Well, the dorms seemed pretty complete (at least the ones listed in Nagoya University), despite their very small size. I am still trying to figure out how one can have a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom in 14m². So, even in a dorm, I'd still be living by myself, and social interactions would be limited to common areas only, I guess. Could anyone with experience in this area confirm my thoughts?
As to costing, Nagoya is a little cheaper than Tokyo, but not that much. Half the scholarship would be used to pay for housing items, such as the rent itself, gas, electricity, water, etc. A dorm would be 20k tops, all included. That alone is enough reason for me to be in one.
Finally, does anyone know how it works to apply for a dorm? I'm waiting for the second screening results to start that, but at the same time I'm afraid there won't be any room left.
The most important thing to be careful about when staying in the dorm - avoid foreigners looking to practise (only) english.
Get out and away from that bubble. You didn't come to Japan to speak vague, spotty english with someone who uses it as their third or fourth language (did you?).
Other than that, every dorm is different - some can be great, some can be terrible.
Well, the dorms seemed pretty complete (at least the ones listed in Nagoya University), despite their very small size. I am still trying to figure out how one can have a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom in 14m². So, even in a dorm, I'd still be living by myself, and social interactions would be limited to common areas only, I guess. Could anyone with experience in this area confirm my thoughts?
As to costing, Nagoya is a little cheaper than Tokyo, but not that much. Half the scholarship would be used to pay for housing items, such as the rent itself, gas, electricity, water, etc. A dorm would be 20k tops, all included. That alone is enough reason for me to be in one.
Finally, does anyone know how it works to apply for a dorm? I'm waiting for the second screening results to start that, but at the same time I'm afraid there won't be any room left.
Sometimes I forget that I have applied for this scholarship lolOMG, the wait is killing me, can December please hurry up?
Hi! The applicants posting here have mostly applied via embassy recommendation! Try posting at the university recommendation threadGreetings guys, I am a new member of this forum. I want to ask about MEXT Scholarship via University Recommendation.
I have contacted my professor in Osaka University and been interviewed for entrance exam. I have also sent the scans of necessary documents.
I just want to ask for people who also apply to OU when did you get the notification email whether you were accepted or not.
Thank you so much
Hi! The applicants posting here have mostly applied via embassy recommendation! Try posting at the university recommendation thread
MEXT Scholarship through University Recommendation | Japan Forum
Haha, you must be very busy with your work)Sometimes I forget that I have applied for this scholarship lol
Trying to keep busy to stop thinking about the scholarship and the second screening xDHaha, you must be very busy with your work)
Trying to keep busy to stop thinking about the scholarship and the second screening xD
Well USD 2k is the recommended ammount, but it dependes very much on yourself. Can you get by buying cheap toiletries? Are you willing to eat in cheap places?
I don't care about brands and I eat in the streat all the time in my country, so that is no preoblem for me, but I have met a lot of people that have a hard time giving up on some commodities, specially at the beginning.
There are also other things that we still don't know, like the accomodation. If we get a dorm, it will be furnished, but we might have to start at an unfurnished appartment, so buying a futton/bed needs to be considered.
Personally, I'll be taking 1.5k in cash, but I will make sure to have at least another 1.5k in my bank account, just to be safe.
Hello Kobayakawa,Thanks! Chances are I'm gonna be staying in Nagoya or Tokyo next year April. Hope to see you guys (MEXT 2017 survivors).
Hello Kobayakawa,
I will go to Nagoya institute of technology, nagoya is great city, hope to meet you there
Atleast it a big city, I'l probably end up at Mishima and its a proper rural area! As far as I know, they dont even have a starbucks there lol[Teasing] Did you guys read about Nagoya being declared the most bring city in Japan? XD
Nagoya: The most boring city in Japan | The Japan Times
I'm hopping to go to Kyoto, so even though it's a little far, it would be great to be able to meat in some occasions
Atleast it a big city, I'l probably end up at Mishima and its a proper rural area! As far as I know, they dont even have a starbucks there lol[Teasing] Did you guys read about Nagoya being declared the most bring city in Japan? XD
Nagoya: The most boring city in Japan | The Japan Times
I'm hopping to go to Kyoto, so even though it's a little far, it would be great to be able to meat in some occasions
Same here. Trying to keep busy! This waiting stuff is slowly starting to get to me now.Hello Every one,
long time since i wrote post here, so busy with my work, but it seem every one is here, Frida,
indojindesu, and every one, hope you are fine.
the long wait is killing me. when result will come out !
