Japanese studies scholarship ( need urgent help please!! )

[darkhriss]

Let me tell you the story first. I've been learning japanese for almost 1 year and a half. Although the courses at the university are rather easy, I kept learning at home, dreaming I will take a scholarship someday. So last week I went to the japanese studies examn, to see how high is the level and learn really hard to take the scholarship next year. But this Tuesday the embassy called me that...I passed the exam. I had 3 days to recover from shock and to make all the necessary papers, and now next Tuesday I have an interview. This is really scary, I was about to prepare myself to go through all this next year, not now.

Although my japanese level is equal to level 3, I'm not so sure of my speaking skills, considering I learned A LOT in just 1 year. I have no idea what to do for the interview. So please, someone who already had this kind of experience, help me! I have a few questions.

- What kind of questions do they ask?
- The interview is completely in japanese or do they ask stuff in your native language too?
- And the most important, is this interview relevant in taking the scholarship? If I'm really nervous and mess it up, does that compromise the whole thing and they won't send my papers to Japan?

If there is any other information you think would be helpful, please tell me! I'm a little lost.

 

[csemege]

- What kind of questions do they ask?
- The interview is completely in japanese or do they ask stuff in your native language too?
- And the most important, is this interview relevant in taking the scholarship? If I'm really nervous and mess it up, does that compromise the whole thing and they won't send my papers to Japan?

1. "What got you interested in Japan?", "Why did you choose Japanese studies as your major?", "What do you like about Japan?", "Have you been to Japan before?", "Explain why you entered X University as your first choice?", etc. Depending on your answers about your interests related to Japan, they might ask specific questions about writers, film directors, anime series, that sort of stuff, so it's good to brush up on some basic vocabulary for these topics.
2. All done in Japanese.
3. They will send your papers to Japan anyway, because it's not up to the Embassy to decide. Doing well in the interview helps, but overall, it's a mystery why some pass the final screening and some don't, what part the interview plays in all of that, and what "doing well" exactly means. Doesn't have to be great speaking skills...