MEXT Scholarship 2016 (Research)

[RamPrasadh]

Hi,
I have applied for MEXT Research Scholarship from Embassy of Japan in India. I have the consent of three professors from three different univs in Japan. I would like to know anyone's experience of the primary Screening test.

 

[SayuKami21]

^ hello! Right now i need 2 things, my grades and the acceptance from 3 professors so I want to ask you, did you talk directly to the professors or first with the university?, did you sent something else beside your proposal? How long did it took for them to accept you since the moment you first make contact? Do they answer on weekends? Sorry for all the questions but I'm kind of desperate here xD

 

[Nat2501]

Hello!! i finish my research proposal, at the end i didn't include statistics analysis because i'm really bad with those, but i only have 3 days to get acceptance for 3 professors, i'm all stress out, do Japanese Universities work on Saturday? anyway, i think the embassy format goes like this:

1) Present field of study: Talk about your career, thesis, previous research.
2) Your research topic upon arrival in Japan: The whole research proposal except for the timetable
4) Study program in Japan:Timetable

Something like that i think. =)

Alright thank you so much I'll rearrange my work! Good luck to you

 

[SayuKami21]

You are welcome!! and thank you!! and if anyone can give me any advice regarding how they got acceptance from the professors please tell me!! because i think they only reply on weekdays so i only have tomorrow to get their consent

 

[Frida]

You are welcome!! and thank you!! and if anyone can give me any advice regarding how they got acceptance from the professors please tell me!! because i think they only reply on weekdays so i only have tomorrow to get their consent

This week was Golden Week in Japan. A national holiday week, so I don't think many professors would have been answering emails.

What I have been doing is just sending an email explaining I want to participate on the scholarship application and that I would very much like to know if, without any commitment, they would read my proposal and tell me what they think about it.

Once they have replied if they find it interesting, then I am asking if I were to be selected, if they would be willing to become my advicer.

I have been very clear about not wanting a official letter of acceptance at this point since I know they can't give it yet. Just being clear that if I am selected, I would then ask for a formal response.

 

[chidat]

You are welcome!! and thank you!! and if anyone can give me any advice regarding how they got acceptance from the professors please tell me!! because i think they only reply on weekdays so i only have tomorrow to get their consent

According to the MEXT scholarship coordinator at my local consulate, getting professors' acceptance is helpful, but not necessary. I think it just helps them (the scholarship committee) to know who exactly in the school to recommend you to. If a professor already agrees to accept you, then that'd give you the best chances of getting the scholarship. Otherwise, at least establishing contact with those professors would be the next best thing. Even if they don't commit to accepting you yet, if the scholarship committee recommends you to them, they'll know who you are and will (hopefully) be more confident about accepting you.
I'm not expecting any professor to even provisionally accept me just yet, although it'll be a huge bonus if they do (I have until the 22nd, when the application is due). But leaving that part of the application blank would probably be bad, as it would show that you didn't even do any research about the professors. For one of the schools I've been looking at, I contacted the department's office of advising, and they told me that they'd contact the professors for me if I told them the names of the ones I was interested in studying with. That was really nice of them. But I'd imagine for most schools you'd just have to contact the professors directly-- explaining your background and your research interests.
In short, I'd say not to worry if you can't get their consent. Even if you can't get in contact with them yet, put their name down if you know that they're a professor that you'd be interested in studying with. Then hopefully you'll hear back from them and you can discuss your research ideas and your hopes for the scholarship.
...from my understanding of how this all works, that is. I hope this helps! If you ask me, the timing of all this is pretty wacky. Most schools have just opened up applications, while we're expected to have already found the schools and professors that best suit us (not to mention the fact that it was just Golden not-going-to-do-anything-work-related Week). But anyways... good luck!

 

[SayuKami21]

Thank you guys!!! yeah the timing is kinda wrong, for what i get is important to make clear that is not a formal acceptance because when the university replies is like they want me to already have the scholarship, and if i don't get any acceptance i will then do as you told me chidat!
God bless this thread xD

 

[RamPrasadh]

^ hello! Right now i need 2 things, my grades and the acceptance from 3 professors so I want to ask you, did you talk directly to the professors or first with the university?, did you sent something else beside your proposal? How long did it took for them to accept you since the moment you first make contact? Do they answer on weekends? Sorry for all the questions but I'm kind of desperate here xD

I had sent my CV with a couple of my short proposal writings, with copies of two recent journal publications. Professors mostly don't provide 100% confirmation on this issue. All the three who replied me were like, 'I am interested to supervise you if you can qualify in MEXT or any equivalent scholarship'.

Thanks

 

[RamPrasadh]

anyone who had already attended the primary screening test? How would it be? Syllabus? Any info will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[J.K.]

Does any malaysian know when we need to submit another research proposal if we successfully get the scholarships? From the past year thread, it seems to be the day we go for interview, but I am not sure. Since I need some time to think about the research proposal, the proposal I wrote on the first application form is slightly introductory and informal .

 

[Nat2501]

Hey guys I'll finally be submitting my application tomorrow. The deadline is this friday in Montreal, Canada. Does anyone know how long it takes before we know if we've passed to the next step?

 

[RamPrasadh]

Hi, Does anyone know the syllabus for MEXT research primary (First, before the interview) screening test? Does it differ for countries?

 

[tolly]

Hello guys, I have a problem and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this. So I took a look at my certificate of health (after a doctor filled it) and I noticed that the part that says "Film No" wasn't filled (I am not sure why because I went through the pyshical examination that the form requires). Anyway, what's that about? Is it that important? (I am talking about this particular item since everything else is filled).
I don't really want to have a problem later for just a stupid reason.

