteria have been cleared.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello!
Thank you very much for sharing a lot of information about MEXT scholarship! I am very interested in applying the one for graduate students but I do doubt that if I can choose a subject related to Japanese cultural studies with a nursing bachelor degree (Though I have majored in Japanese studies in my associate degree).
I would like to ask if I’m still eligible for applying Japanese Studies, or opt for other choices. Please could you provide me some guidance?
Thank you very much!
Hi RU,
One of the eligibility requirements for the MEXT Scholarship is that you must apply in a field that you have majored in before at university or its related field. Unfortunately, in that case an associate’s degree doesn’t count, as far as I know. It would have to be bachelor-level studies.
You might be able to apply if you can show how Japanese studies is related to your nursing degree. For example, if you plan to focus your research on nursing in Japan, or Japan’s practice of trying to bring in and train foreign nurses to bolster its medical/elderly care system through that degree, that might work. It’s going to be up to you to show how the fields are related, primarily through the “Past and Present Field of Studies” section of your Field of Study and Research Program Plan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I have passed the first screening of MEXT. And I have already got 2 admission letters from Nagoya University and the University of Tsukuba. In such a situation, if I really want to go to Nagoya University. Is it better for me to only fill one university? Or just fill 2 universities as my preference.
（I heard that sometimes MEXT will choose the second university for you.）
Have a good day！
Hi YGn,
The only time I know of where MEXT will deliberately skip your first-choice university and try to place you in your second-choice first is if the first-choice university is private and the second-choice is national. MEXT prefers to place students in national universities.
Since Nagoya is a national university, there is no reason MEXT would skip it. So, I recommend that you go ahead and list both. You can also fill in a third choice, even though it will be somewhere that you never applied to for a Letter of Acceptance.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis! Thanks for the amazing article! Information regarding mext is soo scarce on the internet so this helped me a lot. So, I have a question for you:
Do my Highschool grades matter when applying for a graduate mext scholarship? (Mtech Computer science) In the comments, you have mentioned that they matter to some degree while applying for the undergraduate mext scholarship. Or, is the Undergrad Bachelors GPA the only factor that’s taken into account?
Hi Shinnosuke Josh,
If you are applying for the scholarship for graduate students, only your undergraduate grades count. You will not even submit your high school transcripts, so they have no way to see those grades.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis
Thank you so much for this wonderful and insightful blog!
I have a concern I liked to share with you regarding application to the Mext Scholarship for Research student. I graduated with an Accounting and Finance degree and is interested in pursing MBA in Japan. I was wondering if I could apply for the MBA research/graduate route without any working experience relating to my degree since I just graduated. I’m afraid it may lower my chance of getting the scholarship.
I graduated with an Accounting and Finance degree and is interested in pursing MBA in Japan.
Your advice is much appreciated!
Hi Cecil,
Working experience is not an eligibility criteria for the MEXT Scholarship, so you are able to apply. I think it is common to have some working experience when applying for an MBA in general, but the scholarship is not specific to the MBA or any other field, so they don’t ask for that experience.
It is more important that you have a clear goal for your studies and research in Japan that will help you contribute to society in Japan/your home country and the connection between the two. Your academic performance in the past does matter, but it’s not as important as your proposal for what you will do in the future with the assistance of the MEXT Scholarship!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
My name is susma and i am from Nepal.Currently i am perusing my bachelor’s degree in interior design which is going to be completed in next year. I wanted to apply for MBA in MEXT. But i am so confused about it.
Am i eligible for MBA being a student of interior design? If not which field is better for me to apply for MEXT? I am following for your blog but i am unable to find my answer so i request you to suggest me which field is better for me to persue my master’s degree?
I would be greatfull If u help me out .
Thank you in advance
Waiting for your reply.
Please 🙏 Travis sir please help me
Hi Susma,
For the MEXT Scholarship, you are required to apply in a field of study that you have majored in in university in the past or its related field. But there is no clear definition of “related field”, so it is up to you to justify the relationship. In your case, you would have to explain how you will use your MBA to conduct additional studies or research into a topic that you focused on during your Interior Design degree. Usually, this is possible with MBA degrees, since you can explain the relationship by saying that you want to focus on the business applications of your previous field, so you should be able to apply.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, can you help me find out the reason I was rejected? I don’t wanna repeat the same mistake next year. I’m an undergraduate student. I’m fluent in Japanese and did well on the tests except math. I was the only person that knew Japanese this year but I got rejected and other 2 people that left the Japanese and Math answer sheet blank got recommend by the embassy. I spoke only in Japanese at the interview and they seemed to be impressed. So why did I get rejected but others that did poorer than me on the exams got recommended? I chose economy and business administration and the other 2 chose sociology if I’m not mistaken. Is it because my field of study?
