MEXT Specialized Training College Students Scholarship - Application process

 This scholarship will allow you to study in Japan for 3 years. One year at a preparatory language school and 2 at a "senmongakkou" which is a vocational school/trade school/specialized training college. Plane ticket and tuition fees will be paid and you also receive a monthly stipend to live on.

Check out if you can apply for this scholarship here: http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/boshu/1319342.htm OR (which is probably best) on the website of the embassy of Japan in your country!


Check out a youtube video on the application process, by a person that got the scholarship at the same time as me here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ2RVaANOLc&list=LLvd20SO12figHMZZs0Abz3w 
(She and another grantee will be going to Tokyo, and I to Osaka)

Here is a facebook group for MEXT scholarship applicants (not just this scholarship), where you can ask questions, get math help and so on here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/111139462302653

Hello people trying to get a scholarship!
In this post I want to try to explain the application process for the MEXT scholarship "specialized training college students".
There are a lot of things you have to do and often not that much time so I want to somewhat straighten things out for you if I can.
First of all, when you have made clear that you are eligible for this scholarship, you call the embassy and they will send you the application form for you to fill in.

On the form you fill in your first and second choice of subjects, you can choose subjects that aren't listed on the "Majors and Related Subjects for Fields of Study" paper. In that case you write "Other subjects - subject you want to study". I chose "Other subjects - manga".

You also have to explain why you chose the subject you chose and what you hope to achieve in the future by studying it. On this part, don't be afraid to write about your dreams. The embassy actually told me to change my answers because they were to "vague", like; I want to work with my gained skills in either Japan or Sweden and use Japanese in work" to something more like "after being done studying I want live in Japan and work with my own manga in Japan". They want to hear your honest dreams, no matter how difficult they would be to achieve in real life.
If I remember correctly the rest of the stuff on the form is pretty easy to fill out, like what your impressions of Japan are and what your parents do for a living and so on.

You also have to get a letter of recommendation from someone at your school/work and a translation of your grades to English or Japanese (unless they aren't already in the right language). I got my mentor and teacher at school to write my recommendation letter, because at school I had classes with her pretty much every day, and as my mentor she knew my abilities in other subjects as well.
I also had the possibility to get my grades translated by a person at school and you probably do too.

If you pass this first stage you will get called to the embassy to do tests in math, English and Japanese. The Japanese test is just to see what level you're at so don't worry too much about that. I would suggest learning kana and some easy vocab just so that it doesn't seem like you aren't interested in Japanese simply because you haven't studied it before. But like I said, it is not a demand that you know Japanese for this scholarship.

The English test is very easy, if you've got your English down you should be fine, no need to study ahead for this one (though I did anyway).
Math on the other end is complete hell. At the last moment I chose to take another math course in school just to help me at least get somewhat of a point on this test. But even my math teacher was having trouble getting things right when trying to help me. (You can download old tests to practice on your own before doing the real thing).
When I did the test at the embassy there was only one question that I was confident I had the correct answer to, even though I read quite a lot of math in school. But yea, you can pass with only one point it seems. With zero points, I think not. Also the math part is probably more important if the subject you want to study will involve it. So if you choose computing etc, you might need a higher score than me...

Passing this second part you will have to go down to the embassy again for interviews. I prepared for these a lot but actually there in the interview room, everything was very relaxed. I kept a smile on my face and answered questions truthfully, and so on.
I got questions about what I wanted to study and why and what I wanted to do when I was done. I was also asked to explain the appeal of manga (which is my chosen subject) to one of the interviewers who wasn't interested in manga. They also asked what my family thought of me wanting to study manga and if my siblings also liked manga, which I thought was kind of weird, though they probably had their reasons. o.0

If you pass this part you have to get a certificate saying that you are healthy, for this you have to do a lung scan and blood type check and such (in some countries you apparently have to do this part earlier and send it in with your application form, recommendation letter and grades). When the embassy has everything they need they will "send your things" to japan and the government will decide whether you get to go or not.

If they say yes the scholarship is yours! It will take a long time to get the answer though.
When you know where you are going it is time to apply for a visa. The embassy will tell you what you need to send them. In Sweden we didn't need certificate of eligibility like you normally do, so other countries MEXT scholarship grantees probably don't either.
You fill in the form, and write your name on the pledge and send all your stuff in. Around a month later you will be on the plane to Japan.

Hopefully I will see you there! :) If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.