An Introduction to the Monbusho Scholarship, Part II

In my last post, I stated that Japanese Government Scholarships, or Monbusho Scholarships, can be an excellent way for adventurous students to earn a degree via a full ride scholarship to a Japanese 4-year college, university, or professional training college. A Google search will reveal some resources for the Monbusho Research Training Scholarships, but very little information regarding the other types of scholarships. In this post, I will be focusing on the Undergraduate Scholarship and the Professional Training College Scholarship and their general pros and cons.

What’s the difference between the two scholarships?

The Undergraduate Scholarship is a five-year full ride scholarship to a Japanese university. One year of preparatory Japanese language training is followed by matriculation at a national university assigned by the Japanese government. Recipients are assigned a school based on the major that they chose when applying. The universities can be anywhere in the country, from downtown Tokyo to the distant Kyushu countryside.

The Special Training College Scholarship is a three-year full ride scholarship to a Japanese vocational college. Like the Undergraduate Scholarship, recipients are assigned a school by the Japanese government based on the major that they chose when applying and receive one year of preparatory language training. Most of the students on the Special Training College Scholarship are placed in Tokyo or Osaka, although I have heard of cases of recipients being sent to schools in Fukuoka and Nagoya.

I believe that both scholarships have their good points and bad points. In general, I would recommend that those looking for a degree that can be immediately applied to jobs in their home country (especially the U.S.) without additional education apply for the Undergraduate Scholarship. While I think that my time on the Special Training College Scholarship was worthwhile overall, the special training colleges are more inflexible in terms of class choices and general rules. That, combined with comparing the experiences of friends studying at Japanese universities to those studying at special training colleges, makes me recommend the Undergraduate Scholarship over the Special Training College Scholarship.

Of course, there are some general pros and cons that apply to both scholarships.

Pros

• You will receive fully paid tuition and a living stipend from the Japanese Government. Basically, the Japanese government is paying you to live in the country and attend school.
• You will have the chance to experience life in a different culture. In addition to looking good on a resume, living for an extended period of time in another country will give invaluable insights into your own culture (and personality) as well as that of your host country.
• You have the opportunity to build a nest egg while in school. Japan, unlike many other countries, permits exchange students in good standing to work up to 28 hours per week as long as their studies don’t suffer. With the high hourly wages for English teaching and translation and the absence of educational debt, it’s possible for students to build up positive net worth while in Japan or to use that money for overseas travel and other opportunities that might not be available otherwise.

Cons

• It is difficult, and in some cases impossible, to change your major. You need to be sure that the field you choose when you apply is one that you will be happy studying for an extended period of time.
• You must be under 22. Unfortunately, there is a maximum age limit for these two scholarships. There will be a cutoff birth date listed on the application.
• You must be extremely flexible. I’m not sure if this is a true “con” or not, but Japanese Government Scholarships require a high degree of adaptability and tolerance. You will encounter the red tape of the Japanese bureaucracy, racism in various forms, and be expected to function at the same level as your peers while having only a fraction of the language abilities.

It is important to consider the above points as well as your own reasons for applying. In the next post, I will discuss the application process.

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Free College: An Introduction to the Monbusho Scholarship

“Ignorance is bliss” might be a popular saying, but I personally believe that higher education can be an invaluable asset both in opening professional doors and broadening intellectual horizons.

In an ideal society, everyone should be allowed to obtain a higher education degree a reasonable cost if they are qualified and so wish. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have been able to graduate from a four year college in the United States with no outstanding student loans. However, I know that few are as fortunate as I am. As of 2005, only 27.7% of Americans had earned a bachelor’s degree and only around 30% had earned an associates’. The lack of money for tuition and other related costs can be a major factor in the decision not to pursue or complete a degree. Also, people who do graduate from college often do so with expensive student loans, forcing them to devote a sometimes significant portion of their future earnings to payments.

Over the next week, I’d like to outline one method of obtaining a degree for free that doesn’t get as much detailed exposure as it should: Japanese Government Scholarships, otherwise known as Monbusho Scholarships or MEXT Scholarships. My posts will be aimed at North Americans in general and citizens of the United States in particular, but some of the information will apply to those from other countries as well.

Where I’m from in the United States, the Japanese Ministry of Education’s scholarships for research students are fairly well-known among Asian Studies and Japanese Language students. What many people don’t know is that there are many types of Monbusho Scholarships available, including Undergraduate and Professional Training College Scholarships. With a Monbusho Undergraduate Scholarship, students will attend language school for a year in order to attain a level of Japanese adequate for college studies and proceed to a four year university. Recipients of the Professional Training College Scholarship attend Japanese language school for a year and then continue on to an assigned professional training college (senshuu gakkou) where they will earn the equivalent of an associates degree.

As a Monbusho Scholarship student, the Japanese government will pay all of your tuition and grant you a living stipend for the duration of your studies.

Living and studying in Japan has its highs and lows. Speaking from experience, this scholarship is not for everyone. On the other hand, if you can handle it, the opportunity to attend school in a foreign country on someone else’s dime and create the memories of a lifetime is worth all the stress and struggles.

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