Studying and working in Japan without MEXT Scholarship?

[AussieGuy]

Hi Everyone,

I have applied for the MEXT scholarship for 2012 but I'm wondering if there are many people who are studying and working in Japan without the MEXT scholarship? I had a really good chat with my prospective supervisor during a phone interview for my application and I realize now that I really want to work in his lab even if I don't get the MEXT scholarship, but Im not sure if it is possible without the scholarship.

I think I could organise to get the money for the student fees, and I believe it is possible to get a partial refund of school fees in some cases, but I would still have to work in order to pay for living expenses. I am also a native English speaker so maybe I could teach English whilst studying?

I am concerned that if I do go down this path I will spend all my time working and will not be able to focus on my studies. Has anyone got any experience with doing this?

Thanks for any advice you guys can give!!

 

[Glenski]

Students are on student visas, so they would need to apply for special permission to be able to work, and it would only be part-time.
Permission to Engage in an Activity Other Than That Permitted by the Status of Residence Previously Granted
Application for Permission to Engage in Activity other than that Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted

But to get the student visa, you usually have to prove that you can pay all the necessary fees for attending school.

 

[AussieGuy]

Thanks for the reply Glenski,

What about if I were to come to Japan on a work visa and teach for 6 months beforehand so I would be coming to the country on a work visa first? I'm not sure if this is possible, just thinking off the top of my head. I would not be starting uni until October 2012 so I have all this time free now.

Thanks!

 

[Half-n-Half]

Here are a couple links with tables for scholarships other than JASSO and MEXT.

Scholarships for International Students in Japan -JASSO
School of Engineering, Tohoku University : Campus Life : Information for International Students - Schlarships and Funds

You should be aware, however, that for many of these you have to already be in Japan to apply for them and a great deal of them require proficiency in Japanese in order to fill out the application. Quite a bit also have several other restrictions like country of origin or area of study/research.

Best of luck.

 

[shaunobrien]

Private Scholarships are also an option depending on what your studying. And also if its Postgrad or Undergrad.
Not many available for Australians though.

 

[neonfish]

Many many Chinese and Korean students are studying in Japan without the MEXT scholarship. They work part time, have tuition reductions, get assistance from family. You can work 28 hours a week on a student visa and it is plenty. 5-6 hours a day, 5 days a week.

 

[AussieGuy]

Do you guys know what the conditions of entry, getting the student visa is as far as proving you have enough money to support yourself when you enter the country? I know in most countries you have to have a minimum amount of money in a bank account, like when I was in Canada on student exchange I had to have evidence of at least $3000CAD, although no one ever asked me to show it.

I guess I could get a job teaching english part time, my Japanese wouldn't be good enough to do any customer service type jobs. Hopefully I get the scholarship haha.

 

[shaunobrien]

Well to be honest you would probably need to have at least 3000 to set yourself up in a new country anyway. And from what i've read you can't immediately apply for working privileges as soon as you arrive on a student Visa. By the way have you heard anything from the embassy yet AussieGuy?

 

[AussieGuy]

I applied Through university recommendation not through the embassy. I have done the phone interview with the professor which went really well, Im just waiting for them to announce nominations in January. Did you apply through the embassy?

 

[shaunobrien]

Yeah but only as a reserve. What do you plan to study?

 

[AussieGuy]

Mech. Engineering, but specifically unsteady aerodynamics of vehicles. How about you?

 

[shaunobrien]

Audio Technician for film and television. Its arts - so i have even less chance. What Uni would you study at? and your a research student right.

 

[AussieGuy]

Im applying for Hokkaido University, They have a special English engineering program where if you get high marks you can go straight into the Masters and not be a research student. I have good enough marks to be accepted straight into the masters but very few students get the MEXT scholarship so that is going to be more difficult haha.
I'm pretty much up to the last stage, my supervisor said he would support my application and said the interview went really well (but I'm not sure if he was just being polite hehe) I just have to wait not until they make the decision some time in January, waiting is driving me nuts!!

Where are you applying to?

 

[shaunobrien]

Tokyo University of Arts. I'm a bit like you. no idea whats going to happen, it could go either way.