Hi Alex,
Unfortunately, there’s no way I can find out the reason a particular applicant was accepted or rejected. There are so many different factors involved and I would have to see your complete application, test, and interview results as well as those of the other applicants to make a guess.
Your high school grades, performance on test, the persuasiveness of your essay questions in your application form, interview performance, and, yes, national priorities regarding fields of study are all factors in your selection.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey my name is robera and i just applied for the mext scholarship for undergraduates and i am currently in a university but from the three options I chose expected to graduate from the university am attending 1. will this prevent me from getting the scholarship since i didn’t state that i will withdraw from the university that am attending if am granted the scholarship and 2.if your answer is no and I might be granted the scholarship the when will I be notified if pass the document screening and when will I be called for the written exam?
Hi Robera,
Is it possible for you to graduate from your current university before the start of the MEXT Scholarship? If not, then I think you would have to withdraw or at least take a long leave of absence.
If you can graduate before the start of your MEXT Scholarship, then that will not disqualify you. Even if you can’t graduate before the start of the scholarship, it should not disqualify your application, but they may ask you to clarify.
As for the date of the notification for passing the document screening and invitation to the written exams, that varies depending on each embassy or consulate, so I would recommend that you see if they have any advice or information on their website.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hey when we should apply for mext.
like right now i am in class 12 so should i start the process now for the next year of my colleging in japan????
Hi Rohit Papnai,
You must finish your current studies and graduate before you travel to Japan for the MEXT Scholarship. In general, undergraduate scholarship recipients travel to Japan in April of the year after they apply (except in cases of Direct Placement), so if you will graduate before March 2022, you could apply in 2021. If your graduation is in April 2022 or later, then you should apply in 2022 for the scholarship starting in April 2023.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hy TranSenz I have one more Question That – Is that i have to submit my Laboratory test reports with Health certificate?
Hi Sukanta,
No, you should not need to submit the actual lab tests. As long as the doctor fills in the results in the Health Certificate, that should be fine.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
I am applying for MEXT Postgraduate Scholarship, and there are a few parts that i feel insecured since I wasn’t sure if it’s something that they would like to see. Basically, I have composed my own research proposal, it’s very technical and specific (it’s material sciences), since I did collaborate with my potential PhD supervisor in the UK to come out this methodology and what not. Do you think it’s a good idea to be this technical and clear for my planned study program in Japan? Because it’s including the references and equipment, such as SEM and TEM.
Secondly, I saw the your reply on regarding the communities services would be a plus for my application. I did participate a social entrepreneurship with an Australian organisation in East Timor, do you think it’s something I should include as well? If yes, should I include this in my field of study in the past? because I don’t see any other column to include this.
I believe at this stage of time, I am also late for University recommendation, but some of the universities don’t provide this option either. But If I am going for Embassay recommendation, should I include the information that the universities I plan to apply?
I apologise for essay long questions, but at this point, any guidance would be a great help to me.
Cheers
Hi Kelvin,
It is fine to be technical in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan, but also make sure that you have topic sentences and conclusions that your reviewers can understand, even if they are not familiar with the terminology. For example, you could start a paragraph about methodology with a statement of what data you will obtain, then explain the technical details of how you will do it, and finally close with a sentence about how you will use that data for your research.
I would only recommend mentioning your social entrepreneurship if it is related to your research topic. If that experience helped motivate you to pursue your research, mention it in the FSRPP. If not, there is probably no way to work it into your plan in a beneficial matter. You might be able to reference it in the essay question in the application form that asks you what kinds of things you think you can contribute to Japan and your home country. In that case, you could give it as an example of how you are engaged in helping communities.
Yes, the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship application for 2021 arrivals is already long since over, as far as I know. Your next application opportunity is the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship for 2022 arrivals, which should be starting any day now. (The application guidelines typically come out in mid-April). In the embassy application, you are required to submit a Placement Preference Form that lists three universities and professors that you intend to apply to, so that would be where to include the university information.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hi
currently, I am in the second year of my college (undergraduate program). I want to apply for this scholarship in this year for PGP (college of technology). I don’t think that I will be able to complete my undergraduate (and I don’t want to complete it). there are three options in the application form (graduated, expected to be graduated, others) which one I should mark. please help me
Hi Sukanta,
As far as I know, the PGP programs only exist for undergraduate and graduate MEXT scholarships, not for the Colleges of Technology scholarship. So, please make sure you are following the right set of directions and application documents. (I am not an expert on the Colleges of Technology scholarship, so I could be mistaken).
It sounds like you plan to withdraw from your current degree program if you are awarded the MEXT Scholarship, so in that case, I would recommend that you fill in, “Others” and indicate in the notes section that you plan to withdraw to pursue your studies in Japan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
hy transenz trnsenz i can find that what to write in the section of “What was the trigger for having an
interest in Japan?”
plz help me with it
and
“What kinds of things do you think you can
contribute to Japan and your home country
through your experience of studying in
Japan?”
