MONBUKAGAKUSHO Scholarship

MONBUKAGAKUSHO or MEXT Scholarship is the scholarship offered

by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
of Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
General questions (all categories)
1) When is the opening date for application, and when is the deadline?
A) MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship starts in April. The deadline of
application is tentatively fixed on June 8.
2) Where can I get the application form and where to submit it?
A) The application forms are available at the Office of Scholarship and
Training of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) and
applications will be accepted there. The Embassy of Japan in Cambodia does
not distribute and accept the application forms directly.
3) Can I apply for MEXT scholarship if I do not know Japanese language?
A) Yes. However, for students who apply for undergraduate in Social
Sciences and Humanities, Japanese test score is taking into consideration.
4) Are the tests in Japanese, English or Cambodian?
A) All the tests are in English only.
5) I have high TOEFL score; do I still need to take English test?
A) All candidates must take all tests.
6) Will the written exam questions be prepared by the Embassy of Japan in
Cambodia or by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodian
government?
A) Since 2010, the written exam questions are prepared by the Embassy of
Japan in Cambodia. Different from previous years, the written exam will be
held only once for all scholarship programs (Research Students,
Undergraduate, College of Technology, and Specialized Training College).
7) Where can I find sample questions of written exams?
A) You may find past exams questions in the following URL.
http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0308e.html

8) When will the result be announced?

A) Usually, the result of the first selection will be announced in early August,
and the final selection by MEXT will be announced during December to
February.
9) Is TOEFL score required when applying for the scholarship?
A) No. it is not required when applying for any categories of
MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship.
10) How should I fill in the application form?
A) It is recommended that application forms be typed or written in CAPITAL
letters for hand writing to improve readability.
11) I have more to fill in the Educational Background of the application form
than the form provided. What should I do?
A) If you could not include all of your educational information in the provided
form, you may create a sheet which has the same format and contains
information as the provided form. You may add more rows in the sheet if
appropriate such that you can put all of your educational information. Attach
the sheet with your application form and at the "Educational Background"
section in the application form, mark or write something to direct us to read
the attached sheet.
12) Do I need to translate my certificate in Khmer into English?
A) It is not necessary to do so when you submit your application forms to the
Office of Scholarship and Training of MoEYS. Your application including your
certificate will be checked and verified by MoEYS not by the Embassy.
However, when you pass the written exam and submit all the documents to
Japanese Embassy, all documents must be translated or written in English or
Japanese, except for transcript and high school certificate which will be
translated by the MoEYS.
13) I have passed the written exam and proceeded for the next step. I saw
the application forms on the Japanese Embassy's website which is
downloadable. Is it acceptable that if I complete ALL the forms in the PC
and then print them out for submission?
A) The application forms on the Japanese Embassys website are used for
written test only. Therefore, if you have passed the written test, you must use
the paper application forms provided by the Japanese Embassy or if you
would like to fill in all the forms using a computer, please follow the link below
to download the application forms:
http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0307e.html. The application forms on
this website are the same as those (paper application forms) provided by the
Japanese Embassy.

14) I have only one original transcript, so can I copy it and have it attested by
the Municipal office and submit it as an original transcript?
A) Yes. If you got the stamp proved by the municipal office, that stamped
document can be used instead of the original one. However, try to get an
original one from your school if possible.
15) About recommendation form, the scholarship requires 1 original and 2
copies. I wonder how can I take it to copy since it is seal in the envelop with
confidential.
A) About recommendation letter, you can ask your recommenders to
copy it first before she/he seals it.
16) The photo size required in the application form is 4.5x3.5, while usually in
Cambodia, the photo size is 4x6. Is it acceptable if the size on the application
form is slightly different?
A) For the photo size, slightly differences in size is acceptable, provided that
the photo is clear and the object in the photo appeared in appropriate
position.
17) Do I need to submit my health certificate by myself?
A) No. The MoEYS will send it directly to the Embassy. Therefore, you do not
have to worry about it.
18) I am a candidate who failed the MEXT scholarship examination, can I
take back the application and documents submitted to the Embassy?
A) The Embassy does not return all or any submitted documents.
19) In the previous years, I have passed the interview, but failed in the final
result. Is the selection based on the written exam?
A) The criteria of the selection is not based only on the written exam score.
The overall evaluation is based on written exam scores, documents submitted
and the interview.

Research Students
1) I am currently in my final year of a university. Am I eligible to apply for the
scholarship?
A) Actually, according to the requirements of MONBUKAGAKUSHO
scholarship, applicants who will graduate by the time of departure to Japan
are eligible to apply for the scholarship. However, the policy of the MoEYS of
the Cambodian Government requires that applicants hold a certificate by the
time of application. The Embassy respects the policy of the MoEYS of the
Cambodian Government, and therefore you need to have the graduation

certificate when you apply for MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship.

2) To apply for Research Students Scholarship, is it necessary for the
applicants to have work experiences?
A: There is no such requirement in MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship. Fresh
graduate may apply.
3) Can I apply for a major different from my past major?
A) It is recommended that you apply for the field of study you studied at the
previous university or any related fields or fields of study that are related to
your current work. When applying for a field of study different from your
previous field of study or work, you will need to show that you have enough
academic abilities to conduct research in the desired field of study. A clear
explanation would give a persuasive and convincing reason for it.
4) What is the selection process of Research Students Scholarship?
A) The first selection process is written exam (only once), research proposal
screening and interview. Candidates who passed the first selection will be
recommended to MEXT. MEXT will perform final selection of the
recommended applicants and select scholarship grantees.
5) What are the subjects in the written exam?
A) They are English and Japanese. The highest score of one of these two
subjects will be taken as the score of the written exam.
6) For Research, is Japanese language important in study in Japan?
A. Although you do not have to write your research thesis in Japanese, basic
Japanese language is very important for studying and living in Japan. If you
do not have to study in Japanese, you still need Japanese for your everyday
life and communications with Japanese people. Even you do not know
Japanese language at the time of applying, successful MEXT scholarship
grantee will study Japanese language from 6 months to 18 months before
entering master course.
7) For the fields of Research, what are the fields of study which is not
provided by the scholarship?
A) For Research, fields of study must be subjects which applicants will be
able to study and research at Japanese universities. Therefore applicants can
choose any fields of study which are studied and researched in Japan.
Please research by yourself whether the field of study of your interest is
studied in universities in Japan or not.
8) I have attended a meeting and there were many universities in Japan
presenting about their universities. I have talked with a professor from a

university and he said that I should have two years of working experience to
apply for graduate program in his university. To apply for the Research
Program of the scholarship, do applicants need to have at least two years of
job experience?
A) There is no such requirement in the guideline of the scholarship. Fresh
graduate may apply. However, some fields of study at some universities may
require work experiences; for example, MBA program at X University does
not require work experience but Y University require. It is a good idea to
check with the university as well.
9) In point 6 of the application, which is related to the field of specialization
studied in the past, I found out that my study during the final year of my
university was not relevant to my present job, about which I am going to write
a research proposal. Therefore, do I have to write an abstract for my past
research? Or do I have to write only one abstract related to my present
career?
A) If you wrote thesis for graduation, you have to write and submit the
abstract of your thesis, regardless of the relevance of the thesis with the
research you want to do in Japan.
10) The recommendation should be from two different lecturers or from only
one lecturer but make two copy in different Sealed Enveloped?
A) You need two recommendation letters. One from your (thesis) adviser or
your university rector and another one from your current employer. Each letter
must be sealed and has 1 original and 2 copies. If you are a fresh graduate,
the recommendation letter should be one from your thesis adviser and
another one from your university rector.
11) How many candidates will get selected in the written exam?
A) About 50 candidates will get selected in the written exam and will proceed
to the documents screening test.
12) I do not know Japanese language at all, can I apply for Research
Students scholarship?
A) It is not required that you know Japanese language for Research Students
scholarship. However, when you are selected for the scholarship, you will
study in Japan, and therefore it is recommended that you learn Japanese as
much as possible before your departure to Japan.
13) After arriving in Japan, what can I do as a scholarship grantee for
Research Students?
A) As a scholarship grantee for Research Students, if your Japanese
language proficiency is determined insufficient, usually you will be placed in a
university's Japanese language training institution for the first six-month

period after your arrival in Japan. After that, you may enroll in a research
student course until the end of the period of the scholarship, or proceed to a
regular graduate course if you want to pursue a Master's or PhD degree.
Proceeding from a research student course to a regular course is subject to
period-related restrictions. Please refer to the answer of Question 15 below.
14) For Research Students scholarship, since I hold a Master's degree, can I
enroll in a doctoral program?
A) Yes, you can. If you are selected for the Research Students scholarship
and hold a Master's degree and want to enter a doctoral program, you may
proceed to a doctoral program. Proceeding from a research student course
to a regular course is subject to period-related restrictions. Please refer to the
answer of Question 15 below.
15) What is the term (period) of the scholarship?
A) The term (period) of the scholarship is as follows:
If grantee comes to Japan in April, his/her scholarship will be
payable for 24 months.
If grantee come to Japan in October, his/her scholarship will be
payable for 18 months.
In either case, this term of scholarship includes a 6-month Japanese
language training period for grantees who require such training.
16) Is the Research Students scholarship extendable?
A) The scholarship is extendable, however is subject to period-related
restrictions. To proceed to
A master's course in a Natural Science field, grantees must be
able to pass the entrance exam by the last day of the 24th month
counted from the month of arrival in Japan.
A master's course in a Social Science field, grantees must be able
to pass the entrance exam by the last day of the 25th month
counted from the month of arrival in Japan.
A doctoral course in a Natural Science field, grantees must be
able to pass the entrance exam by the last day of the 13th month
counted from the month of arrival in Japan.
A doctoral course in a Social Science field, grantees must be able
to pass the entrance exam by the last day of the 24th month
counted from the month of arrival in Japan.
17) What will happen if I do not pass regular course entrance exam within the
restricted period?
A) Your scholarship will be ended in 1.5 years or 2 years (depending on the
term of your scholarship) after your arrival in Japan. You may continue to
enroll in the university as a privately-financed student.

