MEXT Scholarship / Language School / Visa Questions - Reprise!

What should I do?

I know I've been asking for tons of advice around here lately, but I need one more round.

A quick background of my situation:

I was intending to study Japanese at Yamasa this April, but had my visa rejected (saying I should not be able to a receive a shuugaku visa with my visa history). This means that I cannot attend Yamasa, but can attend a school where a ryuugaku visa is provided.

I've been looking desperately for intensive language schools that can provide me with advance Japanese studies. So far, the only one I've been able to narrow down is the following:

1. Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto (1 year course)

But in addition to this, I have the following option:

The MEXT (Monbusho) Scholarship (full tuition paid, monthly stipend for the entire course length)

This would be an awesome thing to receive, as it is very lucrative and allows me to go to the graduate school of my choice (pending acceptance), which is my eventual goal. However, I have doubts as to whether the 6 month intensive course at the beginning of the scholarship will be enough to bring my Japanese ability up to the point that I can successfully navigate a graduate course (I am currently JLPT 2, have excellent conversational skills, but my reading/writing and vocabulary is lacking).

Now, this makes everything very complicated. I cannot attend a language school in October if I'm applying for the scholarship, as I would have to turn down the visa if I get accepted (something I'm not willing to risk given my problems with immigration).

This would however mean, that if I don't get the scholarship, I'll have to wait until next April to attend school... and that's a lot longer than I would have hoped.

So, my questions are the following:

Who out there has had experience with graduate/research studies with the MEXT scholarship?
- How well does the Japanese course prepare you for your research?

Is there anyone out there with information about advanced Japanese studies programs which can offer me a Ryuugaku visa?

In USA doenst have a Tecnical Schools Scholarship??
I'll try the MONBUKAGAKUSHO to get 4 years of Tecnical School here in Brazil...
Here you need have more than 17 and less than 21yrs and speak english cuz is the language of Exams and the classes of Nihongo in Japan \o/
Then you will make two exams: Math AND (Phys OR Chem)...

The exams are in Jappan 2ºGrade level... Get Math until "Limit"...

PS:
Gomenasai, boku no eigo ha sayaku desu... XP

Hi, I don't know if you're still waiting for replies, but I figured I might put in my two cents' worth.

I don't have any experience with Japanese language schools, with or without the Monbushou scholarship, but I think that if you are dedicated, 6 months should be enough to go from Level 2 to level 1. I worked in Japan for a year in between passing the level 2 and level 1 exams, and I didn't particularly study very hard - tellingly, the 窶壺?ｹanji section was my worst score. I think grammar and reading are the most important parts, so if grammar doesn't worry you, then you will probably be fine. Of course, only you can really judge your language ability.

For the record, I'm also planning on applying for the Monbushou scholarship to go to grad school in Japan. Hope everything works out for you!

窶堋ｨﾅ津昶?堋｢ﾅ?ﾃｦ窶卍｣窶堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｵ窶堙･ﾂ！

CorDarei said:

Hi, I don't know if you're still waiting for replies, but I figured I might put in my two cents' worth.
I don't have any experience with Japanese language schools, with or without the Monbushou scholarship, but I think that if you are dedicated, 6 months should be enough to go from Level 2 to level 1. I worked in Japan for a year in between passing the level 2 and level 1 exams, and I didn't particularly study very hard - tellingly, the 窶壺?ｹanji section was my worst score. I think grammar and reading are the most important parts, so if grammar doesn't worry you, then you will probably be fine. Of course, only you can really judge your language ability.
For the record, I'm also planning on applying for the Monbushou scholarship to go to grad school in Japan. Hope everything works out for you!
窶堋ｨﾅ津昶?堋｢ﾅ?ﾃｦ窶卍｣窶堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｵ窶堙･ﾂ！

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Thank you much for your reply.

My biggest concern is that if I do manage to get the scholarship, they might not allow me to take the 6 month training period (check out the forums for other people who had this problem). I've been away from Japan for a while and my Japanese is definitely a bit rusty... I really want that period to train and refresh before I begin.

