I did! Hiroshima University. We're repeating the same felicitations haha, but I hope you got your top choice tooSame to you! And I hope you get through to your top choice c:
Did you hear from the Embassy? I emailed them a few weeks ago and then again last week and have yet to get a reply.
One original document + 2 copies of the document .1. When it says (original 1, copy 2) next to the document, does that mean we need to send the original document AND 2 copies of it, or is that in a sense; 1 original document OR 2 copies.
For Embassy recommendation, it can be from any supervising professor.The letter of recommendation from the Dean
You will get a "recommendation form" (Google it, MEXT recommendation form, it might still be available on some Embassy pages)Also, is it better to use a free format or the available sample
I'm sure the dean or any professor has probably written a letter of recommendation for atleast one student.I'm having a bit trouble with this because in my Uni we don't really have close relationships with our professors and especially the Dean, so asking them to evaluate my "interpersonal skills" or "self-confidence" is a bit ridiculous since they don't know me. We don't have a personal student adviser, either
Get a normal envelope and write "confidential" on it. Address it to yourself.about this confidential envelope
Yes.the Dean needs to sign on the envelope where it's sealed
Yes, I think the procedure is different for all the countries.^ Wow, I had heard Mexico does things differently, but I just kept thinking "that's not how we do it here" once and again throught your post.
@Ten Ten I would definitely ask the embassy if they hold MEXT related meetings for interested applicants. In Mexico, the Foreign Relations Office and the Japanese Embassy hold one 10 days after application starts, so it's really just a meeting to get last minute answers, but it helps to know exactly how they are expecting things to be submitted.
If I had just gone ahead and followed the Application Guidelines and everyones tips in the forum, I wouldn't have passed the preliminary screening, since in Mexico there were a lot of changes, although small, but changes nontheless.
oh, the Indian government used to be involved too. Till last year. When I applied last year the Indian government screened the candidates and then gave a list of recommended candidates to the Embassy and then the Embassy chose candidates from that list.Well, the biggest difference I have seen is that the Mexican Government is directly involved. They choose who can proceed to the preliminary screening with the Japanese embassy.
The rest are just minor details:
We are asked for more copies of all the documents.
The letters of recommendation do not have to be sealed in an envelope (since it's not common for even professors to speak English), we are asked to make copies and to translate them ourselves.
They will not accept applicants that are in the process of getting their diplomas, you have to have it in your hands when you start the process.
etc
etc
etc
oh, the Indian government used to be involved too. Till last year. When I applied last year the Indian government screened the candidates and then gave a list of recommended candidates to the Embassy and then the Embassy chose candidates from that list.
This year the Indian government wasn't involved, the procedure got simplified and very organized.
Now that you mention it, we did send one set of documents for the initial document screening, so I guess we submitted 4 sets of documents.
( Candidates who passed the primary screening were supposed to hand in the 3 sets later on )
No. I tried asking, they just said that the government wont be involved this year. Wasn't sure that embassy would manage stuff properly without the government's help, because we get hundreds of applicants here, but everything has been going great (and on time) till now. Refreshing to have such a nice experience.Oh, that's interesting, do you know what made the Indian government back out?
I think they will have it in our embassy, but for now all it says is that the time of the meeting will be specified in the future. :') So it could be in April, which would be too late in my opinion.hold MEXT related meetings for interested applicants.
Yeah, I found that part strange in the guidelines, cause it says "1 original" next to the graduation certificate, but below it says that you don't get back any of the documentation, so I can't possibly give them my original degree.Here the exception for us was the graduation certificate. Didnot submit the original but an "attested" copy.
From my experience, you will have atleast a month to get all your documents. More than enough time if you keep the documents mentioned in the guidelines prepared.I see. Here, the government isn't involved at all. Right now there isn't any information on the embassy's site either, other then the guidelines and forms to fill out. Perhaps they will put more info once the process starts, but I worry it will be too late to start gathering the documentation then. I've never applied before so I don't know how much application time they'll give us, so I'm trying to research as much as I can and be prepared by the time they open the process in May.
I think they will have it in our embassy, but for now all it says is that the time of the meeting will be specified in the future. :') So it could be in April, which would be too late in my opinion.
Yeah, I found that part strange in the guidelines, cause it says "1 original" next to the graduation certificate, but below it says that you don't get back any of the documentation, so I can't possibly give them my original degree.
I know! I kept saying this last year lol Its very irritating to go through that, but I guess the local government helps because they have more knowledge about the academic stuff in their country? But dealing with the government is always a hassle.Well yeah, I can understand how in countries where the number of applications are too many, the embassy would require more help, but the thing I don't agree with is that the scholarship is provided by Japan, but the local government tells Japan who they can consider for the scholarship and who not.
I would be a little bit less mad if the local goverment was involved after the embassy chose applicants... but then again, we go back to the hardest part of the job
I could rant all day about this XD
The letter of recommendation from the Dean - I heard some say that it's fine to write your own and just let the dean sign it, is that ok? Also, is it better to use a free format or the available sample? I'm having a bit trouble with this because in my Uni we don't really have close relationships with our professors and especially the Dean, so asking them to evaluate my "interpersonal skills" or "self-confidence" is a bit ridiculous since they don't know me. We don't have a personal student adviser, either.
thats great seems were all aiming for Keio I'm also hoping to get into as well KMDI actually put Keio as my second preference when I asked Keio for the LoA, but I changed my mind and put it as my first after I received the LoA from them. Then I submitted everything to the embassy.
Yes, I already set my research, goals, methodology, purpose of it, etc. I haven't broken it down in steps by time (I saw some do this. Write what step will they do each month), yet.Have you prepared a research proposal?
Yep, I also did a detailed research on all the Universities and courses they offer. Our embassy did say they don't usually approve private Universities, so I'm sticking with national and public ones. I found some good ones that cover my field, though there aren't many that also give those courses in English, unfortunately. I think we shouldn't contact the professors in Japan until we pass the first round, though. Only after the Embassy says it's ok to contact them. I'm trying to get a meeting with someone in charge of the MEXT in the Embassy so hopefully I'll get all my questions answered soon.which course you would like to pursue in a Japanese university.
I read your post via email notification. Sorry but I think you should try for the scholarship for Japanese studies after you have passed N1. Thats what our Embassy told us. Might be the reason why you were rejected in the secondary screening. Good luck.(deleted post)