MEXT Scholarship Field of Study and Research Program Plan Elements - TranSenz: MEXT Scholarship and Visa Information For Moving To Japan PDF

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MASTER THE MEXT

SCHOLARSHIP
IMPORTANT: 2020
EMBASSY
RECOMMENDED MEXT
SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE
The format of the Field of
Study and Research
Program Plan changed
dramatically in April 2019 Get everything you
with the Embassy need to know about
the MEXT scholarship
Recommended MEXT
application process,
Scholarship Application eligibility, and
process. This article was strategies to improve
based on the old form, Need help with your Field your chances in one
which was valid through the of Study and Research convenient book: How
Program Plan? How to to Apply for the MEXT
2019 University-
Write a Scholarship- Scholarship is now
Recommended MEXT available in paperback
Scholarship. If you are Winning Field of Study and ebook!
looking for information on and Research Program
the new form (valid Plan will walk you through
beginning with the 2019- choosing a !eld,
2020 Embassy developing a research
Recommended MEXT question, and completing RECENT POSTS
Scholarship Application the !nal report to give you
the best chance of How to Fill In the 2020
process), you can !nd it
success! Embassy
here.
Recommendation
MEXT Scholarship
The Field of Study and Research Program Plan is the
Application Form
single-most important part of your MEXT Scholarship
application at the graduate level. Whether you’re applying How to Apply for the
for a research student status, Master’s Degree, or PhD, this 2020 University
is the single most important element that you have any Recommended MEXT
control over. I’ve discussed that in a previous article, but I Scholarship
constantly get people asking for more details, so here it is. Placement
Preference Form –
So, it’s understandable that most applicants get more
Embassy
anxious about this form and what it should include than
Recommended MEXT
anything else in the application process.
Scholarship
Application
DOWNLOADING THE FORM
Embassy
First things !rst: If you don’t have the original form yet, the Recommended MEXT
links below are direct to the !les on MEXT’s website, so you Scholarship 2020:
can download it without having to puzzle through their How to Get a Letter of
Japanese website: Provisional
Acceptance
How to Apply for the
Embassy-recommended MEXT Application, 2019
2020 Embassy
Edition
Recommendation
University-recommended MEXT Application, 2019
MEXT Scholarship
Edition
PURPOSE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY

AND RESEARCH PROGRAM PLAN CATEGORIES
In Japan, the Field of Study and Research Program Plan ( Building a House in
kenkyukeikakusho) is part of any graduate school Japan (1)
application, regardless of MEXT scholarship. There is a set Community (6)
format and elements that Japanese universities are looking
Cooking (6)
for.
Danger (1)
As a foreigner, you wouldn’t necessarily be expected to Driving in Japan (7)
know all of the elements of the Field of Study and Research
Education in Japan
Program Plan, but if you do hit them, you’re going to stand
(32)
out in a good way.
English (41)
I’ve researched several universities’ guidelines for what Holidays (5)
they’re looking for, professors’ blogs, and prep school
Housing in Japan (1)
websites to put together the elements below. I hope they
help. (My sources are available at the bottom of the article, International Family
but they’re all in Japanese). (4)

Japan Government
Disclaimer: This is all only my own research and
Paperwork (3)
conclusions. It has not been formally vetted by any MEXT
o"cials, Embassy sta#, or grad school admissions Japanese Immigration
committees, yet. (4)
Japanese Scam (2)
FIELD OF STUDY AND RESEARCH Life (24)
PROGRAM PLAN: FORMATTING Life in Japan (5)

MEXT (38)
NOTES
MEXT FAQ (7)
As of the O"cial Forms (9)
2018
Purchases (2)
application,
the format Safety in Japan (1)
for the Scholarships in Japan
Embassy- (38)
TranSenz Guide (16)
Translation (13)
Travel in Japan (1)
(10)
(1)
recommended MEXT Scholarship application and
University-recommended MEXT Scholarship application
are di#erent, so I’ll keep the di#erences straight as much as
possible below.
Font Size: The default font size in the Field of Study and
Research Program Plan that you download from the MEXT
website is 7.5 pt, which is ridiculously small and unreadable.
Feel free to change it to a reasonable Times New Roman 12
pt.
Titles and Formatting: Feel free to format your Field of

Study and Research Program Plan to make it more
readable. I recommend titling each of the sections
mentioned below and breaking it into paragraphs to make
it easy on the professors. Nobody likes a big old wall of text.
If you have to add extra pages to account for the

formatting, that’s OK. But don’t go overboard.
Tables, Graphs, and Diagrams: If they add to the document

and are necessary to answer the questions below, go
ahead and include them. But again, keep it within reason.
References: Include a list of references on an attached

page. I’ll get to it below, but it’s a good thing to have.
COMPLETING THE FIELD OF STUDY

AND RESEARCH PROGRAM PLAN
1. PRESENT FIELD OF STUDY
This question previously only existed in the Field of Study
and Research Program Plan format for the Embassy-
recommended application process, but was added to the
form for the University-recommended MEXT application
process in 2018.
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
Recommended Heading: Research Background
Recommended Length: 3-4 sentences
Recommended Content: Describe what you have
researched in the past that led to your interest in the topic
you will pursue in Japan. Since MEXT requires that you
study a topic that you majored in in the past, this is your
opportunity to show the connection.
Make sure that you describe your interest in terms of what

it will contribute to the !eld. This is not a personal
statement. “I am interested in micro!nance because my
family was poor” is not a good explanation. “Based on my
past research into micro!nance in developing countries, I
think a systematic examination of the impact of
micro!nance-supported entrepreneurial ventures in former
agricultural areas of developed countries has impacted
population movements and rural revitalization is necessary
to apply e#ective practices both in Japan and abroad” is
better.
To strengthen the statement above, you could go into more

detail about why your research would be bene!cial to the
!eld in general, perhaps with an emphasis on how it could
dovetail with your desired advisor’s research.
2. YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC IN JAPAN

This section is where you will cover the academic aspect of
your research (as opposed to the practical process of
research, which we’ll get to later).
RESEARCH TITLE
Recommended Heading: None. Simply center the text at
the top of this section.
Recommended Length: Title and Subtitle, like it would be
on a completed thesis.
Recommended Content: This is your sales copy. It needs to
grab attention so your reviewers read further.
The main title is your overall theme and the subtitle is how
exactly you plan to study it. For example:
* The Contribution of ‘Outsider’ Expertise to Rural

Revitalization Projects: An Exploration of the Yuzu
Industry in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture
(JAIST)
You are not locked into using this title. Like almost
everything else in your Field of Study and Research
Program Plan, it will probably change once you begin your
research under your advisor. But it’s still important to have a
solid idea at this stage.
DETAILED THEME
Recommended Heading: Research Theme
Recommended Length: One-two sentences
Recommended Content: This should take a format like “I
intend to research [SPECIFIC FIELD] from [METHOD]

perspective in order to [OUTCOME].” It does not need to be
exact, but it does need to cover those elements.
It is important to include the intended outcome of your

research. Research itself is not the goal – you should have
something you intend to accomplish through it. Returning
to JAIST’s example from the previous section:
* This study will elucidate how specialist knowledge

held by outsiders to rural revitalization projects can
contribute to those projects, by examining the example
of Yuzu farmers in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture’s
contributions to local e!orts by way of surveys and
interviews, in order to advance the e!ectiveness of
rural revitalization projects across Japan.
(JAIST)
Yes, the original Japanese is a horrible run-on sentence.
PREVIOUS RESEARCH IN THE FIELD

Recommended Heading: Previous Research
Recommended Length: Two-three sentences
Recommended Content: Describe the research that exists
in the !eld and past approaches brie$y.
This should be concise and just enough to establish that

you understand the state of the !eld. If you can state “It is
generally accepted in the !eld that . . .” or cite the prevailing
theory with an author, that’s perfect. (Make sure that author
makes it into your references).
PROBLEMS WITH THE PREVIOUS RESEARCH

Recommended Heading: Problems in the Field
Recommended Length: Two-four sentences
Recommended Content: Evaluate the past research in
terms of problems or opportunities for further exploration.
Don’t be harsh or overly critical, but point out con$icts in
research, examples that have not been fully explored that
could alter understanding of the !eld, etc. Make sure you

also discuss how your research will contribute to solving
the problems you identify.
This section is where you establish how your research will

be original.
RESEARCH GOAL/OUTCOME
Recommended Heading: Research Goals
Recommended Length: One to two paragraphs
Recommended Content: Your !rst paragraph should cover
the research question you intend to answer and how – an
expansion of your detailed research theme. The second
paragraph should outline the possible academic and
practical bene!ts of your research.
Remember that not everyone is an expert in your !eld, so

try to keep the jargon out of it. You want your research to
have value outside of your narrow !eld, so you have to be
able to describe that to non-exerts.
When discussing the bene!ts, it would be bene!cial to

mention speci!cally how they apply to Japan, your home
country, and/or bringing the two closer together.
PAGE 2: STUDY PROGRAM IN JAPAN

Your research program plan should be a detailed, step-by-
step description of how you will go about the research you
described in the previous section. This is where you
establish that your research is viable, especially given the
time restraints of your degree.
RESEARCH APPROACH INTRODUCTION

Recommended Heading: Research Approach
Recommended Length: 2 paragraphs
Recommended Content: In the !rst paragraph, explain your
research methodology (theoretical, statistical, etc.) in 2-3
sentences and why you chose this method in another 2-3
sentences.
In the second, shorter paragraph, describe how you expect

your method to solve your research problem.
SPECIFIC RESEARCH PLAN

Recommended Heading: Research Timeline
Recommended Length: Table/timeline long enough to
cover the content below
Recommended Content: Detailed explanations of the steps
you will go through in your research program (2 years for
Masters, 3 for PhD).
For each step, you want to go into detail. So, “literature

review” is not su"cient. What kind of sources do you plan
to review? They should be in your references section
already.
This is also a good place to mention speci!c coursework

you want to take (and why), especially if you have your goal
narrowed down to a single university or there are similar
courses at each of your target universities.
If you plan to do !eld research (and you absolutely should)

then “collect examples” is not enough detail. You should
propose a more speci!c approach, including the type of
examples, where you will get them, and why that approach
is best. For example, are you going to do a survey study or
interviews? Where? Why?
One Keio professor mentioned in his blog that he expects

his advisees to do !eld research twice during their degree.
For example, students would do a survey study !rst then
return later for interviews to go into more detail, or do !eld
studies in two places for comparison purposes.
Your Research Program Plan is a strategy, not a concrete

plan. You are not locked in to doing things exactly this way,
but having a solid plan at this point makes you look like a
more responsible and dedicated applicant.
ATTACHMENT: REFERENCES
This isn’t a section of the form, but you should attach a list
of references nonetheless.
Include all the books you read while preparing your Field of
Study and Research Program Plan as well as the books and
articles they led you to that you intend to read in the future.
List your references in alphabetical order, using the format

most common to your !eld of study.
SOURCES
I put this article together based on several Japanese faculty
blogs, university websites, and prep school pages. You can
!nd those sources below:
How to Research and Craft a Research Plan

