Monbukagakusho Scholarship for Postgraduate!!

[jim84]

don't worry luckyme,
we're all in the same boat here. And we've all tried our best. If it doesn't turn out as expected, we can always try again next year. And life still offers a lot of options other than MEXT.
Btw, which Uni did you apply to? Didn't recall you mentioning that.

 

[gakudan]

gakudan,
i havent received anything either. if your consulate is anything like mine, your consulate should be on a big holiday break until jan5. so maybe we shouldnt expect anything until then? actually, i think my consulate is open tomorrow(friday), but i will wait until jan5 to call.

that's probably what's going on with the consulate here. i noticed your flag is american too and since your place's consulate is on break at the moment, maybe the consulate here is as well. thanks for the info, at least some of my stress is alleviated

anyways, i applied for the under 21 study abroad program (the special skills one? i think that's it) and i had to apply through a branch of school in my college's program, and i think that's the only one my school offers. so if i don't get it this time, i don't think i can apply for any more with MEXT. and i didn't apply to any university, i just had to take the exams, go through the interview, and do the official application after being nominated. maybe i'll choose it if i get selected, or maybe MEXT will. stress!
btw, how was everyone's grades in high school and college? because my grades were okay in high school (i was a B-average student), but good in college so i'm not sure if my grades will/did play a part in the selection process...

anyways, good luck everyone!

 

[Nall-ohki]

@Nall-Oki: I know that you are fainful. Now I have the same feeling, really disappointed. I don't know what is your major. I know another way for apply MEXT scholarship, directly through University. There are a lot of another kind of scholarships like ADB, WB, however, almost of them are for enginering programs. Unfortunately, I am not qualify for this and some another course are conducted in English which is difficult for me because my English is not as good as Japanese.

Yeah. My plan is basically to be on the waiting list and apply directly to Hokkaido University. Though I like the laboratory at Tokyo University best, I can't afford to go there on my own money. I'll keep trying for scholarships and probably apply to MEXT as a domestic student for next year, but I'm pretty doubtful as to whether or not I'll get it.

This is my 4th year in a row trying to go to school in Japan, and my 2nd applying for the MEXT scholarship, so I'm a bit jaded at this point, but determined that it will finally happen this year.

My major is Computational Linguistics, and that may or may not play a role in my non-recipience of the scholarship.

 

[dblbstrd]

Nall, that sucks man, I was hoping you'd get it this time around.. Hope you still can make it over, and if you do, drop me a line!

Midorineko: Oregon consulate huh? Small world, did you go to either UO or OSU by chance?

 

[midorineko]

dblbstrd
I graduated from the UO in 2007. I take it you are from my neck of the woods?

 

[dblbstrd]

I'll be damned, a fellow duck!
I graduated UO March 08, came to Japan April 1.
I probably don't know ya though, I had temporarily stopped studying Japanese after I transferred into UO...

 

[midorineko]

I was on a study abroad program for 2006 at JWU in Tokyo. I finished all the credits for my Japanese major while I was there, so when I came home in 2007 I took 2 terms of nothing but history to complete my history major and then graduated. Unless you really like history, our paths probably haven't crossed. Still, good to know that there are other ducks around.

 

[c0ok1e]

Hi everyone,

I have something that im worying about here and I hope that those who have the answer can help me. Im just wondering if the Japanese especially the scholarship and university side (professor, admin office) are conservative or open minded? Do they judge people by how they look? What do they think about guys who wear earring, coloured their hair in bright colours and have tattoos? Will someone like that be discriminated and they have prejudice against people like that? I have read in books that Japanese are conservative last time but im not sure about now.. Really hope they dont discriminate people like that and treat everyone equally...Please share.. Thanks ☝

 

[dblbstrd]

Hi everyone,
I have something that im worying about here and I hope that those who have the answer can help me. Im just wondering if the Japanese especially the scholarship and university side (professor, admin office) are conservative or open minded? Do they judge people by how they look? What do they think about guys who wear earring, coloured their hair in bright colours and have tattoos? Will someone like that be discriminated and they have prejudice against people like that? I have read in books that Japanese are conservative last time but im not sure about now.. Really hope they dont discriminate people like that and treat everyone equally...Please share.. Thanks ☝

Well, Japan tends to be pretty conservative about those sorts of things, yes, but it really depends on who you're dealing with. What I would say is, do your best to be prepared to make little adjustments if necessary to make it not stand out as much if you need to dress for a conference or anything of that sort, but overall, as both a student and foreigner I think you'll be expected less to conform to the conservative standards. I tend to make some appearance choices that are not in line with the conservative ways, and maybe people have a negative image of me as a result, but my professor doesn't seem to take issue with it.

midorineko, I had a buddy who was a history major but I never took any history myself...
Anyway, I hope that your study from here on out goes nicely! Very brave of you to pick Tokyo (I think that was where you're going right?), I'd get burned out pretty quickly if I was there... I did last time for sure.

