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MEXT Scholarship (Graduate Students) 2017

Hello everyone! The date is approaching quickly! Can't wait!

I have a question for you all:
After the final confirmation of the scholarship, did you hear from your professor?
I tried contacting mine, but she didn't reply.
I would like to know what being a research student means (to her). I know some professors just let you study for the entrance exam, while others want you to work in their lab 24/7 (or close to). Do you already know what you will be doing your first months in Japan?

I was the only receipient for my country so I didn't even have a long introduction speach at the embassy, so I didn't get to ask them either. I do have a 6 months language course in the beginning, but does that mean I won't get to talk/work with my professor until later?
 
MatsuJun said:
I do have a 6 months language course in the beginning, but does that mean I won't get to talk/work with my professor until later?
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The course probably depends a bit on the university, but for my university they sent a timetable that implies beginners have class for about 16.5 hours a week and advanced level for about 12 hours. So even if you have homework you should still have time to start some research with your professor, though it might be just once or twice a week. (Also for my university it's only 4 months not 6, not sure if that's standard.)

I suggest that if you can't get in contact with your prof now, you should go to her office when you arrive. Because if you have a misunderstanding about how much work she expects you to do that could lead to a lot of unnecessary strife.


On an unrelated note, my embassy sprang on me today that after I arrive I have to pay over 15,000 yen in airport taxes for my journey. It does say in the guidelines they won't pay for extra taxes, but I thought it meant they would pay for obligatory taxes that are normally included in a plane ticket. So if your country has high airport taxes then be warned!
 

My university asked me to contact my adviser before classes start. I asked for a consultation schedule with him to further discuss my research plans and get advice on classes i should take aside from my language lessons. My friend who was a former scholar also mentioned that a day per week (within the 6 month language training) is usually reserved for us to meet with our adviser. Not sure if this is standard across all though.
 

I will have to pay 37.510 yen upon arrival but according to my Embassy that amount should be reimbursed to us in May and we should keep our boarding passess and submit them at the University to get a refund.

The guidelines clearly say that the taxes will not be paid by the Government of Japan. It doesn't make sense to pay an amount at the University (37.510 in my case) and then receive it again from MEXT.

Has someone heard about a "refund"of the tax fares?

Someone knows when we will have to pay the airport tax at the University? Should we pay after receiving our first payment of the scholarship or before?
 

My university told me to save my boarding passes as they'll need it to apply for a refund from MEXT later. So I guess that means they've paid or will pay the taxes on my ticket. Other than that, I wasn't told about airport taxes from anyone directly but i do remember reading it in the guidelines.
 
Centuries said:
I have found two programs that fit my research very well, but not a third. What are your thoughts on that?
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I listed 2 same as madphy. ......Keio, Chiba got into Chiba haven`t gotten my boarding passes :/
 
glamette said:
My university told me to save my boarding passes as they'll need it to apply for a refund from MEXT later.
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Yes got the same message thou I have to travel by myself to my Uni from Narita they recommend a train but im going hop onto a limousine bus
 
mari30 said:
I will have to pay 37.510 yen upon arrival but according to my Embassy that amount should be reimbursed to us in May and we should keep our boarding passess and submit them at the University to get a refund.
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glamette said:
My university told me to save my boarding passes as they'll need it to apply for a refund from MEXT later. So I guess that means they've paid or will pay the taxes on my ticket.
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Ah, I was also told to save my ticket and boarding passes to give to the international office at the university, but they didn't mention why. Thanks guys.

Also about when we have to pay - my embassy said that we'll get an invoice for the taxes "about a month" after we arrive.
 
Directly from my Embassy:

"Some taxes and charges are not covered by the MEXT and you will have to pay the following yourself.

Top Tour will send an invoice for this amount to you through your University's international office after one month of your arrival.

Please pay directly in to their bank account once you receive the invoice.

You will also need to keep the boarding passes in order for the agent to be paid by the MEXT, so please don't throw them away but give them to the international office once you arrived Japan safely."

I had no idea about the extra tax at all. I'm a little frustrated about the flight situation. I've been put on a 23 hour flight when it's usually 9 hours. Plus, my regular airline has a 30kg baggage limit and this one only has 20kg. I checked the flight prices and they're about the same so I'm not sure why they booked me on this one. Incredibly minor inconveniences in the scheme of the opportunity of what we're being offered but these small things are stressing me out haha.
 
@Salpies
That's pretty similar to what my embassy said although they were more vague about it. I wonder why we're getting conflicting information from other embassies. If they don't refund the taxes, going from Europe to Japan for 15,000 yen still isn't bad but I'd like them to make it clearer from the start how much we're expected to pay.

My flights are a bit awkward in that I only have 1 hour connection time and if I miss the second flight it's one whole day until the next one. Soooo better hope that first flight is on time. But 23 hours instead of 9 is pretty terrible, I guess you have a long wait inbetween.
 

Yeah, I don't get the impression that they will refund us for the taxes? But maybe each embassy is different. But this is definitely brand new information that they should have told us from the start, definitely.