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/nifongo/keikaku/index.html
KALS Graduate School Application Prep School application

advice article
http://www.kals.jp/graduate-sch/pln/
Keio University Professor’s Blog

http://cce-cmkt-
tpro.sfc.keio.ac.jp/tajima_lab/inframe/sonota/01.htm
JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and

Technology) Application Advice Page
http://www.jaist.ac.jp/~as-
asami/exam_research_plan/exam_research_plan.html
Study Channel Research Plan Writing Guide

http://www.study-channel.com/2015/07/research-
plan.html
Five Steps to Writing a Lousy Research Plan (University of

Tokyo Professor’s Blog)
http://www.nakahara-lab.net/2013/05/post_2004.html
QUESTIONS?
Before asking any questions in the comments, below, I

recommend reading through the Field of Study and
Research Program Plan FAQ. You can ask your questions in
the comments here, on the FAQ page, or by email and I will
answer them by updating the FAQ and letting you know
when the answers are available.
For tips on getting your questions answered faster (and an

explanation as to why I can’t always answer quickly), please
read the MEXT Scholarship Application FAQ top page.
I’d also recommend signing up for my mailing list, below, to

get noti!ed whenever I have updates to any of the FAQs or
new articles about the MEXT scholarship!
Download Your Free Sample

MEXT Application Form
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159 Comments
Ana 2020 4 23
Hi!
If someone wants to apply for a professional
degree such as an MBA that doesn’t have a
research component as far as I know, what
should we do about the research plan part?
There’s very little information online about
applying for professional degrees as a
research student. MBA programs don’t
typically require a thesis paper and di#er from
other master’s disciplines as they focus on the
practical aspects of the degree, rather than
research. What could we even write for that
section?
Thank you so much for your help!
Reply
TranSenz 2020
Hi Ana,
4 24
+
I would recommend that you
research the degree
progression/curriculum for your
target program to see what is
expected and whether or not
there is a culminating project. If
there is some kind of culminating
project that serves a similar role
to a thesis in an academic
degree, write your FSRPP about
that project rather than a regular
academic thesis.
Even if you are applying for an
MBA, you are going to be held to
the same expectation as all other
applicants that after graduation,
you will go on to make a
contribution to your home
country and its relationship with
Japan. Since this is a
competition, you will need to
show how you can do that better
with and MBA than someone
else can with an academic
degree. Your FSRPP should show
what you will accomplish during
your degree that will give you
the academic/practical
background to go on and make
that contribution. It is not going
to be enough to just attend the
program and complete the
assignments that you are given.
You are going to have to
proactive and use the
assignments and coursework
throughout the degree to pursue

a pre-existing goal.
Hopefully those ideas will give
you a suggestion as to how you
can frame your FSRPP: What is
your goal and what is the
culminating project of your
degree. Once you know that,
your FSRPP should show how
you will use the !nal project (or a
series of projects throughout
your degree) to pursue your goal.
Good Luck!
– Travis from TranSenz
Reply
Ani Daniel 2020 4 21

Good evening Travis from here, I have paid
rapt attention by perusing through the blog,
and has !nd so helpful, can you please help
me with a sample of research plan relating to
civil engineering or any form of Engineering?
that will serve as a guide while preparing
mine because it will be very useful sir, thanks
so very much in anticipation sir…
Ani Dan
Reply
TranSenz 2020 4 21
+
Hi Ani Daniel,
Thank you very much for your
kind comments.
Unfortunately, I do not have any
sample Field of Study and
Research Plans that I have
permission to share at this point.
Nobody is really willing to share
their plans during the application
process, and afterward, they
tend to forget.
I did once see someone who
shared a Field of Study and
Research Program Plan on
metallurgy, but it was not
particularly good (I used it
mostly as an example of what
not to do in my book on the Field
of Study and Research Program
Plan), so I would not want to
share that with you as an
example.
I will keep searching for samples
though, and if I !nd any, I will
share them here.
Good Luck!
Reply
Ani Daniel 2020 4 30
Thanks for the reply, Am

from Nigeria and I don’t
know when the
embassy recommended
of MEXT scholarship will
commence due to the
pandemic ravaging the
whole world?
Reply
TranSenz 2020
5 1
+
Hi Ani Daniel,
I don’t know
when it will
start, but I
imagine that
they can’t
push the
process back
too much
further.
I did see a
facebook post
by the
Japanese
embassy in
Tonga saying
that they
expected the
release of the
application
guidelines to
be pushed
back until
mid-May, but I
have not yet
heard
anything
o"cial to
con!rm that.
For now, I am
continuing to
monitor
MEXT’s
website every
day. But after
today (May 1),
Japan will be
in a 5-day
holiday for
Golden Week,
so if nothing
changes
today, the
earliest we
can expect to
see new
information
would by May
6, I think.
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
Nich 2020 3 24
Hi Travis! Thank you so much for this
information about mext scholarship. I’m
currently interested in applying for this
scholarship. I’ve graduated from my bachelor
at 2018 and I’m currently employed. May I
know I should include my professional work in
the present !eld of study? Looking forward to
hearing from you!
Reply
TranSenz 2020 3 25
+
Hi Nich,
Your present !eld of study is the
!eld that you majored in most
recently in university and your
research proposal for the MEXT
scholarship must be in that !eld
(or a related !eld). Your work
experience is not taken into
consideration for determining
your “present !eld of study.”
However, if you are doing work
related to your present !eld of
study and that professional
experience has incited your
interest into further research, it
would be worth mentioning very
brie$y.
Another place that you could
possibly mention your work
experience – again, only if it is
relevant – would be at the end of
your Field of Study and Research
Program Plan, where you touch

on what you will do with your
research once you graduate. If
you have professional
experience in a !eld that could
use the results of your research,
it would be good to mention that
you can use your professional
connections to distribute it to
people who can use it.
Good Luck!
Reply
Divyanshi 2020 1 19
In the !eld of present !eld of study you have
emphasized on explaining how my present
research is linked with my future study
program in Japan. However, I am planning to
do do research in di#erent area which is not
closely related to what I have done till now.
So, I do not know how to bring this point in my
present !eld of research that it is related to
what I plan to do in Japan. Does that reduces
the strength of my research proposal?
Reply
TranSenz 2020
Hi Divyanshi,
1 20
+
One of the requirements of the
MEXT scholarship is that you
apply in a !eld of study that you
have previously majored in at
university or its related !eld. So,
there should be some
connection.
It’s not necessarily about the
strength of your application, but
in your case, if your !elds of
study are really that di#erent,

you need to establish the
connection to prove that you
meet the eligibility requirements.
There are a number of ways that
you can make the connection.
One study could have inspired
you to new research in another
area. Or you wanted to approach
a similar problem from a new
direction, etc. Try to be creative
and make the connection.
You do not need to dwell on it
too much. I single sentence, or
maybe two, showing how your
last research inspired the new
one, should be !ne.
Good Luck!
Reply
Abraham P. Jallah 2019 12 31

Hi. My name is Abraham P. Jallah and am from
Liberia. What are the chances of students
applying from Liberia, West Africa? I have my
!rst degree in economics and want to pursue
a master in Health Economics or Public
Health.
Reply
TranSenz 2020 1 1
+
Hi Abraham P. Jallah,
Your chances are based entirely
on the strength of your
application and your
competition. If you are applying
for the University-
Recommended MEXT
Scholarship, Liberia is a priority
country, so you can apply freely

to any university, but you’ll be
competing with applicants from
around the world and must
exceed all others, regardless of
your country of origin.
If you apply for the Embassy
Recommended MEXT
Scholarship in April-May of this
year, you will only be competing
with others from your country,
but you’ll still need to have a
strong an application as possible
to be competitive.
Good Luck!
Reply
Hein 2019 10 21
Hello,
I feel so lucky for !nding this blog to start my
research plan for MEXT scholarship. i am
currently applying research student program
which is non-degree. The University that I
apply is Tokyo Institute of Technology. I
already got acceptance from professor to be
my academic supervisor. He also likes my
research brief and now preparing to subit with
their format form. And there will be skype
interview with three professors from that
University for recommendation.
I would like to know how can I increase my
chance to get MEXT scholarship? I know the
scholarship is so competitive for University
recommendation and My GPA is just 3.1 out of
4.0. Am I impossible to qualify?
Reply
+
TranSenz 2019 10 22
Hi Hein,
I am glad to hear that you have
found the site useful so far!
For your GPA, you need to
convert it to MEXT’s 3.0 scale to
!nd out how competitive you are
for the scholarship. I have an
article about how to do that
conversion that should help.
The only other steps you can
take at this point are to re!ne
your Field of Study and Research
Program Plan to make it as
strong as possible. I have an
article about increasing your
chances to earn the MEXT
scholarship, which talks about
having a theme to your
approach. There is also an
updated version of this article,
based on recent changes and
more research into the Field of
Study and Research Program
Plan since I !rst wrote this piece.
Both of those articles could give
you a hint about how to improve
your chances!
Good Luck!
Reply
RAJAT KUMAR SINGH 2019 10 14
I want to apply for MEXT coming feb, during

my B.tech my project was on Bio-
Instrumentation but now as i am working in
railways, i want to do masters in tapping
renewable energy into railways system. Can it
be accepted??? (as it has nothing to do with
bio-instrumentation). pls guide

Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Rajat Kumar Singh,
10 16
+
Your !eld of study for your MEXT
Scholarship application needs to
be related to your previous
studies, not necessarily to your
work experience. So, you would
need to !nd some connection
between your studies in bio-
instrumentation to renewable
energy. You might have to get a
little creative or focus on the few
courses or areas of overlap that
a#ect both.
Good Luck!
Reply
Sania Zahan 2019 9 26
Hi,
I need to submit my letter of acceptance
along with the !nal placement preference
form to embassy. My undergrad and masters
was in “Computer Science & Engineering
(CSE)” but my supervisor in Japan is in
“Department of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering (EEE)”, So should I write EEE in
“Field of study in Japan” or CSE. There’s a
“Detailed !eld of study in Japan” where I
explained about my own work. Thanks.
Reply
TranSenz 2019 9 27
+
Hi Sania Zahan,
I recently published a new article
speci!cally on the Placement

Preference Form, but what you
wrote matches my advice in that
article perfectly: Your !eld of
study in Japan should be the
name of the department where
your supervisor is a"liated. (In
the case of di#erent department
names between di#erent
universities in your form, I have
more advice on how to handle
that in the article linked above.)
Good Luck!
Reply
RAJAT KUMAR SINGH 2019 10 14
pls guide me if you get there, i am

from EE background, presently
posted in Railways, i wish to join
MEXT.
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Rajat Kumar Singh,
10 16
+
This website has
everything I have
learned about the MEXT
scholarship and how to
make a strong
application, based on
eight years of working
with the scholarship and
thousands of applicants.
If you look around and
read the articles, that
should help set you up
for success!
I would recommend that
you start with one of the

introductory articles
then decide what you
need to learn next,
based on that.
Good Luck!
Reply
Rakesh Sharma 2019 8 3
hi travis!!
i gave my interview this june. in my research
plan, as it was embassy recommended, i
wrote it very concisely in 7-8 lines assuming
that in the interview i will explain in detail. in
those 7-8 lines, i have explained my research
plan along with its bene!t and outcomes. so
what are my chances based on this?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Rakesh Sharma,
8 4
+
Unfortunately, that’s not really
enough for me to make a guess.
But if you made it as far as the
interview, that means that they
saw that you had some promise
in your application even if your
FSRPP was a little on the concise
side. So, as long as you did well
in the interview and succeeded
in $eshing out your plans, there
should still be a good chance for
you to pass the Primary
Screening.
Unfortunately, there are just too
many other variables to be able
to say anything for sure.
Good Luck!

Reply
Akhand pratap rai 2019 7 25
Hi travis,
Do u have any idea about how many students
are selected through embassy recommended
scholarship?
Reply
Akhand pratap rai 2019 7 25
Hi travis,
Do u have any idea about how many
students are selected for embassy
recommended scholarship from
india?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Akhand pratap rai,
7 26
+
Based on forum posts
and news articles that I
could !nd, there were 28
slots available during
the 2018 application
cycle for Graduate
students from India. But
that number was further
broken down into slots
for social
sciences/humanities
and slots for
science/engineering.
Good Luck!
Reply
TranSenz 2019 7 26
Hi Akhand pratap rai, +

The overall number of places
shouldn’t matter. What you need
to focus on is the number of
places awarded in your country
in the previous year, as that will
be the best indicator.
One of the best ways to !nd that
information is to look for news
articles or press releases from
March/April and
August/September of the
previous year to see if there are
any about MEXT scholarship
going from your country to
Japan, and what numbers are
mentioned.
Of course, that’s not an o"cial
number, because it can include
several di#erent scholarship
types, but it should still give you
an idea. Also keep in mind that
numbers can $uctuate from year
to year.
Good Luck!
Reply
shradha sharma 2019 7 24
Hi travis!!
The results of interview is uploaded on
website right?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Shradha Sharma,
7 25
+
The method of announcing
results is determined by each

individual embassy or consulate.
There is no one method for
everyone.
So I would recommend checking
to see it the Embassy or
Consulate where you applied
has given you any information on
how results will be released.
Good Luck!
Reply
shradha sharma 2019 7 21
Hi travis!!
Thanks for the wonderful article. i have given
my MEXT interview, but in the research theme
doc !le, i did a mistake. in past and present
!eld of study, i have written “Bachelor in
technology in biotechnology”. i didn’t know
that i have to write all that you have described
in the article. The rest part is properly written.
so, to what extent this will a#ect my selection
process. also, after the interview, which
people are responsible for the selection
procedure?
are these professors or administrative people
who took my interview?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Shradha Sharma,
7 22
+
If you made it to the interview
stage, then your short answer to
the Past and Present Field of
Study did not kill your chances
outright. Depending on how you
answered the rest of the
questions and whether you
satis!ed what the reviewers

would have been looking for
elsewhere, you might not have
su#ered any setback at all. It all
depends on how well your
interviewers were satis!ed with
your response overall.
As far as the interview panel
goes, it is di#erent at each
embassy. Usually, the panel
includes some combination of
Japanese government, local
government, and a local
academic related to your !eld.
Good Luck!
Reply
dildar 2019 5 28
HI TRAVIS,
i did my baachelor degree in mechanical
engineering..
now i want to apply for master degree
porogram
but i have no idea about
reaserch plan
reaserch theme
past and presendt !eld of study
pliz help me
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Dildar,
6 10
+
Pardon me for being a bit blunt,
but if you have no idea what you
want to study, why do you want
to enroll in a master’s degree? I
would suggest that you should
not be applying for graduate
school, let alone this scholarship,

if you do not have a clear idea of
what you want to get out of it.
I noticed that you are looking at
an old version of my article
about the Field of Study and
Research Program Plan, though.
If you are just confused about
the form, then I would
recommend the newer article.
The form changed this year and I
updated my advice to match. I
hope that the explanations in the
newer version are also clearer to
help you understand.
Good Luck!
Reply
Tyson 2019 5 28
Dear Mr Travis,
Please how do I get the name of my student
advisor?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Tyson,
6 8
+
You need to research what
universities in Japan o#er your
desired course in English and
then !nd a professor there who
is closely related to what you
want to study and would
potentially be able to supervise
you. (You do not need to contact
that professor in advance, but if
you can start to network, that
would be bene!cial).
I have an article about !nding
universities and professors that

should help with your research.
Good Luck!
Reply
shahid 2019 5 26
Hi, Travis
will I change my research topic? I have done
my M.Phil research on this topic( factors of
rising trends in female education among
masses). Now I would like to do research in (
role of social media in political empowerment
of people in Japan). Or we have to continue
the same topic in Japan. Research Universe is
necessary for Japan or we collect data from
our own country.
Reply
TranSenz 2019 6 7
+
Hi Shahid,
Your research topic in Japan has
to be related to what you studied
in the past, so in your Field of
Plan, you need to make that
connection clear. If you can do
that, then there should not be a
problem.
You cannot do extended
!eldwork outside of Japan
during the MEXT scholarship. If
you can collect data from your
home country without being
there in person, then that is !ne,
though. I would recommend that
you plan to be asked during the
application process why you
want to complete your research
in Japan, if your research subject

is your home country though. If
you have a good answer, it won’t
be a problem, just be prepared
for the question.
Good Luck!
Reply
Bill 2019 5 24
Hi Travis!
Thank you for this wonderful guide!
The website of the embassy of Japan in my
country posted only the pdf !les of these
forms. Will it be alright if I printed those forms
and hand-write everything or would it be
better to convert these pdf !les into word
!les?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Bill,
6 6
+
The forms they posted should
have been !llable pdfs. If you
use the free Adobe Reader
software, then you should be
able to type your answers into
them.
If that doesn’t work, the forms on
MEXT’s site are all !llable pdfs
and you can type into those.
(The form names are in
Japanese, but when you
download them, the contents are
in English, so I recommend
downloading them all then
checking which ones you need.)
Good Luck!

Reply
Abdullah 2019 5 23
Hello Travis and thank you for your help!

I am a civil engineer, Can i get my master
degree in renewable energy and sustainable
system?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Abdullah,
6 6
+
You have to pursue your degree
in Japan in the same research
!eld as you majored in in your
previous degree. If your research
in renewable energy or
sustainable systems is similar to
what you studied as an
undergraduate, then that would
be !ne. It is not the name of the
program that has to match, just
the content of the
research/studies that needs to
be logically similar.
Good Luck!
Reply
Denno 2019 5 18
Handwriting or typing into the forms? This
simple activity is not clear to me when !lling
the forms and research plan etc.
Reply
TranSenz 2019 5 30
Hi Denno,
Always type if you can!
Good Luck!
Reply
Ibrahim 2019 6 2
Please should i type it in
red colour or black
colour which is most
preferable ?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
6 13
+
Hi Ibrahim,
You should
absolutely
write in black!
I only used the
red text in my
sample
application to
make it clear
what was my
entries and
what was part
of the original
form.
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSeznz
Reply
qudratullah 2019 5 3
Hi,
Thanks for your helpful guidelines,
I wanna know about the Recommendation

letters: They said one should be from the
university where you have studied and one
where you work. The thing I have problem
with is, I am in Afghanistan but I have studied
in Pakistan, I can’t manage the
Recommendation from University .
What should I do but I have one
recommendation letter from my Professor but
It is from 3 years old. Can u advice me what
should I do
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Quadratullah,
5 8
+
Even though you studied in a
di#erent country from where you
live, you still need a letter of
recommendation from the
university where you graduated. I
would recommend that you
contact that university and ask if
they would be willing to send
you a new one. A letter that is
dated three years ago may not
be accepted.
Good Luck!
Reply
qudratullah 2019 5 3
Hi,
I have studied bachelor of Electrical
Engineering, Can I directly apply for the
Master Degree, should I mention my research
time in study plan
Thanks
Reply
TranSenz 2019 5 8
Hi Quadratullah, +
Yes, if you have completed your
bachelor’s degree, you can apply
directly for a Master’s program,
but you might want to consider
applying as a research student
!rst in order to give yourself time
to adjust to the Japanese system
before you start the degree
program.
I do recommend mentioning
your research time in your Field
of Study and Research Program
Plan, but since MEXT changed
the form this year, I have written
a revision to this article based on
the new format. You can !nd that
new article here.
Good Luck
Reply
Altair 2019 5 1
Hey Travis, can I embolden or italicize a few
words to highlight them in the research plans?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Altair,
5 6
+
Yes! I recommend it.
Good Luck!
Reply
Altair 2019 5 10
You rulez! Thank you!

