MEXT Scholarship for Postgraduate 2011: General Discussions.

[in0668]

Hello everybody!
I've got some news. Not good news but no bad news either.
I was selected as an alternate. Yep, if someone dies I can take his/her place

If someone has ever been in that situation please let me know your experience. I'm kind of depressed because the odds of someone finally not going to Japan are quite low but that's the best they could offer me.

I keep asking myself why they don't like me!
I have 3 emails from professors from different Universities that are willing to welcome me in their labs in case I go... I just can't understand why they don't like me.


Ok, now I'm depressed again

Hi ykk,

I have applied to the Research Scholarship from Toronto, Canada, and was selected as the alternate recipient, too. Did your embassy give you information about what the likelihoods of you getting the scholarship in the end are, or any other useful information? Do you know if we are only being considered when someone from our own country declines the scholarship, or do we have a chance when a candidate from any other country declines the scholarship, too?

I'll keep fingers crossed for both of us!

Thanks,
Yunjie

 

[in0668]

Hi everyone,

I applied for the scholarship for research studies from Toronto, Canada, and was noticed that I have been selected as the "alternate recipient". Is anyone else in my situation? What do you think the likelihood of receiving the scholarshp is for alternate recipients?

Are we only able to replace a candidate from our country of citizenship/application, or are we being considered when a candidate from another country is unable to accept the scholarship, too?

Also, I heard that I can try to secure a recommendation from a supervisor in a Japanese university to increase my chances - is that true? How does that process work?

Any information would be much appreciated!

 

[hhe]

If I may put my 2 cents in:
1) If there are small details that you are planning to change, then I don't think that would be much of a problem as I did change a few points in my research plan last year.
2) Well, in M'sia we get to change that and submit an updated list of our preferred universities. I left mine blank on the application form (the one before the interview).

so you actually changed something? i am having the same problem.. i thought of changing my initial research details in order to fit in well with the prof current research. To my surprise, what I proposed initially was different from what the prof is doing (who is willing to grant me LOA). Does changing the details in order to fit in act against me? and Do we have to notify local embassy in this matter?

 

[ekoy]

@seacrac: If I remembered correctly, I had to write a formal letter to inform the embassy on the change of my university preference.

@hhe: I did change something but it was only a small detail. If the prof is already willing to grant you the LoA, then leave it as it is. Discuss with your prof if he/she wants you to change something in your research plan. Because when you are in Japan, everything else is between your prof and you.

Hope that helps. ^^

 

[hhe]

@seacrac: If I remembered correctly, I had to write a formal letter to inform the embassy on the change of my university preference.
@hhe: I did change something but it was only a small detail. If the prof is already willing to grant you the LoA, then leave it as it is. Discuss with your prof if he/she wants you to change something in your research plan. Because when you are in Japan, everything else is between your prof and you.
Hope that helps. ^^

yay, it helps and helps alot! thanks! i think I should discuss with the prof.

 

[PoopyPants]

Hi everyone,

I applied for the scholarship for research studies from Toronto, Canada, and was noticed that I have been selected as the "alternate recipient". Is anyone else in my situation? What do you think the likelihood of receiving the scholarshp is for alternate recipients?

Are we only able to replace a candidate from our country of citizenship/application, or are we being considered when a candidate from another country is unable to accept the scholarship, too?

Also, I heard that I can try to secure a recommendation from a supervisor in a Japanese university to increase my chances - is that true? How does that process work?

Any information would be much appreciated!

I'm not sure how the alternate system works so I can't provide much info for that, but generally if you get selected as an embassy recommended student they give you the option to provide a maximum of 3 schools that you would like to attend. You have to go out and get Letters of Acceptance from these schools. Once everything is handed into MEXT they make the final judgment on your Monbusho application.
So I assume that if you have supervisors lined up, and a spot is freed up, you'd be one of the first on the list to get that open spot.

 

[ykk]

Hi there,
I'm sorry it took me so long to answer, I've been super busy these days.

About my experience being an alternate candidate:
They didn't tell me much about the odds of being selected or not.
They said that in the last 3 years the alternative candidate finally went to japan, sometimes because the successful candidates dropped the scholarship before April or because MEXT rejected their application (this may happen too!) OR because MEXT decided that the alternate candidate was a good candidate too and allowed him/her to go along with the other candidates.
In my country there are 2 alternative candidates, but there is no advantage for me or the other person.
They made me change the original application form because I had selected some universities that didn't give me a positive answer.

I changed the names of universities and professors for the ones I've contacted (and had a positive answer). I also wrote a small paragraph about successful email exchange with the professors and attached a copy of the emails with positive feedbacks form 3 different universities.

Apparently the embassy is sending my forms along the other candidates and MEXT will revise my situation. I will have a final answer in December if I can go or not.

I informed my professors (they are so sweet, I already love them!) about this matter and they told me that they can wait until December.

I don't have any Letter of Acceptance, in the embassy they didn't tell me to get one yet... maybe in december, if I get selected.
Good luck alternative candidate! We can make it! ^_-

 

[jackyoboy]

Hi guys, it's been a long time since i've updated this thread. Have been busy lately with the applications and LoA. I got accepted into University of Tokyo, anyone going to be there / is already there? I need to write an e-mail to the Prof. who issued my LoA. Any ideas of giving a good impression?I mean, mind to share how u guys wrote your first e-mail to your supervisor? :?

 

[nyfa]

Hi guys, it's been a long time since i've updated this thread. Have been busy lately with the applications and LoA. I got accepted into University of Tokyo, anyone going to be there / is already there? I need to write an e-mail to the Prof. who issued my LoA. Any ideas of giving a good impression?I mean, mind to share how u guys wrote your first e-mail to your supervisor? :?

