Digg
Del.icio.us
Technorati
Twitter
If that is anything to do with the MEXT scholarships, we have a couple of pretty active threads you might find useful. Just look for anything with MEXT in the subject.
I just sent in my Japanese Studies application to the Portland, OR, USA Consulate-General. Looking to see who else is going for it. Anyone through Portland? Any second-timers?
Last edited by scottwo; Feb 24, 2012 at 14:46.
If that is anything to do with the MEXT scholarships, we have a couple of pretty active threads you might find useful. Just look for anything with MEXT in the subject.
Yeah, none of those are about Japanese Studies. They seem to be mostly about Research or Undergraduate. I'm trying to find people who are applying now for the Fall.
Hey, guys!
I was invited to the exam and interview on mar 22 in Portland. There always seems to be a thread about this scholarship each year and I know, I'm a little early, but we all know how exciting it is. Anyone else get exam/interview invite to their embassy? How do we feel about the exam? I recently took an old JLPT 2 exam for school and they said I more than passed, but I'm not sure about ikkyuu. How is everyone else feeling? Ananyone else?
Hi!
I've applied as well.
I'll be sitting the exam next Monday at the Japanese Embassy in Rome (I'm an Italian citizen). My current level of Japanese is probably around N2 but I've never taken the JLPT.
I've had a look at past exam papers for the Japanese Studies scholarship and I didn't find the test to be exceptionally hard. The reading comprehension was quite challenging though, so I've been practicing with a few books for JLPT (N2) that focus on reading comprehension. In terms of preparation, I've decided not to cram because it just doesn't work for me, and I've never really crammed for language tests anyway, so what I've been doing is going to classes and practicing dokkai.
I've heard from people who won the scholarship that the format of the test was changed a couple of years ago but you can only find the old samples online, which is a shame! Apparently the new test is divided into three sections (beginner, intermediate and advanced) but it would be nice to have more info about it.
Howdy, there. Nice to hear from someone else applying for it. The toughest part for me will probably be the kanji, I never really studied writing, just reading. But will the changes in the test, who knows what it'll be like.
Also, what are your school preferences? I put Yamagata, Akita, and Hirosaki. I'm a big Inaka fan and would also like to study Oku no hosomichi. I put that on my application. Do you think a specified research topic will be helpful? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Good luck on the exam!
Hey! I sat the written examination today. As expected it was divided into 3 sections (初級、中級、上級). The first two, beginner and intermediate, weren't very hard but the advanced section was a little too difficult for my level so I couldn't do it properly and only answered a handful of questions.
12 people took the exam but only 5 of us passed -- the tests were corrected in the early afternoon.
After that, I had to wait 1 hour (ish) to be interviewed. The interview was conducted entirely in Japanese but the questions were very basic and it only lasted 10 minutes or so.
Overall I'm quite satisfied with the outcome... the embassy will get back to me by next week. Good luck to you too
// Edit: just got an e-mail from the embassy! They nominated me for the scholarship! Woohoo :-D
Last edited by Harborcoat; Mar 21, 2012 at 03:23.
So, I think they are recommending me. I sat the test and interviewed on Thursday and then on Friday they called me and asked a clarifying question about my application. We couldn't figure out what to put for the answer and he said "well, we'll send it to Tokyo and if it isn't good enough for them we'll get back to youth what they want." So, it sounds like they're recommending me and sending me on to Tokyo. I might've been the only one to apply through my consulate this year. They never said anything about any other candidates. I'm still concerned, though because the test was harder than I'd thought. Except the reading comprehension. I felt good about it even on the advanced.
Well done on passing the first screening! : )
I guess you really must have been the only candidate then. Had there been any others, I think you would have sat the written examination with them.
We just need to be patient now... it's going to be a long wait!
Yeah, guess I'll talk to you in July! Haha.
Hey guys,
It's good to hear some other experiences. Congratulations to you both!
I was the only person in my state to take the test. I thought the first two parts were fine, but struggled on the third -- except, as you said, Scottwo, with the reading comprehension which seemed like a bit of a breeze. There was no interview...:S
The phone call came from the embassy a couple of days ago to say that I'd passed and would be nominated. During the call they quizzed me a little in Japanese about my study & future employment plans, etc., but that was all written on my application, so perhaps it was just for confirmation purposes...? Haha, it all seems a little bit vague.
They didn't give me any information about when I'd be informed of MEXT's decision. Did they tell you guys anything to that effect?
Anyway, fingers crossed for all of us for the final cut...!
That's interesting that they did your interview real informal over the phone like that. It begs to question what the interview's purpose actually is. I got a letter today from the consulate that said they should get back to me in late may, but based on previous years, I'm expecting to wait until late July. I don,care how long I wait, as long ask get it! Congrats, chaitea. What were your uni preferences?