 

[Glenski]

Thanks for the reply Glenski,

What about if I were to come to Japan on a work visa and teach for 6 months beforehand so I would be coming to the country on a work visa first? I'm not sure if this is possible, just thinking off the top of my head. I would not be starting uni until October 2012 so I have all this time free now.

Thanks!

Even though you can attend classes while on a work visa, you might want to change over to a student visa and get that special permission to work as I mentioned above. Just going to school with a work visa might raise eyebrows at immigration.

Not a lot of jobs have 6-month contracts, and not every employer sponsors a work visa.

 

[shaunobrien]

From what i know, no japanese University will take foreigners with out a student visa. (not sure about Spouse, family, or other odd visas though. And to change visa from work to student, you actually have to leave, and come back.

 

[AussieGuy]

Thanks for all of your input everyone, today I received notification that I have been nominated for the MEXT scholarship at Hokkaido university so problem solved (I hope)!

 

[shaunobrien]

What does Nominated mean? I found out today i have been awarded the scholarship, as long as the university doesn't change their mind about a letter of acceptance.

 

[AussieGuy]

What does Nominated mean? I found out today i have been awarded the scholarship, as long as the university doesn't change their mind about a letter of acceptance.

Well they have 14 places for university recommendation at the Uni im applying for, and the university nominates 14 people to MEXT and theoretically they approve the 14 people. I have heard some people who have applied at other universities who were nominated to MEXT and then still didn't get the nomination approved. The admin staff that I have been speaking to say that its pretty much a done deal, but I guess I will be nervous until they give the final nod in June.

On a side note, did you have to get a recommendation letter from the Dean of your university for your application? I got some references from the Head of Discipline but they just told me the other day that I have to get another recommendation letter from the Dean/Head of School for my final approval by MEXT. It's turning out to be a real pain because all of the administration staff at my uni say that they have a "university wide policy" that heads of school do not ever issue recommendation letters! So I'm freaking out trying to organize that at the moment. The fact that the Head of School is away on holidays until the middle of January adds to the stress!

Hopefully it all works out!

Congrats on the offer by the way!

 

[shaunobrien]

Do you mean a recommendation from My australian Undergrad Degree or the University i wish to attend. For a recommendation from undergrad i got one of the academic staff from my university( an associate prof.) to write the letter of recomendation. And then i had to try and get accepted by a university. So i had to contact their international liaisons/admissions department to find a supervising Professor who asked me a few questions Via e-mail before agreeing to write a Letter of Acceptance, which the University then had to approve and send back to me. This is one of the things MEXT requires, along with the application to accept embassy recommended students.

 

[AussieGuy]

Sorry for the late reply, I have been flat out over christmas/new years. Yeah the recommendation from your uni. I originally got some of the professors that were lecturers for some of my classes to write a reference but for the actual application forms to MEXT which they sent me a few weeks ago the said I had to get a letter from the dean or higher, i.e. the head of school. I think i pretty much have it all sorted now, Im just waiting on the reply from HU as to whether they are happy with the letter.

I also had to get approval from a supervisor at Hokkaido Uni as well but that was all sorted a while ago, so its just the letter from my old uni that is creating all the problems.

 

[shaunobrien]

good luck getting it in. Too bad your not going to be anywhere near tokyo, it would have been good to know of another Aussie on Monbukagakusho near me. Never been to Hokkaido , at least if your from melbourne you'll be kind of used to the cold up there.

 

[AussieGuy]

The letter has been all approved today so its all good on that front. Yeah its going to be freezing but lots of opportunity for snowboarding which makes me happy!

I'm sure I will be heading down to Tokyo on occasion so we will have to catch up for a few beers!

 

[ankitravankar]

The letter has been all approved today so its all good on that front. Yeah its going to be freezing but lots of opportunity for snowboarding which makes me happy!

I'm sure I will be heading down to Tokyo on occasion so we will have to catch up for a few beers!

Hi Andrew..
Read your post here , great to know you will be joining us in Hokudai.. BTW I got scholarship again for PhD course by the same program.. so 3 more years for me from oct 12.. But congratulations to you.. Which lab are you joining?

 

[AussieGuy]

Hey Ankit,

Congrats on getting the PhD scholarship! I am joining the computational fluids lab. How did you go with getting accommodation when you first arrived? Did you get into the dormitories or did you find your own place from the start?