MEXT Japanese Studies (2016-2017)

[Kubus]

Oh man that sucks It seems a lot of people didn't get in this year.
I haven't received my results yet but I am 99% confident I didn't get in now. I have never done the JLPT so I didn't send proof of my skills and I screwed up on the written test.

It's gonna feel soooo bad to hear the results v_v. I can't apply next year either because I'll have gruduated by then (hopefully )

Fingers crossed for the others who still haven't gotten their results! I hope at least a few people here will make it!

 

[Oaneyl]

Yeah that sucks, we can't believe it even now. At the uni, everybody talks about that, everybody is very astonished (23 people got the scholarship last year in France, 5 this year. 15 of us got rejected). Even the director thought it would end differently. We are a bit depressed, further, we are taking our final exams right now, so we are a bit demotivated now. Anyway, we are disappointed because there were a problem of communication between France and Japan apparently. I hope you will be chosen anyway, I cross my fingers for you !

 

[久利寿]

Hey guys!
Since you were so helpful, I thought I would share my news!
Doshisha told me I was accepted for the MEXT Japanese Studies scholarship! I got my results on the 21st.

I am so ecstatic, I can't believe it even happened to me!

 

[Oaneyl]

Yay ! Congratulations ! I'm happy for you, you applied thanks to your university, right?

 

[久利寿]

Yeah! I didn't expect that I was qualified enough to get it, and I am sorry about your news

 

[Kubus]

Woah, congratulations! Happy to see at least a couple of passes here .

I still haven't received my results... Not sure if that's good or bad, lol. I don't wanna call either because I'm worried they'll say "oh you didnt get the letter? Yeah you failed" xD. Speaking of which, how were you all notified of the results?

I'm also a bit curious about the difference between university and embassy recommendation. I got an e-mail from my teacher saying that the university wanted to recommend me for the scholarship, so I (happily) accepted and applied using the form posted online, with a recommendation letter from school. Is that how everyone else applied as well? Should my university have done anything special to get a "university recommended" application?

 

[Oaneyl]

Congrats 久利寿

! I'm very happy for you, enjoy your stay !

Kubus: in France we received an e-mail with a .PDF file attached, and the pdf was a kind of letter.

I'm not sure but I think you are more likely to go to Japan if you applied through the university. With the embassy, there are exams and so on, I guess it's more complicated.

Good luck to you, I hope you will get good news !

 

[Kubus]

Argh, apparently I had new reply notifications turned off or something. Didn't see your reply until today

I just called the embassy and they informed me that I am likely to receive a letter this week with more information about my application (so... I guess the final result?). Holy crap I'm so nervous now, even though I'm already convinced I didn't make it...

I don't think I applied through the university though... I sent in my application, got the invitation for the interview and test and went to the embassy to do both, just like everyone else. I'm just confused what a application through university means? Because my school approached me saying they wanted to nominate me for the scholarship, but I then did everything myself: filling in the papers, requesting a letter of recommendation, etc. and sent it to the embassy before the deadline. Like, should I have done something different? lol

Anyone else still in the running? It's gotten quiet here . I'm really sad so many people didn't get the scholarship u_u

 

[mangojam]

Hi! Just a quick update before going to bed.

First of all congratulations 久利寿 ! Doshisha is a great university, the teachers were mostly very nice and supporting, there wasn't much homework so you should have lots of free time and Kyoto in general is a wonderful place to live in. I almost applied to Doshisha again when trying to decide my three universities for this scholarship because I liked it so much.

I'm sorry for everyone who didn't get the scholarship this year. Don't give up if this is your dream! Maybe next year is your time. And there are also other scholarships and other work or maybe volunteer related ways to get to Japan. I for example am planning to volunteer at an animal shelter in Japan some day.

Kubus, I don't really know much about applying through university but I understood that there is no exam or interview etc if you get it that way. When I applied to Doshisha it was through my university's own exchange program with Doshisha and we were told that that year none of us were allowed to apply for mext as students recommended by the university. But that was after our own university had chosen us as exchange students and if anyone had been allowed to apply that student would most likely gone to Japan and to Doshisha anyway through the "normal" university exchange whether or not they got mext scholarship. I don't know if that made any sense. I'm so sleepy. But it could be different for your university or country. Or maybe your university approached you because they think you are a very good student and that you'd make it through the exams etc at the embassy and so wanted to encourage you to apply by telling you they are happy to recommend you?
Anyway, I hope you get good news in that letter they said you are likely to receive soon!

I got accepted and will be going to Okinawa but that's all I know for now! Last week I got an email from the embassy asking me to send them a copy of my passport as soon as I can. There was no more information. This morning I got another email from the embassy that said that I've been accepted to the University of the Ryukyus and that there will be an orientation at the embassy in the beginning of September. That's really all I know. Haven't heard from the university yet.

 

[Kubus]

That's weird, I thought I had already written a post here because I remember replying to mangojam's post... But i'm not seeing my post so maybe I dreamt it

Anyway, I think you're right about the university recommendation mangojam! Your explanation makes sense. I think my uni approached me because they knew my grades were relatively high and they thought I'd have a chance at winning the scholarship.

Speaking of which... I got the results and I actually got it ... ?! I was so super shocked because I honestly didn't expect this result. And I didn't just get the scholarship, I also got locked in my first uni choice, TUFS! I am absolutely beyond excited and terrified at the same time. I feel really terrible about having to leave my boyfriend behind for one year, after I already went on an exchange for 5 months last year. But he knows I'll never get a chance like this in my life ever again.

I'm just waiting for more info from the embassy now... Like, when do I have to leave? What do I have to arrange? When do I even start. October is so close already, it's making a little nervous. There's supposed to be an orientation at the embassy in September but, like, isn't that a little late? Haha.

Mangojam, you too congratulations on getting into an uni in Okinawa ! Hope you're prepared for the weather .

 

[久利寿]

Wow, my flights are all booked (through MEXT) and I only have to worry about going to the consulate for my visa (I live in Hawaii so I need to fly for that :/)

Doshisha asked me to apply too, not sure why, my grades were good but not perfect but I did have N3-N2 level Japanese so maybe that's why!

I leave on September 6th!

Less than a month away!

 

[Kubus]

Hope you had a good flight 久利寿!

I picked up my visa last week and I'm flying on the 23rd. I also finally received some information from the university about the dorm and the program for the first couple days . I'm so nervous though, haha.