Anyway, like you said, 窶堋ｨﾅ津昶?堋｢ﾅ?ﾃｦ窶卍｣窶堙ｫ窶堋､ﾂ。

Actually, I've been a bit worried about visas myself lately, because I'm hoping to get a job so that I can move to Japan later this year, to make the graduate school application process a bit easier (among other reasons). It would be nice if only the US had a working holiday agreement with Japan.

Unfortunately, I don't know how MEXT decides whether or not to allow you to take the Japanese training period, so yeah. Are there any options you could take before you go to brush up? It's obviously not as good as being in Japan, of course.

CorDarei said:

Actually, I've been a bit worried about visas myself lately, because I'm hoping to get a job so that I can move to Japan later this year, to make the graduate school application process a bit easier (among other reasons). It would be nice if only the US had a working holiday agreement with Japan.
Unfortunately, I don't know how MEXT decides whether or not to allow you to take the Japanese training period, so yeah. Are there any options you could take before you go to brush up? It's obviously not as good as being in Japan, of course.

Click to expand...

Well, if you look at what I posted before in this forum, I was scheduled to go to school this April 1st, but had my Shuugaku Visa rejected - that was my original plan to brush up.

I can definitely do some self study, but the efficacy just isn't as high.

If it comes to that, that's what I'll do, though.

Nall-ohki said:

Well, if you look at what I posted before in this forum, I was scheduled to go to school this April 1st, but had my Shuugaku Visa rejected - that was my original plan to brush up.
I can definitely do some self study, but the efficacy just isn't as high.
If it comes to that, that's what I'll do, though.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I did read your other thread; I'm sure you've considered it already, but I was thinking about some kind of Japanese course in the US. If you were going to pay for Yamasa, wouldn't it be cheaper to take a course at a US university? The big issue being whether there is one in your area, of course. A lot of places, my university included, have online courses that might be useful.
Here's a link to some info about the program at Georgia Tech; I've taken classes from the teachers who teach and run it, and they're pretty good. The catch is the online classes only go up to 2002, which isn't too advanced, but it might be good for brushing up, and as a way to practice at least.
Online Language Support Center
I'd also suggest practicing by yourself as much as possible; reading (internet or books or anything at all), maybe use Skype to find someone to converse with. One of the things I kinda wish was that this forum had more Japanese-only activity (it tends to flare up and then die down again). Nowadays I use Mixi, which is great for keeping up with friends and practicing Japanese at the same time.
Not that you haven't already thought of all this already, but just in case.

1) I'm currently studying on the MEXT Scholarship. It's not MEXT who decide whether or not you need the language course - it's your supervisor at the Japanese university you decide to go to. If you can convince him or her that you need the 6 months language tuition, then there should be no problem. If they're against it, you can always look for a different supervisor.

2) I think 6 months is long enough to go from Level 2 to 1 if you work very hard.

3) You do realise that even if you apply for MEXT now, you won't be able to go to Japan until April of next year?

4) Ritsumeikan has a one-year language course like you said, but Doshisha (also in Kyoto) has the same kind of course and it's cheaper. Much better location too. Waseda University and Keio University in Tokyo also have this kind of course, but I think it's quite expensive.

Best of luck with your application!

Thanks for the information, am1201 - I was not aware that it was the school's decision whether or not you were enrolled in the course.

I just got back from vacation in Japan (went and saw the schools I'm applying for), and working hard to get my application the best it can be.

Im a mEXT undergraduate student, but I have some graduate MEXT grantee friends. The six months japanese course is good, depending on which school you go to. I went to study at TUFS 窶愬停?ｹﾅｾﾅ?Oﾂ坂?倪?佚･ﾅ?w and it was great. They can bring a total beginner (and I mean ZERO level) to a level 2 in less than a year.

Anyway, what I wanted to add is that I have some friends who extended that 6 months period to a whole year at TUFS, then they will take the examination to enter the real graduate course. I dont know the specific details, but I know its possible and not that hard. i do not know if it is only possible at that university though.

So, following my heart and some of the advice here and elsewhere, I finally turned in my application today. All I can do now is wait.

I'M SO TIRED