About a month before my departure for Japan, I received the final call from the Japanese embassy, announcing that I had to prepare some documents, apply for the student visa and take part in the orientation of the MEXT students. As you can see, nothing was sure until that moment.
At the same time, I was contacted by my university to discuss my accommodation. They asked me if I preferred to rent an apartment or to stay in a student dormitory. They also asked me if I wanted them to send someone to pick me up upon my arrival and take me to my accommodation.
Choosing a dorm room
I chose a dormitory because it was much cheaper than an apartment, and again they offered me two choices. I checked the location of each residence as compared to the distance to my university, and I chose the closest one. Soon they notified me that they didn’t have any more vacancies there, so I was left with the second dormitory.
I must admit that I was always fortunate in this regard. Ever since I started my first grade, I was within walking distance from my school. I had also never stayed in a dormitory before, and I was terrified by this idea. Dormitories always scared me, and they still do in a certain way. But my desire to go to Japan was much more powerful than any fear. Besides, I kept my privacy in the dormitory because I had my own room, with a toilet, sink, small fridge, bed, and desk. My room was on the fifth floor, it had 14 square meters and a balcony, which I couldn’t access. We had a large shared kitchen nearby, showers, and laundry. The TV room was downstairs, near a large cafeteria that never worked, and a sports hall outside. Overall, it was OK.
Adapting to the new environment
Because I was always a little shy and introvert, I didn’t care much about the common spaces. I was happy that I had my own small room. Although the first time I tried to use the shared kitchen, I found it so dirty that I started to thoroughly clean it for a few hours. When I finished, it was sparkling, and I was dead tired. I think that kitchen had never been cleaner before, and never again after. We did have a cleaning lady, but she only mopped the floors and took out the garbage. The kitchens were always filthy, but I got used to it in a few weeks, so I never wasted my time trying to clean it again.
It took me about one hour and a half to get to school. But as I soon learned, everything in Tokyo is at least one hour away.
Arriving in Japan
Before leaving for Japan, I had never traveled by plane before. I was also alone. Although there were other MEXT students with me, I didn’t know them. And when I arrived in Tokyo, all the students were picked up by someone at the airport, except me. For me, the meeting point was at TCAT, so I had to take a limousine bus to get there. I had to handle everything and try to find my way through. It was a little scary because I didn’t know anything about tickets, what the local customs are, which one was the right bus. And I didn’t have a smartphone or anything to help me.
Anyway, I succeeded in getting on the bus, and although I was so tired, I couldn’t stop looking outside, not believing that I was finally in Tokyo. My dream came true, and it took me a while to accept it.
In the dormitory, there were many volunteers from the neighborhood who helped us apply for the residence card and helped us open the bank account at the JP Bank, the only acceptable bank for the MEXT students. They will only make the scholarship transfer in a JP Bank account. So, everything went smoothly for me. Somebody helped me with the way to my school, they printed some maps for me and explained how to use the train.
Meeting my supervisor
Then I went to university, where I was again perplexed. I met my supervisor at a party, and I didn’t know that she was my teacher. I don’t know what I was thinking or why I was under the impression that my teacher was a man. So, people introduced her multiple times to me until I finally understood that she was, in fact, my supervisor. This was extremely embarrassing.
She also invited another student and me to lunch after the first class, and I was talking continuously in English. And when I stopped because I didn’t know what else to say anymore, she told me to repeat everything in Japanese. I guess at that moment I understood that modesty is highly required in Japan. But the worse was not bringing her a souvenir from my country. I knew the rule, but I don’t know what happened. I guess I was baffled by getting the scholarship and finding myself in a totally different environment.
Well, things did improve over time. I just needed some time to adjust and understand how things work. After that, I was in my own element, traveling alone around Japan, befriending new people, and living life to the fullest. Do you have any uncertainties about your arrival in Japan? Let me know in the comment box below.
(I accidentally posted it under your reply of someone’s comment 🤧)
Hey Philip!! Your blog was like a breath of fresh air for me.
