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MEXT Japanese Studies 2017/2018

Hey pals!!

I got my university placement today!
I'll be going to Kyoto University, which was my first choice.

Congrats to everyone that got their results and good luck to the rest!!!!
 
Hello guys!! I was selected by my embassy!!! Wuju!!! I'm so happy! I can't believe it!! Now I'm off to get those LoAs!!! good luck to us all!! =)
 
@alchie Ah I see! I applied through the embassy as well but according to my seniors the embassy will first send an official acceptance letter to my university as there are two more people from my uni (and they are still waiting for a call from their uni's). I guess I'll have to wait a little longer. :

And no, this isn't my first trip to Japan. I have been there on a scholarship some time back. How about you?
 
My colleague got into Kyoto Daigaku, her first choice. xD

Maybe the process differs from country to country. I went to the embassy today to sign an agreement for Mext and to hand them a copy of my passport. The lady told that they weren't informed by Doushisha when I will depart and she thought that I would be going in October and that I should apply for the visa in September.
When I told her that I have to arrive in Japan either on the 6th or 7th September she told me that she didn't know Doushisha starts so early and that I can already apply for the visa. As I was filling the visa application form, I realized that there are still many details that I don't know, like the dorm or the flight number :emoji_frowning2:
And I have to wait until I receive them.

And I've been twice to Japan. Once for a two week study program in Osaka and the second time a business trip in Tokyo xD
 
I received an email from the consulate that I was accepted into Osaka University! Apparently I can expect to hear from the travel agency in the beginning of August. There wasn't anything in the email about an orientation so maybe some countries don't have one?
Since Osaka University's program starts in October, I suppose those of us heading to Osaka can expect to leave in mid/late-September?
 
Congratulations Kyrie!
Osaka people leave sometime during the last week of September (that's when my seniors left). So I guess it will be the same for you.

@alchie OH That's weird, I thought the embassy would be in touch with the Doshisha people! So you'll have to go the embassy again once you get the necessary information.
Btw when are we supposed to get our dorm results and tickets?
 
Congrats everyone! It kinda feels like I'm the only one who hasn't heard anything from a university or my embassy ;7; anyone else still waiting for placement news?
 
We will be informed about the dorm in the middle of August. I don't know about the ticket. I wish they would tell us faster.
 
Congrats everyone ! So happy to see that much people being accepted to the unis they wanted !

@Kyrie : I took a look at the website of the Center of Japanese Language and Culture of Handai, and found out that the past years, the courses did begin in early October, but that the placement tests took place a week before. I guess we are supposed to arrive between the 15th and the 20th of September then ?

For those who will be going to Osaka Daigaku or are planning to, will you all choose the Japanese intensive program ? I would like to know if I'll be the only one among all to choose the research track (majoring in history).
 
@Oaneyl : @Nimanahoshi said that his senpai left for Osaka in the last week of September in previous year, so it's possible we'll be arriving just in time to take the placement tests.

I think maybe I misread that part of the program at Handai, I was under the impression that everyone would be conducting research and submitting a research paper. In the second page of the brochure it says that research classes and topics are required. But on the first page it says there are two different programs, practical Japanese course and research course. Interesting. Maybe the "practical" Japanese students will just submit a brief report on a chosen area of Japanese culture with less intensive research and the "research" students will do more in depth study and submit a full-length research paper.
I chose Handai because of the opportunity to do directed research under a Japanese professor in Japanese language, so I guess I will be going with the research track. Although it sounds like a lot more work..:emoji_sweat_smile:
 

Attachments

Still no news on my placement... my home university is hassling me to accept or decline my financial aid for the fall semester but I can't until I know what's going on with this. Am I really the only one here with no word at all about my placement?
 
@HikariKaitou

I would double check with your home university to see when's the latest you have to accept your financial aid. Accepting your financial aid/grants and cancelling it before the term starts may also be an option for you, as it's an option at my university.

Still, it's odd that you haven't heard anything about your university placement. For the record, I haven't gotten official word from my consulate about my university placement despite getting a formal acceptance from Doshisha. Like you, however, they are asking me to sign a pledge without informing me of my university placement. Thankfully Doshisha has been on top of it and keeping me in the loop, otherwise I'd be in the same position as you.

Hope you hear about your placement soon! Good luck!
 

Ah, that's kind of reassuring. I still have no news and have been freaking out a little but if you don't have any news from your embassy either then maybe it's not necessarily an indication that nowhere wants me. I've been thinking of emailing the embassy about my concerns but I assume that if they had information they'd give it to me ;w;
 
Oaneyl said:
@Kyrie Actually, I also found this file with way more details about the different possible tracks, I don't know if you had noticed it: http://cjlc.osaka-u.ac.jp/ja/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/H28-risyu.pdf
Click to expand...

