MEXT Scholarship--monthly stipend has been reduced
- Thread starter Charles Barkley
- Start date
arap
先輩
- 6 Mar 2009
- 107
- 1
Ok..this is one scary rumor...I just hope I won't hear any rumor about they will cut the number of scholarship recipients for 2010 next.
Damn..the ruling party change in the government in Japan really makes me worry that they will affect MEXT scholarship in one or another ways.
Damn..the ruling party change in the government in Japan really makes me worry that they will affect MEXT scholarship in one or another ways.
My guess is that they will keep the current funding scheme until next April since the budget is generally set ahead of time for each fiscal year and that's that.
In April they might be likely to cut another couple thousand yen per month. I've heard they've been doing that pretty much every year.
if it's a few thousand yen it's fine. Just hope it's not another major reduction like this April, 170000 down to 155000.
Scalemx
先輩
- 27 Oct 2009
- 64
- 0
I think it's not too big a deal. Lots of Japanese workers live on much less. 150k is nothing to complain about. Especially if you can live in University housing. Japan isn't the most expensive place to buy food.
If you consider the amount of money they'll be giving you just for tuition and other fees, airplane ticket,...
MEXT still remains the number one scholarship for Japan by far.
If you consider the amount of money they'll be giving you just for tuition and other fees, airplane ticket,...
MEXT still remains the number one scholarship for Japan by far.
pilarika
後輩
- 19 Sep 2008
- 16
- 0
hi everyone.... I was wondering if anyone else heard or read anything else about this issue.... cos I just recieved an invitation by a fellow scholar to join a facebook protest group where they are saying the ministry is threatening to cut our scholarship by as much as 50%.... this really worries me, but i would like to check if there's any truth to this.... does anybody know more details?
what i got is also only rumours.
Honestly, there's nothing much we can do even if it's real.
They made us sign a pledge that bears a "stipend subject to changes from time to time" kinda clause.
Though i personally feel that it should only apply to new applicants whereby they can still choose whether to accept or reject the offer. For our case, we have no choice but to accept it since we're halfway through... it's kinda unfair to us, 窶堙??堙?ﾂ、窶堋ｵ窶堙･窶堋､窶堋ｪ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙?.....
I only hope that after cutting that scholarship, they will at least loosen the restriction on part time jobs. I can't imagine people who already brought their families and are surviving on a tight budget with wives/husbands and kids on 150k previously. It would've ruined their lives....
Honestly, there's nothing much we can do even if it's real.
They made us sign a pledge that bears a "stipend subject to changes from time to time" kinda clause.
Though i personally feel that it should only apply to new applicants whereby they can still choose whether to accept or reject the offer. For our case, we have no choice but to accept it since we're halfway through... it's kinda unfair to us, 窶堙??堙?ﾂ、窶堋ｵ窶堙･窶堋､窶堋ｪ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙?.....
I only hope that after cutting that scholarship, they will at least loosen the restriction on part time jobs. I can't imagine people who already brought their families and are surviving on a tight budget with wives/husbands and kids on 150k previously. It would've ruined their lives....
menrui
先輩
- 24 May 2008
- 428
- 0
haha, how exactly are they threatening us? like, if they catch us not learning enough? i better delete all those facebook photos...
well, if they are threatening to cut our scholarships if our grades drop below a certain point, then by all means go ahead, it's fair enough. (that point should be reasonable though)
pilarika
後輩
- 19 Sep 2008
- 16
- 0
no, it has nothing to do with grades, at least the ruomors I heard. it's all because they are working on the next fiscal year's budget and the scholarship amount is apparently on the top of their list of things to reduce, the talks are around 50% (thats what the other scholars are discussing on this facebook group, don't know how true this is). there is an iniciative about sending e-mails to members of the ministry asking them to reconsider.
akaitsume1
世にも奇妙な物語
- 21 Jul 2009
- 149
- 0
I'm hesitant to trust anything that comes off of facebook, considering the nonsense that floats around there all the time. I've been worried about what this new regime would do, though, since they've traditionally been far less accommodating towards foreigners.
A cut of 50% would be extreme. For a lot of us, that would force monthly out-of-pocket expenditures, especially if you'll be stuck living in Tokyo at first (I can't exactly go apartment shopping until I get there, which sticks me in the Tokyo dorms, and I've only found a few apartment complexes online that won't cost 6 months of rent just to move in). 70K might cover board and some food expenses, but little else, and without being able to work part-time... I'm hoping that if they are planning a cut, it's nowhere near that excessive. Especially without warning.