Hi Sukanta,
I have advice about how to answer those three questions in my article about how to complete the application form from 2020.
I recommend that you read through the suggestions there and decide how you can apply them to your specific research interests and goals.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am facing some problems while filling up the form of the college of technology.
they are as follows –
1. I have attended two times in grade 4 of my primary school due to insufficient age(i was 9 years old, so that I have to attend one extra year at the same grade to increase my age) .is that 1 extra year will be counted as the study period. if “yes” what should I write in the “remark ” section
2. can I write 1.10 years in the study period? ( as I have completed my 1 year and 10 months of college according to the date of application ). Or I have to write 2 years?
3. I plan to withdraw to pursue my studies inJapan. As I am in the second year of my college (i enrolled in college in June 2019), what should I write in the year section of the “form” and the “Period of schooling attended ” section? What should I write in the remark section?
4. my professor gave me the recommendation letter siled into an envelope. How I will be able to copy that recommendation letter to submit as it is required to submit a copy of the recommendation letter.
5. Is it required to submit my college 1st sem and 2nd sem transcript (due to Covid situation, my 3rd sem was delayed, and I did not get my 3rd sem transcript yet) with 10th, 11th, and 12th transcript?
6.is that I have to submit my chest x-ray with health certificate?
Hi Sukanta,
My area of expertise is the scholarship application form process for graduate students, but it looks like several of your questions would apply to any application process. I have covered how to fill in the application form and how to submit the required documents in other articles in the past, so I recommend that you read those, as well, even if they are not specifically about the Colleges of Technology.
1. I would recommend including the year and explaining in the remarks what you said above, that you repeated a year due to age.
2. You should write the years of schooling that you will have completed as of the time you travel to Japan. Please see the article above for information on how to fill in years and months.
3. You should write the date that you plan to withdraw, the number of years/months that you will have finished at that time, check your status as “Other” and explain in the remarks that you will withdraw.
4. I recommend that you ask your embassy for advice, since instructions can vary from country to country. In some cases, I have seen embassies ask applicants to open the envelope and make copies. In others, they have said to just submit the one copy in the envelope.
5. Yes, you are required to submit the transcripts from your high school as well as the university, for all semesters/years available.
6. No. You only need to fill in the reference number for the X-ray data.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hy TranSenz I have one more Question That – Is that i have to submit my Laboratory test reports with Health certificate ?
Hi Sukanta,
No. You do not need to include the lab results. As long as your doctor fills in the appropriate places in the form, that will be enough.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis. Thank you for your guidelines for MEXT! Im planing to apply this year, and I need your help with particular topic. Can you please tell me how should I act or respond when asked in interview “Would you like to stay and work in Japan after graduating?” I don’t want to look stupid, so please help me.
Kind regards!
Hi Rax,
The most important thing I can suggest is that you need to have a “pitch” going into the interview – a story you want to tell about how awarding you the scholarship will be good for the Embassy (for the Japanese government and your home country). In this article, the first thing I talked about is needing to know how you will serve society after you finish your studies.
Once you know that, you should easily be able to answer the question about staying in Japan. What is the best place and activity for you to meet that goal of serving society? If you can explain that, then you should have no problem with the question.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis, Thanks for this wonderful article and I just wanted to know when will applications for 2021 start ?! Thanks in advance
Hi Dieu,
The Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship Application period for scholarships beginning in 2021 is already over. Typically, the embassy application period starts in April-May of the year prior to the year that you will arrive in Japan, although it was delayed this year by COVID-19. So, the next application period should start in April/May 2021 for scholarships beginning in 2022.
For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, it may still be possible to apply this year for the scholarship beginning in 2021. Each university sets its own application schedule, so once you have decided which university you want to apply to, you can check their website for their application schedule and process.
However, if you’re just getting started now, I think it would be very difficult to put together a strong application by the university application deadline. It is probably more realistic to aim for the next Embassy application period.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi. Thank you for your advise. It was really helpful. And i have few questions. How important are acedemic achievements ? Actually i have never participated in any competition so i dont have nothing to imress about my academic career. And what if i have IELTS score, would it be helpful for my application. And last question is What if I worked for an international organization ( such as World Vision) as an intern or volunteer for about 3 months or more? How helpful it will be?
Hi Azriel,
I do not think that your past achievements are as important as your potential for future achievements in this application process.
In terms of your past, having strong grades matters more than most anything else you mentioned. But for the things you suggested, they can be important and valuable to your application if you can use them to show why your future research and goals have a better chance of success. For example, your internship/volunteering would be most valuable to your application if you were working for a cause or in a role that is directly related to your research goals in Japan. You could use that to show that you already have experience and relationships in the field that you can use for your research or for disseminating your results.