@Nat2501 The deadline in my country is next month buuuut I guess it's the same everywhere and for what I have heard, it takes around two weeks. Actually, it seems that most people pass to the next stage since they take everything into consideration before making a decision.

 

[DATCAT]

Hello guys, I have a problem and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this. So I took a look at my certificate of health (after a doctor filled it) and I noticed that the part that says "Film No" wasn't filled (I am not sure why because I went through the pyshical examination that the form requires). Anyway, what's that about? Is it that important? (I am talking about this particular item since everything else is filled).
I don't really want to have a problem later for just a stupid reason.

@Nat2501 The deadline in my country is next month buuuut I guess it's the same everywhere and for what I have heard, it takes around two weeks. Actually, it seems that most people pass to the next stage since they take everything into consideration before making a decision.

Last year a friend of mine applied and he had the same concern. But her application was accepted without problems. It seems that Film N° is some type of number identification in your X-ray, but not every country-doctor uses that. Now I took my stuff and no doctor know what to put there because it is not used here (probably a Japanese thing)

But then again, I know it isn't a problem. People apply successfully without filling it.

 

[DATCAT]

Hi, Does anyone know the syllabus for MEXT research primary (First, before the interview) screening test? Does it differ for countries?

I have looked at several previous test (you can sometimes on the embassy website; also in previous post someone put a link). And honestly… the English test is really easy. You just have to read at a college-undergrade level at best, I took TOEFL getting 30/30 pts on reading, any embassy test is easily half that difficulty. Easy to get 90-95% or so.

Only the last question for every essay/text you read may trick you because you have to choose synonymous BUT sometimes they put "old words" not commonly used nowadays.

Obviously it depends on individual reading skills, but if you (can) read papers on your field of study, and news. You will probably find it easy.

PS: on my previous post i meant "she had the same concern"; speaking of a female.

 

[vegeta]

I want to enroll as master degree student. However, the universities I contacted told me that I should enroll as "research student" first, then pass the entrance exam. THEN, there will be another screening/examination and re-applying to MEXT!!

can anyone tell me how is that other screening/application is? is it 100% guaranteed if I do pass the entrance exam? what should I chose for question 9 and 11 of "application form"?

thanks!

 

[tolly]

I have looked at several previous test (you can sometimes on the embassy website; also in previous post someone put a link). And honestly… the English test is really easy. You just have to read at a college-undergrade level at best, I took TOEFL getting 30/30 pts on reading, any embassy test is easily half that difficulty. Easy to get 90-95% or so.

Only the last question for every essay/text you read may trick you because you have to choose synonymous BUT sometimes they put "old words" not commonly used nowadays.

Obviously it depends on individual reading skills, but if you (can) read papers on your field of study, and news. You will probably find it easy.

PS: on my previous post i meant "she had the same concern"; speaking of a female.

First, I want to thank you. The thing about the certificate of health really had me worried.

And yes,, at first I freaked out about tha test, then I realized the "old words" thing and that you have to pay attention at part III because if you just go skimming the texts you could miss the mistakes.

 

[RussDa]

Anyone knows the difference between ５－１) FieldofstudyinJapan（日本での希望専攻分野） and
５－２) Detailed field of study（研究分野（詳細））?

 

[Nat2501]

Hello guys, I have a problem and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this. So I took a look at my certificate of health (after a doctor filled it) and I noticed that the part that says "Film No" wasn't filled (I am not sure why because I went through the pyshical examination that the form requires). Anyway, what's that about? Is it that important? (I am talking about this particular item since everything else is filled).
I don't really want to have a problem later for just a stupid reason.

@Nat2501 The deadline in my country is next month buuuut I guess it's the same everywhere and for what I have heard, it takes around two weeks. Actually, it seems that most people pass to the next stage since they take everything into consideration before making a decision.

Thank you!! In my case, the deadline to apply in Canada was Friday, May 15th last week. I was under the impression that not many people passed this stage. Good luck in your application!

 

[DATCAT]

First, I want to thank you. The thing about the certificate of health really had me worried.

And yes,, at first I freaked out about tha test, then I realized the "old words" thing and that you have to pay attention at part III because if you just go skimming the texts you could miss the mistakes.

You're welcome.
...
I just finished fitting my project into the research proposal form. Is 7 pages too long? (using MS PMincho 7.5 as the form provides)
Already edited out stuff but… I wouldn't like to lose consistency or specific

 

[Nat2501]

You're welcome.
...
I just finished fitting my project into the research proposal form. Is 7 pages too long? (using MS PMincho 7.5 as the form provides)
Already edited out stuff but… I wouldn't like to lose consistency or specific

I think it's okay! My own work was 6 pages + 1 page for my references, so 7 pages in total.

 

[bononogram]

I think it's okay! My own work was 6 pages + 1 page for my references, so 7 pages in total.

Hey Nat, in what field did you apply? What sort of project did you propose?

 

[shiro11]

Hello! I'm new here and I'm applying also this year.
I finally got my recommendation letter *I'm kinda under pressure since deadline ends next month in my country and they opened the applications end of last month..not that much time*
For now, I only have left the field of study form * I'm going for the linguistics field either in Tohoku or Waseda University*
One teacher is helping me with it so hopefully I finish soon
but now that I'm reading I'm not sure how many additional pages should I write since I feel is more like a preview for the embassy and the rest you can deepen with your possible advisor

 

[Nat2501]

Hey Nat, in what field did you apply? What sort of project did you propose?

Hey there I am applying in the field of international health sciences. The main theme of my project is on the influence of globalization of dietary habits on Japanese health in the last century. How about you?

 

[bononogram]

History - expanding my MA thesis with relevant research on the same topic to be completed in Japan.

Good luck to you