I'm going to stay positive and assume that facebook, once again, is full of paranoid hooey.
A cut of 50% would be extreme. For a lot of us, that would force monthly out-of-pocket expenditures, especially if you'll be stuck living in Tokyo at first (I can't exactly go apartment shopping until I get there, which sticks me in the Tokyo dorms, and I've only found a few apartment complexes online that won't cost 6 months of rent just to move in). 70K might cover board and some food expenses, but little else, and without being able to work part-time... I'm hoping that if they are planning a cut, it's nowhere near that excessive. Especially without warning.
I'm going to stay positive and assume that facebook, once again, is full of paranoid hooey.
I've heard some rumors too, though not quite that drastic. Honestly I don't intend to take seriously any of the rumors until I see something official. Last year I think they posted an announcement around Feb about what the following year's scholarship would be. I won't be surprised if they cut it another few thousand.
At any rate, economics says: "people respond to incentives."
If they cut the scholarship beyond a certain point, then many folks might not have feel they have incentive to stick around (I for one do not intend to live on three meals a day of cup ramen for the next three years). And I believe they would like to have more students, not fewer.
*shrug*
At any rate, economics says: "people respond to incentives."
If they cut the scholarship beyond a certain point, then many folks might not have feel they have incentive to stick around (I for one do not intend to live on three meals a day of cup ramen for the next three years). And I believe they would like to have more students, not fewer.
*shrug*
The worry is justifiable and not just facebook rumours.
An article in Nature's Magazine (a prominent weekly journal for science research), has highlighted that Japan is taking many drastic cuts in govt spending, especially in Science research, if not mistaken is was 7trillion yen. The move drew criticism and protests from science community and even the 4 nobel prize laureates in Japan have joined in to pressure the govt to relief the cuts.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091126/full/news.2009.1108.html
Cuts into research funds meaning less money for MEXT research program (our postgrad program!) and funds for our labs/supervisors. A 50% cut in our scholarship is not entirely impossible. Since there is no conclusive announcement so far, we can only pray.
Like dblbstrd has pointed out, without the current stipend, many students will shy away from the scholarship. Especially those from rich countries who have no shortage of money for higher education. Why come all the way to Japan and suffer on a tight monthly budget.
I for one will join the protest for the relaxation of the "no part time job" rule if there were any drastic cuts. At least let us earn some money on our own, that's not too much to ask for right?
As one Japan Nobel Laureate put it "In a country like japan with little natural resources, a step back in research of Science & Technology marks the beginning of demise for the nation."
God bless us.....
An article in Nature's Magazine (a prominent weekly journal for science research), has highlighted that Japan is taking many drastic cuts in govt spending, especially in Science research, if not mistaken is was 7trillion yen. The move drew criticism and protests from science community and even the 4 nobel prize laureates in Japan have joined in to pressure the govt to relief the cuts.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091126/full/news.2009.1108.html
Cuts into research funds meaning less money for MEXT research program (our postgrad program!) and funds for our labs/supervisors. A 50% cut in our scholarship is not entirely impossible. Since there is no conclusive announcement so far, we can only pray.
Like dblbstrd has pointed out, without the current stipend, many students will shy away from the scholarship. Especially those from rich countries who have no shortage of money for higher education. Why come all the way to Japan and suffer on a tight monthly budget.
I for one will join the protest for the relaxation of the "no part time job" rule if there were any drastic cuts. At least let us earn some money on our own, that's not too much to ask for right?
As one Japan Nobel Laureate put it "In a country like japan with little natural resources, a step back in research of Science & Technology marks the beginning of demise for the nation."
God bless us.....
What's all this about a no part time job rule?
As far as I know, it is discouraged, but not strictly forbidden. I haven't seen it written anywhere. There is a limit to how many hours a week a person on a student visa may work, but that's a rule dealing with immigration and not the scholarship. All you have to do is go to your school's administration and apply for a work permit. You fill out the paper, turn it in to your school, and a while later they'll get you a permit, basically no questions asked.
At any rate, in principle, you shouldn't *have to* do a part time job to survive as a full-time grad student, especially if you are being sponsored to study overseas.
I've heard about the big budget cut thing going on, but I still don't buy a 50% cut. In a lot of places, students are only allowed to live in cheap university-related housing for a year, and as you said, will then have to shell out a fat wad of landlord-bribe money to move into an apartment. I figure the reason they used to give first-year students a little extra was so that they could save up for that.