But having a strong research plan and goals in the first place is going to matter more.
As for the IELTS score, that can be useful when applying to universities for the scholarship or for a Letter of Acceptance, but it’s not going to give you a huge advantage all by itself.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey, finding all the information really helpful. So, i am currently in my 3rd year of a BFA degree in studio arts and wish to pursue a graduate course in illustration in Japan. Do i have to complete my bachelors course before i apply for the MEXT ? because i dont think my exams will have happened by the deadline. Also, do universities have limited seats eligible for the scholarship for the entire range of courses available or do each course have different seats?
Hi Kushal Karki,
You can apply for the MEXT Scholarship before you finish your undergraduate degree, as long as you will have finished the degree by the time you start the scholarship. Since the application process takes over a year, particularly for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, you would have to apply before graduating in order to continue your studies without a gap.
Regarding the number of places, every university is going to have a limited number of places for each course, since each professor in the graduate school has a limited number of students that they can supervise. For the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, there typically is not a specific number of students per course set aside for MEXT Scholars, though, just an overall number.
For the University Recommended MEXT Scholarship, it depends on whether you are applying for a general category scholarship or a PGP program. For a PGP program, the slots are going to be specific to one particular program, but the level of specificity can vary. For the general category, there are a limited number of slots per university, so you would be competing with every other field there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks u guys very much for everything you guys have put on this platform
Hey Travis, thankyou for the information, I just wanted to know when the applications for 2021 will be open and if the masters program is the same as young leaders program?
Hi Chandana,
The applications for the scholarship beginning in 2021 have been open since May or June and have already closed in many places, at least for the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship. You can check the website of the Japanese embassy in your country for details on your situation.
If you have missed this year’s application, then the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship typically opens in April of this year (it was late this year to account for changes due to COVID-19).
However, I do not know much about the Young Leaders’ Program. It is a completely separate way to apply for the scholarship, as far as I know, so it is different from the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship or University Recommended MEXT Scholarship that I talk about on this site. It is also not the same thing as the Master’s level scholarship.
You can apply for a Master’s level scholarship through multiple application processes, including the Embassy Recommended MEXT Scholarship and University Recommended MEXT Scholarship. I think it is also possible through the Young Leaders’ Program, but that does not make them the same thing. Master’s is just the level of degree that you will study in Japan. YLP, or the other processes, are the application processes you will use to apply for that Master’s degree.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi travis.
Thanks you for this wonderful article you wrote here ❤️.
I want to do my ug for mbbs(doctor’s course)
I saw the applicant form and had a doubt in filling. In 2021 form 15th section, which to choose between non regular and doctoral.
And in 16th point should i choose april or September? Is there amy difference?
Thanks you
-sahil
Ohh and one thing more. Any tip or information can u give me for my UG course so that I can pass the first/document screening. I mean how do they select 20 applicants just my that form?
Hi Sahil,
The application process is not a single form. There are several forms that you need to submit, including your transcripts, which will almost certainly be part of the screening criteria.
The essay questions in the application form will also be very important for the success of your application!
I would recommend that you carefully read through the application guidelines on the website of the Japanese embassy in your country.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Sahil,
I’m a little confused about your application goals. You said that you wanted to do your undergraduate degree leading to an mbbs, right? In that case, you should be using the application form for the undergraduate scholarship and you wouldn’t have to select doctoral course or non-degree course. The questions you described are not present in the undergraduate application form.
If you are applying for the graduate scholarship (i.e. if you have already completed your undergraduate degree), then the questions you asked are relevant, but in this year’s application form, there is no option to choose an April arrival, so I think you might be referring to an old form.
Could you please clarify what degree you are applying for?
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hii Travis thanks for your advices.
I wanted to ask if there is anything that I can do to increase my chances of getting mext scholarship as I only scored 78%in my high school and now I’ve applied for the scholarship
Hi Lakshay,
It sounds like you’re applying for the undergraduate scholarship, right? I don’t know what country you’re from, so I don’t know how good of a grade 78% is (it can be quite good in some systems but not very competitive in others). If you are applying for the undergraduate scholarship, then you do not have the Field of Study and Research Program Plan to help you. Your only possibilities of making an impression at this point would seem to be in the essay questions of the application form and the letter of recommendation, so I would recommend making sure those two items are as strong as possible!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis
First off, thank you so much for your articles – it helps a lot!
I have recently been accepted to a Master’s program for 2021 at Keio University and have received a certificate of admission. Would it be a good or bad idea to hand in a copy of this certificate or to mention that I am already accepted in the application?
I have heard that it is advantageous to write three choices for universities you wish to attend, but as I am only interested in one specific university, would it then lower my chances of receiving the scholarship if I only write this one?