By the way if any of you guys looking at the denshi-jisho stuff also like playing video games at all, a Nintendo DS could be a reasonable substitute for the denshi-jisho, as there is some dictionary software available for it. The hardware plus that software costs only a bit more than the cheapest electronic dictionaries (a lot less than the more spendy ones), but with that you get multi purpose, since you can play games on it too. There are also some nice kanji-training titles, like 200man-nin no kanken. I don't really use mine that much anymore but it can sure help you beef up your reading and writing if you make a habit of using it a lot.
The dictionary title's database is perhaps not the most extensive but it has a lot of what you'll need probably, and if nothing else it can help you figure out kanji that you don't know how to read, even if the definition you need isn't there.

 

[gakudan]

By the way if any of you guys looking at the denshi-jisho stuff also like playing video games at all, a Nintendo DS could be a reasonable substitute for the denshi-jisho, as there is some dictionary software available for it. The hardware plus that software costs only a bit more than the cheapest electronic dictionaries (a lot less than the more spendy ones), but with that you get multi purpose, since you can play games on it too. There are also some nice kanji-training titles, like 200man-nin no kanken. I don't really use mine that much anymore but it can sure help you beef up your reading and writing if you make a habit of using it a lot.
The dictionary title's database is perhaps not the most extensive but it has a lot of what you'll need probably, and if nothing else it can help you figure out kanji that you don't know how to read, even if the definition you need isn't there.

to add to your post (thanks for this idea btw) the nintendo ds also makes use of the touch pad so people using the dictionary can write the kanji. the newer denshi jisho have touch pads too but if you have a nintendo ds all ready then it's good to just get a dictionary game for it rather than buying another dictionary device.

btw i don't think anybody saw my question in my previous post, but to those that got picked for the scholarship all ready (and to everyone in general) how were your grades in high school and college? my grades were above average (good) but not 4.0 gpa average. so i know that all ready jeopardizes my chances of being picked.

 

[dblbstrd]

to add to your post (thanks for this idea btw) the nintendo ds also makes use of the touch pad so people using the dictionary can write the kanji. the newer denshi jisho have touch pads too but if you have a nintendo ds all ready then it's good to just get a dictionary game for it rather than buying another dictionary device.

btw i don't think anybody saw my question in my previous post, but to those that got picked for the scholarship all ready (and to everyone in general) how were your grades in high school and college? my grades were above average (good) but not 4.0 gpa average. so i know that all ready jeopardizes my chances of being picked.

You don't have to have a 4.0 to get picked... not by a long shot, I'd say.
If you're around 3.0 or up, I'd say you're probably in good enough shape in that department.

I think I read that you were applying for the special training college category. That being the case, the tests that you took might be somewhat important, and possibly whether or not there's a school that would like to take you. Beyond that, who knows how they make the decision, it's a complete mystery to most of us. In that category, the US applicants are not really favored, but they do still take a few people.
If you don't get it this time around, keep in mind the post grad research student program for after you finish college! It's quite competitive, but the slots are more plentiful than the training college and undergrad categories...

 

[abeeyo_q8]

gakudan,

i wouldn't be too worried about your high school grades. they only asked for a transcript from your college anyways...there's no way they'll even know if you got a 4.0 or a 2.0 in high school

and i agree with dblbstrd...i think as all as you're above a 3.0 (college) than it'll be fine

 

[gakudan]

You don't have to have a 4.0 to get picked... not by a long shot, I'd say.
If you're around 3.0 or up, I'd say you're probably in good enough shape in that department.
I think I read that you were applying for the special training college category. That being the case, the tests that you took might be somewhat important, and possibly whether or not there's a school that would like to take you. Beyond that, who knows how they make the decision, it's a complete mystery to most of us. In that category, the US applicants are not really favored, but they do still take a few people.
If you don't get it this time around, keep in mind the post grad research student program for after you finish college! It's quite competitive, but the slots are more plentiful than the training college and undergrad categories...

actually, just my luck i'm from hawai'i and the amount of japanese people that love to come here is amazing. so maybe that could boost my chances. that won't boost my chances astoundingly high though, i'm sure of that. i'm trying hard not to get my hopes up. just going to be as neutral as possible. and yeah that's what i applied for, special training college student (forgot the name when i last posted, thanks for reminding me).

gakudan,
i wouldn't be too worried about your high school grades. they only asked for a transcript from your college anyways...there's no way they'll even know if you got a 4.0 or a 2.0 in high school
and i agree with dblbstrd...i think as all as you're above a 3.0 (college) than it'll be fine

thing is though for the special training college applicants (me) i was required to turn in my transcript from my last 3 years of school. at the time of applying (june of this year) i had completed my second year of college, meaning i needed 1 year of high school transcript + 2 years of college transcript to equal the last 3 years of school. because my high school doesn't give out transcripts by year (it's 1 transcript for all 4 years of high school only) i was worrying the judges would criticize me severely because of my lacking in grades in freshman year in high school. sorry if that's confusing, but that's basically why i was worrying ☝

anyways thanks for the replies, i appreciate it

 

[kouki]

>c0ok1e
From my Japanese friends, their parents would be very angrying seeing their children piercing or tatooing. Maybe they are conservative to that point that, as a human being, they should appreciate and respect what the parents have given to them (not trying to insult - sorry if I sounded so. That's my Japanese friend's opinion).

