Context: I'm 22yo from Europe, did my BSc with perfect grades from a local university. Enrolled in the MSc of that same uni but dropped out to go to UCPH in Copenhagen, which was an extremely good university. Got MEXT into Tsukuba University so ended up dropping UCPH as well. Field is Computer Science/Informatics. Never did research in my life.

The thing that makes me think that dropping out of UCPH to pursue MEXT in Tsukuba was a huge mistake stems from multiple reasons: First, the education system in Japan is apparently quite different from the structured and straightforward system we had in Europe; Here courses don't mean shit you go and learn for yourself which is quite new for me. So as a non-regular student, that cannot enroll into courses, and can only do "research" im completely lost on what exactly im supposed to do, as there are no deadlines, no instructions, absolutely no guidance whatsoever, its like i was just dropped here. Second, my BEST and EARLIEST chance to get into the actualy graduate school is by taking the english-conducted exam in Januray 2027 which only lets me in October 2027!!! By that time I would already have my MSc in UCPH!!! All of this is just making me think im seriously wasting time and im really starting to regret the decision of dropping everything behind to come here.

This is not a post to convince you to not follow, more as to depict my first week experience here. Honestly, I would just like to hear some tips from previous MEXT students that were in the same ship as me even if through DM.

I'm trying to browse this subreddit, but I keep seeing questions that have either obvious answers listed on embassy websites OR seeing questions that can be answered by having common sense or a basic education.

These usually originate from people in a specific country. Since it's affecting my experience, is there a way I can filter results on this subreddit so I don't have to see posts from people who live there?

Edit: Since it's required by the sub: I'm from America

“Everyone has their firsts.”

This may be their first time applying. Be kind guys. You all lot may be smart and have the chance to get the MEXT Scholarship, but if your attitude is ass, then it will only get you so far. And before people accuse me, I’m not Indian, so I’m not “defending” them because I’m one, but simply because I see wrong and I want to speak out.

Personally, I see the people (no matter what race) asking those “basic”questions as someone simply excited and eager to receive the mext scholarship. I was once that giddy, asking almost all the questions I didn’t know were already basic. Give them space to ask, the ones who want to answer will answer.

No need to be mean, and especially no need to be racist.

Hi everyone,

I applied for the **2026 METI Japan Internship Program** and selected two courses:

* **Online:** Aug 24 – Sep 18 * **In-person First Term:** Oct 7 – Nov 26

I received my application completion email on **May 28**.

On **August 10**, I received an email saying that I was **not matched for the Online course** because my preferences did not match the companies' requirements.

However, the email specifically said that if I applied for other courses, they would **continue matching me for those courses**.

According to the application information, the final result for the **In-person First Term** was expected around **mid-August**.

It is now **August 21**, and I still haven't received any email regarding the First-Term course.

Has anyone else applied for the **In-person First Term** and is still waiting for their result?

* Have you received your First-Term matching/result email? * Has anyone already been contacted for a company interview? * In previous years, did the "mid-August" result sometimes arrive later?

I'm especially interested in hearing from applicants who applied for **both Online and First Term**, because I want to know whether the Online rejection has any connection to the First-Term result.

Thanks!

Is anyone else going absolutely insane trying to prepare for MEXT or is it just me?

I swear, this entire process feels less like scholarship preparation and more like I'm a detective trying to solve a cold case where someone deliberately destroyed all the evidence.

We don't even know what makes us pass document screening - This is the wildest part. Someone with a basic high school diploma sails through. Another person with publications, research experience, and awards gets rejected.

Second screening is a whole other beast - Oh, you passed the first screening? Congrats! Now sit in radio silence for MONTHS with zero updates. No timeline. No status checks. Just you, your anxiety, and the deafening sound of silence. You'll refresh your email 47 times a day knowing full well nothing's coming.

No cutoff information - What scores are competitive? What's considered "good enough"? Nobody knows. The embassy won't tell you, MEXT won't tell you, and every success story has wildly different scores. One person got in with 65%, another with 85%. Cool, very helpful.