Lastly, I am fluent in Japanese, but honestly feel more comfortable writing the research plan and etc. in English. But do you think it could be an “unfair advantage”/strength to write it in Japanese or not? I am curious to hear your thoughts.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Anni,
Thank you for your kind words. I am sorry that this reply is coming so late.
Congratulations on your acceptance to Keio!
However, if you have been accepted to their regular, fee-paying program at this point, I would assume that was for studies starting in Fall 2020. The problem is that if you accept that offer, then you could be considered to be in violation of the eligibility criteria for the MEXT Scholarship. Applicants who are already enrolled in a Japanese university or who are planning to enroll in a Japanese university prior to the start of the MEXT Scholarship are ineligible, unless the program they are enrolled in/will enroll in will finish before the start of the scholarship.
So, I would not recommend submitting the copy of the certificate of admission. However, you can mention in the interview stage that you were previously accepted to Keio (and, I assume, you have some contact with a professor there), so that you are sure that you will be able to get a Letter of Acceptance. That might justify why you only filled in one university on your Placement Preference Form.
There is no specific rule that filling in only one university in the Placement Preference Form will lower your chances during the Primary Screening, but some reviewers might frown on it. That said, I have heard of many past applicants who have only filled in one university and who have gotten the scholarship in the end!
Regarding the Field of Study and Research Program Plan language, I recommend that you write it in the language that the program you are applying to is taught in. If your program is taught in both English and Japanese, write it in the language that you plan to study in (i.e. the language that you plan to write your thesis in).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, Travis do my application has a much higher chance of selection if I apply as a researcher or Master applicant in course applied. In many universities, I found that they need to attend an exam. Do MExt scholar can skip this exam, as doesn’t make sense for one to go to Japan for taking an exam. Please advise
Hi Anuj,
Typically, you will need to take the entrance exam. That is why most MEXT scholars spend their first semesters as non-degree “Research Student”. That way, they arrive in Japan and can start working on their research and taking classes, then they take that exam in their first semester and start their degree in the next one.
I would not recommend spending the time and effort to travel to Japan in advance to take the exam, unless you are really desperate to start your degree as quickly as possible.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, many thanks indeed for your help.
Should i contact some universities before sending my application form? or let it until i have a call from the Embassy that i am accepted.
Thank you in advance,
Hi Mohamed Mehfoud Bouh,
If it is before the start of the scholarship application process, I typically recommend trying to connect and network with your target professor(s) as soon as you have your Field of Study and Research Program Plan in rough shape. Though I do not recommend mentioning that you are applying for the MEXT Scholarship at first.
At this point, it depends on why you are contacting universities. If it is simply to start working on acceptance, then I would recommend that you wait until after you have the results of the Primary Screening. Most universities aren’t going to work with your application until you have that.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Mr. Travis,
Just got here again by chance. I got the scholarship last year, and I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your blog really helps.
Hi Mohamed Mehfoud Bouh,
Thank you very much for coming back and sharing your feedback! I can’t tell you how much that means to me.
I am thrilled to hear that you earned the scholarship and I hope your studies are going well.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi ! I’m still a little confused about the fact that we need to submit originals and copies of the documents. Can I feel out all the documents and make a copy of them? You also mentioned before a double sided print and single sided , could please explain what those are?
Hi Amira,
Essentially, you need to submit one complete set of original documents (certified copies signed by an official at the school count as “original” for certificates of graduation or transcripts) and make two sets of copies of each of them.
Double-sided printing is when there is text or images on both sides of the piece of paper. Single-sided means there is only printing on one side and the other side is completely blank.
Good Luck!
-Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, thanks for the information. I want to know more about submitting the document. I had some certificates for winning some competitions. Those are related to my field of study. Should I add those certificates for the submission? Or just leave it because the certificate is not included in the requirements? Thank you, Travis
Hi Auliya,
Just submitting the certificates might not get them notices, though you can certainly submit them. (I would recommend submitting only copies, since you will not get them back). If you can, though, I would recommend mentioning those accomplishments separately in the text of one of the required documents. For example, if there is a way that you can refer to them in your application form, or get your recommender to mention your accomplishments in your letter of recommendation, that would be more powerful, and you might not even need to submit the certificates in that case.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
HiTranSENZ, iam undergratuate student, i don’t know how to speak japanese, but in MEXT program ,,there was japanes subject mentioned too, what i need to do.if i can’t prepare japanese paper,
Hi Mohib Ullah,
You do not need to have Japanese language ability to apply, but it would help to start studying, if you are serious about the scholarship and studying in Japan. That will make it apparent that you are serious!
During the Embassy-recommended application process, you will have to take a Japanese language proficiency test, but there is no minimum score, you just have to try to complete it and not leave it blank.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
Thanks for this article. While drafting my SMART goal, I realized that my first-choice research topic is theoretical; hence it fails to meet your suggested criteria in setting the goal. Since it is largely theoretical, i can’t think of anything that i can achieve in 5 years after the scholarship directly related to the research or that the completion of the research can give rise to.
