Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship (University Recommedation): Guide to Mastering the Application Process

Starting the journey of applying for graduate studies, especially when aiming for a scholarship, can be a challenging task. Many students struggle to find the starting point, the right resources, and the necessary requirements for a scholarship. This guide is designed to assist you, particularly if you are considering Japan for your graduate studies (Master’s and PhD).

 

𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐌𝐄𝐗𝐓 / 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐨) 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤

1. MEXT scholarship through Embassy Recommendation

2. MEXT scholarship through University Recommendation

The process for the MEXT scholarship through the Embassy Recommendation is carried out mainly by the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka. The application process consists of submitting the application, facing an English and Japanese language exam, interview, and university selection procedures. Whenever applications are called, you can find additional information on the Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka’s website (https://mohe.gov.lk/). However, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤.

 

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞?

MEXT University Recommendation scholarship is available only for Master’s and PhD programs offered by eligible Japanese universities. No undergraduate scholarships are provided through this category. Refer to MEXT Embassy recommendation track details if you want to apply for undergraduate studies. In addition, there are no field restrictions, and as long as the university offers the scholarship for your intended course, you’re good to go!

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩?

• Full tuition fee waiver

• A monthly stipend of JPY 144,000 – 147,000 for master’s and JPY 145,000 – 148,000 for PhD programs

• Roundtrip international air tickets for your arrival and departure to Japan before and after your program (The recipient should pay air ticket tax after the arrival. The recipient should bear domestic airfare or transport costs)

• No strict conditions or bonds, such as compulsory return to your home country after finishing the degree

• Application fee waiver (Some universities charge the application fee in the beginning and reimburse it later)

• Easy and free VISA application procedures

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚?

The eligibility criteria differ slightly depending on the university, as it is highly competitive. In general,

• The applicant must be less than 35 years old by the time of enrollment.

• The student should not reside in Japan by the time of application (There can be some flexibilities. Please inquire the international affairs office of your intended university)

• For the master’s course, the applicant must have a 3 or 4 year bachelor’s degree by the time of enrolment at the Japanese university and should have at least 16 years of education (from the start of elementary school to finish of the bachelor’s degree)

• For the PhD course, the applicant must have a master’s degree or equivalent by the time of enrolment at the Japanese university. (For health-related programs, sometimes a master’s wouldn’t be necessary)

• A GPA of at least 2.30/3.00 or 3.00/4.00 or over 80% (This may vary slightly depending on the university)

• Applicants to English-taught degree programs must have a certificate of English language proficiency (IELTS Academic 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79, TOEIC L&R 785). Some universities may exempt the English language proficiency scores if your previous degree was taught and assessed entirely in English medium. Your transcript should mention it, or a certified letter from your university is required.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧?

Mid-August to Late November each year, depending on the university, for October enrollment next year. (Ex: You have to apply during August-November 2024 if you expect to enroll in October 2025)

 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬?

Since the university-recommended MEXT scholarship does not have a general application website or portal, you will need to spend some time researching it.

• Start researching several months before the applications will open.

• Search for degree programs that offer the MEXT University Recommendation scholarships. To do this, you can start with a simple Google search. Ex: “English Civil Engineering Master’s in Japan.”

• You will get a bunch of universities that offer your intended degree on the search results.

• Access each university’s website and look for the course details, application deadlines, whether the intended program is eligible for the MEXT University Recommendation scholarship, and, most importantly, application guidelines.

• Most universities have scholarship details on their websites under the “scholarship/funding/financial support” or on the admission details page.

• Confirm your eligibility and availability for the scholarship, and make a list of possible universities in a notebook or an Excel file.

• After shortlisting some possibilities, read through the application guidelines thoroughly.

• Some universities require prior consent from a prospective supervisor, and some don’t. However, it is highly recommended that you contact a prospective supervisor via email, establish good communication, and share your research intentions before starting the actual application process.

• Prepare all the application documents in advance, especially the research proposal.

• Apply within the application submission period without any delay.

 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫?

Usually, universities publish a list of professors on the faculty/staff page. Some universities provide a list of prospective supervisors along with the admission procedures. Select the best supervisor for your research interests carefully by reviewing his profile, research interests, laboratory website, and recent publications. Google Scholar profile would be an ideal place to refer to their recent publications. After carefully checking and finding the best match, you need to compose a good email by elaborating on your details and research interests while mentioning why you decided he would be a good choice and how you can contribute to his research with your skills and experience. Attaching your curriculum vitae and transcripts would also be good. Ensure the email arrives by the morning (Japanese time) on a weekday. Try to avoid weekends, holidays, and vacation times as much as possible. In the application process, you need to name a prospective supervisor. Therefore, it would benefit you if you established a good conversation before applying.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥?

