Monbukagakusho Scholarship for Postgraduate!!

to all

Hi to all

clockworkorange: Hi! Hope everyone did good for the exam. I freaked out when my status of Japanese examination was Y! At last i gave up doing it. I do not have basic of it.

Menrui and all: the 70 people thingy, i think the speaker just making an example. She was saying this : "...OKay, if out of the 187 of you here, let's say, 70 of you get the mark above the cutting point,let's say 80 marks, then 70 of you get the interview. and from that, screen again....."

From the newspaper cutting this year, total of 31 sent to Japan from Malaysia.

So i guess next year will be around 30 also from Malaysia herself

Scholarship for Postgraduate

Hi..Everyone. I'm new here. Yesterday I just took the English test. A lot of traps. I would like to know that is it they will inform the result of the examination screening by phone call or just post by mail? Thanks

Hi everyone,

So sorry for making some of u confuse! Wat I mean the 70 those from Malaysia who are chosen to go for the interview.

luvearest said:

Hi to all
clockworkorange: Hi! Hope everyone did good for the exam. I freaked out when my status of Japanese examination was Y! At last i gave up doing it. I do not have basic of it.
Menrui and all: the 70 people thingy, i think the speaker just making an example. She was saying this : "...OKay, if out of the 187 of you here, let's say, 70 of you get the mark above the cutting point,let's say 80 marks, then 70 of you get the interview. and from that, screen again....."
From the newspaper cutting this year, total of 31 sent to Japan from Malaysia.
So i guess next year will be around 30 also from Malaysia herself

Click to expand...

I don't think that she was not making an example, they are going to turn down roughly 60% of the applicants.
My own estimate...
187-(187*0.6)=74
74-(74*0.6)=30
Anyway, i also felt that i won't be selected though. I didn't do well in the english test though i personally felt that the japanese test was easier compared to last year.

noisyarsenic said:

I don't think that she was not making an example, they are going to turn down roughly 60% of the applicants.
My own estimate...
187-(187*0.6)=74
74-(74*0.6)=30
Anyway, i also felt that i won't be selected though. I didn't do well in the english test though i personally felt that the japanese test was easier compared to last year.

Click to expand...

actually on that day. i couldn't hear clearly what the speaker said. i jz have a rough idea that they will select the top 70 candidates with the highest marks.
then they will jz filter thru who will be going to japan. so, may be that time only 30 will make it?
let's pray that we will be called for interview

Hello everyone, I am new here.
Yup, I took the exam too. The questions were tricky. Well, just manage to finish it on time. (No extra time to check again).
Hope most of us can make through the next round.
Actually when should we contact our potential supervisor? Before or after interview? Or after we get the scholarship?

interview ~

My biggest question after the first round of language tests is:

HOW IS THE INTERVIEW LIKE?
I am applying in Slovakia, but I am wondering how the interviews are like in other countries. By this question I mean:
WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS they ask ? AND do they ask in JAPANESE too??
:?

If anyone has some hints, it would be great help not only to me, but many other nervous applicants !! appreciate it~

To Cravy:

It would be great if you did contact a potential superviso even before you apply. Giving him/her a notice that you are applying and and have an interest in him/her is a great idea. But it isn't necessary.

I think, after you pass the 1rst screening(application, test, and interview), you are required to do everything you can to get accepted into a university under a supervisor, which I think is much easy because of the monbusho scholarship. Afterwards, is the 2nd screening, to make sure that you did get accepted.

Thanks menrui.
Will browse through all potential supervisor's information.

ayumi.tt said:

actually on that day. i couldn't hear clearly what the speaker said. i jz have a rough idea that they will select the top 70 candidates with the highest marks.
then they will jz filter thru who will be going to japan. so, may be that time only 30 will make it?
let's pray that we will be called for interview

Click to expand...

Frankly, i couldn't really get what she was saying either. i thot she shud have made the explanations regarding the interview AFTER the exam.