Instead, the goal I’m thinking of is related to the masters degree i plan to take as part of my scholarship. In other words, the knowledge i will gain from the degree will be the stepping stone to reach the goal, with the research out of the picture. Do you think this is a rather weak move? That I should focus more on an application strategy that deals with a research more practical and i can clearly relate to the SMART goal?
Thanks. Stay safe.
Hi Marie,
If your research exists for the sole purpose of earning a degree and the degree itself is your stepping stone toward another goal, then yes, I do think that is a little weak. If your master’s degree is intended to be a stepping stone to some other personal or professional goal, my recommendation would be to try to rethink your research so that it relates to that goal and that having conducted that research will better enable you to pursue your post-degree goals than you would have been able to if you just had a degree.
Your research does not necessarily have to be practical, though. Of course, I do not know what your goal might be, but if you get creative, I think you can relate theoretical research to your future goals because of the knowledge you will obtain, connections you will make, etc., that will better enable you to pursue your goal.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello Travis, I really liked your article, it’s the first time I seen one of yours, so, I am in the 1st year of high school and I’m thinking about undergraduate in Biotechnology, and wanted to know if there’s a MEXT scholarship for it. Thanks
Hi Vinicius,
I am glad to hear that you have found the site useful so far!
My area of expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, so I do not have as much knowledge about the undergraduate scholarship. However, as long as the degree program exists in Japan, you should be able to apply in the field!
Unlike the program for graduate students, in the undergraduate scholarship, you have less say over what university you end up at. MEXT will assign you. So, you do not have to do as much in-depth research about programs as a graduate student would, but do make sure that there are a few universities that offer undergraduate programs in biotechnology and you should be set.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis!
I am currently working at the university I took my undergraduate studies from as a lecturer while taking my graduate studies at a different university.
Would it be okay ask for a letter of recommendation from the university I am working in instead of the one I am studying in instead?
I would love to hear from you soon.
Hi Faye Kristen,
You need to obtain your letter of recommendation from your “most recent university”, which would be the university where you are studying. That is not optional. (And frankly, it would look pretty bad if you tried to avoid it. That would send the message that you are not doing well at your current university so you can’t get a letter of recommendation.)
However, you also need to submit a letter of recommendation from your current employer, if you are working, so you can send one from the university where you are a lecturer, too.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello, Travis!
First off, many, many thanks for your articles, Travis. You help a lot of people get through their MEXT application.
Anyway, I’m just here to ask for some insight from you.
I’m currently planning to apply for the MEXT and pursue a graduate program related to film studies/filmmaking. I’m *kind of* struggling to find schools that offer this type of program. And just recently, I came across this blog post—
http://www.aarongerow.com/news/studying-film-in-japan.html
—and I quote, “One of the sad facts about Japanese film culture is that Japan does not value that culture much. There is little government support for film culture and education (except when it can immediately turn a profit or build some box as a payoff to construction industry friends), and universities have long ignored film studies as a discipline. The ignorance the average Japanese has of his or her own film culture can be appalling at times.”
Sooo, actually Travis, I got scared when I read this. But this won’t stop me from applying for MEXT.
Hoping to hear from you soon and I hope everyone’s alright amid the Coronavirus pandemic! 🙁
Hi M,
Film studies is out of my field of expertise, so I can’t really comment on it. My impression is that Japanese universities in general focus more on churning out fresh recruits for the workforce rather than on culture, but there are some notable exceptions, like specific art schools. You might not find so much support for the faculty of arts at a large research university that you would at universities in other countries.
However, immediately after the section you quoted, the article goes on to say, “But there have been a few universities that have valiantly pursued film studies and sport excellent scholars.” It even lists universities with top programs.
Even if there isn’t the same level of cultural awareness of film studies or broad study into it across all universities, you don’t need to study at “all universities.” You just need one good program. Don’t worry about the average Japanese’ ignorance about his or her own film culture. If anything, that’s an opportunity for you to make a difference.
Thanks for the comments about the Pandemic. It’s not too bad here yet, but I oversee all international programming at my university, so it has been giving me fits!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hello friends, can any one send me sample filled filed of study and research plan?
Hi Abay,
I saw your question on the How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Plan page and answered it there.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
This question has led me to wrong paths as well. I did my undergrad in Engineering but I don’t want to pursue it any further. Is there still a possibility for me to get MEXT (while applying for totally different field of study?
Hi Sehar,
I’m sorry to hear that you suffered from that question as well. It sounds like you figured it out earlier that I did!
