Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship

There are two ways to apply for the MEXT scholarship.

Via Japanese Embassy in India (also called Embassy Recommendation)
Via Japanese Universities Channel (also called University Recommendation)

You can choose any of the above options.
More chances of selection via University Recommendation.
Deadline varies for both channels.

Embassy Recommendation application announced around April/May of the previous year.
University Recommendation application announced around late September/October of the previous year.

Benefits/Scholarship Amount

Exemption from paying tuition fees
Monthly stipend

Research Students: JPY 143,000/month
Master’s Degree/ Professional Degree Students: JPY 144,000/month
PhD Students: JPY 145,000/month
Undergraduate Students: JPY 117,000/month

Cost of Living Adjustment: JPY 2,000 – 3,000 in selected areas
Round-trip flight ticket to Japan (covered by MEXT or the university).

Note: Only the international portion of the ticket is covered. You are responsible for all domestic travel costs in your home country and in Japan, plus the airport usage fees and fuel surcharges.

Embassy Recommendation

The Japanese Embassy in India has announced applications for various programs like the bachelor, master, PhD, teacher training, etc for 2022.

It is more competitive than University Recommendation.
The number of Scholarships is less.
Generally, the application opens every year in April/May. You can see the deadline of Fall 2022 is May 2021, 1 year 4 months earlier. So, keep it in mind.
Visit this link for the open call, its deadline, eligibility criteria, required documents, application procedures, etc.:

https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Education/japanese_government_scholarships.html

There is not more to say via this channel because they have mentioned the application procedures in a detailed and simple manner.

University Recommendation

There are two types of University recommended MEXT.

Special programs; which are advertised on the universities websites and we normally share those in this group.
General programs; which are not advertised on the websites and you have to contact professors.

There are a large number of scholarships under this channel.
You can apply for MS, PhD or MS leading to PhD in almost any field whether it be arts, sciences, commerce, engineering, education, etc.

Deadline

In Japan, you can apply to the Fall semester only (Aug/Sep Admission). No Spring Semester Admission
The application deadline varies from university to university from August to December 2021. So, you must prepare all the documents till then.
For specific deadlines, you have to check your desired university and program websites.

General Procedures

Applicants submit applications to their Desired/Chosen University. (Aug-Jan)
University announces admission results to applicants. (Feb-Apr)
University submits scholarship recommendations for applicants who succeeded in the admissions process to MEXT. (Mar-June)
MEXT notifies scholarship results to the University. (June-Aug)
University notifies applicants of their scholarship selection results. (June-Aug)
University issues MEXT Scholarship Certificates to those who have been granted MEXT scholarships. (Aug-Sep)
Successful applicants submit the MEXT Scholarship Certificate to their local Embassy or Consulate of Japan to apply for a student visa as a Japanese government/MEXT scholar. (Aug-Sep)
Scholars travel to Japan on a date designated by the University, attend orientation, etc. (Mid-Sep)
The Fall Semester begins and scholars begin their formal studies at the chosen University. (Sep)

Note: After the screening process of 2-3 months, the University will shortlist and inform you about your Email or Skype-based interview. You will finally be informed about your selection/deselection after 4-6 months. You need to be patient in that period of the Scholarship Process. Don't ask one thing again and again.

Required Documents

Degree for passed out OR Hope Certificate for final year students. (For MS, only Bachelor and for PhD, Bachelor and Master both)
Transcripts (MS - only Bachelor | PhD - Bachelor and Master both).
Research Proposal (Most Important Document for MEXT Selection) |

Watch Webinar for How to Write it!
Strong Research Proposal Guidelines and Samples

English Proficiency Certificate OR IELTS/TOEFL
2/3 Letter of Recommendation, LOR |

Watch Webinar for How to Write it!
LOR Guidelines & Samples

Statement of Purpose/Study Plan/Motivation Letter. (Preferably 800-1000 Words) |

Watch Webinar for How to Write it!
SOP Guidelines and Sample

How to write an email to a professor for Supervision?

Watch the webinar
Email Writing Guidelines & Sample

Note: Get an insight into Seerin Ahmad's Selected Documents for PhD Application in the USA. Don't copy-paste.

How to Find & Choose University & its MEXT Procedures!

Use usnews.com to find the Best Global Universities in Japan
Then, Google University Name MEXT. (For Example; University of Tokyo MEXT). Open the top 4/5 links of your search, you will find the procedures easily.

List of Few Universities

(Keep in mind that MEXT procedure changes with desired programs in some university)

Note: Many More, Search by yourself. It's easy.

Key Points to Remember while applying for University Recommendation.

Higher CPI and Research Proposal play a crucial role in selection.
You can only apply to one university (Please choose it wisely).
You can only arrive in the fall semester.
There is no Japanese language training semester.
Most of the universities in Japan do not require IELTS or TOEFL scores. They only need an English Proficiency certificate from your parent university.
In most cases, the university will decide if you are allowed to start as a degree-seeking or research student. If they accept degree-seeking students in the fall, then you will almost certainly start as a degree-seeking student. If they do not, then you would have to start as a research student.

Regarding GPA

For the Undergraduate degree, their marks must be more than 80%. So you check your class Xth & Class XIIth mark sheet and decide.
For Master's and PhD, the minimum CGPA is 2.30 out of the 3.0 Scale. If we convert this to our system it will be above 7 CGPA. (My Calculation) Check websites or email them for authentic info.) So, your CGPA must be higher than this.
How to Calculate your GPA for the MEXT Scholarship http://www.transenzjapan.com/blog/how-to-calculate-your-gpa-for-the-mext-scholarship/

Priority Graduate Programs

Priority Graduate Programs are specific programs selected by MEXT to receive a bonus allotment of slots for a period of three years.
MEXT used to select new programs each year but stopped between 2014 and 2016.
In 2017, MEXT selected new programs again.

Regarding Hard Copy of Documents

A hard copy is mandatory for MEXT.
Get your documents ready to be sent along with the application form. And finally, you will have to send your complete set to their mentioned address on the website.
Original documents mean that suppose you have your colour photocopy of degree and transcript attested from a gazetted officer or notary, this is now original with original stamp. Now just make two copies of this, then this photocopy with the original stamp is an original document.

Where Should I Start From?

Contact professors and admission offices of universities who are nominating on MEXT, especially PhD and MS leading to PhD and MS guys should contact professors in the same way as you do in case of contacting South Korean Professors, for details read South Korean guides.
DO NOT contact the professor in a lame or bad way as you have done previously to Chinese or Korean Professors
Then after positive responses from professors, apply for admissions through MEXT and get yourself nominated as the MEXT fellow of the university. I hope you win in the final selection as well.
If professors DO NOT reply, still apply for admissions without professor contact and I hope they will select you for an interview and then you can perform well in the interview.

Seerin Ahmad

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