Mmm...I was a bit surprised about that as well. I'm not sure about applicant numbers from other states, but if there were only a couple of us that applied, they might have just based nomination upon test score without having to refine our numbers further by interview.
Thanks for the heads up about the timing! I'm not so much bothered by the waiting either, but it's nice to get a rough idea about when I can start expecting news.
I spent a year in Kanagawa, so am a bit of a Tokai girl at heart. I nominated Keio first, as I've received confirmation in the past that my university will accept credit from their program, even though we're not an exchange partner. Second was Hitotsubashi, because I found their internship program quite appealing.
Hokkaido University was a bit of an outlier as third preference. The flexibility of their study program struck me as a good fit, and I've also heard positive things about it from a professor of mine who is Monbusho alumni. Also, I guess, I tend to get a yearning for wide open spaces when I'm in Japan. Hokkaido is the closest I've seen that compares to Australia in that respect! :P
Haha, looking at that list, though, I'm starting to get a sinking feeling that I'm punching a little bit above my weight. Really, I think I'd just be delighted to get onto the program, regardless of where I end up being posted.
I sent an email to the embassy the other day to ask when we're supposed to get back from them. They told me I'll probably have to wait until late July...
Hmm. Hi! I'm applying too and hoping to pass the 1st screening. *fingers crossed*.
Odd! I thought the exams for the Japanese Studies scholarship all took place in March (worldwide). Anyway, best of luck!
This thread doesn't seem very active, but I kinda feel the need to panic with others in the same situation >___<
I was selected to be recommended to MEXT by my local embassy, and I was expecting to hear the results in late July. However, this morning I received an email from my first choice, Ochanomizu University, asking to have a phone interview with me. Excuse me but what the hell? I was sooo nervous and probably failed it pretty bad, so I'm hoping that my chances of getting the scholarship don't depend on that D:
The interview was only about five minutes long and I was asked similar questions as in the embassy interview, like why I chose to apply to Ochanomizu etc. Hopefully it was just a formality...
Does anyone know how the screening process works exactly? I am hoping I have already been selected by MEXT and now they are deciding the university, but ;;__;;
I think that's exactly what it is! The recommendation letter I got from my consulate said that MEXT would make the final selections in late May and then have the uni situation figured out by late July. I haven't heard anything from them (they said they'd contact me in late May), so I sent them an e-mail yesterday. We'll see what I hear back, but it sounds like you've been selected and they're trying to figure out which university to place you in!
Oh, I sure hope that's true scottwo! I have been anxiously waiting for the results and counting days, but I wasn't expecting a phone interview ^^" I'm bad at talking on the phone, let alone in Japanese and in this kind of situation...
The Finnish embassy chose three people to recommend to MEXT and I was in the second place. Last year two people got the scholarship but many years it has been only one person (this is such a small country...), so I was quite nervous. Oh and I also called my embassy but they were quite surprised about my interview and told me they will get back to me later. Hopefully we can both receive some good news soon!
edit: I got a call from my embassy, and they told me that actually MEXT has changed their screening process a bit... They chose all three of us who were recommended by the Finnish embassy to get the scholarship, but it can still be canceled if no university on our list wants us @___@ So basically the final choice depends on the universities we had selected in the application. Now I'm scared because I failed the Ochanomizu phone interview... Maybe I should have selected some university that is not very popular choice, damn.
Last edited by Lamourha; Jun 20, 2012 at 17:31.
I got an email from the Embassy today saying I've been selected as a recipient for the scholarship!)))
As for where I'll end up, they'll tell me in late July.
Hopefully you will all get news soon!
Harborcoat, so they told you that you certainly got the scholatship? Because like I mentioned before, my embassy told me that the final decision depends on if any university on our list wants us even if we were selected by MEXT :/
They said MEXT has selected me and they also asked me whether I want to accept the scholarship or not.
The final decision about which university I'll go to will be made in late July, and if no university accepts me then I'll have to renounce the scholarship.
The fact that you were contacted by Ochanomizu means you've already passed the MEXT screening, as scottwo pointed out : )
Yeah, that's what my embassy told me too. I'm just worried that none of the universities I selected in my application wants me ^^"
Oh well, I guess I always worry too much, just have too be patient and hope for the best!
Way to go, guys! I hope your unis accept you! I emailed my consulate a couple days ago, but they haven't replied yet. I just wish I didn't work during their business hours. Then I could call, but I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what they say. :| ちょっと緊張してきた。
Hi Guys,
Congratulations to you all!!!
I just got the phone call today too. I'm absolutely elated!
The lady from the embassy who I spoke to simply described it as "goukaku", and my immediate impression was that it wasn't anything conditional. She went on to say that the decision regarding the university placement would be made late next month. There was really nothing that she said to imply the possibility that there would be no university placement and that I might subsequently be dropped.
...but now I'm starting to worry.
Good luck, Scottwo. Fingers crossed for you.
Posting Permissions