Reply
Aimal 2019 5 1
Hi Travis
Once again Thanks for the help
How best I can contact the Academic advisor
Thanks
Aimal
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Aimal,
5 6
+
I have a whole article about how
to !nd universities and
professors that includes
recommendations for contacting
them. That should help answer
your questions!
Good Luck!
Reply
EBELE IJEH 2019 5 12

Thank you for your
willingness to help. I
have spent the past few
months struggling to
get a supervisor for my
doctoral study in Japan.
Is there any way you can
help with the article on
How to Find Universities
and Professors in Japan.
Thank you.
Reply
TranSenz 2019
5 21
Hi Ebele Ijeh,
I’m sorry to
hear about
your struggles.
If you have
suggestions
about how to
make this
article more
useful, please
let me know!
(Finding and
contacting
professors is
also the
subject for my
next book in
the Mastering
the MEXT
Scholarship
series, but I
have not yet
started writing
it, so that will
be a while).
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
Aimal Zaheer 2019 4 29
Hi Travis
Thank you for the useful information.
Secondly I have did my BBA in 2012 and my
specialization was Managment so i want to do
my MBA in the same !eld.
My question was that I have no idea about
research plan so if you guide me. How to do it

.
Thanks
Aimal
Reply
TranSenz 2019 5 1
+
Hi Aimal Zaheer,
This article is designed to help
you write the study plan and the
book that you will see mentioned
above also walks you through
the process of creating your
research question and deciding
what you want to research and
how in the !rst place. It is not
speci!cally written for business
studies, though, so you will have
to apply the ideas to your own
!eld as you go through.
You might also bene!t from
talking your ideas over with a
professor in business for their
input and recommendations!
Good Luck!
Reply
Kirill 2019 4 28
Hi Travis!
Thank you so much for your articles! They are
very helpful!
In this article you advise to !ll “Your research
topic in Japan” !eld with text divided into
following topics:
1. Research Theme.
2. Previous Research.
3. Problems in the Field.
4. Research Goals.
In this year in the form for my country it is just

written:
2. Research theme and plan in Japan
(1) Research theme
(2) Research plan
So, here is a question: What would you
recommend, write only “Research theme” part
or include all of these parts?
Thanks!
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Kirill,
4 30
+
Yes, the Field of Study and
Research Program Plan format
changed this year. I am working
on my revised guidelines now
and will have them posted here
as soon as possible!
In general, I recommend keeping
your Research Title and
Research Theme in the
“Research Theme in Japan”
section, and moving everything
else down to the “Research Plan”
section, but I will have a more
complete update in the coming
days. (I just !nished writing that
update for my book).
If you are signed up for my
mailing list, I will let you know as
soon as the article is updated!
Good Luck!
Reply
Kirill 2019 5 1
Thanks, Travis!
One more little
question:
Is it OK to delete “Guide
for Creating a Field of
Study and Research
Plan Sheet” part from
Field of Study and
Research Plan form to
make more room for
Research Plan?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
5 4
+
Hi Kirill,
No, I would
not
recommend
deleting any of
the existing
part of the
form.
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
Zahra 2019 4 25
Thank you soo much !

Reply
Aahd 2019 4 23
Hi Travis,
I have noticed the new guideline about the
Field of Study and Research Plan that the
document shoukd not exeed 2 pages. Mine is
4 pages including reference would it a#ect
my application ?
Reply
Aahd 2019 4 23
Hi Travis,
I managed to !t it into two pages
but I still want to add a timetable
and a list of references. I am not
sure whether 3 sheets in total are
acceptable? Thank you in advance.
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Aahd,
4 24
+
The form says that
attachments are
allowed, and I would
certainly consider the
list of references to be
an attachment, so that
would not count as part
of the two pages.
If your research timeline
is just a chart and does
not contain essential
information to
understanding your
FSRPP, I think it could be
included as an
attachment as well.
Good Luck!
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Aahd,
4 24
+
Yes, I just became aware of this
change and will be updating this
article as well as my book as
soon as possible.
It does have to be within two
pages, but the list of resources
could certainly be an attachment

(and not count toward the limit),
and I think you could get away
with including the research
timeline as an attachment, too,
as long as the text portion does
not exceed two pages.
Good Luck!
Reply
Erika 2019 4 22
Hi!
In our embassy’s forms, it states that “This
sheet must be created within two pages.
Additional materials may be attached if
necessary.” for the FSRPP. Do you think that
this means that it’s now a maximum
requirement to have just 2 pages? Thanks for
your insight!
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Erika,
4 24
+
It looks like MEXT changed the
form and requirements this year
(of course they would do that
only 2 weeks after I just !nished
spending 8 months writing a
book on the same form!)
Yes, it is now a requirement to
keep your Field of Study and
Research Program Plan under
two pages, though things like
your list of sources and
potentially even your research
timeline could be considered
attachments (and therefore
allowed to exceed the two-page
limit).
Good Luck!
Reply
Aahd 2019 4 20
Hi Travis, thank you very much for this

amazing guide.
I am planing to apply as a research student
then apply for an extension to enroll in a
masters program. My question is regarding
the Research Timeline, can I include that
during my research student period i will be
preparing for the entrance examinations or
there is no need to mention this information?
PS: in the research timeline i included the
research student period as well as the master
program period.
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Aahd,
4 23
+
Thank you for your kind words.
I do recommend that you include
your research student period in
your timeline. During that time,
you would not only be working
on preparing for the entrance
exam, but would also be staring
your research, as well.
I do not think you need to state
that you would be preparing for
the entrance exam. That should
be obvious, and space is at a
premium, so I recommend that
you focus on your research!
Good Luck!
Reply
Marco 2019 4 19
Hi Travis!
I was completing my Research Plan for this
year’s Scholarship for Research Students as I
want to pursue a Master’s degree course in
Japan (enrolling directly as a Master student).
I wanted to ask you if adding a list of
prospective classes from the three
universities I’ve chosen is a good idea or it’s
just too much. I know from this and other
blogs about this scholarship that showing a
concrete plan of what you want to do
precisely in Japan can be bene!cial, however
I’m not sure if such a thing is actually useful
for increasing my chances or not.
Anyway your blog, especially this step-by-
step guide, has been extremely useful for
writing my Research plan, thank you!!
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Marco,
4 22
+
Thank you for your kind words!
I do recommend listing some of
the coursework that you want to
take in the timeline in your
FSRPP. It is not going to make a
signi!cant di#erence in your
chances, so don’t go overboard
on it, but including it does show
that you have done your
research.
The challenge with applying for
the Embassy is trying to !nd a
way to list the courses so that it
isn’t speci!c to one university
and could apply to all three. For
that reason, I suggest using
general titles.
Good Luck!
Reply
Roweena 2019 4 12
Hi Travis,
First o#, much thanks for this succinct break
down. We as applicants owe you!.
Secondly i have a question related to the
speci!city of the research topic I”ll have to
develop context !rst. For my Civil and
Environmental Engineering Undergrad (this is
what i majored in) we were required to
research and submit a “Final paper”.
Speci!cally, mine was based on database
building and Management for Solid Waste.
Now, id like to know if I’m bounded to further
in a topic related to Solid waste Management
or if I’d be able to explore a new !eld in Civil
and Environmental Eng.
Thanks
Reply
TranSenz 2019 4 14
+
Hi Roweena,
Your topic does not have to be
an exact extension of your
undergrad !nal paper, it just has
to be close enough that you can
show that you have the
necessary background in the
academic !eld to be able to
conduct advanced research. I
would also recommend that you
be able to draw a connection
from one to the other – for
example, highlighting something
in your previous research on
solid waste that sparked your

interest in your new topic and
what you hope that new
research can accomplish.
Good Luck!
Reply
Hannah 2019 4 11
Hi Travis!
For the speci!cs of the research plan (time
frames etc.), how would you suggest
formatting this when applying for a taught
masters? More speci!cally, I am worried about
deciding my timeline when this might not be
in line with the semesters/classes already
decided by my three di#erent universities.
Thank you in advance!
Hannah
Reply
TranSenz 2019 4 12
+
Hi Hannah,
I am not aware of any “taught
masters” in Japan. Every degree
program here that I know of
requires some original output or
culminating project. If your !nal
project for your degree is not a
thesis but some other output,
then I would recommend
considering that to be your
“thesis” and modifying the other
sections appropriately.
I am afraid that without knowing
your !eld, I cannot get any more
speci!c than that, but if you are
looking for an example, here’s
one from an applicant (many
years ago) who wrote a Field of

Plan in !ne arts, where his !nal
output was a portfolio, rather
than an academic thesis:
http://larsmartinson.com/research-
proposal/
Of course I recommend checking
the semester and course
schedules at your chosen
universities and matching your
plan to that schedule as best you
can.
Good Luck!
Reply
Marc 2019 4 8
Hi Travis!
I heard that the research plan is one way for
the screeners/professors to check if you are
also adept in writing and communicating your
research work properly. I’d just like to ask your
opinion, do you think it’s better to use the !rst
person in writing the Research Plan? i.e. “my
proposed research…” “I believe that…” or
should I stick with the traditional third person
writing?
I’m sorry if it sounds trivial. Thanks so much
for your help!
Every time I write a comment, I feel the need
to thank you profusely for all your help and
e#ort. Again, you are a godsend! Best regards!
Reply
TranSenz 2019 4 10
+
Hi Marc,
kind words!
Yes, one of the purposes of the