I was so scared to go through with the application for mext scholarship and go to Japan because when I passed my 12th grade I wanted to go to Europe but my parents denied, now I’ve finished my 1st year of bachelor’s in my country and I’m thinking to apply for the mext scholarship, I have a few questions though,
1. When should I apply for the scholarship, I will finish my bachelor’s in 2026 around June so when should I start the application and according to that when will my studies start? And will I be required my complete bachelor’s degree to apply? (I do not want to waste any years)
2. What is difference between a research and a regular student? Is a research student degree equivalent to master’s degree and can I do PhD after just finishing my research degree??
3. I have a gap in my studies, I took 2 years gap after my 12th grade in hopes that I’ll be able to convince my parents to send me to Europe (it was dumb idea), will it cause any problems due to that??
4. Is there any cost to apply for mext? Like do I need to pay for application (embassy route)? And do I need to have some money on me when I land in Japan?
I’m sorry for the lengthy comment and so many questions, I’m really confused but actually I’m more scared than confused.
Lastly, I’m so grateful for your blog, it helped me tons! ✨🎀
Hi Ayushee,
Thank you for your kind words about my blog! I’m glad to hear it has been helpful for you. Let’s address your questions one by one.
1. When to Apply and Start of Studies:
Since you will finish your bachelor’s in June 2026, you should start your application process for the MEXT scholarship in April 2025. This way, you can aim to start your studies in Japan in October 2026. If you apply in April 2026, you would start your research in April 2027, as you need to complete your bachelor’s degree before starting your studies in Japan.
2. Difference Between Research and Regular Student:
A research student is typically engaged in a specific research project under the guidance of a professor and may not necessarily be pursuing a degree initially. However, research students can transition into a master’s program upon passing the entrance exam. Completing a research program alone does not grant a degree and will not directly lead to a PhD unless you already have a master’s degree. In your case, you will start as a research student and then continue to a master’s program before you can pursue a PhD.
3. Gap in Studies:
Having a gap in your studies should not be a significant issue, especially if you have a valid reason and have continued to pursue your goals and education during this time. Be sure to explain your situation clearly in your application. The focus will be on your overall academic and research potential.
4. Application Costs and Financial Preparation:
The MEXT scholarship itself does not require an application fee. However, some associated costs might include certification and translation of your documents. When you land in Japan, it’s wise to have about 100,000 Japanese Yen to cover immediate expenses until you receive your first scholarship payment. The scholarship covers tuition, living expenses, and a round-trip airfare.
I hope this clarifies your questions! It’s great that you’re planning ahead, and I’m sure with careful preparation, you will do well in your application.
Best of luck with your MEXT scholarship application, and feel free to ask if you have any more questions!
If I earn MEXT, do I still have to attend entrance exam (and pass) to join Universities?
Hi Mahaseena,
Yes, if you earn the MEXT scholarship, you will generally still need to attend and pass an entrance exam to join universities. There are some exceptions, but these are mostly for research students. In 99% of cases, taking an admission exam is required.
Best of luck with your application!
Hi sir , i would like to ask you that ,Is it necessary to know Japanese language to crack mext scholarship?
Not necessarily, but it helps. I have met students who were studying in Japan, and in the beginning, they didn’t know any Japanese. However, they started to learn while in Japan. I am talking about research students here. Usually, undergraduate students should have at least some basic knowledge of Japanese. I always advise learning as much Japanese as possible before going to Japan.
Hi…Phillip
My question is do we have to pay for the rent or do they help us or do they give us 117000 yen to live
Hello Sarfii, thanks for your comment. About your question, they only give you the sum of money and you have to manage it. That means paying for your rent, buying food, managing transportation, etc. The best is to talk to your future university and have them help you occupy a dorm room which is half price compared to the apartments. But you have to do this early because places occupy fast. Another thing is to find a part time job and cover any extra costs. For example, in my case I taught English and with 3 classes per week (3 hours work), I could cover the food I bought at the supermarket during that week.
Hi there! Thank you for all the information and advice. It is really helpful. I will apply for the MEXT scholarship next year, and I am super excited. I really want to go to Japan!!
Hi Martha! I’m happy you found my blog helpful! Best of luck! You can do it!
Hi. Thank you for your kindness in providing information for interested students❤️. It was very helpful for me because I am also a shy and introvert one like you but want to go to Japan to study as well as be confident to be self dependent. I have some questions.
1. What if I apply for Masters through university recommendation? Can you please tell me thoroughly about this? What is the process?