Think about it: 80,000 yen is absolutely not liveable when you need to pay about 40,000 for an apartment (pretty unrealistic if you live in Tokyo by the way) not including utilities or transportation. Even 100,000 is basically out of bounds, unless you really like cup noodles. There's a limit to how much they can cut it and be able to keep students, and for a lot of us that limit is not all that far below the current level.
As far as I know, it is discouraged, but not strictly forbidden. I haven't seen it written anywhere. There is a limit to how many hours a week a person on a student visa may work, but that's a rule dealing with immigration and not the scholarship. All you have to do is go to your school's administration and apply for a work permit. You fill out the paper, turn it in to your school, and a while later they'll get you a permit, basically no questions asked.
At any rate, in principle, you shouldn't *have to* do a part time job to survive as a full-time grad student, especially if you are being sponsored to study overseas.
I've heard about the big budget cut thing going on, but I still don't buy a 50% cut. In a lot of places, students are only allowed to live in cheap university-related housing for a year, and as you said, will then have to shell out a fat wad of landlord-bribe money to move into an apartment. I figure the reason they used to give first-year students a little extra was so that they could save up for that.
Think about it: 80,000 yen is absolutely not liveable when you need to pay about 40,000 for an apartment (pretty unrealistic if you live in Tokyo by the way) not including utilities or transportation. Even 100,000 is basically out of bounds, unless you really like cup noodles. There's a limit to how much they can cut it and be able to keep students, and for a lot of us that limit is not all that far below the current level.
menrui
先輩
- 24 May 2008
- 428
- 0
im sure you could live on 80,000 yen a month. my food budget is always below 30,000yen and i ride my bike to school. and no, i dont have to eat cup noodles. i actually eat much better now than my college days in the US >< . the problem is, your life might be really dull... like mine 
im pretty sure you are not talking about the US
senseiman
先輩
- 24 Jun 2003
- 679
- 47
80k is nowhere near enough to get by on. In my case rent, utilities and insurance alone take up more than 80k a month. Add food onto that and its well over 100k just for the basic necessities.
I don't have a keitai and I ride a bike everywhere but even then, I barely get by on 156k.
I hope that instead of making such a drastic cut - which would absolutely destroy the budgets of everyone here on the scholarship - they might instead reduce the number of scholarships being offered this year as a way of saving money.
I don't have a keitai and I ride a bike everywhere but even then, I barely get by on 156k.
I hope that instead of making such a drastic cut - which would absolutely destroy the budgets of everyone here on the scholarship - they might instead reduce the number of scholarships being offered this year as a way of saving money.
arap
先輩
- 6 Mar 2009
- 107
- 1
Now then..if that's the case..it would be unfair to us, the one who hasn't get the scholarship yet
Lets just hope the rumors remains a rumors...
menrui
先輩
- 24 May 2008
- 428
- 0
i guess it depends on your lifestyle. i got this foreign dude in my lab, and i kid you not, lives on like 60,000 yen a month. he has a small 35,000yen apartment, rides his bike, eats rice and tomatoes everyday, has a keitai but i never see him use it, and only goes to lab. thats hardcore.
i seriously doubt they will reduce the number of scholarships. they have a goal to meet and i dont think they are even close to it. statistically, they have increased the number of scholarship each year since the 80's.
akaitsume1
世にも奇妙な物語
- 21 Jul 2009
- 149
- 0
@ dblbstrd: On the typical college student visa, we are not allowed to work. If our visa status changes at all, which might include trying to change it enough to work, MEXT will cut our scholarships.
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/travel_and_visa/visa/faq.htm#b1b (Check statuses not permitting work)
"Scholarship will be cancelled for a grantee if: ⑤ his/her resident status of "College Student" as provided for in Paragraph 1-4 of Appendix to the Immigration Control and
Refugee Recognition Act changes to any other status;"
I'm not sure about work permits, since I know a few people who've done it before, but it seems risky.
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/travel_and_visa/visa/faq.htm#b1b (Check statuses not permitting work)
"Scholarship will be cancelled for a grantee if: ⑤ his/her resident status of "College Student" as provided for in Paragraph 1-4 of Appendix to the Immigration Control and
Refugee Recognition Act changes to any other status;"
I'm not sure about work permits, since I know a few people who've done it before, but it seems risky.
So they bring researchers to Japan to have them live like paupers in 35,000 yen apartments without a shower? Are we supposed to move to cheaper housing each spring? I don't know what they are thinking.
