MEXT Scholarship (Graduate Students) 2017

[AmerikaJin5]

You said that:



If you can't be bothered to remember your own statements this could get tedious very quickly. Suffice it to say I strongly disagree with your perspectives on the Japanese and on how Americans treat Mexicans. Let's get back on topic a little...

I know exactly what I wrote, you placed it out of context. Anyway, yeah, we can have our own perspectives; we don't know each other's lives or experience here in Japan so let's leave it at that. What a rabbit trail!

 

[Kod42_IndJap]

I think each individual is brought up in a different way and their behavior has lot to do with their surroundings and childhood life. I think Japanese people are no exception to this. It would be harsh to speak about the entire community rather than specific individual. If Japanese speak to us in English, it could be because of various reasons. Depending on the ability of the other person it can also be reasonably awkward and extremely slow for them. It might be exhausting for them to talk with a beginner. Or maybe they want to improve their own English. If you need to speak about science/literature/politics in Japanese, you need to be extremely good in Japanese I suppose. I think, we shouldn't get into too much detail, else it will create unnecessary conflict.

 

[Wilson Karma]

Congratulations!

I also have Kyoto University as my first choice. What subject are you applying for?

Good for you, Kyoto is a great and renowned University! I've Applied for a master degree in Project Management from Graduate School of Management, what about yours?

 

[Frida]

Good for you, Kyoto is a great and renowned University! I've Applied for a master degree in Project Management from Graduate School of Management, what about yours?

Hey I also applied for the IPROMAC program!!!
Did you go through the application process for the master already?

 

[Wilson Karma]

Hey I also applied for the IPROMAC program!!!
Did you go through the application process for the master already?

Hi Frida, is that your first choice? I feel relieved to find someone who has the same prospective course.

In my case I'll have to attend a hole year as a research student because the application term starts in August 2017 and the Master enrollment starts in April. I had the option to apply to the Master in August next year before going to Japan in October, but I rather spend more time as a research student in order to be more prepared to attend the master. Are you doing the same?

What about the entrance exam, do you have any idea of what exams are we going to do? In Waseda University (my second choice) it's mandatory to take a G-mat Exam and I'm not related to this exam at all.

 

[madphysicist]

I've Applied for a master degree in Project Management from Graduate School of Management, what about yours?

I will study physics in the school of science. I will also be a research student for a while and then probably apply for a PhD within a year. I think actually it's good for me that there's a research student period because it gives me time to be sure of what I want my PhD topic to be.

Edit: I replied to @AmerikaJin5 then realised I might just lengthen the argument so removed it.

 

[Kamiyan]

Hi Frida, is that your first choice? I feel relieved to find someone who has the same prospective course.

In my case I'll have to attend a hole year as a research student because the application term starts in August 2017 and the Master enrollment starts in April. I had the option to apply to the Master in August next year before going to Japan in October, but I rather spend more time as a research student in order to be more prepared to attend the master. Are you doing the same?

What about the entrance exam, do you have any idea of what exams are we going to do? In Waseda University (my second choice) it's mandatory to take a G-mat Exam and I'm not related to this exam at all.

wow, didn't know there were project management programs in Waseda ( I'm a project manager and I'm in love with this field), I'm going to study an MBA and also was asked for the GMAT, luckily the score needed in japan universities is not as high as the US programs, I just bought some books from amazon, studied for one month and took the exam, I think the score Waseda expects is around 610.
btw, do you have a PMP certification?

 

[Wilson Karma]

wow, didn't know there were project management programs in Waseda ( I'm a project manager and I'm in love with this field), I'm going to study an MBA and also was asked for the GMAT, luckily the score needed in japan universities is not as high as the US programs, I just bought some books from amazon, studied for one month and took the exam, I think the score Waseda expects is around 610.
btw, do you have a PMP certification?

There aren't, if I go to Waseda I'll stud International Business Administration.

Regarding the master in Project Management I've never studied in this field and don't have any kind of certification. my last field of study and work experience was in Marketing. However, I've always wanted to stud and work in Project Management and couldn't do it before because Angola's universities don't offer this program.

Btw, congratulations for your achievements!

 

[Frida]

Hi Frida, is that your first choice? I feel relieved to find someone who has the same prospective course.

In my case I'll have to attend a hole year as a research student because the application term starts in August 2017 and the Master enrollment starts in April. I had the option to apply to the Master in August next year before going to Japan in October, but I rather spend more time as a research student in order to be more prepared to attend the master. Are you doing the same?

What about the entrance exam, do you have any idea of what exams are we going to do? In Waseda University (my second choice) it's mandatory to take a G-mat Exam and I'm not related to this exam at all.

Yes Wilson, it's my first choice. I was no given the option to decide to go as a research student first, although I would have loved it because of the time it gives you to adapt and learn better the language, but I'm happy nontheless.

May I ask when did you request the LoA? As in month and day? As I requested in on June 25th I still had little more than a month to prepare for the admission screening, I just want to know if that might have had to do with given or not the option for research student.

There was no entrance "exam" we were just asked to submit almost the same information as for MEXT but in their own formats and to answer 5 questions in the form of an essay that talked about your past experience, what kind of professional problems have you encountered and how did you manage them, etc.

wow, didn't know there were project management programs in Waseda ( I'm a project manager and I'm in love with this field), I'm going to study an MBA and also was asked for the GMAT, luckily the score needed in japan universities is not as high as the US programs, I just bought some books from amazon, studied for one month and took the exam, I think the score Waseda expects is around 610.
btw, do you have a PMP certification?

My second option is Doshisha's MBA and third is Waseda's MBA.
As I already have the GMAT I'm not really worried about it. I think I understand why they ask for a lower score. International students whose first language is not English will hardly do better in the Essay and Verbal Reasoning than a native. I usually fare very well in those areas in my native tongue (Spanish), I've worked as an editor and I can write pretty smoothly, but those two areas were the lowest for me in my GMAT.

 

[Kamiyan]

My second option is Doshisha's MBA and third is Waseda's MBA.
As I already have the GMAT I'm not really worried about it. I think I understand why they ask for a lower score. International students whose first language is not English will hardly do better in the Essay and Verbal Reasoning than a native. I usually fare very well in those areas in my native tongue (Spanish), I've worked as an editor and I can write pretty smoothly, but those two areas were the lowest for me in my GMAT.

My first option is Keio, then Waseda and Doshisha as my third option, it would be funny if we end in the same university hahahaha.

 

[AmerikaJin5]

I will study physics in the school of science. I will also be a research student for a while and then probably apply for a PhD within a year. I think actually it's good for me that there's a research student period because it gives me time to be sure of what I want my PhD topic to be.

Edit: I replied to @AmerikaJin5 then realised I might just lengthen the argument so removed it.

LOL whatever you say.
And yeah the research student period is nice for developing/confirming your topic. PhD is a long road to travel for a topic you don't like! :dead:
The worst part for me during my research student period was that my uni limits the dormitory selection. After becoming PhD student more options became available.

 

[bononogram]

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.

Kyoto is a real tough place to LIVE as a foreigner. Everything thinks you are just passing through.

 

[bononogram]

It's amusing to me too lol. Nope he's PhD student, already been here for a year and still has 2 more to go. He knows "thank you" and some very basic phrases (not even full sentences), and has quit every language class he enrolled in. Yare yare...

sorry for the double post but I HAD to add to this.

There are a bunch of these students at Kobe. They are from all over and usually in the hard sciences. They came to be their supervisor's slaves - they work 10hr days 6 days a week in their supervisor's lab doing HIS (almost always a man) experiments. The supervisor tells them to skip the language classes and come straight to the lab so he can get the most out of them (read: the most free labour). Most of the students with an actual interest in the language find this to be saddening, but some (usually from developing countries or some hardship) are just happy to be away from home it seems.

Some, however, have seemingly drank the kool-aid. "I have google so I don't need Japanese." It's gonna be a long, tedious, lonely life here until they finish their PhDs and take off. Avoid these types at all costs.

I reply to everyone in Japanese. It's a bit cold but I don't have time to make friends with people (Japanese, European, etc) looking to practise their English with someone from North America. I came here for a reason.
/rant

 

[AruanM]

Now I'm pretty sure there are no other law students around =(.

BTW, has anyone else been worried about Japan's stock market plummeting towards the depths of hell due to the American elections, or is it just me?

 

[madphysicist]

LOL whatever you say.

I think the internet would be a much more pleasant place if everyone stopped arguing once they'd made their point. I was just repeating what I'd said previously.

yoto is a real tough place to LIVE as a foreigner. Everything thinks you are just passing through.

Have you lived in Kyoto before? I have not heard from anyone who has both lived in Kyoto and was not relatively new to Japan/beginner Japanese level, so I have been wondering how true this really is.

Actually the thing I'm most dreading is the lack of public transport. But that's just a personal thing since I hate riding a bike.

All in all I'm sure there are also many positive things about living in Kyoto, let's see.

 

[AmerikaJin5]

sorry for the double post but I HAD to add to this.

There are a bunch of these students at Kobe. They are from all over and usually in the hard sciences. They came to be their supervisor's slaves - they work 10hr days 6 days a week in their supervisor's lab doing HIS (almost always a man) experiments. The supervisor tells them to skip the language classes and come straight to the lab so he can get the most out of them (read: the most free labour). Most of the students with an actual interest in the language find this to be saddening, but some (usually from developing countries or some hardship) are just happy to be away from home it seems.

Some, however, have seemingly drank the kool-aid. "I have google so I don't need Japanese." It's gonna be a long, tedious, lonely life here until they finish their PhDs and take off. Avoid these types at all costs.

I reply to everyone in Japanese. It's a bit cold but I don't have time to make friends with people (Japanese, European, etc) looking to practise their English with someone from North America. I came here for a reason.
/rant

That's true, I've seen that situation quite a bit (especially from non-Western PhD students who speak Japanese, whether they be Japanese or from elsewhere).
However, my German friend is in the latter group haha, he even wants to quit attending the lab seminar (which is mandatory) because he doesn't understand Japanese and feels it's a waste of time. So instead of spending time studying Japanese, he hits the clubs in Roppongi...
I don't use English if at all possible, usually up until we discuss research topics (which is impossible for me in Japanese at this point!), but my friend even uses English for the basic phrases he can actually say but all the girls just love him for some reason! 0_o

Btw, how is Kobe? I haven't made it down that far but I want to visit!

 

[Kiraboshii]

So... I just got an email from my advisor at Keio, who congratulated me on passing the second screening! She's received my documents from MEXT and wants to talk actual concrete study/research plans, which is pretty damn exciting.

I haven't heard anything from my Embassy yet (and when I called them a few weeks ago, they said the earliest they've ever heard has been December), but I guess this means that MEXT has started to get the info of successful applicants to the Universities they'll be placed in. I'm so so happy I got my first choice, fingers crossed for everyone else!

 

[glamette]

So... I just got an email from my advisor at Keio, who congratulated me on passing the second screening! She's received my documents from MEXT and wants to talk actual concrete study/research plans, which is pretty damn exciting.

I haven't heard anything from my Embassy yet (and when I called them a few weeks ago, they said the earliest they've ever heard has been December), but I guess this means that MEXT has started to get the info of successful applicants to the Universities they'll be placed in. I'm so so happy I got my first choice, fingers crossed for everyone else!

Congrats!! I wish I could get an update too! I'm running out of ideas to keep my mind occupied during this wait . I might bother my embassy again today, give them a little nudge in case the forgot me. lol

 

[indojindesu]

So... I just got an email from my advisor at Keio, who congratulated me on passing the second screening! She's received my documents from MEXT and wants to talk actual concrete study/research plans, which is pretty damn exciting.

I haven't heard anything from my Embassy yet (and when I called them a few weeks ago, they said the earliest they've ever heard has been December), but I guess this means that MEXT has started to get the info of successful applicants to the Universities they'll be placed in. I'm so so happy I got my first choice, fingers crossed for everyone else!

Congrats! I got more worried after reading your post lol
The long wait is finally over for you!
Maybe I should call the embassy too ..

 

[dauntless]

So... I just got an email from my advisor at Keio, who congratulated me on passing the second screening! She's received my documents from MEXT and wants to talk actual concrete study/research plans, which is pretty damn exciting.

Felicitations, Kiraboshii! You are very lucky to hear it so early.
Now we can assume that the long wait is coming to the end soon
I wish all of us will hear the good news soon...

 

[Frida]

So... I just got an email from my advisor at Keio, who congratulated me on passing the second screening! She's received my documents from MEXT and wants to talk actual concrete study/research plans, which is pretty damn exciting.

I haven't heard anything from my Embassy yet (and when I called them a few weeks ago, they said the earliest they've ever heard has been December), but I guess this means that MEXT has started to get the info of successful applicants to the Universities they'll be placed in. I'm so so happy I got my first choice, fingers crossed for everyone else!

Hey! Congratulations! I'm so excited for you!
I hope the rest of us start hearing the results soon, if not through the embassies, through our advisors.

 

[madphysicist]

Great news @Kiraboshii!

I received a similar email from my prof at Kyodai today!
I was surprised because I didn't expect anything this early.

Congrats! I got more worried after reading your post lol
The long wait is finally over for you!
Maybe I should call the embassy too ..

I don't think the embassy will tell you anything even if you call them, since it is still supposedly confidential information. But maybe you will also get confirmation soon if you're in contact with your supervisor.

 

[indojindesu]

Great news @Kiraboshii!

I received a similar email from my prof at Kyodai today!
I was surprised because I didn't expect anything this early.



I don't think the embassy will tell you anything even if you call them, since it is still supposedly confidential information. But maybe you will also get confirmation soon if you're in contact with your supervisor.

Congratulations!

And I was thinking about calling the Embassy just to let them know I am still alive or something like that
(Freaking out)

 

[AruanM]

Congrats to everyone!

The consulate has just called me. They said that I passed the secondary screening, but that this itself is no guarantee of my scholarship, as the MEXT still needs to contacts the University and assess whether they are still interested in having me, as well as confirm budget issues. Supposedly, I'll have a definite answer by February only, but I'm almost there.

Does anyone have any information on this? I'm waiting for the university to contact me, specially in order to begin dormitory reservation procedures, but I'm really anxious, tbh.

 

[Frida]

@madphysicist congratulations! OMG, I can't imagine your happiness right now. I hope I receive mine soon.

@AruanM Congratulations to you too! I don't think there would be any reason for the scholarship not to be given to you at this point... I mean... maybe if the university disappeared from earth... but otherwise I would say you can start packing