I'm not really sure how many will be shortlisted but my dad who took me to the exam had a chat with one of the ladies who was responsible for registering the candidates. according to this lady, they will shortlist ard 60 candidates from the exam (could be 70 also, I'm not sure) and from there, they will shortlist a further 30 from the interview. So u guys got it rite, I guess.

at any rate, best of luck to all of us. I found the english test very tricky. I didn't even take the japanese exam (did u take the jap exam in the end, luvearest?) so i dun really know how this could end up for me. But it doesn't hurt to hope for the best!!!!

Study Program

Can I know what program are you guys applying ?

Does anyone know what the percentage is, of people who obtain the Naidakusho from the University they desire and then go on to study at that Uni? Is it a high percentage?

To Zheng:
I'm applying under nataural science, specifically chemistry.

To Fulhamerica:
I'm not really sure, but it seems that if you pass the 1rst screening, your chances should be high because you have the monbusho scholarship associate with you when you apply. However, I'm sure if you are applying to a prestigious university like tokyo U, Kyoto U, etc, you will have difficulty because of their popularity

Hmmm I'm beginning to worry about my research plans. I stated I am most likely not able to design a research that will occupy the 2 year term. Thus, it would be necessary for me to conduct more than 1. I also state that I will make an effort to attend scientific related lectures, seminars, etc to get ideas for future projects while conducting my frist one. Also, along with an outline of my first research, I provide 2 additional abstract research proposals to cover me.

Anyone think this is a good idea? Or should I try to extend my one research to a full 2 years?

Anytime I talked to my consulate about what they would like to see on the study plan, they emphasized that they want a really concrete plan that one could just step into upon arrival in Japan. I think it would be better to have a plan that at least covers the term of the scholarship.

menrui said:

Hmmm I'm beginning to worry about my research plans. I stated I am most likely not able to design a research that will occupy the 2 year term. Thus, it would be necessary for me to conduct more than 1. I also state that I will make an effort to attend scientific related lectures, seminars, etc to get ideas for future projects while conducting my frist one. Also, along with an outline of my first research, I provide 2 additional abstract research proposals to cover me.
Anyone think this is a good idea? Or should I try to extend my one research to a full 2 years?

Click to expand...

Of course it is entirely up to you to plan your application strategy, if it were me, i would not do that.

I would fear that adding a second research proposal would dilute the efficiency of the first. Also, if they start asking you questions about the second research proposal, you might not be able to respond very convincingly. I could also imagine other 'difficult to answer' interview questions arising because from it.

I would imagine adding a second proposal would merely confuse the interviewers and make them lose focus. There is probably no need for you to set an exact timeline for your first proposal--they don't expect you to have a script all planned out for exactly what you are going to do, since research, espcially when you don't know where you will be doing it, is not really that kind of thing.

Why state that you were not able to design a 2 year research proposal? You are bringing attention to a problem that need not exist in the first place, since it is acceptable to use the scholarship for less than the full two year term, and since there's no real way you know your project won't last for two years.

Simply state what you want to study, the kind of resources the opportunity will provide you that will enable you to study it, and why you believe your study will be beneficial to you and to Japan. Don't get caught up in writing down all of your worries or your hypothesis or anything else that. While it may be important in your mind in regards to your project, doesnt really provide outsiders any insight into why they should give you the schoalrship.

I think that saying you want to attend classes to broaden your understanding of the field of study under which your research project falls is a good idea. I broke my proposal up into 3 parts and I think it worked for me:

1 Basically why they should give me the scholarship
2A General Study--the classes I wanted to take and general things I wanted to study and how those could help my future
2B Specific Research Study--more specific information on my topic and the benefits of that specific project


My specific research project was only one dense, fairly vague page. The rest was two more pages. I am not saying you should do it this way--this worked for me because I really wanted to do a lot of general study, take language classes, etc. If your focus IS more on your research, focus more on that.

I guess what I am trying to say is do not write anything in your proposal that will not help you get the scholarship. Save all that other stuff for your discussing with your friends or your advisor after you come to Japan.

To midorineko & barkley:
Yes, you're both definitely right. And barkley is definitely right that I really don't know how long my research will take because I never actually done independent research before. I'm sure synthesizing and analyzing chemicals is much harder than it looks on paper.

Well, I have about 7 more days until my deadline. I'm still waiting for my recommendation form to come in from the mail. So, I'm going to give more detail in my research plan so that it doesn't seem too simple and short term. Also, I'm going to elaborate more on the type of studies I would like to do about my field, like attending lectures and seminars and such.

thanks again guys

Study Program

Im applying for landscape architecture. But currently I have the Bachelor degree and Master degree in Urban & Regional Planning. But I'm confusing that I should pursuing landscape architecture in Master degree or PHD. Could anyone give me some advice? Thanks...

Barkley's advice is spot-on.

I have a BA in anthropology and asian studies, and my proposal (4 pages double-spaced + 2 pages of a tentative time-line) is sociological and media studies centered. I'll be studying (like how I assume success?) how black entertainers are marketed (star text, public image), whether black entertainers in Japan become famous due to their ethnicity or talent (or both) what with the kind of publicity they receive, and so will (hopefully) empirically reveal whether attitudes towards blacks (celebrity and otherwise) has changed since the importation of racist Americana ideals.

I applied for the Biotechnology field.
I don't even now what to write in the Study Program / research plan in the application letter. I just simple wrote that I want to do something related in stem cells and nervous system etc.
So, I in the future, when they ask me give more detail plan, I don't think I can answer.... lol

You know what, I just typed a long post, and the website gave me an error... here's a short version.

Cravy:
not to be rude, but i dont think thats a good idea.

MatsuHime:
I like your topic. I wonder why Jero is so popular. I dont know anything about enka so i cant judge his music. once, when i was in japan, some one told me "I like black music". I was really shock but it was funny. Thats how they categorize rnb, hip hop, rap etc.

I have a BS in biochemistry. My study field is chemistry, specifically organic chemistry synthesis. my research is about using histidine as a catalyst to provide selectivity in the asymmetric addition of grignard reagent to aldehydes. my length is much like Matsu's, (12font) 2pg single space, paragraph form + 2 pg procedure outline

BTW, I've been meaning to post this. I found this a while ago. Some guy named Lars* Martinson recieved the monbusho scholarship and wrote about every thing he went through to get it. I think its a great guide with alot of details on his preparation, research planning, professor contacting, and interview etc. Check it out.
larsmartinsonDOTcom/how-i-got-the-monbusho-research-scholarship-part-1-of-4/

*Typo!

I don't know how much the importation of american racial ideas has directly affected how race is viewed in Japan, but I also think hime's research topic would be interesting. There certainly are a number of figures, across a variety of media (and of course the military), that you could use as case studies.

Other things:

-I checked the website, and the guy's name is Lars, not Lard. A small point, but I think he would appreciate my correction.

-That guy really went all out on his application. He was definitely straddling the border between obsessive time wasting and trying his best to get accepted (I won't say which side of it I think he falls on).

-I hate waiting for this final acceptance from Tokyo. Sigh. Please, please, tokyo, tell me that I have secured a place, and its at Waseda, and tell me soon so I can direct my attention to other things.

Charles:
Do you really think he spent an excessive amount of time? I was actually using what he wrote as a guide haha, except I only spent a total of 1month.

I could understand how he feels. I want this scholarship really bad. Heck, I'd even slap my mom for it(no not really..). Receiving this scholarship would just make my life explode, in a good way. This is a HUGE scholarship, so I always thought it was really competitive. Also, I'm getting really tired of getting rejected haha(college, med school, etc)

When he says things like, 'it would be better to include a timeline down to the week,' 'I contacted some professors through a friend of theirs who had written on the professor's blog,' and doing things like taking the English language test when one is already a native speaker (eye roll), I just think he went a bit overboard, to the point I could even see it putting off interviewers. Anyway, he got the scholarship, so good for him, and its his time to waste as he wants. I am merely saying that past a certain point, nothing you do will really improve your odds of getting the scholarship.

One thing he didn't seem to do that much, that I highly recommend, is getting a number of friends to mock interview you. Very very helpful, not only for this application process, but for any application that requires an interview.