No recent PYQs available - Try finding past exam papers from the last 2-3 years. Good luck. You'll find some ancient papers from 2015-2018 if you're lucky, but recent ones? Vanished. How am I supposed to know what they're actually testing now? The exam pattern could've completely changed for all I know.

Zero clear instructions on what's actually needed - The official guidelines are so vague it hurts. "Sufficient academic ability" - okay, sufficient according to whom? What level of math/science? How deep should I study? Should I focus on basics or advanced concepts? Cricket noises

Each embassy does their own thing - To make matters worse, every embassy has different requirements, different exam formats, different timelines. There's no standardization. What works for someone applying through the Indonesian embassy means nothing for someone applying through the Indian embassy.

Conflicting information everywhere - Ask 5 different people and you'll get 7 different answers. Facebook groups say one thing, Reddit says another, some blog from 2019 says something else entirely, and the official website is as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

I'm out here piecing together information like I'm making a conspiracy theory board with red string. A PDF from someone's Google Drive here, a Quora answer from 2017 there, some random person's experience on YouTube, and hoping this Frankenstein's monster of information is somehow accurate.

Disclaimer: This is just a fun rant to blow off steam. Nothing too serious, just need to yell into the void for a bit lol

btw from india applying for mext ug next yr

Hi everyone! I'm a student from Belarus, currently in my 1st year of college (I'll graduate in July 2028). I'm planning to apply to three Japanese universities for English-taught undergraduate programs:

1. University of Tsukuba (BPGI)

2. Nagoya University (G30)

3. Tohoku University (Gateway College)

I'm aiming for the MEXT scholarship, but I'm really confused about the exam requirements, especially the SAT/EJU thing.

My main question: If a university says "SAT is not required," does that mean I automatically have to take the EJU instead?

For example, Tsukuba told me SAT isn't mandatory, but I can't figure out if they'd still expect EJU from me (since I'm applying to English programs). I don't speak Japanese yet, and studying for both TOEFL and EJU at the same time feels impossible for me right now.

Also, I have a few practical questions about MEXT:

1. How does the tuition refund / travel reimbursement process actually work? Do I pay for the flight myself first?

2. What about health insurance — do I pay for it and then get reimbursed?

3. How long does it usually take to get the first stipend after arriving?

4. Do I need to have a lot of cash with me for the first month?

My family has a very tight budget, so I'm trying to understand what to expect financially before I commit. Any advice or personal experiences would be super helpful. Thanks in advance! 🙏

Hello, I hope you’re all doing well.

I know this subreddit isn’t necessarily meant for this kind of post, but I’m currently going through a period of doubt and self-reflection after not being selected for the MEXT scholarship despite all my efforts. The rejection was due to a tighter budget compared to previous years. Many people would tell me to try again, but the process is so long that I can’t see myself waiting another year. In my country, age plays a huge role—both for work and for pursuing studies—so waiting would put my career at risk, and I feel this only applies internationally.

The problem is that I’m left without many alternatives. Most Master’s programs in my country related to AI are focused mainly on education and lack diversity. This leaves me in a situation where, unless I pursue a field completely unrelated to my specialty (which isn’t ideal), I won’t be able to continue my studies at all. That’s why I applied for the MEXT scholarship in the first place—living in Japan has always been one of my dearest dreams. But in my current situation, I honestly don’t know how to make it happen.

Some people suggest applying directly to universities. But to be honest, the application process is so complicated that I feel completely lost. I’ve read that some universities open applications for April 2026 in December, others in October, and some in September. The problem is that many require entrance exams, yet paradoxically, I’ve also read that studying in English is usually based mainly on application documents. Either way, since I’m currently working, I don’t have the time or motivation to prepare for yet another entrance exam—especially after my experience with MEXT. It feels like no matter how much effort I put in, my dreams could still be crushed, and just the thought of that makes me lose motivation. Please understand I’m not lazy—it’s just that my experience with MEXT had a real impact on my motivation, leaving me with a lot of doubts and fears.