This is true. Sure, even when I go out with a group of Japanese friends and we're all chatting together, some staff will use Japanese with all my friends and then try to say "thank you" or something in English to me (after hearing me speak Japanese), but I don't really care. My rule is, I will speak whichever language is the highest level for all those involved (English/Japanese). It's only annoying when someone with nonexistent English skills tries to keep replying to me in English because we never move forward.Yeah people complain about the Japanese insisting on speaking to you in English if you're foreign, but actually I have found it to be other foreigners who refuse to reply to me in Japanese even if they're working as a shop assistant or something. And generally they treat me as more of an outsider than the Japanese do and single me out more.
But I don't think it has that much to do with where you're staying, some students will always end up hanging out with people from their own country because integrating seems like too much effort. Me, I'm sick of other foreigners (except you guys, obviously, you're great...)
My rule is, I will speak whichever language is the highest level for all those involved (English/Japanese). It's only annoying when someone with nonexistent English skills tries to keep replying to me in English because we never move forward.
This is true. Sure, even when I go out with a group of Japanese friends and we're all chatting together, some staff will use Japanese with all my friends and then try to say "thank you" or something in English to me (after hearing me speak Japanese), but I don't really care.
I certainly understand your feeling, and many foreigners feel the same way. But to be honest, I am not fluent yet (far from it), and the percentage of fluent foreigners (especially western) is veeeeery small compared to all the western people they encounter. I think that assuming all western-looking people speak English is a bigger problem than assuming western-looking people can't speak Japanese. Besides, out of the maybe 100 western foreigners I've encountered in the last year in Tokyo, maybe 4-5 of them speak good Japanese. Most of them have been here anywhere from 6 months to 3 years and yet they can barely introduce themselves. That ratio doesn't help matters for those of us who will be here for at least several years.I do care about this because I think it's really rude. Not only because they are singling me out unnecessarily but because not all white people speak English as a native language or indeed at all. Okay if they haven't heard me speak Japanese I can just about forgive them the assumption that I don't, but if they have they are effectively just saying to me "you will never be like us". My standard response is to fix them with a steely glare and an "Eigo ga jouzu desu neeeee..."
It's like the poor Japanese people who go to Europe and get greeted with a "Ni hao!" Everyone should just cut it out. I'm going to Taiwan next month and I hope people try to speak to me in Chinese even if I can hardly say anything yet.
Sorry for off-topic, I blame MEXT for not updating us lol. I went to Kyoto this week and I'm fairly sure if I go there for MEXT I'm going to be treated like a tourist for 3 years. What fun.
Thanks for asking. I won't go into too much detail with my story, but let's just say it's different from yours, so I can say "yes" I think you and your wife can live on the MEXT scholarship for a year. Especially if YNU has a dormitory where you can stay together. Otherwise, find a cheap apartment near Chuorinkan or something and you'll be fine.Hi Amerikajin, I am new to this forum. Glad to see you all discussing on important subjects regarding MEXT and thanks for sharing us your experiences. I have received LOA from Yokohama National University and currently waiting for secondary screening results. In your previous posts I found that you were planning to find accommodation for yourself and your wife. Did you manage to settle down...? I am planning to get married in Feb 2017 and then come on this scholarship and my wife will join later. Just want to ask you how feasible is it for 2 people to live in Japan on the scholarship amount for initial one year...? She wants to work after coming to Japan but I guess it will take sometime before she finds any work. Any other suggestions based on your experience would really help me to decide on some stuff before coming to Japan...