Reading that made the choice between the two more difficult. The practical Japanese course seems interesting because there are more classes outside of the classroom (including internships?), whereas it seems like the research course is a lot of research in small groups or with your mentor. I'm still not sure which track to take. :emoji_confused:
 
I guess the research track is more difficult than the practical Japanese course, right ? And I didn't read it in details, and since English is not my native language, perhaps I'm mistaking but are there two different research tracks ? I didn't understand well if the two research tracks were part of the same research course, or if we had to choose between the two. I guess we have to choose, but if someone could confirm that, it'd be nice !
 

From the description in the PDF you sent, the practical course does seem easier, but I'm not sure. It seems there are more opportunities to do "見学" and visit different places, i.e. field trips and internships. But it looks like reports are expected after some excursions. And students still have to write a "report" at the end of the program and take research courses. Reports and research papers are different, reports are less formal and less in depth than a research paper.

For the research track, there are two different ones and it looks like you need to choose one:

The first one is the "research paper" track, for students who have a specific topic in mind (研究テーマがはっきりと決まっており). Students will do research with a mentor and write research paper in Japanese at the end of the program. They will also do a presentation and be expected to answer questions on their topic.

The "independent research" track appears to be for students who aren't certain of their topic and need to gather more research or data (surveys) in Japan in order to write a thesis or research paper when they return to their own country. These students aren't expected to submit a research paper at the end of the program but they are expected to write a report on the results of their research, present it to their professors, and answer any questions about it.

Again, that's just my interpretation of the PDF. I hope that helps.
 
Thank you for clarifying Kyrie ! Let's see when we get more info.

I've just received an e-mail from Osaka University providing no information, except that we will receive further info about the Host family program next week. I didn't know there was such a program. Does that mean that we will be hosted by families instead of going to a dorm ?
 

Oh good so I'm not the only one who got that email. This is the very first bit of information I've received about a placement and like you said it gives no details.

I can't find any info about any Tomita Center on Osaka University's website, and the fact that the email was sent by someone named A. Tomita just seems fishy to me. A host family is the last thing I want. Somehow receiving this news has made me more anxious than hearing nothing
 
Hi Hikari,

I'm glad you received that message, that means you got the scholarship and are going to Osaka I guess. It was your first choice if I remember well? So first of all, congrats !
If I read correctly, I guess Tomita is just the name of the person in charge of the welcoming of the students, the name of the center is CJLC, the Center of Japanese Language and Culture, if I'm not mistaken.

I was also surprised reading that there would be family hosting, but I made my own inquiries and found out this account: Embassy of Japan in the UK

I'm not 100% sure, but I guess their idea of "host family" is a bit different from what we think at first. It seems that we will just have the possibility to have a family to host us, but not to live with them, only to share some time with them and learn about each other culture. According to the person who wrote this post, they used to meet each other once a month.

Since it's about an Undergraduate Scholarship experience I'm not 100% sure, but it seems more logical, and I hope we will not live with them as well. To be honnest it wouldn't bother me that much, but since I'm quite independent and solo, I'd be afraid of making them feel uncomfortable, and I wouldn't be at ease neither.

Anyway, we will know more in the next days, just wait for it !
 
Ah I see, I misread parts of the email in my nervousness lol. Calm down, me. Still, I'm hoping other housing options will be possible. I'm vaguely remembering now how difficult it was to get info from the last Japanese university I studied at 7 years ago. I guess it's a cultural difference?

Thanks so much for your additional clarification, @Oaneyl !
 
Last edited:
I haven't received any news from Handai like Oaneyl and others have. It is strange...So please keep telling some news from Osaka, guys)))
 
Here is the mail I received, Olya:

"Dear Students,

This is Tomita of Center for Japanese Language and Culture at Osaka University.
Congratulations for our Nikkensei Program 2017! We are very happy to invite you to study at Osaka University and we are looking forward to seeing you soon. Next week we are pleased to send you the information about our Osaka University Host family Program by email. Furthermore our office will be closed from 11th to 16th August due to a national holiday and summer holidays at Osaka University.
Thank you for your understanding in advance."
 
I received an email from Osaka University prompting me to sign up for the host family program. It confirms @Oaneyl 's theory that the host family is not for home stay but just for cultural exchange. An application form is attached and we are asked to return it by August 23. It seems like it could be interesting. Anyone else thinking of signing up?
 
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