FSRPP is to show that you are a
clear and e#ective writer (the
interview later will do the same
for speaking).
Parts of the document I think
require you to write in !rst
person, such as your “Current
Field of Study”, but as you point
out, most academic writing
avoids it. When you describe
your research (primarily in
question two and three), I would
recommend that you stick to the
academic conventions for your
!eld, including writing in third
person. When you describe your
background as well as your
intended activities, such as
community interaction or
publication/dissemination
e#orts, then the !rst person
should be !ne.
At the end of the day, I do not
think that writing in !rst or third
person is going to have a
signi!cant e#ect on your
acceptance, but it is just one of
many small things you can do to
make your paper more readable
to reviewers.
Good Luck!
Reply
Nor 2019 3 20
Hi Travis,
Thank you for this helpful guide. I have a
question on “past !eld of study” and “present
!eld of study”. I have graduated with bachelor
degree and currently is working. Is past !eld

of study referring to my undergraduate
thesis? What about “present !eld of study”?
Thank you
Reply
TranSenz 2019 3 23
+
Hi Nor,
Both terms, “past !eld of study”
and “present !eld of study” refer
to what you studied in your last
degree. MEXT uses “present !eld
of study” to refer to what you
studied in your last degree, but I
!nd that term to be confusing for
applicants who are not currently
still enrolled in the degree, so I
use “past !eld of study” instead.
In either case, you should refer to
your undergraduate
major/thesis.
Good Luck!
Reply
Sena 2019 3 14
to begin with,i would like to thank you for this

useful guide.
And i want to ask a few questions regarding
mext applications.
one of the Japanese universities asked for the
documents listed below;
List of recommenders
Overall academic evaluation report
Report on the university’s recruiting,
screening criteria, selection system and
selection process
But i couldnt !nd any forms that explain the
contents of them.So i couldnt understand
what kind of documensts they are expecting

from me?
What would you recommend me to prepare?
Reply
TranSenz 2019
Hi Sena,
3 14
+
I have never heard of those
documents being part of the
MEXT scholarship application, so
it must be something that
particular university is asking for
for their own admissions.
Unfortunately, without any
context, I’m not sure that I could
do anything more than guess. Is
there any way you could share
the exact guidelines they sent
you or the context?
Good Luck!
Reply
Ye 2019 2 1
Hi Travis,
I have a question regarding the length of the
research plan:
I know you said that the length should be no
more than 3 pages, but I’ve been talking to
some successful candidates from the past
and some of them wrote 8 and 10 pages of
research plan. Would it be alright to include a
lengthy and detailed research plan and then a
condensed version of 2-3 pages in the
application?
Another question that does not relate to the
research plan:
I see in the comments that a lot of people did
not pass the initial application screening. Are

there any common problems that people
make in application aside from not meeting
the elegibility requirements such as GPA etc?
Thank you again!
Best,
Ye Yuan
Reply
TranSenz 2019 2 2
+
Hi Ye,
I have also heard from a few
outliers who wrote longer plans,
but I would be surprised if the
reviewers had read through the
entire thing, unless something
caught their attention in the very
beginning and got them excited
about it. In my opinion, going
long does not make you look
more prepared, it makes you
look less organized and less able
to communicate clearly. I would
not recommend it.
For the initial application
screening, the universities and
embassies are only required to
give you feedback if they reject
an application (e.g. do not screen
it) because the applicant did not
meet the minimum eligibility
requirements. For applicants
who are screened but ultimately
not accepted, they will not
receive any feedback on why
their application did not pass.
In my experience from the
University Recommended MEXT
Scholarship, it’s all about the
competition. Even applicants

who meet the minimum
eligibility criteria might be
dropped during the document
screening process because the
university/embassy wants to cull
the applicants down to only the
top candidates before the tests
and interviews. GPA and quality
of Field of Study and Research
Program Plan are going to be the
essential factors in that decision,
based on what I have seen. Since
you can’t control your GPA at that
point, the best thing to do is to
have a well-thought-out and
realistic Field of Study and
Research Program Plan.
Good Luck!
Reply
Ye 2019 2 2
Thank you Travis!
I have a few more
questions, apologies.
Would if be appropriate
in the !eld of graphic
design (in my case book
design) to include
pictures of designers’
work that I plan to
research in the FSRPP?
Would it be necessary
or bene!cial to include
the work I’ve done in the
past in the application?
I heard from a Japanese
studies applicant that
their interviews were
conducted entirely in
Japanese because the
course was taught
entirely in Japanese.
The schools I am
applying for are also
Japanese only. Would it
be possible to know if
that might be the case
for the Canadian
embassy?
Best,
Ye Yuan
Reply
TranSenz 2019
2 4
+
Hi Ye Yuan,
I would only
include
graphics (or
any other
visual
references) if
they were
necessary to
your
argument. If
you are going
to refer to
elements in
the book
design as part
of your
research
description,
that could
work.
For applicants
in !ne arts
!elds, which
would include
you, yes, you
should include
samples of
your work.
The Japanese
Studies
scholarship
requires a high
level of
Japanese
ability from all
applicants, so
it makes sense
that the
interviews
would be
conducted
entirely in
Japanese.
However, for
the Embassy
Recommended
MEXT
Scholarship, I
would be
surprised if
the entire
interview was
in Japanese. It
is likely that
the interview
panel will
include
members who
are not $uent
in Japanese.
But you would
have a few
questions in
Japanese
mixed in there
to test your
ability.
I would
recommend
that you
practice your
interview
questions and
answers in
both English
and Japanese
as you get
closer to the
actual
interview!
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
Ye 2019
2 6
Thank
you
Travis!
Kevin 2018 12 16
Hola, tendrias algun proyecto de investigacion

que podamos usar de guia?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Kevin,
12 16
+
I have found a few sample plans
from past applicants that may be
helpful (I refer to them in my
upcoming book about the

FSRPP). Here are the links
(please note that they redirect to
the websites of the original plan
authors):
http://www.transenzjapan.com/lars/
http://www.transenzjapan.com/onyilam/
Good Luck!
Reply
susan 2018 12 15
Hello sir
I wrote a research proposal but I did not detail
my subject, I just wrote the impact of
international political economic put I did not
specify in which aspect of the international
political economic will impact my research
subject,,, will this a#ect my research quality ??
should I be more speci!c to show them that I
understand my research not only wrote a
general statement like what i did?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Susan,
12 16
+
I highly recommend that you
build your FSRPP around a
speci!c research problem that
you want to examine and have
your methods, and possibly even
your hypothesis, in the FSRPP
when you submit it. Just saying
that you want to study a
particular !eld will not help you
stand out. You should propose
speci!c research and be able to
show its potential impact, for the
best chance of success in your
application.
Good Luck!
Reply
susan 2018 12 16
Thank you for your

replay I understand your
point
can I know what is
FSRPP ?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
12 17
+
Hi Susan,
FSRPP is my
shorthand for
the Field of
Study and
Research
Program Plan.
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
Najmus saqib 2018 11 19

for economics how i answer ….!eld of study
and study plan
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Najmus Saqib,
11 19
+
You need to !nd a research
question that you want to pursue
and then format your proposal as
I outlined in this article.
If you need help formulating a

research question, I am working
on a book that will guide you
through that process, but in the
meantime, I recommend talking
to your current academic adviser
for pointers!
Good Luck!
Reply
`stanley 2018 6 19
Thanks Travis for your wonderful job.

I learnt about this blog much late after I have
submitted my application form.
I have a serious worry with regards to my
research plan because its barely up-to 110
words and there is no reference attached.
Though I intend to do my research on
photovoltaics for electricity (SOLAR ENERGY) I
only speci!ed the nature of technology am
going to apply in the research without much
details. Will this a#ect my chances?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Stanley,
6 23
+
I’m afraid that 110 words for a
Field of Study and Research Plan
would be too short. There is no
way to properly describe a
research plan in so little space.
I am sorry to say that I think it will
seriously hurt your chances,
because this document is
probably the most important one
in the application.
If you don’t make it through the
review this time, then I would

recommend that you spend
more time preparing and submit
a robust and well-researched
Field of Study and Research
Program Plan for the University
Recommendation MEXT
Scholarship application later this
year or for next year’s Embassy
Recommendation.
Good Luck!
Reply
Alek 2018 6 10
Hello,
I think i am saying this form the behave of
everyone.. you are amazing and thank you for
all the help!
Is the research proposal should include-
Research Title,Detailed Theme,Previous
Research in the Field,Problems with the
Previous Research,Research
Goal/Outcome,Research Approach,Speci!c
Research Plan
And the Present Field of Study includes-
Research Background
Also how long the research proposal needs to
be. I know that it dose not say exactly how
many words you need to write. my is 1800
words that is why i am worried
Thank you
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 16
+
Hi Alek,
kind words.
I recommend that you keep your

research proposal around 3
pages (not including any extra
pages required for graphs or
bibliography, if applicable), but I
have heard some people having
success with plans up to 5
pages. 1800 words should fall
between those numbers.
The important thing is to be clear
and concise. Remember that
your reviewers are going to be
reading dozens or hundreds of
these, so they may not give your
plan as much attention as you
want. You need to grab their
attention and make it easy for
them to understand and get
excited about your research, as
best you can.
Good Luck!
Reply
Omar 2018 6 7
Thanks for your useful information

1) For copies, Do we have to make colored
copies or white and black? I am talking about
the copies of certi!ed transcripts, certi!cates,
medical examination report, lab results
reports, application form, study plane, theses
abstracts, etc.
I am afraid that colored copies of certi!ed
transcripts and certi!cates will cause
confusion for reviewing sta# because they
might !nd it di"cult to distinguish between
the original and colored copies.
2) Do we need to staple each set of papers
together? for example the original and copies
of study plane together and the 3 application
forms together, etc.

Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 13
+
Hi Omar,
1) There is no speci!cation, but
black and white should be !ne
as long as all details can be
clearly read.
2) I recommend using paperclips
to keep each individual
document together (for example,
each copy of application form),
but I recommend never using
staples for anything and I would
not recommend attaching
multiple copies of the same
document to one another. Simply
stacking them in order in your
application should be enough.
Good Luck!
Reply
David Clarino 2018 6 5
Hi Travis,
Thanks for making this guide. My only regret is
that I didn’t !nd it sooner as I realize now that
the Field of Study form I have been preparing
is woefully inadequate, but thankfully I found
it in time. My question is: while I have some
familiarity with the !eld I want to go into,
unfortunately the only papers I am familiar
with from the !eld (Quantum Computing) are
written by my target advisor, with whom I
have already established contact. Would
these be su"cient as references or should I
go !nd some last minute sources to include
as reference?
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 12
+
Hi David,
I would recommend that you !nd
some additional sources – not
only for the sake of the
application process but also to
broaden your knowledge in the
!eld. You should also have some
knowledge of sources from your
previous studies, I assume.
As of the time I am answering
this, I assume it may be to late to
include those sources in your
!eld of study and research
program plan, but having that
knowledge for the interview and
future conversations with your
adviser would be helpful.
Good Luck!
Reply
Lazar 2018 6 2
Hi Travis,
Thank you so much for writing this guide, it
has been really helpful. I applied to Todai
twice through the university and was twice
rejected. Nonetheless I didn’t give up and I
raised my head from dirt and decided to go
the embassy route instead and do a doctoral
degree.
I have just submitted all my application
documents to the embassy. However I haven’t
contacted the professors yet from any of my 3
choices as I was still unsure which of them to
choose. Is it too late to contact them now? Or
should I wait to hear back from the embassy?
Kind regards,
Lazar
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 10
+
Hi Lazar,
Applying to Todai for the
university recommended MEXT
scholarship might just be one of
the most competitive and
challenging ways to approach
the MEXT scholarship! The
embassy recommended
approach should prove easier for
you, especially with your
experience.
You do not have to contact your
universities to request a letter of
acceptance until after Passing
the Primary Screening. So, if you
haven’t gotten in touch while
preparing your application and
Program Plan, you may want to
wait until you hear back from the
university at this point.
Good Luck!
Reply
Osama 2018 6 1
Hi travis,
I have a couple of questions if you can answer
them please,
1- I only have 6 days to submit everything and
I just knew about the scholarship, do you have
any recommendations on what to do? all my
papers are ready except the !eld of study or
research plan, but I know what I am going to

do. And the Placement preference form. What
should I do?
2- I didnt understand the time frame exactly
but what I want to do is MBA in HR. Should I
just write: The !rst 6 months I am going to
consult with my supervisor about the paper
and read some articles about it in the same
time am going to learn Japanese and the next
semester am going to !nish the paper and
then apply for MBA in HR for the whole next
year so 24 months in total. Is that what they
actually want? or something else?
3-The recommendation they ask in the papers
( recommendation from the dean ) I have
recommendations by other professors in the
university but not the dean, is that accepted
or not?
4-In the Placement preference form, could
you please give me an example or tell me the
steps to do it as fast as i can ?
Thank you very much and I hope you would
answer my questions very soon.
BR
Osama
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 8
+
Hi Osama,
1- For the placement preference
form, I suggest you read my
article on !nding universities
and professors in Japan. The
article you commented on
should help you complete the
Program Plan. 6 days really isn’t
much time to complete it, but
you can try if you’re willing to put
in a lot of time and not sleep

much!
2- You should have a speci!c
topic or research project that you
want to complete through your
MBA and your timeline should
re$ect your progress toward that
goal. Your timeline should
include all of the research and
writing phases, including
!eldwork, plus the courses you
want to take in the meantime.
3- For the Embassy
Recommended MEXT
scholarship application, a letter
of recommendation from you
academic advisor is su"cient.
4- See #1, above. I do not yet
have a sample created for that,
unfortunately.
If you can’t get everything done
in tie for this deadline, you may
want to consider waiting for the
University Recommended
scholarship application period
later this year or for next year’s
application period so that you
have the time to put together a
stronger application.
Good Luck!
Reply
Gigi 2018 5 31
Hello
Thanks for all your information it’s very helpful
but I’m still worried..I wanted to ask you do I
need to !ll in the 3 professors names I only
have one professor so can I leave the other 2
empty.
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 6
+
Hi Gigi,
You can leave the others empty,
but you will face questioning
about that. So, you would need
to be prepared to explain why
only that professor is quali!ed to
supervise your research.
Filling in only one professor is a
bit of a risk, since if you do not
get a letter of acceptance from
that professor’s university, you
would not be able to continue. I
recommend looking up and
listing a few back-up professors!
Good Luck!
Reply
Vinu 2018 5 29
Dear Travis,
This is one of those last minute epiphany
doubts just before applying. First, there are
two colleges with English course that I am
applying for. The !rst one starts at September
and the second one starts in April. Since the
college whose course starts in September is
my !rst choice, I wrote the timeline starting
from September. Will the second preference
college reject me when they see such a
timeline? Also, since my !rst preference
course only starts by September, does that
mean that the Embassy will only pay for three
of my semesters? The course is a two year
course, but would I have to pay for my own
expense in the last semester?
Thanks again for all your help

Regards Vinu.
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Vinu,
6 4
+
When you write a month-by-
month timeline, you do not need
to specify which month it starts
with. For example, you could
write “Month 1-3” instead of “Sep
– Nov”. Then your plan would
work for either one. However, I
don’t think the university will
reject you over that.
If you are enrolling in a Master’s
degree through the Embassy,
you will get funding for the full
four semesters, regardless of
what semester your program
ends in. The only tie the
scholarship duration changes
based on your arrival month is if
you are a research (non-degree)
student.
Good Luck!
Reply
Al Shamali 2018 5 28
hey
Thank you for your helpful guidelines.
I am a bit confused on where to attach/Paste
my research proposal as a solid set?
OR shall I break it down to answers for the
speci!ed questions?
Reply
TranSenz 2018 6 3
Hi Al Shamali, +
You need to !t your research
proposal into the questions
asked in the form, so you may
need to break it up and edit it
slightly.
Good Luck!
Reply
Omar 2018 5 28
Hi Mr. Travis
Thanks for your generosity in spending such
massive e#orts
I have 3 inquiries, I wish that you kindly guide
me
1) Regarding the application form
question number 15
I am going to apply for Ph.D. in Clinical
Pharmacy.
the question is The !rst course you plan to
take in Japan?
4 options are available including non-regular
course and a Doctoral course
which one suits my situation? doctorate or
non regular student ? I am confused since I
have heard that there must be a period of
training before starting doctoral program.
Should I choose a non-regular course student
or doctorate student?
2) regarding my recommendation letter
My supervisor sent me a recommendation
letter from overseas by post in an unopened
envelope with stamp and signature on the
envelope seal. However he said he just put
original recommendation letter. According to
guidelines, we should submit one original and
2 copies. the problem is that it is di"cult for
me to ask the supervisor to send me copies
again by post, because the !rst one has took a

lot of time and e#ort to get it from overseas.
what should i do? should I open the envelop
and make 2 copies ? what if I submitted the
original one only?
3) I have read in the guidelines, it was written
that doctorate applicants are required to
con!rm directly with the school of their
choices before applying.
How can I con!rm that? I want to know the
strategy. Does that mean I should ask for pre-
approval letter? by the way, I have asked
administrative o"ces in some universities
about the possibility of applying to phd in
clinical pharmacy and they simply replied by
email that you can apply, does that email
response enough to proceed to application
process although some of such email replies
are from general mext scholarship o"ces, not
from schools themself.
Thank you
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Omar,
6 3
+
I see that you had asked each of
these questions before in
separate comments. You can !nd
the answers:
1. First course to take in Japan
2. Recommendation letter
3. Contacting the university for
clinical programs
I get more questions every day
than I can answer, so it does take
a while sometimes to reply, but I
do not ignore any questions.
Good Luck!
Reply
Reza 2018 5 23
Hi Travis,
Thanks for all the info
I wanted to ask that if could apply even i don’t
know Japanese. I am applying for Structural
Engineering, and my Japanese pro!ciency
level is zero. should i still apply?
Reply
TranSenz 2018 5 28
+
Hi Reza,
There are many universities in
Japan that teach graduate
degree programs in English,
especially in engineering !elds. If
you can !nd at least one degree
program in your !eld taught in
English, you should be !ne!
I recently wrote an article about
how to !nd English-language
degree programs that might
help you.
Good Luck!
Reply
Aishwarya 2018 5 22
Hey Travis
thank you for this detailed explanation…its
very much useful.
I did have one small doubt regarding the
research timeline.
I will be applying for a masters course in
Japan for 2019 intake….so should the timeline
include the 6 months Japanese language
training program in it (since I don’t know the
language) or not ???
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Aishwarya,
5 28
+
Yes, I would recommend
including those six months in
your timeline, but understand
that you will primarily be focused
on learning Japanese language
at that time, so your free time for
research will be limited. It would
be good to list them as time to
consult with your advisor and
start a literature review, or
something to that level, but don’t
expect to accomplish much
more.
You may also want to note that
those six months are part of your
plan only if the university
decides to enroll you in the
language program. Ultimately, it
is the university’s choice, not
yours.
Good Luck!
Reply
Laura Harutyunyan 2018 5 21
Hello Mr. Travis,

I want to apply for MEXT scholarship. And I
have 2 questions.
1. In the Placement Form there is a !eld ,
which is called ” Name of Graduate school”.
Should I write something there, if I am
applying for Master’s degree? Or I should !ll
only “Name of University” !eld and “Name of
Professor” !eld?
2. In the Field of Study Form near every
question is written “write in Japan”, but I don’t
know Japan language. Can I !ll that form in