Gosh, a one hour connection stresses me out just thinking about it. Definitely hope that your flight is on time!
My flight is just ridiculous, honestly. I'm flying from Sydney to Osaka but stopping in Bangkok, even though it's the same distance from Sydney to both of these cities. Osaka is almost directly above Sydney, but Bangkok is pretty far west so I'm flying in a right angled shape. Plus there's an eight hour layover so all in all, not my favourite way to start things off. Fingers crossed we all have a save and stress-free trip!
 

I agree, I've never had to pay taxes before when going to Japan (even for long periods of time), so a bit of a heads up would have been nice! And I hope your trip isn't too mind-numbingly boring :c I still can't think why they'd send you all the way to Bangkok and then Osaka, not with ANA and JAL/Qantas both operating out of Sydney now - unless they're not allowed to plan domestic flights. Do you mind sharing what carrier you're flying with?
 

I'm flying with Thai Airways. I have no idea why - Qantas does direct flights to Osaka for the same price They don't do domestic flights either, I am taking the shinkansen to Hiroshima which will cost me about 12000yen. That I don't really mind though.
 

That's so bizarre. I'm with Qantas, and prices to Japan these days are cheap and frequent enough that you wouldn't think they'd put you through such a long trip.
 
I made contact with my Graduate School at Todai regarding the airport taxes and they said:

" Regarding your inquiry, the payment of airport tax fee must be done by late May, after the travel agent sends the invoice to our office in mid April.

We are going to inform you about the exact date of deadline and the method of payment in late April, so please wait for our announcement.

I hope this answer will help you."

My Embassy talked about a "refund" of the airport taxes but that seems unlikely. The person who told us about a refund of the airport taxes is not a native Japanese Speaker and probably it was a misunderstanding.

Another possibility is that the Government may have a policy of refunding airport taxes if they exceed certain amount. An student from my home country will have to pay 40.000 yen !

Either way, it is better not to expect a refund since the guidelines are very clear:

¨Expenses such as inland transportation from his/her home address to the
international airport, airport tax, airport usage fees, special taxes on travel, or
inland transportation within Japan will NOT be covered.¨
 
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I was also told about the taxes a few days ago, although I did expect it since it is stated in the guidelines, I was also told by some ex-MEXT that some universitied give yu the option to pay in installments from 3 to 6 months:

Please note the following instructions.
1. You are going to receive a one-way ticket to Japan.
2. By the regulation, Monbukagakusho does not cover
A. the applicable taxes and fees on route ( such as airport tax, local sales tax, etc.)
B. the domestic airfare/transport expenses in Japan
However, the fuel surcharges and insurance surcharges ( YQ and YR ) are covered by Monbukagakusho.
3. You will be requested to pay A and B in the instruction 2 above,
We will send you invoice via host university about 1 month after your arrival.
4. You are requested to hand in the boarding pass to your host university without fail right after your arrival in Japan.

I am not being charged for the domestic flight Narita-Osaka, so I am really happy to pay just for the taxes.
 
This might have been specific to my university (Tokodai), but students have to pay their own taxes for the flights. Mine was about 11k JPY. It's a hit to the budget, but still a cheap price to pay for moving to a new country.
 
Hello everyone!
I arrived here at Osaka last year. I'm one of the many lucky MEXT scholar recipients.
As celebration of my half-a-year stay here in Osaka, Japan, I am sharing my blogspot link to somehow help or give you clues what is it like to live here including all preparations, expectations and my experiences. My blog is still an on-going process, and I just have few entries in it that I believe can really help you. Just message me or comment on my blog or here about the things you would want me to discuss soon, so I can help you better.

P.S. I recommend TRANSEV blog also. He is very responsive and somehow was able to give me peace of mind during the "waiting game" of the scholarship results.
Living in Japan: Guides and Stories this is his blog spot link.

and this is mine: Dhezcycoolet Angel's World

Godbless!
 
 
Based on majority of your post, you've been worrying about your flight itinerary. My best advice is to consult/e-mail your adviser and tell him about it. If they see how uncomfortable the flight would be in your part, they will surely make way to help you. There is a designated travel agency for MEXT scholars, and I think they are the ones who chose the flight for you. So might as well discuss this to your sensei, so they can still do something about your flight. My experience, I just asked my sensei if I can move my flight on a later period since I still have few things to prepare even if I already have a ticket. I just asked if it is possible, yet when my sensei replied, it already contained my new flight itinerary. So yeah, they will be most willing to help you.
 
Salpies said:
Gosh, a one hour connection stresses me out just thinking about it. Definitely hope that your flight is on time!
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My Finnish friend reassures me that "you could walk from one end of the airport to the other in ten minutes", so I hope it'll be plenty of time.

On the other hand when I came back from Japan recently my plane was delayed by a whole day and I got three free meals and a hotel room. I wouldn't mind having a short break in Helsinki if the airline's paying

Frida said:
Just a couple more days guys!!

I still can't believe it!
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I still haven't finished packing or bought presents for my friends yet > < but I'm so looking forward to going!
 
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