Monbukagakusho Scholarship for Postgraduate!!

Hey guys,

I went to the website menrui recommended and after reading thru his blog, i sort of panicked. My initial plan was to start contacting professors AFTER i'd passed the interview. I know u can contact professors anytime and it is generally better to start early i suppose but i also figured that it would be much easier to get a professor interested if u have the embassy recommendation already.

After reading lars account, i'm getting the idea that ur supposed to contact professors BEFORE the interview. Is this true? if so, then i guess i'm in trouble if i'm called for the interview. Could anyone shed light on this matter?

Also, i have two more questions and i would appreciate anybody's help in answering this:

1) Is it really necessary to get a professor that fits ur research topic EXACTLY? i want to do a masters in chemical engineering and my research topic has to do with environmental systems (air pollution). would that mean i have to find a professor whose research pertains to air pollution? or would it be ok to email other professors in an environmental engineering dept?

2) Has anyone gotten an embassy recommendation but not managed to get a professor to supervise or a university placement? What would happen then?

Thanks to anyone willing to help!!

clockworkorange said:

Hey guys,
I went to the website menrui recommended and after reading thru his blog, i sort of panicked. My initial plan was to start contacting professors AFTER i'd passed the interview. I know u can contact professors anytime and it is generally better to start early i suppose but i also figured that it would be much easier to get a professor interested if u have the embassy recommendation already.
After reading lars account, i'm getting the idea that ur supposed to contact professors BEFORE the interview. Is this true? if so, then i guess i'm in trouble if i'm called for the interview. Could anyone shed light on this matter?
Also, i have two more questions and i would appreciate anybody's help in answering this:
1) Is it really necessary to get a professor that fits ur research topic EXACTLY? i want to do a masters in chemical engineering and my research topic has to do with environmental systems (air pollution). would that mean i have to find a professor whose research pertains to air pollution? or would it be ok to email other professors in an environmental engineering dept?
2) Has anyone gotten an embassy recommendation but not managed to get a professor to supervise or a university placement? What would happen then?
Thanks to anyone willing to help!!

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窶堋?窶堙ｭ窶堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堙坂?堙遺?堋｢窶堙ｦﾂ！

As I said earlier, that guy's preparations were perhaps excessive. You will be fine if you do not start contacting professors until after you have received the embassy nomination--after all, that is what your consulate might (if it is like mine) instruct you to do.

I followed those instructions, sent out letters to professors at my top two schools immediately after receiving the embassy nomination, and received the required acceptance forms from both schools, signed, 3 and 6 weeks later. If you send letters out to more schools, you might get one even faster (though factor in that I live in Japan, so its a bit easier for me to mail/receive things).

Making initial contact with professors before the interview would probably be a good policy (though I didn't do it). I would not recommend snooping around their blogs for friends and contacting their friends though--if professors do not have their email addresses displayed on the website, it probably means, I dunno, they don't want randoms contacting them. My advice would be to contact secretaries or offices of departments in schools you are interested in, tell them what you are studying, what you want, and asking if they could help put you in contact with a professor.

At Waseda, my top school, the procedure for receiving the form is to contact the department, send your forms directly to them, and they will do the rest. Although I received the word of a professor saying he would advise me (within 3 weeks of my sending the papers to the school), I have yet to even contact him directly (I really should do that soon I suppose)!

I think the advisor will not have as large a role as that blog made it out to be either, though perhaps it will vary based on school. Professors have a lot of other responsibilities, so I imagine (and based on the accounts of current scholars that I have read) monbu advisors will serve in much the same capacity as college advisors. Consequently, the fact that your project might be obscure and not match up exactly with what professors are studying will probably mean very little in terms of the application process (though of course for the sake of your research, closer might be better).

My consulate also said that even if one doesn't get a note from an advisor, that will not affect one's ability, or likelihood, to receive the scholarship. That might have been a special condition for the JET round of scholarships however, so I would recommend not tempting fate and working hard to gain an advisor.

To sum up, as long as you don't diddle around after receiving the embassy nomination, and as long as you conduct yourself in a professional manner, I doubt you will have any problems getting an advisor, even if you have not begun to contact any before the interview. The process is insanely long and frustrating at times, so for the sake of your own sanity you should not stress too much about minor details...

Black people (of America) and Japan have actually had quite an interesting discourse in the 20th Century. I didn't know much about it either til I started digging into what little lit there is.

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).

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Well, he is an artist.
I also read his blog and it got me thinkin hard about the advisor thing. I went ahead and, once I'd finalized my proposal, contacted professors directly and got 2 positive responses within 2 days, plus the guy who said "don't like this topic, but I'll keep you in mind since you've got good ideas". I put their names on the application. Best part is that they're in the cities I want to live in. Best news?
I SENT THAT SUCKA THIS AFTERNOOON
So, yeah, glad that's over with. (Except for my Uni rec letters and transcripts, which are already in America waiting for me mum to overnight them to ATL) I'll admit it consumed my life these last 5 weeks. Which is okay, since it takes my mind off...

dekimashita!

I turn in my application yesterday too! I'm glad its over.Now I play the waiting game... so fustrating

I personally handed it to the mext coordination of the embassy and we made some small talk. Then he asked me if I would be available for an interview as late as early august *hint *hint, *wink *wink, *nudge *nudge, yeah... hopefully that was a good sign. Of course, I agreed, but don't most university applications have deadlines around the end of august? I really hope this doesn't put a big time contraint on me.

ATL's interviews are Aug 1st.

I dont like it...

^ that message is too short to be posted

Regarding "field of study" and "study program"

I have known lots of things about Monbukagakusho Scholarship from this thread.

I have recently got application materials for post graduate study from the Embassy of Japan. But, I am confused and not sure what to write in the field of study ans study program. Moreover, it is said in the letter that these two parts are very important for selecting the candidates for scholarships.

I humbly request the members of this forum to help me by giving advice and suggestions as how to give answer to these two questions.

The deadline for submitting the application form is 24 June, 2008. So, there is very little time in hand.

Thanks.

shimul92.

Wow you are cutting it really close shimul. I hate to say this... but maybe you should wait till next year...

It still is possible to turn in your application on time but its going to take alot of will power. I think your biggest problem will be filling out the medical certificate. It took a week for my blood work to come back.

Anyways,if you go to page 13 of this forum, Nazo posted a very good description of what you should write in those areas. I followed most of those descriptions when writing mine, it really helps. Thanks Nazo!

If you have any more question, I'll try to answer asap.

MatsuyamaHime said:

Except for my Uni rec letters

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Maybe you, like me, are another American who has been living overseas too long. I go back home for the holidays and use 'Uni' and receive only blank stares in return.

Or do they say Uni where you are from in the states?

^you mean like, you actually say "uni"? As in, "hello, I go to the Uni of Texas"? haha, do people really say that?

I once said "lol"..............................

menrui said:

^you mean like, you actually say "uni"? As in, "hello, I go to the Uni of Texas"? haha, do people really say that?

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You wouldn't say it that way--the usage is more of a general term like 'college.' i.e.,

What uni did you go to? or
When I was in uni, blah blah blah.


British/Australian thing it's easy to slip into if you're living overseas.

(especially for me, last four years I have lived in australia one year, then dated an australia here in Japan for over a year and a half...)

Hi everyone!!

Thank you, charles, for answering my questions.

After reading ur reply, i decided to just stick to my original plan. (like there was much else for my to do..)

and the japanese embassy just called me to tell me i passed the exam!!!!! grin. grin. grin.
I'm so happy i can't concentrate on my work. I keep thinking..."i have to go back home to prepare for the interview!!!"

has anyone else received a call from the embassy too?

i havent heard anything from the embassy (

clockworkorange, u already received the call, so nice... I hope I will be called for interview too.
*_*
When is the interview?

I saw the embassy website, they sponsor ~31 people to do postgrad, but only 6 for undergrad, wonder why. Izit undergrad need more money than postgrad?

Keep your heads up guys!

^im not really sure why they choose sponsor mor postgrads over undergrad either

BTW, I cant seem to find any statistics on monbusho acceptance rate. any one have a link or some information ?

yeay!!!

i just received a call telling me i passed the exam too! happy happy hapy
clockworkorange, the lady said like there is a lot of stuff to take care before the interview. maybe i can have your contact so we can share, so neither of of would miss anything

Hey guys,

Just hang in there. Which i know is really easier said than done.

Just make sure ur handphone is with u AT ALL TIMES.
The embassy called me ard 2pm today. They do have ard 60-70 ppl to call but they're bound to get to ur name soon!!!

The person that called me told me that the interview will be held on the 15th, 16th OR
17th July. The actual date of ur own interview will be in the official letter sent to us.

Pls let me know when u guys get a call. It'll be nice to know there are friends at the interview.

hey tomayto,

I've already sent u a private msg that has my contact details.

I totally agree with Charles about the use of "Uni " after exposure to more int'l english this is for sure a word you would pick up.

I too am from the States, and if I say the word Uni to anyone....I may as well be speaking a foreign language.

The thing is, saying Uni makes more sense than College. By saying College, the meaning can be construed a number of ways from Junior College to Undergrad, and some might point out the use of college as a term for high school. But, Uni? You know this means a 4 year, institution of higher education. Plus, it's short and to the point.

^Hmmm, i think i got the wrong idea. I thought charles meant that replacing "University" with the abbreviation phrase "Uni" was weird. I totally understand the word University vs. college.

Menrui, I believe you are right. Charles was talking about replacing the word university with the abbreviation "uni." fulhamerica was just pointing out that uni can be a more accurate phrasing to use as it specifically denotes a four year institution, whereas college can refer to a variety of higher educational facilities, including four year universities.

Wow, I go away for a year, and there's only one MEXT thread left?

Hey again,

It's been quite a while since I posted last, after I had been selected as an alternate for 2008.

I'm back now, and a few days ago I got the Embassy recommendation again this year!

Needless to say, I'm excited and hopeful that I'll get it again.

I was wondering how everyone is doing this year so far - congratulations to everyone who has a recommendation!

I'm so envious of you Nall.

I turned in my application about 4 days ago. so I'm still wait for a call to take the exam.

Nall-ohki said:

Hey again,

It's been quite a while since I posted last, after I had been selected as an alternate for 2008.

I'm back now, and a few days ago I got the Embassy recommendation again this year!

Needless to say, I'm excited and hopeful that I'll get it again.

I was wondering how everyone is doing this year so far - congratulations to everyone who has a recommendation!

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I don't know how you managed to apply again after that. And if I remember correctly, you also said something like you had been disqualified on a technicality in a previous year? You've got patience man.

Your saying you were made an alternate after receiving the embassy recommendation actually spooked me a bit, since I hadn't received any other indications that that could happen at that late a stage. Hopefully that wont happen to anyone this year.