Senshugakko MEXT Scholarship

[Furan-kun]

Hi, I'm Francisco Ferraris from Argentina and I'm planning on applying for the MEXT Scholarship to go to a Senshugakko. I've been looking all around this forum but I can't find people talking about their experience in senshugakko, it seems almost everyone applied for postgraduate scholarships...

I found out about this scholarship only like 3 weeks ago, so I don't have much information about it besides the one that the embassy in Argentina posted on it's website... Can anyone help me with the advantages and disadvantages of the senshugakko scholarship? If I go and spend 3 years there, I will probably have to come back to argentina and finish my Architecture career, so it will take me 9 years instead of 6 to get my degree (which is equivalent to a masters), do you think it is worth it to delay my graduation so much just to perfect my skills in architecture (and japanese, of course) or should I wait until I can do the post graduate one?

Oh, what about the duration of the scholarship, I mean, if I got accepted, that means living for 3 years in Japan all by myself, what happens if I'm done with it, can I just quit and return to Argentina or you have to pay the government? I mean, I'm absolutely FASCINATED by Japan's culture, cities, food, EVERYTHING, I mean, it's been my dream since I was little, but I'm asking just in case Japan happens to be not made for me... :souka:

If you don't have much time, but you can link me to other senshugakko threads about experiences and details, I would very much appreciate it!

:cool:ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!

[pipokun]

what happens if I'm done with it, can I just quit and return to Argentina or you have to pay the government?
No, you don't have to pay it back.

It is not impossible for international senshu gakko students to find a sponsor after your graduation, but Japanese or non-Japanese college or postgraduate students have more chances under the good job market, now. (nobody knows what will happen in the future, though)

You are going to major in architecture and/or civil engineering, right?
Kotosemongakko may also be your option, for your hardworking enables you to be transferred to college and extend your scholarship.

BECA DE CAPACITACION TECNICA – “Kotosenmongakko” (4 años)

Note: If a grantee graduates from a college of technology and is admitted for enrollment in an advanced course at a college of technology or university as a junior transferee, he/she may have the term of his/her scholarship extended upon successful examination by MEXT provided that he/she has outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria. If a grantee completes an advanced course at a college of technology and satisfies the requirements established by the National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, he/she may apply to the Institution for a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

[dblbstrd]

I believe it may also be possible for you to do the senshu gakko scholarship, then go back to your home country and study for a couple years, and then apply again for the research student scholarship. The application guidlines state that past recipients of the scholarship may apply for new scholarships after having returned to their home countries and studied for at least three years or something.

Which route is the best for you really depends on you and what you want to do, but in my opinion, the research/grad student route is a good choice.

[Furan-kun]

You are going to major in architecture and/or civil engineering, right?
Kotosemongakko may also be your option, for your hardworking enables you to be transferred to college and extend your scholarship.
I think Kotosenmongakko could be a good choice if I'm trying to get into college in japan, but I'm not particularly interested in going back to "high school" again with 15 and 16 year old students. Plus, in the embassy they told me usually kotosenmon schools are located in the middle of the country side, so "basically, it's much better that senshugakko because all you can focus in is studying and sports, not in living in the city and spending money like senshu gakko"... I think a student of architecture would much rather live in the city (specially in Japan) than in the country side, I guess...
It is not impossible for international senshu gakko students to find a sponsor after your graduation.
Are you certain about this pipokun? That would be very interesting... In the embassy they told me it's not possible, but obviously you know more about it, maybe in theory is not possible, but in practice it is...
The application guidlines state that past recipients of the scholarship may apply for new scholarships after having returned to their home countries and studied for at least three years or something. .
dblbstrd, are you sure I can apply to a MEXT scholarship after 3 or 4 years? Because that would be GREAT! I was scared thinking I wouldn't do senshu gakko and wait for the post graduate so I didn't "waste" my MEXT scholarship... Remember us LatinAmericans have HUGE economic problems and the only way I can go to Japan is through a scholarship...

Thank you both for the reply, I really need some piece of advice here, it's a huge decision I'm taking, don't you think?

[pipokun]

...
Are you certain about this pipokun? That would be very interesting... In the embassy they told me it's not possible, but obviously you know more about it, maybe in theory is not possible, but in practice it is...
...

It might be possible the senshu gakko students who found sponsors had already graduated from colleges in their home country.
Following the embassy's advice is better for you to choose.