The MEXT Scholarship requires that you apply in a field related to what you majored in before in University or something related. So, if you want to change fields, it is up to you to justify in your Field of Study and Research Program Plan how the fields, or at least your research within the fields, are related.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi TranSenz,
I’m currently taking my MS Mechanical Engineering in my home country, I am planning to have my research study (thesis) on Japan with the help of MEXT, in 2020-2021, good for 6-12 months. My question is, is it okay that I contact faculty member through email of my choice university (shizouka) and explain my research. and after that what are the possible next steps?
Thank you very much
Hi Mark Gaspay,
It’s fine to get in touch with the faculty member that you want to work with to sound out their interests in working on your research with you, but I would not recommend asking them about the process. That’s not the faculty’s job to know.
Unfortunately, if you’re looking to study under the MEXT scholarship beginning in the Fall 2020 semester or earlier, you’ve already missed the application deadline for the Embassy-Recommended MEXT Scholarship, which would have been your best chance to get a scholarship as a research student. The only application process left to start in fall 2020 is the University-Recommended MEXT Scholarship (the application process should be starting soon, but the exact dates vary from university to university). In my experience, though, the University-Recommended application process is more likely to favor applicants for a full degree, rather than short-term research. That isn’t to say that you can’t try, but I wanted to let you know that you’re likely going to have to work harder to get a place.
You should be able to find all of the information on how to apply on your own, so I would recommend looking hard for that before you ask the university or faculty member. The university’s website should be your first stop.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I went for an interview last week, however, they only asked me one question related to my research plan (the official website actually says that the interview will revolve around my research plan). What are the reasons that it turned out that way?
Anyway, I can’t wait to hear the result of primary screening and I kept asking myself if I did well enough in the interview. So I would like to know, how does MEXT evaluate successful applicants?
Hi Praw,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
That’s a little bit surprising to me. Most of the feedback I have been hearing this year is that the interviews are focusing more on your research plan and less on other questions, at least compared to the past.
But please do not take it in a negative way. The interview committees have an obligation to be fair to all applicants, so you should not take it as a personal reflection on your application. They might not have had an expert in your field, or your Research Plan might have been so comprehensive that they didn’t know what to ask. Or that committee might have just decided that they wanted to focus on other areas with all applicants.
If you don’t mind sharing (now, or at some point in the future, once you’re sure all of the interviews have ended and you wouldn’t be giving an advantage to a rival), I would be curious to learn what they did ask you.
The final evaluation is going to be a combination of your performance in the interview, the exams, and the document submission. There is no official, public scoring system, but since the documents come first, my guess is that they already have a preliminary ranking of applicants based on those, and that the interviews serve more to see if one applicant can pass another or not, based on their existing scores.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transcy, my university uses 5_system scale, that’s 90 to 100 percent is A, 80 to 89 percent is B, 70 to 79 is C, 60 to 69 is D and lastly, 0 to 50 is F. While computing the MEXT GPA on a 3point scale, would they consider 80 to 89 as an A or B. Since your previous article explained about the GPA. Thanks
Hi Desmond,
I have an article about converting your grades to the MEXT scale that does cover how to convert a 5-grade system, so I would recommend that you follow the calculation methods and tables there.
When you convert your grades, you are converting them to a GPA value, not to a letter grade.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi,
Thanks for all the tips
I intend on applying for the scholarship this year and I can’t find an idea or a question to write about in my research proposal, same happened to me last year.
is my situation normal? how can I get an idea (any good one) do you have any tips for that? I still have like 5 weeks to get my research done so that I could deliver my application in time can I still make it?
Hi Lamees,
My most recent book, How to Write a Scholarship-Winning Field of Study and Research Program Plan walks you through the process of developing a research question based on your past studies, MEXT’s interests, and what you intend to accomplish after graduation. Since it took me a whole book to explain that, I can’t sum it up in a comment here, though. Essentially, you should be searching for an intersection between your past research/education experience, what you want to accomplish in life in the service of your home country/the world, and how advanced research wold enable you to accomplish that goal. (The book goes into much more detail, of course).
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Travis,
I didn’t know you had a book on writing the research plan, I’ll read it quickly.
I have one question if I may, in your opinion how long does it take for a newbie in scientific research to come up with a research question and write a research plan? should I postpone the application to next year? or is it still possible to make it in time?
Hi Lamees,
It all depends on how much time you are able to put into working on it each day. With my book, I include an email course designed to walk you through the book, with regular reminders for where you should be. The accelerated version assumes you will be able to finish the entire thing within a month, with only the starting point of what field you want to conduct your research in.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi Transenz
I was wondering how related my research question should be to my SMART goal. Right now, the goal I strongly want to achieve is more related to what I’d do with my MS degree after I finish the MEXT scholarship, which is to teach my field in my home country. That really doesn’t have to do anything with my research outright, and if that’s the case, I was wondering if I should really come up with a SMART goal that is directly connected with my research (like an impact of the results of my MEXT research). Is that what the embassy screeners hope to look for? 🙂
Thanks so much! You’re amazin!
