MEXT Scholarship (Graduate Students) 2017

[lesychawz]

Well, the dorms seemed pretty complete (at least the ones listed in Nagoya University), despite their very small size. I am still trying to figure out how one can have a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom in 14m². So, even in a dorm, I'd still be living by myself, and social interactions would be limited to common areas only, I guess. Could anyone with experience in this area confirm my thoughts?

As to costing, Nagoya is a little cheaper than Tokyo, but not that much. Half the scholarship would be used to pay for housing items, such as the rent itself, gas, electricity, water, etc. A dorm would be 20k tops, all included. That alone is enough reason for me to be in one.

Finally, does anyone know how it works to apply for a dorm? I'm waiting for the second screening results to start that, but at the same time I'm afraid there won't be any room left.

From what I have heard from tgr previous yr forum. Obce u pass the second screening and u get plaxed at a uni. The uni will contact u asking u abt e ttp of dorm u wld require. The uni may cobtanct u befr official secobd screenibg results are out. wc will be a sign that u hve passed e secobd screening

 

[madphysicist]

The most important thing to be careful about when staying in the dorm - avoid foreigners looking to practise (only) english.

Get out and away from that bubble. You didn't come to Japan to speak vague, spotty english with someone who uses it as their third or fourth language (did you?).

Other than that, every dorm is different - some can be great, some can be terrible.

Yeah people complain about the Japanese insisting on speaking to you in English if you're foreign, but actually I have found it to be other foreigners who refuse to reply to me in Japanese even if they're working as a shop assistant or something. And generally they treat me as more of an outsider than the Japanese do and single me out more.

But I don't think it has that much to do with where you're staying, some students will always end up hanging out with people from their own country because integrating seems like too much effort. Me, I'm sick of other foreigners (except you guys, obviously, you're great... )

 

[Salpies]

Well, the dorms seemed pretty complete (at least the ones listed in Nagoya University), despite their very small size. I am still trying to figure out how one can have a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom in 14m². So, even in a dorm, I'd still be living by myself, and social interactions would be limited to common areas only, I guess. Could anyone with experience in this area confirm my thoughts?

As to costing, Nagoya is a little cheaper than Tokyo, but not that much. Half the scholarship would be used to pay for housing items, such as the rent itself, gas, electricity, water, etc. A dorm would be 20k tops, all included. That alone is enough reason for me to be in one.

Finally, does anyone know how it works to apply for a dorm? I'm waiting for the second screening results to start that, but at the same time I'm afraid there won't be any room left.

I stayed at the dorms in Tokyo Gakugei a few years ago during my undergraduate degree and it was one of the greatest experiences. The dorms were very small ensuite rooms with shared kitchen and laundry, and there were always activities going on to socialise with everyone and to meet the local community. There were some MEXT students there doing the English program, and they were put in a specific dorm, which happened to be the one that I was in. The rent was crazy cheap, for my 80k month stipend from my scholarship, It was about 10k a month for my rent, up or down depending on how much I blasted the A/C. I saved up enough to take frequent trips with other dormmates, including a week in South Korea during Golden Week. My university didn't confirm I was accepted to Tokyo Gakugei until six weeks before I was due to be there and I still managed to get a room in the dormitory. They will help you, I'm sure.

Now though, I want space and quiet to do my phd so I'm hoping for a university subsidised apartment haha. It's why I wasn't keen on moving back to Tokyo, as much as I love the city. I'm looking forward to living in Hiroshima

 

[AruanM]

Wow! Thanks for all the inputs. Nagoya University has some really nice dorms, so I'm looking forward to living there. But after the first year, it would be nice to share a house with some friends. My gf is staying in Brazil, so I want to have the possibility of having her as a guest there.

Anyone else in Nagoya or studying Law?

 

[Frida]

OMG, the wait is killing me, can December please hurry up?

 

[Tepanyakigo]

Greetings guys, I am a new member of this forum. I want to ask about MEXT Scholarship via University Recommendation.

I have contacted my professor in Osaka University and been interviewed for entrance exam. I have also sent the scans of necessary documents.

I just want to ask for people who also apply to OU when did you get the notification email whether you were accepted or not.


Thank you so much

 

[indojindesu]

OMG, the wait is killing me, can December please hurry up?