What do you mean? I thought by 'accepted', you already got your (future) supervisor's approval. So what is the meaning of 'first e-mail' then?

 

[PeterSimon]

Hi guys, it's been a long time since i've updated this thread. Have been busy lately with the applications and LoA. I got accepted into University of Tokyo, anyone going to be there / is already there? I need to write an e-mail to the Prof. who issued my LoA. Any ideas of giving a good impression?I mean, mind to share how u guys wrote your first e-mail to your supervisor? :?

How long did it take between sending your documents and getting the answer?

 

[jackyoboy]

I didnt go through the application with my appointed supervisor. Instead, I was dealing with the application through another prof. who is in charge of the admission of the international students / MEXT scholars. She went through the lecturers of the department for one who is willing to take my proposal to be done there. So, up till now, only I know who my supervisor is since he passed the LOA to the coordinator to be sent to me. Sounds complicated.

As for the time period of getting the LOA, it took me around 2 weeks till today to receive the softcopy (scanned) of my LOA. The hardcopy is otw thru EMS.

 

[PeterSimon]

2 weeks, that's quite some time. The last set of documents I sent to Tokyo only arrived yesterday and my deadline to present LOAs to the embassy is September 10. I wonder how I'll do that on time. Not to mention some universities (like Hitotsubashi) issue answers only after Sep 15. >_<

As for the e-mail: well, begin with thanking the professor for accepting you. Introduce briefly yourself, your proposed research theme and your past experience in the field. Write that you are very eager to begin working on the research under his supervision from next year. And that's about all, he'll reply.

 

[jackyoboy]

There's still time man, not to worry..maybe you can send an e-mail to inform your embassy coordinator that your LOA might be late because they only issue on Sept 15?just attach the e-mail stating that point or cite the webpage of it. He/she will understand. Do tell them the deadline though. Maybe they can issue yours earlier.

 

[sat]

Hi! I want to know in the case you didn't get a LOA is it possible to lose the Scholarship. I worry about it because my academic background is not very good due to our educational system in my country.

 

[PeterSimon]

Hi! I want to know in the case you didn't get a LOA is it possible to lose the Scholarship. I worry about it because my academic background is not very good due to our educational system in my country.

That's what I'd like to know, too. Generally, it is possible to lose the scholarship, but the rules say MEXT will try to find you a suitable university, if your proposal is clear enough.
However, from what I know, people from less developed countries are always a priority for MEXT, so if you're the only candidate from your country, they'll take you right away.

 

[sat]

thanks Peter. I come from a developing country. So I hope that I will get the scholarship even I didn't get a LOA.I sent my application to Nagoya, Kobe and IUJ.

 

[blurcheryl]

Does anybody knows, in the case that we obtained multiple LoAs, a way for us to indicate our preference of which supervisor we want to be with?
In my case, I have the potential to obtain 2 LoAs. However, there is only one I am really interested with. The other one serves as backup. However, is it possible for me to submit it as a backup without it backfiring on me, in the case that MEXT decided to choose it over my preferred one?

Oh gosh! I'm in the same situation now. But I feel awfully bad to one professor if I get sent to the other professor. Both are extremely nice people and both are working in my field of interest. So are you gonna submit both LOAs to the embassy?

 

[PeterSimon]

Guys, do you know if the universities send the answers by EMS or by regular mail?

 

[jophillia]

Guys, do you know if the universities send the answers by EMS or by regular mail?

From what I know, all mail is sent by EMS =)

Good luck with the LoAs everyone. I am still waiting for mine >_< I only applied to one university because the rest did not reply/ did not have professors doing the same research topic. Hope things would go ok...

 

[PoopyPants]

From what I know, all mail is sent by EMS =)
Good luck with the LoAs everyone. I am still waiting for mine >_< I only applied to one university because the rest did not reply/ did not have professors doing the same research topic. Hope things would go ok...

Yea, mine was sent by EMS too.

I'm in the same boat as you, I had a prof willing to take me in before the embassy selection process so I only submitted 1

 

[prettybunny]

i m waiting for mine too! fortunately in malaysia the submission deadline is postponed to 30th of Sept.
But i am still very nervous!!

 

[sat]

Loa

Hi guys! I have a question about the LOA this year.Our ambassy said that we have to wait the definitive selection of MEXT before sending our LOA even if we got it now. How about yours?

 

[PeterSimon]

Hi guys! I have a question about the LOA this year.Our ambassy said that we have to wait the definitive selection of MEXT before sending our LOA even if we got it now. How about yours?

If you have passed the preliminary selection at the embassy, you should give the LOAs you receive to them and they should send it to Japan along with your application documents.

 

[seacrac]

Oh gosh! I'm in the same situation now. But I feel awfully bad to one professor if I get sent to the other professor. Both are extremely nice people and both are working in my field of interest. So are you gonna submit both LOAs to the embassy?

I am in a fix right now. Previously, when I filled the application attach form for my university preferences, I haven't contacted the lecturers yet (which I indicated in the form). Now however, after I contacted the lecturers, I have a different preference from my original choices.

Now, I am gonna receive LoAs from 2-3 of my potential supervisors. However, they are not in my original list of preference in my application attach form. I was wondering if I need to resubmit the order of preference for the universities. However, Miss Yin from the Jap embassy says there is no need because MEXT will choose the university for us, from the LoA received. I would however, like to indicate my preference, rather than let MEXT choose it randomly for me T_T.

 

[blurcheryl]

Anyone from Malaysia managed to submit their LoA by last friday, the first deadline?
I received mine last friday afternoon. I rushed to the embassy immediately after receiving it but the jam was too horrible that I reached there only to find out that it was already closed