2.Should I be a research student? If so what subject should I choose for my research as a graduate in history?
3. Do they ask everyone to be picked up in arrival ? If so then why didn’t you ask them to send someone for you?
Sorry for the lengthy comment.
Hi Nishtha, thank you for your comment. About your questions:
1. You can try the university recommendation, but I don’t know much about it because I applied for the embassy recommendation. There are some problems with the university recommendation because you need to be at a university where you study the Japanese language. Not all universities can recommend you. And you said you studied history, so the university recommendation process might not work.
2. Yes, I think you should be a research student. The reason is that there will be a master’s entrance examination, and if you are not in Japan to go through it, it might be difficult to apply to a university from a distance. Also, if you apply for history, you should know Japanese. And you should choose some topic related to Japanese history. If you don’t know Japanese (level N3-N2 at least), choose a nearby field of study, such as sociology.
3. When I went, someone at the airport was waiting for all the MEXT students. I asked the university for someone to come and pick me up, but they didn’t come to the airport. They waited for me at T-CAT, which is a bus terminal. So, I had to get there by myself, and when I arrived, I couldn’t find the students. And when I found them, they didn’t know the way to my dorm, and we took the wrong train. There was an entire adventure.
Hello there , thank you for sharing your experience you don’t know it means a lot to me , because I’m being so confused about MEXT from past months but I found nothing on internet which is related to my confusion, but today I found your blog and I’m very thankful to you for clearing my confusion , but there is still little confusion in my mind . That do MEXT is going to help me with my visa? , and if not then what will be the process of applying for visa? I guess for now this is the only thing I need to know . I’m sorry if I’m being silly to you it just I really wanted to ask this .
Hello Pari! Thank you for your kind words. I am happy that you found my blog helpful. Regarding the visa, when you get the scholarship, the embassy will ask you to submit the visa application documents at their office, and they will do the rest. You don’t need to do anything special. You need to have a valid passport, though. Best of luck!
Hi! Just stumbled across your blog and am looking into the MEXT scholarship for now before I apply. This might be a make or break, but I have a cat who is solely my responsibility. Have you ever heard of any applicants who have traveled with a cat before? I’m just a bit unsure because of the accommodations aspect. Thanks so much.
Dear Melanie, thank you for your message. I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. From my experience, I haven’t heard of students taking their pets to Japan. However, please do not give up hope. Try to send some emails to dormitories and housing agencies in Japan and ask them if it is possible to accept you with your beloved cat. You can also ask the embassy about your situation. Maybe things have changed. You can never know. I wish you the best of luck and hope you can find a convenient solution.
Hello there..Thank you for sharing your experience. I have a….weird question. will MEXT scholarship pay my tution fees until I graduate? I know It’s silly question but I think I mixed up something.
let’s take I got scholarship gor Under Graduate program.It’ll take 5-6 years for me to complete (maybe). It’s fully funded right? All I have to pay for rent,foods,insurance etc.
I am bit confused about this whole scholarship program. I read so many articles .Watched many videos.but still……I want your helo please
Dear Rozana, thank you for your message. I am happy to clarify this for you. Yes, your tuition fees are fully covered by MEXT, so you do not need to worry until you graduate. You just have to learn hard and get good grades. Also, MEXT offers a monthly allowance so you can pay for your accommodation, transport food, etc. If the allowance money doesn’t feel enough, you can always get a part-time job and supplement this income. If you want to travel, however, you will need a part-time job because the allowance is not enough to cover travelling expenses, in my opinion anyway. But I know people who managed that as well. I guess it all depends on your money management skills. I hope it helps. Best of luck!
Hello Phillip, Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I really appreciate your efforts 😊. This blog was really very helpful in making things easier and clearer. I have passed my first screening test for MEXT undergraduate scholarship and I am on the way to the second one. Hope so that I’ll get it and after arriving in Japan I would like to meet you there if you permit.
Hello Ammar, thank you for your kind words! Also, congratulations on passing the first screening! I am delighted to hear the excellent news! It is all thanks to your hard work. I believe that the most challenging part has passed now. However, please continue to study Japanese so it will be easy for you to handle all the courses at your university when you get to Japan. You can do it! Best of luck, and who knows, maybe we could meet one day!