English language?
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Laura
Reply
TranSenz 2018 5 26
+
Hi Laura,
1. If you are applying for a
Master’s degree, you would need
to !ll in the name of the graduate
school at the university you are
applying to, along with the name
of the university and the name of
the professor from that university
that you want to study under.
2. I think it says to write in
Japanese if you have Japanese
ability. You should !ll in the form
in English if you are applying for
a degree program taught in
English and in Japanese if you
are applying for a degree
program taught in Japanese.
Good Luck!
Reply
Minime 2018 5 17
Hi Travis,
Thank you for your valuable information.
I am currently working as R&D engineer for 4
years in a developing country. I have a
colleague that we worked together for that
long. We are intending to apply for MEXT
scholarship, we have a certain
multidisciplinary research we want to
conduct.
So our research plan will seems very similar to

each other. And I didn’t !nd any guidelines
about the research whether it could be
performed by single person or a team.
Is it applicable to have a two person on one
research in MEXT?
Reply
TranSenz 2018 5 22
+
Hi Minime,
This is an individual application
process and there is no
guarantee that both of you
would be accepted, so I would
recommend that you write your
research plans as if you will
conduct the research on your
own.
If you are both accepted and end
up in the same lab in the same
university (or di#erent
universities but able to work
together), then you can alter your
plans and work together later,
but for the purpose of the
application, I recommend
moving forward as individual
applicants.
Of course, you also want to make
sure your research plans are at
least a little di#erent, so you
don’t come across to the review
committee as having copied one
another.
Good Luck!
Reply
Martha 2018 5 16
Hello Travis,
I’ve been reading all your articles and they’ve
been so helpful in this process, however, I
have a question about the timeline for the
speci!c research plan. I’m applying as a
research student since the universities I have
interest in all ask to apply like that at the
beginning of the program. Because of that I
decided on just staying all the coverage of the
scholarship (if granted) as research student
and then try to apply for an extension to
continue with the master degree. I’m aware if I
get selected I will be taking the 6 months
Japanese course so, how long would my
research plan have to cover? Do I cover the
entire 2 years even when 6 months will be
mostly of language study or do I just cover the
remaining time?
Also, I already found possible advisers on the
universities directories but in the case of
I can’t seem to !nd professors
contacts; like they just have a big list with
names and their curriculum but not email or
website so, does that mean I don’t have to
contact them?
Thanks for taking your time to read this and
help us all!
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Martha,
5 21
+
For your time frame, I
recommend that you include
your research student time as
well as your degree time, if
you’re planning to do one major
research project. Most students
spend one semester as a
research student (plus the
semester of Japanese language),

or a maximum of one year, if they
have to wait a full year to take
the entrance exam to get in to
the degree program.
You can include the semester of
Japanese language study, but
your focus during that semester
should be on language (state
that in the plan!). That semester
counts toward your maximum
amount of time as a research
student (2 years if you arrive in
Japan in April, 3 semesters if you
arrive in the fall).
If you cannot !nd the professors’
contact information on the
website, then I would
recommend contacting the
administrative o"ce of the
graduate school you want to
apply to to ask for their guidance
– whether you should contact
professors or not. By the way, the
list of professors is available in
Japanese:
http://pro!le.musabi.ac.jp/
Good Luck!
Reply
Omar 2018 5 8
Dear Mr. Travis,

First of all, thank you for your e#orts and
informative tips, I really appreciate this kind of
positivity
I have some inquiries please, all my inquiries
are related with embassy recommendation
scholarships
1) You recommended to apply for more than 3
universities to increase the chance of

acceptance, how can I choose more than 3
universities while in the application form there
are just 3 blanks to !ll in?
2) In !eld of study and research plan form, it
was written literally in the form ‘’Outline your
!eld of study on this side and the speci!cs of
your study program on the reverse side of this
sheet’’. What do they mean by the word
‘’speci!es’’. Another thing is that, I am totally
so confused about what and how to write on
the reverse side of the paper.
3) What do you think if my research plan 8
papers including references?
4) It is required to write my name in my
language in some blanks, does that mean I
should write my name in my native language
(Arabic)
5) Some documents (certi!cate, transcripts,
recommendation) are required to be
submitted as original documents although
they won’t be returned, however, my
university just gave me one original copy,
what should I do in this situation?
6) Finally, I suggest that if you could look for
candidates who were accepted for MEXT
scholarships in the previous years to
volunteer in sharing their experience and
documents because that will be very useful.
Reply
TranSenz 2018 5 9
+
Hi Omar,
I saw your question on another
article and answered it here.
(Some of the answers were to
direct you to this article, so I’m
glad that you found it!)
Good Luck!
Reply
Yani 2018 4 22
Hi Travis,
This post is great! Thank you for breaking
down the research plan elements.
I have read from one of your posts that
chances for getting a mext scholarship are
not good if one applies for the same degree
level that one already has. In my case, I will be
applying for the mext scholarship 2019
embassy-recommended route. I have an MBA
degree, and would like to pursue graduate
studies in sports in japan. After going through
JASSO’s list of degree courses in English
thanks to your recommendation
(https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/study_j/search/__icsFiles/a!eld!le/2017/05/19/degree_
I found there are only 3 graduate degree
courses in sports studies in japan that is
taught in English (2 courses in Masters level
and 1 course in Doctorate). This is consistent
with my own research, and I in fact have been
interested in applying to these three courses.
However, since I already have a Masters
degree, does that mean I should only be
applying for the 1 Doctorate course available
in English? I am not too keen on applying only
to the Doctorate course for the following
reasons:
1. It is not a national university, so it lowers my
chances of getting a mext scholarship
2. I would prefer to take a Masters degree in
this subject since my previous educational
background was in business/management.
Since 2007 I have been involved in sports
(college varsity athletics, martial arts
practitioner, and recently co-founded a
martial arts school) that is why I want to
pursue my graduate studies in this subject. I
want to my future studies to focus on the
business side of sports – sports management,

sport marketing, sport event and facility
management, etc. – as well as the e#ect of
sports in society.
What would you recommend in this case?
Thank you for your time and appreciate all
your e#orts in helping aspiring mext scholars!
Sincerely,
Yani
Reply
TranSenz 2018 4 25
+
Hi Yani,
I’m glad you were able to !nd
some programs that would work
for you! My next article on this
blog is going to be about how to
!nd programs in di#erent !elds :).
1. I should clarify that applying to
a non-National University does
not necessarily reduce your
chances of getting the
scholarship. If you have a non-
National University as your !rst
choice in the placement
preference form, there is a
higher chance that you would
not get placed in your !rst
choice. Of course, having only
one university in your !eld could
make it more challenging to get
the scholarship.
2. You have to apply in a !eld that
you have majored in before or
that is related to your previous
research !eld. In this case MBA
to sports management seems
like it would be possible. As you
mentioned, you are changing
!elds to some degree, though,

so I agree that it would make
more sense to start with a
Master’s degree. (Changing !elds
is the only time I recommend
this).
I hope that helps!
Good Luck!
Reply
Yani 2018 4 25
thanks for your inputs
Travis! much
appreciated
Reply
Fabio A 2018 4 19
Hi Travis,
I have a small question regarding the Study
and Research Plan.
The Master degree I plan to apply to does not
include a thesis. It is a credit based Master
degree. As such, where the form asks for my
Research Plan and Research topic, should I
focus on what the degree aims to teach and
the di#erent courses? I assume I should then
try to link this to my particular interests? For
the record, this is a Business Master Degree.
Thank you for your help, amazing content in
here!
Reply
TranSenz 2018 4 22
+
Hi Fabio,
I didn’t know there was such a
thing as a credit-based Master’s
program in Japan. Even for
MBAs, you should have some

sort of culminating project, no?
I assume that during the course
of the degree, you will have
some $exibility as to choosing
what courses to take as well as
what particular industry or case
studies you want to focus on, so
even if you are not writing a
thesis or completing a
culminating project, I would
recommend that you write this
document about what you will
focus your individual research on
throughout the course of your
classes. It is not about the
courses you will take, but what
you will do your original
research, analysis and work on.
Clearly, I have never been
enrolled in a business degree,
but I hope that helps anyway!
Good Luck!
Reply
Liza 2018 4 18
Hi Travis.
My name is Liza. I understand that I can only
apply for the scholarship to study the same
major as I had studied in undergraduate or a
related !eld. My degree was on Professional
Communications and the Media (Bachelor of
Arts) but I may want to pursue a Master’s in
tourism/business. This is because I am
currently working in the travel and tourism
industry. Should I indicate on the !eld of study
that my proposed research has to do with my
current job as opposed to the degree I
received? Or should I just write my thesis
without indicating past degree? Thanks a lot

for your help!
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Liza,
4 21
+
You have to relate your studies in
Japan to your previous major, so
you can’t just ignore it or choose
to relate it to your job instead.
You’ll need to come up with
some way that you can connect
your past studies to your current
research. You can use your job as
an additional reason to support
your research, but not as a
replacement for your past major.
Good Luck!
Reply
Ka ka 2018 4 18
Hi everyone !
I want to apply this scholarship in 2019 but I
run into di"culties with Mathematics A. Can
you recommend me some sources to prepare
this test without the previous test (cuz I did all
of it and it is not enough for me) ?
Thank you very much <3
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Ka Ka,
4 20
+
That’s the only MEXT-related
resource I know of. If you !nd a
particular area in that test that
you struggle with, then I would
recommend that you look for
general textbooks on that

portion.
Maybe someone else can
comment with other resources.
Good Luck!
Reply
erina 2018 4 17
Hi Travis,
Firstly thank you so much for this wonderful
guide. Thanks to you I had a good
understanding of the research plan. Because I
had never write a reseasrch plan or thesis
before, this was a great help to me.
I have one question and I will be happy if you
can help me. I will be applying through
embassy recommendation for master degree.
As I had never wrote a thesis to !nish my
degree I am not sure what to write on Field of
Study. In your article it says that we should
mention the previous !eld of study and
research subject. Field of study in this case
should be my degree but what should I write
for research subject?
If you can help me on this subject I appreciate
it.
Have a good day,
Erina
Reply
TranSenz 2018 4 19
+
Hi Erina,
Even if you have never written a
graduation thesis in the past, you
can still write about whatever the
speci!c focus of your
undergraduate major was for this
form. I would recommend
writing about research/studies

from your previous degree that is
directly related to the research
you want to conduct in Japan.
What inspired you to come up
with your research topic that you
want to pursue in Japan?
Good Luck!
Reply
nanaanana 2018 3 24
HI,
I’ve been wanting to apply for MEXT since I
got my undergraduate degree years ago. But I
was hesitant because upon reading the
requirements, I felt like I’m not quali!ed. Can I
apply for the Research/Master’s scholarship
even if I’ve been employed for several years
already?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Nananana,
3 25
+
Yes, you can still apply after
several years of employment! As
long as you meet the age
eligibility requirement, there
would be nothing else to stop
you.
Good Luck!
Reply
Tanzila Islam 2018 3 22