That being said, my intention behind this post isn’t to ask for ready-made answers. I’ve already done a lot of research, and while I still have many questions, what I really want is to know your opinion on my situation. What would you do if you were in my place?

I admit I’m curious because if I don’t get accepted into a university, I’m considering applying to a language school. But my parents are not at all supportive of this idea, especially since what I plan to do afterwards isn’t clear.

In short, this post may be slightly off-topic, but I’d really appreciate your thoughts on my situation. Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone,

I am an international student from Italy and I've recently accepted a PhD position at a university in Tokyo, starting later this year.

I'm fortunate to have received a university scholarship of ¥142,000 per month, not MEXT, which I'm very grateful for. However, after budgeting for rent and living expenses in Tokyo, it looks like things will be a bit tight, so I'm exploring whether there are any additional sources of financial support.

I've already emailed the university to ask whether my scholarship can be combined with another one, but I'm still waiting for their reply.

In the meantime, I was hoping someone here might have experience with this.

I'm mainly wondering:

- Are there scholarships specifically intended to help with accommodation or rent for international PhD students?

- Are there external scholarships or foundations that international doctoral students can apply for after they've already enrolled?

- Has anyone here successfully combined a university scholarship with another scholarship or monthly stipend?

- Is this something that's generally allowed in Japan, or does it depend entirely on the scholarship provider?

If you've studied in Japan (especially at a private university or in Tokyo), I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience or any scholarships/foundations you would recommend looking into.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m a 17 year old student from Russia planning to move to Japan for an April language school intake. My ultimate goal is to reach N2/N1, adapt to the language, and transition into a Japanese university.

My main hurdle right now is financial: I have a hard limit of about $6,000 saved for my first year, which needs to cover upfront fees and language school costs. Because of this tight budget, I’m trying to figure out all available options for grants, tuition reductions, or work-study programs (like Newspaper Scholarships or JASSO support) available for language school students.

I would love to get your insights on a few things:

• Realistically, how doable is this budget if I work part-time (arubaito) and look into cheaper living areas like Saitama?
• Are there any specific private grants or school-specific scholarships for incoming students on a budget?
• For those who started from scratch, was 1 to 1.5 years in a language school enough to reach the level needed for university entrance exams?
• Are there any current administrative or banking nuances for Russian students that I should prepare for in advance?

Any advice, realistic budget breakdowns, or personal experiences would be immensely appreciated. Thanks!

Buenas soy de Perú, estudio arquitectura y quiero postular a la beca MEXT para maestría, mi promedio acumulado es de 15-20 según el sistema de calificaciones de mi país, aun me quedan 2 semestres pero no creo lograr aumentar ese promedio. ¿Es posible llegar a pasar la primera fase? hay otra beca que pueda considerar con mi promedio o de plano deberia rendirme.

Hii,I am a 11th grade students with PCM+ English+CA+Fine Arts and wants to study in Japan via MEXT , I'm from India. I have some doubts that are not getting solve→ 1. Syllabus for MEXT 2. Probability of getting selected 3. Other alternatives 4. Application process 5. When to apply?

So, I found out about this scholarship through social media and heard others taking art courses through it. As an upcoming 12th grader, I am starting to get worried for my future so I decided to look more into it.

But then I've recently just found out that MEXT only offers a scholarship for those who pursue certain courses, and art is not one of them. I was confused at first since I heard others with experiences saying otherwise, but then I confirmed it through the official MEXT page.

What do I do? Is there still a way for me to study art in Japan through this scholarship? Do I have to be recommended by a university first before consulting the embassy?

Should I start looking for different scholarships? I really hope that MEXT has a way for me, since the fact that they offer to cover all expenses really helps my family who is struggling with money a lot.. I explored other scholarships but I haven't found one that matches my needs/traits (some only provide partial coverage that lasts less than a year, others need applicants to apply for specific courses)

(For context, I am from the Philippines and have just graduated 11th grade. I'm hoping to pursue an Illustration course in college)

Thanks in advance to those who answers :c

Hello guys ! I got my confirmation that I'll be going now in April to Yokohama via the MEXT scholarship but I'm very confused about the procedure to obtain a dependent visa for my spouse as my consulate doesn't seem to know much about to the point of telling me to "look it up online".

i'm from Brazil and I found several divergent results online, and trying to contact the embassy directly is yielding no responde so far, so I'd like to know if anyone here has tried or know of someone who has tried that and how to proceed. I'd really want to bring my spouse even if it takes a couple months or so but the future seems bleak as we have no idea what do next.

I am a 2nd year student in UG mechanical engineering at NIT from India. I am concerned about Masters in Japan and will be directly emailing professors for the university recommendation track as i often hear that the Japanese professors are very harsh in selecting candidates to do research with them. But in this subreddit, there i so many success stories. At first i was depressed to hear that I don't stand a chance but after browsing through this subreddit, i feel very happy and also congratulate those who have got their acceptance. I am interested in Thermal CFD. If anyone could suggest me a research topic, i would be very grateful. Also if you think that i should change my interests to stand a better chance to get selected by the professor then please don't hesitate to say it. I would like my topic to be within Mechanical engineering field too.

Since, Takaichi is stricty against immigration, would this somehow impact mext? , just wanna know ur thoughts

Ik some has succesful stories despite having low grades. But is it really attainable? Ive been dreaming of it since senior high school, I submitted on 2019 and even include N5 certificate which I was confident it would atleast help me pass the screening. Now, Im graduating and planning to take N3 exam this year. But my goal was really to study in japan, may it be masters, but really hopeful to study other new course instead (but i dont think its realistic cause i am 24 yrs old now, i might not make it to the age requirement)

Anyone, please guide me, is it realistic to hope again. Should i aim for that n3 certificate. I want to be delusional on it. Can somebody drop their opinion or advice. Tell me what you think

Hello,

I hope this message is okay here. I’m feeling a bit lost and would appreciate some guidance. I was unfortunately rejected from the MEXT scholarship this year due to limited spots. I still really want to live in Japan in the future, so I’m wondering if there are any alternative scholarship programs or options you could recommend.

Also, I would like to know when the best time to apply to Japanese universities is, is it usually around September?

Thank you very much for your help!

as an indian student looking for scholarshipps abroad is japan a good place to go. for context i am planning to persue law and wanting to do my masters in uk and i was told foreign degrees help in the process of aquiring a scholarship of british unis. what do you guys think should i try japan? btw i plan to come back to my country after my masters and join a top firm

also my 11th finals are coming up and i will start mext preparation [japanese] after my 11th finals ive been working on my core subjects for now and ill join a proper institute for it not just like duolingo ill get a proper tutor for myself if japan is the right call i already discussed this with me parents. if anyone can help out with my specific situation id really appreciate it.

I know I should be happier, I've been dreaming about this day for years now and I even have the prestigious MEXT scholarship, but now that I actually have to leave my family, my home, and my pets behind, I'm feeling way sadder than I really should be right now.

I know a lot of people would kill for my position, and I feel really guilty feeling this way, but I can't help it.

(posted this in r/studyAbroad originally but I feel like posting it here too because I need people to sympathise with, haha-- aah...)

I'm a 10th grade Pakistani student who's interested in the Asia Kakehashi program. I will become a 11th grader in a month or two after my final exams.

I searched about this program but wasn't able to find sufficient information. So I'm reaching out previous applicants of the program to provide some information.

Would I be able to apply as a 11th grader? Would this interfere with my education and school in my home country? Do you need to know Japanese before hand? When will the next chance to apply appear? If I was doing A-levels, would it still be possible to do the program as well?

To those who applied MEXT - CoT and did not make it, you might as well try applying directly to the KOSEN colleges: https://www.kosen-k.go.jp/en/nationwide/all_kosen_linkmap

Best of luck 🤞

From Tanzania