I noticed that many students who want to study in Japan on the MEXT scholarship don’t know much about it. Therefore, we put together a list of frequently asked questions that you might find helpful. Please feel free to add any other inquiries in the comment box below.
- What is a MEXT scholarship?
The MEXT scholarship, otherwise known as monbukagakusho or monbusho, is a Japanese Government Scholarship Program. MEXT stands for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. So, the Japanese Government offers international students the chance to study in Japan on a full scholarship.
The monthly allowance ranges from 117,000 yen (1,100 USD) per month for undergraduate students to 143,000 yen (1,350 USD) for research students. The transportation to Japan and school fees are all covered.
There are multiple scholarships, but the most popular ones are the Undergraduate Scholarship and Research Scholarship.
- Who can apply?
Students who will finish high school and wish to enrol at a university in Japan are eligible for the Undergraduate Scholarship. Students who completed a university course in their own country and would like to enrol in a master or PhD program in Japan are eligible for the Research Scholarship.
Of course, the students who apply must be interested in Japan, its culture, studying the language, and becoming a link between their own countries and Japan. They must be determined to learn, have high grades and be very serious.
- How do you apply?
You apply at the local Japanese Embassy or Consulate in your own country. Before that, check their website and see the requirements because they differ slightly from country to country. Basically, you will put together an application file (forms, medical forms, recommendation letter, etc.) and submit it at the embassy sometime between March-May. It is good to contact the embassy and discuss with them if you have any particular circumstances.
After you submit the file, if they select you for the next phase, there will be some exams and an interview. Both undergraduate and research students will take English and Japanese exams. Then, the undergraduate students will have other exams depending on their field of study: maths, physics, chemistry, biology.
- Do you need to know Japanese to study in Japan on the MEXT scholarship?
Although there have been cases of students accepted without any prior knowledge of the Japanese language, we really don’t recommend this. We would suggest a minimum understanding of Japanese to complete part A of the Japanese MEXT exam.
There are too many students who failed to obtain this scholarship for lack of Japanese skills. Of course, the lack of Japanese might have been overlooked had they taken higher scores in the other exams.
- How difficult are the MEXT exams?
We would have to say above average, at least. Some students were really well prepared and had no trouble at all. But others couldn’t even understand the requirements of the tests. And on a few occasions, students who applied for engineering failed the math test. Of course, they will not choose a student who takes low grades on the exams and has not bothered to learn some Japanese before applying for the MEXT scholarship.
Anyway, you don’t need to be perfect or have perfect scores. You just need to have better scores than the fellow students who apply in your own country. They will select the best of you. Although there were situations when they didn’t choose any students.
The conclusion is to study hard, be prepared, be determined. Do not be overconfident and just rely on your charisma or good luck. Take it seriously if you want to be taken seriously.
- What are some popular fields of studies that you can choose and some fields you should avoid?
A trendy one lately seems to be engineering. This is excellent, but you need to have good grades in maths, physics, and chemistry.
For Japanese studies, you need to know a lot of Japanese. You cannot start from scratch here. Also, for other fields such as Japanese literature, or Japanese law, you need to have a high Japanese skill level.
Some fields of study that might not get you the scholarship are sports, art, manga and anime, pop culture, etc. There can be some exceptions, but you need to separate your hobbies from the more sophisticated study fields. Nonetheless, be careful not to choose something depressing.
- How long does the whole selection procedure take?
It takes about a year. If you apply in spring this year, you will go to Japan in April or September next year if you are selected.
Conclusion
There are many particularities and things you need to know about this scholarship. The best is to give yourself at least one or two years to prepare before you apply. In this situation, try to read more about the MEXT scholarship and prepare for the MEXT exams. Do not underestimate the Japanese MEXT exam by thinking that you will study in the English language, don’t need Japanese, or learn Japanese when you get there. This is a common mistake and can make students miss a valuable opportunity of studying abroad in Japan on a full government scholarship.