Thanks for sharing your experience! It was very reassuring and helpful.
Well, you mentioned ‘souvenirs from my country, does it mean that there’s a culture to do so in Japan? Or something?
Well, every day I read a few conversations and blogs here, and I can’t express the amount of positivity and motivation I get from here apart from knowledge of course!
Thanks a lot!
Hi Himanshi,
Thanks for your kind words. I am happy you find my blog positive. It means a lot to me!
About your question, yes, in Japan there is a souvenir culture. It is very important to bring something to your supervisor. It doesn’t have to be big, maybe some sweets, a photo album, small things. They will not say anything if you don’t bring a present, but it’s better to bring one. It’s tradition. I forgot to bring one, and I felt embarrassed. Especially because my supervisor invited me for lunch the same day, we met. And supervisors usually pay for students’ lunch or dinner if they invite them out. You have to bow and be super polite with them. 🙂
hello there!! hope you are doing well and thank you for sharing your experience.
I would like to ask about the dormitory, it’s okay to stay for one month and then rent an apartment, or should I have to complete at least one year in the dormitory?
another question, what is the difference between being a research student and a master’s student? because I have a bachelor’s degree in fine art and I’m planning to get a master’s degree in design. so should I become first a research student or no need for that? moreover, if I applied as a master’s student will I have the chance to take Japanese classes?
also, should I fill out the documents in my language which is Arabic ? and is there any certain color must i use when I fill out the documents?
last, if you have time could you please help me or explain to me how to write (A field of Study and Research Plan ).
It is ok I guess to stay only for one month, but I don’t think it’s cost-efficient because you need to pay the key money, which is an extra rent to be allowed to live there. Usually, for dormitories, it is half the rent. For apartments, one or two rents. So it can be a lot of money. If you want to live in an apartment, maybe you can talk with the university to help you with renting one, or simply get in contact with an agency, and stay a few days at a hotel until you can find something. It would cost you less.
A research student is not yet registered as a regular student. You need to take the admission exam to become a regular student (master’s student). It is better to go through the research course first, and you can take the master’s exam after one year if you want. However, if you’re going to go directly to the master’s course, you need to find a university and discuss with them and see if you can go through the admission procedure and apply for the MEXT scholarship at the same time.
You have a higher chance of attending Japanese classes as a research student. Students are entitled to half a year or one year of free Japanese courses during their research course.
The documents must be filled in English. Don’t use Arabic because they will not consider it. You should type on the computer, and use black, all capitals when filling out the forms.
It is difficult to explain the research plan. I wrote a whole chapter in my book. You need to make it concise, have 2-3 hypotheses, and explain the importance of what you want to do. It’s like a summary of what you will do in Japan and its approach.
I hope it is helpful!
Best of luck!
Hi, thank you for this! It was really helpful!
I plan on applying for MEXT scholarship for years now (I’m still finishing high school) and I was wondering if there are other things you can do in the scholarship besides studying. For example, can I get a job while i’m on MEXT scholarship? Can I leave the university to practice my religion? Do universities in Japan have clubs and/or extracurriculars activities that you can join that are not related to your program, like in high schools? I am a model and a musician, and I don’t want to give up this — do you think I would be able to work as a model and, for example, hold a band while I’m on MEXT scholarship? Would I have the time? Would the university forbid me of doing this?
Thank you in advance, I am sorry for the ammount of questions, I will be really grateful if you answer my question! Have a nice day 🙂
Hi Juliana, thank you for your comment! About your questions, Yes, you should be able to do other activities, such as you mentioned. You can take a part-time job, just be careful not to overcome the number of hours you are allowed to work part-time. You will need to apply for a part-time work visa, and you can easily do this without involving the university or your teachers. There are also clubs in the dorm, but also at school. I was in the kenjutsu club. I attended speech contests at school, went on trips organized by the school. I was very involved in extracurricular activities. This is a plus if you want to apply for an extension of the scholarship to do a master. I had a Russian classmate who was a model, and she was doing great. About religion, there should be some special prayer rooms or meditation areas.
It is true, I had some trouble with the university when I asked them about applying for a part-time visa, and they kind of refused me. They told me not to work part-time. But other students were working, and I decided to take the visa on my own and not go through the university with the application. It was excellent. It was quick and easy. But I needed the university’s help when I applied for the job hunting visa, so you need to make sure you get along with your professors and secretary staff.
I hope it is helpful! Best of luck!
Hi Phillip,
Thank you very much for giving us your experience. I find reading other scholar’s experiences soothing! Im still waiting for the 2nd screening results and I’m praying to be awarded the scholarship for Masters for 2 years for the 2022 intake.
Can I please ask, when you were assigned a dormitory, are you allowed to stay there until the end of your degree? Or are you only allowed to stay for a year?
KR,
Hazel
Hi Hazel, congratulations for passing the first screening.
About your question, you are allowed to stay for 2 years in the dormitory, then you need to find your own apartment. Are you going through the research course or you will enter directly the master course?
Best of luck with your study!
Hello sir, I’m 17 years old and aspiring MEXT candidate, am i still eligible to apply for the student visa?
Hello Wisdom,
Thank you for reaching out! According to the MEXT scholarship guidelines, you need to be at least 18 years old by the time you travel to Japan for your studies. Since you are 17 now, please ensure that you will meet this age requirement by the time of your departure.
I recommend checking with your local Japanese embassy or consulate to confirm if there are any specific requirements or regulations for applicants from your country, as they might have particular rules regarding age.
Best of luck with your application!
I want to apply for monbukagakusho scholarship.l, undergraduate. I request you to please recommend me books and practice problems workbooks. I want to opt for natural science A. I dont know japanese and wont be able to give japanese test. Will it do .
Dear Soorya, thank you for your comment. For natural science A you will have the following exams: Math B, English, Japanese, Physics and Chemistry. Even if you don’t take the Japanese exam now, you still have chances to obtain the MEXT scholarship. However, in Japan, you will need the Japanese language at university, so sooner or later, you will have to learn it. If you want to prepare for the MEXT exam, I recommend you the MEXT undergrad bundle: https://myjapaneseexperience.com/product/2-in-1-mext-scholarship-undergrad-math-bundle/.
Best of luck!
Hi!
Do you have to attend classes like a “normal” student and pass exams? As a research student, that would make doing research quite a hassle… ^^;
Hi Bob, as a research student you will attend all of your supervisor’s classes. You will have to ask your supervisor to recommend some classes, and you will have to attend those as well. So, it is possible to attend in total 5-6 classes a week, which should be very accessible for a research student. For these classes, you will not be graded as a regular student. However, you need to be present and active to make a good impression, and you will have to make presentations maybe once or twice per semester, depending on the professors. But you will not receive grades. Also, research students do not take exams. Nevertheless, your supervisor will expect you to do your research and make presentations during his/her classes regularly. Towards the end of your research, you will have to present a mini-thesis that you will be able to continue during your master and transform it into a fully-fledged thesis.
Another thing that research students must do is take Japanese classes, depending on your level. The first 6 months of Japanese courses are compulsory, and you will receive a recommendation and grade. You could have around 3-4 classes per week with reading, grammar, writing and speaking. I highly recommend you study Japanese very well and take these classes seriously.
In your second year of research, you will have to think about the EJU exam, extending your research scholarship with the master, and master admission exam.
Please ask me anytime if you have any other questions. I hope this is helpful and best of luck in Japan is you got the research scholarship! This is a wonderful opportunity, so, make the best of it!
Hi sir, I would like to ask for something.
I would like to ask about the type of examination’s questions, Do those questions measure your brain or the depend on memorizing,
I realized in the 2016 chemistry examinations,
There were some questions about equations of reactions with naphthalene, as I am an Egyptian student, you know I haven’t learned about it, I only know its structural formula, though I would like to ask from what source can I study and how should I study?
Hello Momen, thank you for your comment. It is a little difficult to answer this, but I believe the questions are mixed. You need for sure to memorize formulas, but you also have to think about solving some questions. I imagine that not all countries offer the same syllabus. I also found exercises in the math tests that I didn’t study at school. The best you can do is to study from an official source, like your high school manual, and then practice on the MEXT tests. If you find something which is not in the manual, you will need to research and learn it. It would also help to find a tutor or a professor who can help you with more difficult problems. I wish you the best of luck with your studies!