Hi Chester,
If your goal is to teach in your home country after graduation, that sounds like something that MEXT would support. You’d be in a position of leadership and influence over a rising group of students and able to help connect them to Japan in the future. I do not think that there is any reason to change that goal.
While I do not know your exact field, it seems to me that anything you research in your field in Japan can help make you a better teacher once you return to your home country. Increasing your research experience and professional knowledge should always help. So, my recommendation would be to think of ways that your research plan can contribute to your goal of becoming a better teacher, rather than changing that goal.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hey Travis!
My adviser is letting me compose a small part of my recommendation letter for the embassy MEXT, especially the parts I want to sell about myself. I was wondering if there’s an aspect I can put that will help me stand out more, particularly something that the screeners are looking for in the letter of recommendation? 🙂 Would writing about my academic accomplishments help my application out more, or would it be better to write down about my extracurriculars or other non-technical skills? Thank you!
Thanks for all this!
Hi Dominic,
Great question.
I would recommend focusing on academic accomplishments, service/community involvement, and examples of leadership.
If you do mention skills, mention them in the context of something that you have achieved using that skill.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the reply, man!
I’m curious about the service/community involvement part. Is something like that expected from you as a MEXT scholar?
Thanks again!
Hi Dominic,
Yes, it’s right there in the application guidelines:
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi transenz,
I noticed that the articles i read so far are for embassy recommended scholarship but what about university recommended? I got accepted to an MBA program in japan with a recommendation to apply for MEXT. Will this give me an edge or will my application also go through the same process as the embassy recommended like what is here?
Hi Niph,
I think I have the same number of articles about the Embassy and University Recommended application processes – and articles like this apply equally to both versions. I recommend you check the MEXT Scholarship index page, where I have all of the articles listed (separate headers for Embassy and University, though some of the same articles appear in both sections).
The University Recommended MEXT scholarship is completely separate from the Embassy in terms of the application process. You will not need to go through the embassy. If the university selects you for nomination to MEXT that will be the culmination of your application process.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi, travis, beforehand thanks for the posts, they are really helping. secondly i have see that for non english native speakers, it’s necessary an english proficency test like the IELTS, but my doubt its what IELTS certification it’s necessary? The Academic or General training?. I’m gonna book my IELTS test to April so i’ve been wondering what’s the one i need. Again thanks for all the help and i will appreciate your answer…
Hi Juan,
Thank you for your kind words.
I would recommend the Academic IELTS. That’s the only kind I’ve ever seen working for universities and I think that is what would be expected.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Thanks for the information. I have a zero skill of Japanese language right now but i want to learn and be a good competitor for the 2020 MEXT undergraduate scholarship program. what do you advice me??
Hi Michael,
You do not need Japanese language ability to be eligible for the scholarship, but studying the language would help you be more competitive, I suppose. Of course, if you have the time to study – and not fall behind on your school coursework and studying for the content tests for the scholarship – then I would certainly recommend it!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Is japanese language compulsory for MEXT scholarship? I have applied once for undergraduate level but failed.
Hi Nabin,
My expertise is in the scholarship for graduate students, so I do not have much specific information about that scholarship for undergraduates.
However, I am sure that for both, Japanese language ability is not required – though it can certainly be a competitive advantage!
Good Luck,
– Travis from TranSenz
Is there any scholarship available in Japan for grade 11 & 12 for international students?Can I apply from my home country?
Hi Subhada Mallick,
I’m afraid I do not know of any scholarships for high school students. My area of specialty is the MEXT scholarship for graduate students.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
i dont even have idea how to apply but i have a keen intrest to learn abroad.
Can you please guide me ?
Hi Tougeer Abbas,
I would recommend that you start by reading the other articles on this site, which include all of the information and guidance I have collected about the MEXT scholarship over the years.
If you want to learn about the scholarship step-by-step, you can also check out my ebook, How to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Hi
I have posted my application form to embassy of Japan, what should I do next
Hi Bennie,
The next thing you want to do is to prepare for the tests and interview while you are waiting for their reply!
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
I am applying this year for undergraduate. My major subjects in 12 was math, english,physics and chemistry. But,I lost my passion in science. Can I apply for BBA ? Because I have math.
Please Reply
Hi Abdullah Munir,
I’m afraid I do not understand what your grades mean, since I don’t know where you are from and what grading system is used there.
Ultimately, it is going to be up to the embassy to select applicants, but in my experience, this is a very competitive scholarship and they would expect most applicants to have excellent grades.
BBA is one of the fields that you can apply for.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Same as mine transenz
Hi Daniel,
I don’t know if you saw my reply to Bennie, but you should start preparing for the tests and interview.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz