Guys,
I saw this timeline in Osaka U's website. Just sharing to those who hasn't seen it:
"Those applying for admission to undergraduate or graduate programs recommended by Japanese Embassies Before Coming to Japan:
March - April Application
May - June 1st screening
June -August Letter of Acceptance
October 2nd screening
February(- July) Result of a final selection
March of the following year (September) Immigration procedures
April of the following year (October) Arrive in Japan "
Some guidelines plucked from uni website:
-Letter of Acceptance-
In case you would like to get a "Letter of Acceptance" for the Japanese Government (MONBUKAGAKUSHO:MEXT) Scholarship (Research Student), you must first pass a preliminary selection examination conducted at your local Japanese Embassy/Consulate General.
After you pass the preliminary selection, you should contact us with the documents required below before the end of August.
- A certificate of the preliminary selection issued by the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General
- Official form of "Letter of Acceptance"
- A set of the same documents as those submitted to the Japanese Embassy/Consulate General (description of educational background, certified academic records of the university attended, letter of recommendation from the university attended, and description of the field of study and study program etc.)
Please find a professor who you would like to have as a supervisor and mention the name of the professor, the school/graduate school of the professor, and the school/graduate school at which you would like to study.
Note:
- Concerning your research fields, study plan, and other factors, you are recommended to contact the professor who you would like to have as a supervisor in advance concerning your research fields etc. However, a "Letter of Acceptance" is issued officially upon having come to a decision by the school/graduate school not by the professor .
- A "Letter of Acceptance" is only a tentative acceptance, and thus does not guarantee definite enrollment into the university. The officail acceptance notification will be issued by the Monbukagakusho.
- As the majority of schools/graduate schools conduct entrance examinations, your admission to a Master's or Doctoral program may not be officially recognized at this point. Please consult with the professor beforehand, concerning any such issues as well.
- Should the documents and information which you submit to us be incomplete, we may not be able to process your application for a "Letter of Acceptance".
- Since it will take time to return these documents to you by post mail after the screening at our university, you may e-mail or fax a set of copies of them, and keep the originals.