Hello, thanks for sharing this valuable
instruction. I have requested a sample !le for
MEXT Scholarship Field of Study and
Research Program Plan Elements. But I didn’t

get any sample. If you kindly send me the
sample, it will be helpful for me. Thanks in
advance.
Reply
TranSenz 2018 3 23
+
Hi Tanzila Islam,
The link on this article was to
download a sample MEXT
application form. Did you receive
that by email?
I have not yet created a sample
Program Plan or a downloadable
version of this elements guide. I
plan to do so in the future, but it
is part of a larger project that is
taking me more time than
expected to complete.
If you signed up to download the
form, then you’ll be on my
mailing noti!cation list, so you’ll
be one of the !rst to know when I
have those new resources
available!
Good Luck!
Reply
Vincent 2018 3 21
Hi Travis, thank you for this valuable guide. I

have a question regarding the study program.
If I’m applying for the embassy recommended
MEXT scholarship and I intend to go through
all three periods of the scholarship if possible
(that is, apply !rst to be a non-regular
research student, prepare for entrance
examination, apply for masters program and 2
year scholarship extension, and then apply for

doctorate program and 3 year scholarship
extension), should I lay out all 5-6 years of my
research plan in the study program? Or should
I only describe my research timeline up
through the master’s program?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Vincent,
3 21
+
You’re welcome!
only lay out the research student
and master’s student phase of
your research, treating the
research as the preparation for
the Master’s research, not as a
separate topic. You want to go
up through your Master’s thesis.
Good Luck!
Reply
tereya 2018 4 6
Hello,
I have basically the
same intentions as
Vincent, so, continuing
the topic – would it
somehow damage me if
I were to not mention
my plans for Master
degree onwards? I
remember reading up
that it’s up to embassy
to decide to place me
either in research or
master’s student status,
and I wouldn’t want to
go straight for master’s
the moment I arrive.

Also, I’m graduating this
summer and won’t have
the thesis !nished by
the time of documents
submitting deadline.
Below you said that I
could submit an
abstract of an
un!nished paper, but is
this how it usually goes
for students just
gratuating or is this
more of an irregular
case?
Reply
TranSenz 2018
4 6
+
Hi Tereya,
In the
application
form, there
should be a
place where
you explicitly
state whether
you want to
start as a
research
student or
degree-
seeking
student and
another place
to state what
your !nal
degree goal is
in Japan. It is
not going to
hurt your
application at
all to say that
you want to
start as a
research
student and
continue to
the degree.
Ultimately, the
decision of
whether to
place you in
the degree
program or to
start you as a
research
student rests
with the
universities,
not the
embassy. They
will consider
your request,
certainly.
Usually, there
are some
administrative
factors in that
decision – for
example,
some
programs only
accept new
students in
one semester
or the other, or
others require
you to start as
a research
student so
that you can

be physically
present for the
entrance
exam – but it
is very rare
that I have
heard of a
university
asking an
applicant who
wanted to
start as a
research
student to go
straight to the
degree
program,
instead.
For the
abstract, I
think a
signi!cant
number of the
applicants I
worked with
had not yet
!nished their
thesis, or had
not yet had it
approved, by
the time they
applied. As a
reviewer, I
actually have
no way of
telling
whether the
abstracts I
read were for
completed
papers or
papers-in-
progress
unless
applicants
explicitly told
me. Many did,
and it was
never a
problem for
us!
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Reply
tereya
2018 4
My
concern
is also
that I
would
have to
plan
out as
much
as 4
years of
research
month
by
month
if I were
to state
that I’m
going
for
master’s.
And I
have a
hard
time
with
just the
research
student’s
timetable
as it is
already.
TranSenz 2018 4 8
Hi Tereya,
If you’re planning to
go from research
student to master’s
degree, typically
you would only
spend one
semester in
research student
status before taking
the entrance exam
and enrolling in the
degree program, so
it shouldn’t be a
whole four years
that you have to
plan.
I think you may be
going into too
much detail, too.
Some of the
successful plans
I’ve seen had
timelines with 3-
month blocks for
activities, with
detail levels like
“literature review,”
“experiment
design,” etc.
Remember you
should be aiming to
keep the Field of
Study and Research
Program plan with 3
pages or so. Maybe
5 at the most,
though I wouldn’t
recommend going
that long. Keep
your detail level at
an appropriate
point for that
length.
Good Luck!
– Travis from
TranSenz
Celine 2018 1 5
Hello, thank you for your exhaustive

explanation!
I’m really wondering now though, such a
speci!c project plan is completely of our
choice?
Since at this stage applicants haven’t even
applied yet, I imagine it is not something that
has to be agreed with a prospective
supervisor but it is 100% up to us. Am I
correct? I’m just wondering because it would
look like I’m just asking to carry out such a
speci!c project without even asking my host
laboratory…? On the other hand I doubt
someone would be willing to develop/agree

on a project with me without me even passing
the !rst screening by which time it is too late.
Hope I’m making sense. Thank you so much
Reply
TranSenz 2018
Hi Celine,
1 5
+
As the saying goes, “no plan
survives !rst contact with the
enemy.” Or the advisor, in this
case.
The purpose of writing a plan at
this point is to prove that you
can. You are not committed to
carrying out that research
exactly.
have at least a solid draft of your
plan in place then start
contacting prospective advisors
with your idea. Get their
feedback on how your research
interests intersect with theirs and
modify your plan accordingly. (Of
course, this is assuming that you
start early enough to do that).
Even if you start late and don’t
have time to get feedback, you
should know – and your advisors
ought to know – that your
research plan is subject to
change.
Good Luck!
Reply
Urooj Shahzadi 2017 8 9

Thank u soooooo much for this help
Reply
Isadora 2017 8 9
Wow what an amazing post, I can’t thank uou

enough!! Incredibly helpful, and I feel a lot
more con!dent and prepared. Thank you!!!!
Reply
TranSenz 2017 8 9
+
You’re very welcome!
Good Luck with your application,
Reply
Carol 2017 6 14
Hello Travis!
I just wanted to give you my biggest THANK
YOU. Your posts have helped me A LOT with
the structure of my research plan. I started
really late to prepare my documents because
I just found out about the scholarship a
couple weeks ago. Ever since, I’ve been
worrying nonstop about what to write for the
!eld of study and the study program. It’s been
extra hard for me since I’ve never written a
thesis before (I studied medicine so it wasnt a
requiremente at my uni), and I´ve never really
done much research either (again not many
research facilities in my country). I’m still not
100% happy about it but at least you have
helped me in making it more organized and
understandable, so again thank you!
Reply
+
TranSenz 2017 6 21
Hi Carol,
You’re very welcome. I’m glad to
hear that it helped and I wish you
the best of luck with your
application!
Good Luck,
Reply
maria 2017 6 14
I just came to say thank you, I don’t know how

I could !ll this form without all the information
that you wrote here!
Reply
TranSenz 2017 6 21
You’re very welcome. I’m happy

+
to help!
Reply
Christa 2017 6 12
Hi Travis,
Thanks for this clear and helpful guide. I think
I have a good grasp on this part of my
application now.
I have a question related to a di#erent portion
the application. Is it required to submit an
abstract of a thesis or other paper? I have not
written a thesis for my undergraduate degree
yet (will be doing that and graduating this
coming fall semester) and on the application
form I have marked that I haven’t written a
thesis yet where it asks. On the list of
documents to submit it says an abstract of
your thesis, “if applicant has written” – so does
that mean I don’t have to submit an abstract
of a paper at all since I have not written a

thesis yet?
Thanks!
Reply
TranSenz 2017 8 24
+
Hi Christa,
I’m sorry for the late reply. It’s
probably too late to help, but my
advice would be to contact your
embassy/consulate for their
guidance. They’re not always
consistent, so it’s best to get the
answer straight from them.
In most cases, Embassies (and
Universities, for the University-
recommended MEXT
scholarship) would ask you to
submit an abstract from any
major paper/project you
completed that is related to your
!eld of study in Japan.
Also, you don’t have to have
!nished the paper to submit an
abstract. Typically, you have the
abstract done earlier in the
process, I think.
Good Luck!
Reply
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MASTER THE MEXT

PURPOSE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY

but they’re all in Japanese). (4)

PROGRAM PLAN: FORMATTING Life in Japan (5)

Titles and Formatting: Feel free to format your Field of

If you have to add extra pages to account for the

Tables, Graphs, and Diagrams: If they add to the document

References: Include a list of references on an attached

COMPLETING THE FIELD OF STUDY

Make sure that you describe your interest in terms of what

To strengthen the statement above, you could go into more

2. YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC IN JAPAN

* The Contribution of ‘Outsider’ Expertise to Rural

intend to research [SPECIFIC FIELD] from [METHOD]

It is important to include the intended outcome of your

* This study will elucidate how specialist knowledge

Yes, the original Japanese is a horrible run-on sentence.

PREVIOUS RESEARCH IN THE FIELD

This should be concise and just enough to establish that

PROBLEMS WITH THE PREVIOUS RESEARCH

could alter understanding of the !eld, etc. Make sure you

This section is where you establish how your research will

Remember that not everyone is an expert in your !eld, so

When discussing the bene!ts, it would be bene!cial to

PAGE 2: STUDY PROGRAM IN JAPAN

RESEARCH APPROACH INTRODUCTION

In the second, shorter paragraph, describe how you expect

SPECIFIC RESEARCH PLAN

For each step, you want to go into detail. So, “literature

This is also a good place to mention speci!c coursework

If you plan to do !eld research (and you absolutely should)

One Keio professor mentioned in his blog that he expects

Your Research Program Plan is a strategy, not a concrete

List your references in alphabetical order, using the format

How to Research and Craft a Research Plan

KALS Graduate School Application Prep School application

Keio University Professor’s Blog

JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and

Study Channel Research Plan Writing Guide

Five Steps to Writing a Lousy Research Plan (University of

Before asking any questions in the comments, below, I

For tips on getting your questions answered faster (and an

I’d also recommend signing up for my mailing list, below, to

Download Your Free Sample

Please choose only one scholarship type below -

Interested in MEXT Scholarship for Graduate

2018 University Applying for the Embassy

throughout the degree to pursue

Ani Daniel 2020 4 21

Ani Daniel 2020 4 30

Thanks for the reply, Am

Program Plan, where you touch

study are really that di#erent,

Abraham P. Jallah 2019 12 31