Sometimes I forget that I have applied for this scholarship lol

 

[indojindesu]

Greetings guys, I am a new member of this forum. I want to ask about MEXT Scholarship via University Recommendation.

I have contacted my professor in Osaka University and been interviewed for entrance exam. I have also sent the scans of necessary documents.

I just want to ask for people who also apply to OU when did you get the notification email whether you were accepted or not.


Thank you so much

Hi! The applicants posting here have mostly applied via embassy recommendation! Try posting at the university recommendation thread

MEXT Scholarship through University Recommendation | Japan Forum

 

[Tepanyakigo]

Hi! The applicants posting here have mostly applied via embassy recommendation! Try posting at the university recommendation thread

MEXT Scholarship through University Recommendation | Japan Forum

Thank you for your information!

 

[dauntless]

Sometimes I forget that I have applied for this scholarship lol

Haha, you must be very busy with your work)

 

[indojindesu]

Haha, you must be very busy with your work)

Trying to keep busy to stop thinking about the scholarship and the second screening xD

 

[AruanM]

Trying to keep busy to stop thinking about the scholarship and the second screening xD

Yeap. I try to think that all that was depending on me was done (in the best possible way, under my conditions). Now it's up to other people, and there's not much I can do about it anymore. Except for studying Japanese and starting my research project, in case I am accepted. But it's weird to have everything suspended, waiting for a decision.

How much money do you guys find it necessary to take with you? I'm trying to save something close to USD 2k.

 

[Frida]

Well USD 2k is the recommended ammount, but it dependes very much on yourself. Can you get by buying cheap toiletries? Are you willing to eat in cheap places?
I don't care about brands and I eat in the streat all the time in my country, so that is no preoblem for me, but I have met a lot of people that have a hard time giving up on some commodities, specially at the beginning.
There are also other things that we still don't know, like the accomodation. If we get a dorm, it will be furnished, but we might have to start at an unfurnished appartment, so buying a futton/bed needs to be considered.
Personally, I'll be taking 1.5k in cash, but I will make sure to have at least another 1.5k in my bank account, just to be safe.

 

[AruanM]

Well USD 2k is the recommended ammount, but it dependes very much on yourself. Can you get by buying cheap toiletries? Are you willing to eat in cheap places?
I don't care about brands and I eat in the streat all the time in my country, so that is no preoblem for me, but I have met a lot of people that have a hard time giving up on some commodities, specially at the beginning.
There are also other things that we still don't know, like the accomodation. If we get a dorm, it will be furnished, but we might have to start at an unfurnished appartment, so buying a futton/bed needs to be considered.
Personally, I'll be taking 1.5k in cash, but I will make sure to have at least another 1.5k in my bank account, just to be safe.

I'm fine with cheap stuff, as well as with eating simple. I wouldn't even mind cooking for myself, as it is what I do in my country. So I'm glad I'm thinking within margin, as I won't be able to save much more than that.

 

[Tagy]

Hello Every one,
long time since i wrote post here, so busy with my work, but it seem every one is here, Frida,
indojindesu, and every one, hope you are fine.
the long wait is killing me. when result will come out !

 

[Tagy]

Thanks! Chances are I'm gonna be staying in Nagoya or Tokyo next year April. Hope to see you guys (MEXT 2017 survivors).

Hello Kobayakawa,
I will go to Nagoya institute of technology, nagoya is great city, hope to meet you there

 

[Frida]

Hello Kobayakawa,
I will go to Nagoya institute of technology, nagoya is great city, hope to meet you there

[Teasing] Did you guys read about Nagoya being declared the most bring city in Japan? XD
Nagoya: The most boring city in Japan | The Japan Times

I'm hopping to go to Kyoto , so even though it's a little far, it would be great to be able to meat in some occasions

 

[indojindesu]

[Teasing] Did you guys read about Nagoya being declared the most bring city in Japan? XD
Nagoya: The most boring city in Japan | The Japan Times

I'm hopping to go to Kyoto, so even though it's a little far, it would be great to be able to meat in some occasions

Atleast it a big city, I'l probably end up at Mishima and its a proper rural area! As far as I know, they dont even have a starbucks there lol

I'l get to practice my Japanese though.


And yes, lets make a facebook group and plan atleast one meeting/get together thing! (trying to stay optimistic)

 

[indojindesu]

[Teasing] Did you guys read about Nagoya being declared the most bring city in Japan? XD
Nagoya: The most boring city in Japan | The Japan Times

I'm hopping to go to Kyoto, so even though it's a little far, it would be great to be able to meat in some occasions

Atleast it a big city, I'l probably end up at Mishima and its a proper rural area! As far as I know, they dont even have a starbucks there lol

I'l get to practice my Japanese though.


And yes, lets make a facebook group and plan atleast one meeting/get together thing! (trying to stay optimistic)

Hello Every one,
long time since i wrote post here, so busy with my work, but it seem every one is here, Frida,
indojindesu, and every one, hope you are fine.
the long wait is killing me. when result will come out !

Same here. Trying to keep busy! This waiting stuff is slowly starting to get to me now.
The more I wait, the more I assume I wont make it through the screening lol

 

[AmerikaJin5]

Yeah people complain about the Japanese insisting on speaking to you in English if you're foreign, but actually I have found it to be other foreigners who refuse to reply to me in Japanese even if they're working as a shop assistant or something. And generally they treat me as more of an outsider than the Japanese do and single me out more.

But I don't think it has that much to do with where you're staying, some students will always end up hanging out with people from their own country because integrating seems like too much effort. Me, I'm sick of other foreigners (except you guys, obviously, you're great... )

This is true. Sure, even when I go out with a group of Japanese friends and we're all chatting together, some staff will use Japanese with all my friends and then try to say "thank you" or something in English to me (after hearing me speak Japanese), but I don't really care. My rule is, I will speak whichever language is the highest level for all those involved (English/Japanese). It's only annoying when someone with nonexistent English skills tries to keep replying to me in English because we never move forward.
Anyway, the foreigners are faaaaar more likely to insist on English, and you'll never get to practice or improve!
If you want to make foreign friends, why come to Japan?
I must say, in my observations, Thai and Vietnamese students stick together in groups unlike any other nationality here. To each their own.
Have fun and good luck!

 

[Salpies]

My rule is, I will speak whichever language is the highest level for all those involved (English/Japanese). It's only annoying when someone with nonexistent English skills tries to keep replying to me in English because we never move forward.

Yes, this is how I am. I'm fine if they speak understandable English to me, especially if I'm around others who don't speak much Japanese. I think the courtesy English is a nice gesture, so long as they are willing to switch to Japanese when I reply I can understand Japanese if they aren't confident in English. I had a friend who is from China come visit me in Japan and people kept speaking to her in Japanese and me in English (I'm very white), even though she barely spoke Japanese haha. It was so funny, I'd speak to them in Japanese and then they'd address all responses to my friend who would be looking at them blank faced and I'd reply and so forth. It must be a bit harder to visit Japan and be of an Asian background without knowing Japanese, because I think there is more of an assumption in ability compared to other nationalities.

 

[madphysicist]

This is true. Sure, even when I go out with a group of Japanese friends and we're all chatting together, some staff will use Japanese with all my friends and then try to say "thank you" or something in English to me (after hearing me speak Japanese), but I don't really care.

I do care about this because I think it's really rude. Not only because they are singling me out unnecessarily but because not all white people speak English as a native language or indeed at all. Okay if they haven't heard me speak Japanese I can just about forgive them the assumption that I don't, but if they have they are effectively just saying to me "you will never be like us". My standard response is to fix them with a steely glare and an "Eigo ga jouzu desu neeeee..."

It's like the poor Japanese people who go to Europe and get greeted with a "Ni hao!" Everyone should just cut it out. I'm going to Taiwan next month and I hope people try to speak to me in Chinese even if I can hardly say anything yet.

Sorry for off-topic, I blame MEXT for not updating us lol. I went to Kyoto this week and I'm fairly sure if I go there for MEXT I'm going to be treated like a tourist for 3 years. What fun.

 

[AmerikaJin5]

I do care about this because I think it's really rude. Not only because they are singling me out unnecessarily but because not all white people speak English as a native language or indeed at all. Okay if they haven't heard me speak Japanese I can just about forgive them the assumption that I don't, but if they have they are effectively just saying to me "you will never be like us". My standard response is to fix them with a steely glare and an "Eigo ga jouzu desu neeeee..."

It's like the poor Japanese people who go to Europe and get greeted with a "Ni hao!" Everyone should just cut it out. I'm going to Taiwan next month and I hope people try to speak to me in Chinese even if I can hardly say anything yet.

Sorry for off-topic, I blame MEXT for not updating us lol. I went to Kyoto this week and I'm fairly sure if I go there for MEXT I'm going to be treated like a tourist for 3 years. What fun.

I certainly understand your feeling, and many foreigners feel the same way. But to be honest, I am not fluent yet (far from it), and the percentage of fluent foreigners (especially western) is veeeeery small compared to all the western people they encounter. I think that assuming all western-looking people speak English is a bigger problem than assuming western-looking people can't speak Japanese. Besides, out of the maybe 100 western foreigners I've encountered in the last year in Tokyo, maybe 4-5 of them speak good Japanese. Most of them have been here anywhere from 6 months to 3 years and yet they can barely introduce themselves. That ratio doesn't help matters for those of us who will be here for at least several years.
As for the "you'll never be like us" attitude, I think that's not going away anytime soon. I've been lucky enough to make friends with maybe 2-3 Japanese who consider me as "me" and not "foreigner", but the vast majority of Japanese definitely think of "them and us" and it's simply ingrained from birth. Finding a happy balance between 'fitting-in to society' but still realizing 'true acceptance' is out of reach, will lead to less frustration and probably a more satisfying experience.
I've also found that gentle but challenging questions can help them arrive at better cultural awareness on their own. For example, my close friend (who sees me as "me") recently met a German who was so fluent he was 'niihonjinpoi' and she told him how amazing his Japanese was. I told her, "maybe in your mind you were trying to encourage him and showing recognition for such high skill that is rare among western foreigners...but do you ever commend a fellow Japanese for their language skill? No. Next time, don't say anything and just enjoy the conversation; the other person will notice and appreciate it." I think that really hit home for her.
If you haven't read it already, and if you want a good laugh with some deep thinking and cultural info, I recommend Ken Seeroi's blog "Japanese Rule of 7" Japanese Rule of 7

 

[Kod42_IndJap]

Hi Amerikajin, I am new to this forum. Glad to see you all discussing on important subjects regarding MEXT and thanks for sharing us your experiences. I have received LOA from Yokohama National University and currently waiting for secondary screening results. In your previous posts I found that you were planning to find accommodation for yourself and your wife. Did you manage to settle down...? I am planning to get married in Feb 2017 and then come on this scholarship and my wife will join later. Just want to ask you how feasible is it for 2 people to live in Japan on the scholarship amount for initial one year...? She wants to work after coming to Japan but I guess it will take sometime before she finds any work. Any other suggestions based on your experience would really help me to decide on some stuff before coming to Japan...

 

[AmerikaJin5]

Hi Amerikajin, I am new to this forum. Glad to see you all discussing on important subjects regarding MEXT and thanks for sharing us your experiences. I have received LOA from Yokohama National University and currently waiting for secondary screening results. In your previous posts I found that you were planning to find accommodation for yourself and your wife. Did you manage to settle down...? I am planning to get married in Feb 2017 and then come on this scholarship and my wife will join later. Just want to ask you how feasible is it for 2 people to live in Japan on the scholarship amount for initial one year...? She wants to work after coming to Japan but I guess it will take sometime before she finds any work. Any other suggestions based on your experience would really help me to decide on some stuff before coming to Japan...

Thanks for asking. I won't go into too much detail with my story, but let's just say it's different from yours, so I can say "yes" I think you and your wife can live on the MEXT scholarship for a year. Especially if YNU has a dormitory where you can stay together. Otherwise, find a cheap apartment near Chuorinkan or something and you'll be fine.

In my case, my wife was supposed to come to Japan in January 2016 so I quickly found an apartment and moved in. Turns out she can't come until December 2016, so I moved out of my super-cheap dormitory for no reason. Not only that, but I just recently moved into a better dormitory with better amenities than the apartment, which means I waste almost a year living in a (somewhat) expensive apartment by myself. All of that (housing issue and wife living in USA) has made my finances extremely tight. So, you will probably be fine. Best of luck and congrats on your up coming marriage!