The research proposal is one of the most critical documents in the application process. The research proposal should usually be written within two A4 pages. The research proposal should match the research interests of your prospective supervisor. That’s why contacting a supervisor prior would be beneficial. However, you need to refer to their recent research and prepare the proposal concisely and meaningfully. In addition, highlighting your motivations and the future impact and importance of your proposed research is also very important.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?

The document requirements would also vary depending on the university. However, the following documents are the most common ones.

• Motivation to apply and research proposal (Approx. 2 pages)

• Abstracts of graduation thesis and publications

• Original academic transcripts (Should be in English; otherwise it should be accompanied by an English translation by your home university)

• A certified copy of the degree certificate (If not yet graduated, a certificate of enrolment which shows the month and year of entry and graduation would be fine)

• Two recommendation letters (Usually, the MEXT applications require one recommendation from the dean or high academic position of your home university)

• English proficiency test scores (Sometimes, the test results should be submitted via the official test center, i.e., British Council or IDP) or medium of instruction letter from your home university.

• Copy of your passport.

• Official rank certificate from your home university

 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?

Submission of soft copies and hard copies of your documents varies by the university. At the preliminary screening level, you usually need to submit soft copies of your documents via online application portals. Some universities require the submission of hand-signed pledge documents and originals of your transcripts and other documents via post. Using a reliable mode with a tracking service is highly recommended. Some of the possible modes are DHL or EMS by Sri Lanka Post.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠?

The process may vary depending on the university. However, the following timelines generally apply to the application process.

• Application submission (August – November)

• Results of the first screening (January – February): Sometimes, you may have to submit additional documents.

• Second screening/interview (February – March)

• Nomination result announcement (March): If you were successful in each previous step, the university will inform you that you will be nominated as a recipient of the MEXT scholarship to the Japanese government.

• Final confirmation from the Japanese government (June – July)

 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬?

Usually, the interviews are held to check your competency and future goals. You need to clearly elaborate on your future plans and motivation for studying in Japan and that particular university. In addition, the interview panel might expect you to explain your research proposal briefly. Getting prepared to describe the research proposal to a crowd who does not have technical expertise in your research file would be immensely helpful. In addition, you should highlight why you are the best candidate for this scholarship.

 

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞-𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Yes, 100% confirmation can be ensured once the government approves your applications. However, if the university recommends you to the government in March, and there are no mistakes or fraudulent information in your application documents, there is a very high chance that you will receive government approval.

 

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭?

If the university decides to nominate you to the Japanese government for the scholarship, they will ask you to sign a pledge agreeing that you will not withdraw your application if they recommend you. Until then, you can contact the international affairs or program office to withdraw your application.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝?

• Do not apply for the MEXT scholarship through two or more different universities or programs. Usually, you will have to confirm whether you will be nominated by only one university when you sign the pledge. You will lose both opportunities if nominated from two different places during the same application period to the Japanese government.

• Do not contact several professors from the same division or laboratory simultaneously.

• Do not provide fraudulent information or fake documentation.

• Refrain from withdrawing your application after signing the pledge.

• Do not miss the deadlines.

 

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫?

• Have a good academic record (GPA matters!).

• Have research publications.

• Obtain a good score from a standard English language test rather than submitting a medium of instruction certificate.

• Refer to research publications and choose the university and supervisor that best matches your experience and interests.

• Establish good communication with the prospective supervisor before the application process.

• Take your time and prepare a well-structured research proposal.

• Do not settle for “minimum requirements”. Make sure your qualifications are well above the minimum requirements.

• Obtain good recommendation letters.

• Face well in the interviews.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬?

You should clarify all your doubts regarding the application process to the particular university by emailing their international affairs office or graduate school office.

 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨?

• Study opportunities in Japan: Webinar conducted by the Sri Lanka Students’ Association in Japan – https://fb.watch/mVDaBOCbkJ/ (Timestamp: 1:22:00 onwards). There is also beneficial information about other scholarships.

• A useful blog site which contain extremely helpful information about applying for higher studies, writing to professors, and many more – https://malhansi.blogspot.com/?m=1 (Credits: Ms. Malsha Samarasiri, NTU, Singapore)

• A Facebook community where you can find good study opportunities – Graduate Studies Help – Sri Lanka ( https://www.facebook.com/share/g/Pet7E2LYqoUMF6jb/ )

Remember, the journey may be challenging, but with persistence, preparation, and the right guidance, your dream of studying in Japan can become a reality. Don’t let doubts hold you back—start your application today and take that first step towards a brighter future. You have the potential to achieve greatness—now it’s time to unlock it!

 

Author: Uthpala Kaushalya, Hokkaido University, Japan

 

𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓’𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆.