MEXT Scholarship for Postgraduate 2009: Post Application

[kouki]

Remember before this we were discussing about ATM's in Japan? This website gives a good summary about that.
ATMs
I will summarize the information here.

Many automatic teller machines (ATM's) in Japan do not accept credit, debit and ATM cards, which are issued outside of Japan.

Exceptions: ATM's in post offices and 7-11 Convenience Shops
Allows: credit cards and debit card issued outside of Japan
includes: Visa, Plus, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, American Express and JCB cards
ATM's are providing English menus.
ATM's in 7-11 Convenience Shops
Opening hours: 24 hours per day on every day of the year.
ATM's in Post Offices
Only the central post offices of major cities offer a 24 hour/7 days a week ATM service.

International ATMs can be also found at international airports, in major department stores and in Citibank and Shinsei Bank branches.

For more info, please refer to that webpage. There are many other valuable information there as well.

 

[eindor]

Hi everyone!
A new forum member here who is also going to Japan this April!
I want to thank all of you for providing the valuable information, inputs and ideas in this thread. They are really helpful!
p.s.: Thank you Ooi Ling Fan for the invitation!

 

[jim84]

Guys,I called the JAL.
Guess, what Malaysia - Japan is considered NON-trans pacific flight, hence check in baggage allowance is 20kg
Excess baggage will be charged at the rate of RM 79 PER KG.
Handcarry is 10kg. So total 30kg. Excluding additional laptop backpack
Damn it.
We really have to check in together,check in really early and cut down on our luggage load. I shall courier more stuff via shipment.
Am i exaggerating on the shopping list now? Haha. Carry everything with you, and you will need to pay much more in excess baggage.

You're welcome, eindor. The invitation is on behalf of all members. =)
Welcome to the forum

 

[kouki]

>ooilingfan
Maybe you can save some money on the handphone, as I read in the webpage I told you all just now, that if you are subscribing it (postpaid billing), you can get a free handphone. Has anyone had experience in that? Is that phone good enough?

ooilingfan, buy some from the 100yen shop or the second hand shop. It costs you lesser, and it is suited to be used over there. I even heard that their e-shopping for second handed goods are worth using... reasonable price to cheap price!!!

I think your list covers almost all my necessities.

>eindor
Welcome!!! I am going in October.

 

[c0ok1e]

Guys,I called the JAL.
Guess, what Malaysia - Japan is considered NON-trans pacific flight, hence check in baggage allowance is 20kg
Excess baggage will be charged at the rate of RM 79 PER KG.
Handcarry is 10kg. So total 30kg. Excluding additional laptop backpack
Damn it.
We really have to check in together,check in really early and cut down on our luggage load. I shall courier more stuff via shipment.
Am i exaggerating on the shopping list now? Haha. Carry everything with you, and you will need to pay much more in excess baggage.

You're welcome, eindor. The invitation is on behalf of all members. =)
Welcome to the forum

crazee... RM 79 per kg is a super rip off... Check in luggage is the normal clothing bag then for hand carry, what kind of baggage is that? If i take laptop bag can i consider it as hand carry?? how about taking 2 bags as hand carry but not exceeding 10 kg.. is it allowed?

I once used DHL before to courier to my supervisor and there's a student rate for DHL which i think is rm80 for a box of stuff.. Ooilingfan, u can try calling them and check out then let us know ya.. thanks.. i could do it myslef but im still working havent resign yet no time...

 

[jim84]

>Hi kouki,
yea, that's exactly what i'm gonna do. Looking at our 100yen shop here, it has pretty much most of the things we need.

>cookie,
yea we're screwed on the baggage thingy. Guess we better pack as light as possible, doesn't want excess baggage to cause our delay on boarding!
RM80 for a box by DHL seems like a good deal, but how much is the weight? I don't think DHL is that cheap. Poslaju costs RM400+ for 20kg.
we better be careful of the food we bring as well, as what i heard, liquid/semi-liquid food may be quarantined as well. Medication, cannot bring too much as well.

As for the handcarry,
laptop bag is not counted, so you can stuff some of your things there.
10kg is for your hand luggage. So i guess your laptop bag + misc inside + handbag + slingbag (if any), there's another 10kg there =p which, hopefully they won't stop you.

 

[clockworkorange]

Sorry to deviate a bit from the current topic here but just wanted to ask:

Who did u guys address the acceptance letter too?

 

[silverPenciled]

So I guess everyone got some sort of a confirmation on their own accommodation ?

 

[eucalyptus]

but im still working havent resign yet no time...

so am i!!!!
work is crayzeeee~~~~

furthermore, I still couldn't get in touch with the person who's supposed to assist me upon my arrival.. no idea yet where to go once i reach there

gonna head to the embassy this afternoon.. hopefully i can get things done by today.. there's just so much to dooo!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the checklists and all the info that you guys shared here - it really saved me

 

[kouki]

Who did u guys address the acceptance letter too?

The letter is for the attention of Ms Yin.
I just made JIS the recipient.
Then I call the recipient Dear Sir, since the person who signed our letter is male.

 

[haven09]

Tsukuba for MBA

hi all, any thoughts on tsukuba for mba...
being offered yesterday, still in decision mode although flight is 3 weeks away...

 

[kouki]

>haven09
Welcome. Another friend to University of Tsukuba. MBA... I believe you will be in Graduate School of System and Information Engineering too? May I know why are you hesitating? Because you have never heard of that university?

Tsukuba is quite famous for humanities. Its ranking is not that bad... Try referring this (although it is for undergraduates)
http://www.ukaruhousoku.com/university/hensati/kokuritu1.html

My friend told me that it is good to be able to enter University of Tsukuba. I believe that is not your first choice?

 

[haven09]

kouki, I glanced thru ooilingfan's pg earlier. you're doing masters
I'm on it for mba, hence the hesistance... plus it will be 3y for 6m language, followings months as research student... infact, very hesitant at the moment...
faculty's decent, nothing spectecular... campus out at Ibaraki 1h from city... 2/3 courses delivered in japanese... not an easy one I think...

anyone got a point for pros?

 

[silverPenciled]

Haven 09 >>

I think it 's a good choice, nevertheless we will all spend 3 years there, going through the language course - research phase and upgrading to masters , if not extending to PHD ... might as well go for such a huge step while we're young and to some extent carefree...

To Everyone ....
Do we have to contact our designated Universities to confirm our accommodation ? or are they supposed to contact us ? I contacted both, the language school and Tamabi but they have not replied to my emails or calls.
I feel everyone is not worried concerning that matter, prob because you all got informed some way or another? Is anyone on this forum still unaware of their assigned dorm ?? Is it ok , not to be informed up till this point about it ??

 

[kouki]

>haven09
I think I should not be commenting on this, but many people are upset, frustrated, sad, fed up for not being able to get the scholarship. Why apply if you are not interested at the first place?
I think you have not done a good background research. FYI, Tsukuba is not that rural as you think. It is the Science and Technology City in Japan, where most R&D in Japan are having their research centres there. Plus, Tokyo (I think you are referring to this) is 45 minutes away (if you take Tsukuba express to Akihabara). I don't see any reason you should feel sad. What about those going to Fukuoka, Sapporo, Niigata, Aomori... those places are even further from Tokyo.
Are you at loss when you are given a chance to learn Japanese language by free? Do you know how much it costs us here in Malaysia to get a decent Japanese course like what they are providing in Japan? People studying MBA should not even let go the chance of learning the working language of UN, by free.
Do you know Japan is one of the strongest economy countries in the world? Aren't you curious how the Japanese are able to stand up 20 years after defeating in the second world war and going steadily to be in the first world? I believe in business administration course, you should learn how many Japanese gave rise to certain theorems or methodology to boost up their business. How they gone through the slumps in the 90s and still be able to stand still now.
If you should read the appendix II in your package, you will find that six month is just part of the course. If you fared well, you will be able to get into their masters after that six months. If you do not wish to waste that six months there, you should have buck up your Japanese before you test and interview and proved your proficiency in the interview, so that you will save that six months of time.
You should not judge a book by its cover. How do you make a conclusion that your faculty is decent by just looking at their websites?
>silverPenciled
I supposed they are attaching a piece of paper stating their person-in-charge, together with their contact. If they are still not replying, you should ask your embassy what you should be doing.
By the way, it is their fiscal year end, so I think they might be of hands full with work. But if you have waited too long, please go to the embassy. I think they will know what they should do. Don't worry.

 

[c0ok1e]

lingfan,
im not sure about the weight of the DHL package but at that time when the girl tell me about the package it seems to be a very worth for money package only for students. meaning u have to show them your student card to be eligible. try check it 0ut and let us know.. hehe thnx

 

[silverPenciled]

Thank you Kouki ! someone finally took notice ! well no, there was no contact on that letter whatsoever, just the name of the 2 universities, and the period of time to be served at each , That is all ... I met with the people in charge at my Embassy, unfortunately, they don't know any better ....


Well am a bit relieved that you reminded me of their fiscal year end... I really hope what you mentioned is true ... I was just wondering if anyone did not receive any notice concerning their own accommodation ... This is just too frustrating ... I mean , how am i supposed to know where to go once I land in Tokyo ???

 

[eucalyptus]

Do we have to contact our designated Universities to confirm our accommodation ? or are they supposed to contact us ? I contacted both, the language school and Tamabi but they have not replied to my emails or calls.
I feel everyone is not worried concerning that matter, prob because you all got informed some way or another? Is anyone on this forum still unaware of their assigned dorm ?? Is it ok , not to be informed up till this point about it ??

oh my~~
i thot i'm the only one!! ive tried to reach the university too yet they havent provided me the contact person details, accommodation etc.. said that i'll have to reach my prof directly for that - now im working on that. hope i'll get the response asap.

..and i agree with kouki.. if you still cant reach em in any way, its best to turn to ur local Embassy of Japan. i bet they'll try to assist you as much as they can (considering the limited time left prior to our departure)
best of luck!

 

[silverPenciled]

Thank you eucalyptus, so did you get any replies whatsoever ???
btw here goes another "reliever" ! I just contacted a friend who studies at Tama, and told me sth similar happened to him 3 years back , he told me to contact Komaba international Housing, as he noticed a pattern of students assigned there that were going to Gakudei for language and Tama for masters by MEXT ... The people at the Embassy did not know any better, and told me to contact the designated Universities myself ....
let's hope for the best ... Thank you for your reply ..... I really appreciate it .... I guess I just hoped things would be less vague at this point on maybe that's why I still feel immensely and probably needlessly frustrated ....

 

[lskeki]

Hi anyone who is going to study at Kyoto University, do you have any idea about the accommodation?

 

[silverPenciled]

Hi anyone who is going to study at Kyoto University, do you have any idea about the accommodation?

Seems am not the only one with no confirmation about that here ... who else ?

 

[eucalyptus]

so did you get any replies whatsoever ???

reply, yea i did get one from the international liaison office.. but didn't get any definitive answers from em~~ at least they are aware that i'm comin - so they'll know that something must be wrong if dun reached there nx month (y'know like getting lost on my way there - which i think is highly likely to occur )

I guess I just hoped things would be less vague at this point on maybe that's why I still feel immensely and probably needlessly frustrated ....

totally with you on this - everything's been sooo vague eversince from the beginning!!! which was why even after being shortlisted, i didn't feel secure until i received the confirmation letter in my own hands!! and i thot the vagueness would be over - YET it's not! guess we'll have to get used to these uncertainties

 

[c0ok1e]

wah.. after seeing ug uys with this probem and that problem i feel myself very lucky to have a professor that i dont have any complains about..

Maybe its just my attitude that i dont get worry easily and very relaxing or maybe my prof is really good..

i just hope that he is as good as what im thinking he is.. hehe... later meet then if not like my expectation then teruk..

One thing is that he got the accomodation for me without me knowing it.. When I asked him he just said that he already settle it and ask me to contact the PIC when i reach..

He didnt say much but just prepare for me.. LoL..

 

[haven09]

>kouki/pencil
agreeable thought.. I think you are referring to context of sciences... I am doing an business admin (MBA-IB program)... a totally diff animal where MBA is a professional degree.. consideration including age and goal differs on the plans you made after graduation... including the ability to deliver the promise made on the paper...

while I am absolutely thankful for the scholarship, I am yet convinced I should just drop in to spend 3 years something not so certain about... In my case, not only a rushed decision by mext but tsukuba was not on my list at all... after doing some research on limited time, I cant seem jive all the objectives on the current plan... bearing in mind I will also have to leave my current job and payoff a pretty big sum considering 3months in short of notice...

wud be helpful if there is someone previously from mba-ib tsukuba who can share more on his/her views... tx

 

[skfer]

So I guess everyone got some sort of a confirmation on their own accommodation ?

not all of us .. I am waiting for confirmation of accommodation .. and the embassy didn't tell me anything about that .. they didn't even tell me about the school where I should study Japanese and the duration of study ...they've just told us that the responsible for educational affairs is abroad.. and he will come back next week..

by the way ...how long will the japanese study duration be ? 3 months or more ..
a friend of mine who went on last year intake told me that he had just one month japanese study in Tohoku University .. even though he didn't know any japanese before.