Hi, 2017 MEXT Scholar here. Congrats to everyone getting their notifications from the embassy! My name is Drew.
I know this is a long shot but if anyone here is coming to Tsukuba University in April, I am currently looking for someone to share my apartment with. It's a 2DK literally across the street from campus. Rent split in half equally is 21000 yen monthly plus utilities. That comes to less than the Global Village dormitories' rent and instead of four roommates plus yourself sharing a toilet, shower, and kitchen, you'd just have me. It may also be more appealing than the coin showers in the private dormitories like Hirasuna and Ichinoya. Also, moving to an apartment usually costs about three months' worth of rent in the beginning, but I'm willing to shoulder those costs on my end; you'd be responsible only for rent, utility bills, and personal apartment items such as a bed. The only catch is there will be a dog so you must like/be OK with dogs. As the dog is coming from a shelter I do not yet know what kind it will be, but the apartment contract limit specifies up to 10kg so it will not be very big. Additionally, I don't expect you to care for the dog in any way so consider it a bonus that you get to play with a dog with none of the responsibilities!
A little bit about me: 27 years old in February, male (but do not care about your gender if you're interested in rooming together), as I wrote above I got the MEXT scholarship last year, and will be starting the Master's program in Japanese Language Education at Tsukuba. from the USA and can speak both English and Japanese with little problem. Very clean(!!) and wear headphones most of the time so also quiet.
If any of this sounds interesting to you and you want more information like a floor plan and pictures of the inside of the apartment, more information about me etc., please feel free to email me at drewspain12(at)gmail(dot)com!
Edit: if someone could maybe spread this to the Whatsapp group as well that would be greatly appreciated! I have no intentions of joining the group obviously as it's not for me.