 

[kouki]

>c0ok1e
From my Japanese friends, their parents would be very angrying seeing their children piercing or tatooing. Maybe they are conservative to that point that, as a human being, they should appreciate and respect what the parents have given to them (not trying to insult - sorry if I sounded so. That's my Japanese friend's opinion).

 

[jim84]

well gakudan,
if you're doing well in your final high school years and college years, i don't think there's a problem. It shows that you've grown into a better student and improved tremendously in your academic achievements.
I got a friend, his position in our year was over 450 out of 500 students during lower secondary school. In 4th year of high school, he shot up to 18 out of 500, and was one of the top seeds in olympia physics competition.
He is now in Kyoto Uni on MEXT undergrad, next year he'll be in Tokyo Uni in collaboration with CERN.
His story always inspires me.
Your past is not important as long as you know what you're doing in the present. And if you can convince them, there's no reason they'll reject you.
All the best,mate!
Btw, i never been to Hawaii, hope to visit there these few years...heard it's spectacular.

 

[luckyme]

Hi guys, I wonder that is there any people receive news from their applied University (not from their Consulate). It is because I remember that someone in this forum said that they informed by their applied University before by the Consulate. I e-mailed to my University but didn't receive reply yet.
@Nall-Oki: In my experience by searching scholarship information learning in Japan through Internet, many Vietnamese students who major are computer received scholarship from Japanese government. Most of them are not applied through Embassy but applied through University. They contacted with proffessors and the professors recommend them to MEXT or other kind of scholarships such as ADB. Vietnamese students are not good at English as you, of course, but I think they are good at math and all of them are hard-working cause I know that learning computer mean that you have to say a long time at lab. So if you did fail as much as 3 times by applied through Embassy, I think you should try by a new method. That would be better than following the same way many times. I think that it will be the same as solving a math problem. If you can't solve by one way, you have to try another. It;s waste of time to do the same thing many times.
Just try your best and good luck!

 

[jim84]

well luckyme's got a point.
nall,
have you checked with the consulate to find out whether having being a past recipient affects your future applications?

 

[abeeyo_q8]

Hi guys, I wonder that is there any people receive news from their applied University (not from their Consulate). It is because I remember that someone in this forum said that they informed by their applied University before by the Consulate. I e-mailed to my University but didn't receive reply yet.

yeah i was contacting my designated supervisor in japan first...then a few weeks later the embassy contacted me

but at some point or another your consulate/embassy should contact you cause MEXT deals with them to contact you

 

[Nall-ohki]

well luckyme's got a point.
nall,
have you checked with the consulate to find out whether having being a past recipient affects your future applications?

Yeah, and they unfortunately have no idea. MEXT has their own ways of deciding on these things, and they don't elaborate on them, so what are you going to do?

 

[jim84]

Yeah, and they unfortunately have no idea. MEXT has their own ways of deciding on these things, and they don't elaborate on them, so what are you going to do?

that sucks man. hope you can make it eventually this round.

 

[rihoko]

Just wanted to check, the age limit of this is 35 right? I vaguely recall when I looked into this some years ago.
My junior got in pretty easy (albeit he went into economics, maybe it's easier there), he took the EJU to help boost his paper record too.

 

[kawabanga]

Hi all!

Wishing everybody a healthy and prosperous new year!

It is a beautiful day isn't it?

(Sarah Brightman - It's a Beautiful Day)

 

[jim84]

Happy New YEar

GoOd ByE 2008...

WelCoME 2009

HaPpY NeW YeAR EveryBoDy!!!!

 

[gakudan]

well gakudan,
if you're doing well in your final high school years and college years, i don't think there's a problem. It shows that you've grown into a better student and improved tremendously in your academic achievements.
I got a friend, his position in our year was over 450 out of 500 students during lower secondary school. In 4th year of high school, he shot up to 18 out of 500, and was one of the top seeds in olympia physics competition.
He is now in Kyoto Uni on MEXT undergrad, next year he'll be in Tokyo Uni in collaboration with CERN.
His story always inspires me.
Your past is not important as long as you know what you're doing in the present. And if you can convince them, there's no reason they'll reject you.
All the best,mate!
Btw, i never been to Hawaii, hope to visit there these few years...heard it's spectacular.

i'm actually in somewhat the same position as your friend. i graduated from high school in the lower part of the class but in college i'm maintaining a 3.41 gpa. i know i have the potential to do good and i tried to show as much as i could in the written statement that even though my grades lacked in high school (i didn't tell them my grades were bad but if they saw my transcript they would understand) i ended up gaining the determination to want to do better. it's just a matter of waiting for results now. thanks for the confidence boost. i'm glad i found this forum

ha ha it's all right here. i dunno why so many japanese tourists come here but it's good for me because it's beneficial japanese language practice. the other islands are fun but o'ahu is too city-like all ready (basically not much "paradise" left in it). you should visit though, when the economy gets better

btw whoever mentioned calling the japanese consulate to find out if they received the results, thanks for suggesting doing that. i called the japanese consulate here and found out they are closed until january 4 so i'll just have to wait another 5 days or so.