Undergraduate, College of Technology, and Specialized Training College

1) I am currently enrolling in grade 12 of a high school and high school exams
will be held after the scholarship application submission deadline. Can I apply
for one of these scholarships?
A) According to the requirements of the MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship
For Undergraduate, and Specialized Training College
Applicants who will graduate by the time of departure to Japan are eligible to
apply for the scholarship. However, the policy of the Ministry of Education,
Youth and Sports (MoEYS) of the Cambodian Government requires that
applicants hold a certificate by the time of application.
For College of Technology
Applicants who have completed or who will complete a 11-year school
curriculum or longer starting at elementary school by the time of departure to
Japan are eligible to apply. However, the policy of the MoEYS of the
Cambodian Government requires that applicants must have graduated from a
high school and hold a certificate by the time of application. The Embassy
respects the policy of MoEYS of the Cambodian Government, and therefore
you need to have graduated from high school when applying for
MONBUKAGAKUSHO scholarship.
2) I do not know Japanese language. Can I apply for the scholarship?
A) It is not required that you know Japanese language at the time of
application if you apply for a major which does not require proficiency in
Japanese language. Only Social Sciences and Humanities field of
Undergraduate scholarship require good achievement in Japanese language
test.
3) Can I apply for a major different from my current major at university?
A) It is not required that you select a major which is the same as your current
major at university. You can apply for any major regardless of your current
major.
4) What are the available fields of studies?
A) The available fields of studies are as follows:
1) Undergraduate - Social Science and Humanities A: Laws,
Politics, Pedagogy, Sociology, Literature, History, Japanese
language, and others.
2) Undergraduate - Social Science and Humanities B:
Economics, and Business Administration.
3) Undergraduate - Natural Sciences A: Science (Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry), Electric and Electronic Studies (Electronics,
Electrical Engineering, Information Engineering), Mechanical
Studies (Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture), Civil

4)

5)
6)

7)

Engineering and Architecture (Civil Engineering, Architecture,

Environmental Engineering), Chemical Studies (Applied
Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, Textile
Engineering), and other fields (Metallurgical Engineering, Mining
Engineering, Maritime Engineering, Biotechnology).
Undergraduate - Natural Sciences B: Agricultural Studies
(Agriculture, Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Engineering,
Animal Science, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Food Science,
Fisheries), Hygienic Studies (Pharmacy, Hygienics, Nursing), and
Science (Biology).
Undergraduate - Natural Sciences C: Medicine, and Dentistry.
College of Technology: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and
Electronic Engineering, Information, Communication and Network
Engineering, Materials Engineering, Architecture and Civil
Engineering, Maritime Engineering, and other fields.
Specialized Training College: Technology, Personal Care and
Nutrition, Education and Welfare, Business, Fashion and Home
Economics, Culture and General Education and other fields.

5) What is the selection process of the scholarship programs of

Undergraduate, College of Technology, and Specialized Training College?
A) The first selection process of these scholarship programs is: written exams
(only once) and interview. Candidates who passed the first selection will be
recommended to MEXT. MEXT will perform final selection of the
recommended applicants and select scholarship grantees.
6) What are the subjects of the written exams for Undergraduate, College of
Technology, and Specialized Training College?
A) The subject of the written exams are as follows:
Undergraduate - Social Science field: English, Mathematics A,
and Japanese. Good achievement in all the three subjects is
required in order to pass the exam.
Undergraduate - Natural Science A field: English, Mathematics
B, Chemistry, Physics, and Japanese. However, Japanese test
is used as reference for placement in Japanese training
course before entering university only. Therefore, English,
Mathematics B, Physics and Chemistry will be taking into
consideration to decide successful candidates.
Undergraduate - Natural Science B & C fields: English,
Mathematics B, Chemistry, Biology, and Japanese. However,
Japanese test is used as reference for placement in
Japanese training course before entering university only.
Therefore, English, Mathematics B, Chemistry and Biology will
be taking into consideration to decide successful candidates.

 College of Technology - Material Engineering field:

Mathematics, Chemistry, English and Japanese. However,
Japanese and English tests are used as reference for
placement in Japanese training course before entering College
of Technology only. Therefore, Mathematics and Chemistry will
be taking into consideration to decide successful candidates.
College of Technology - Other fields: Mathematics, Physics,
English and Japanese. However, Japanese and English tests
are used as reference for placement in Japanese training
course before entering College of Technology only. Therefore,
Mathematics and Physics will be taking into consideration to
decide successful candidates.
Specialized Training College: English, Mathematics, and
Japanese. However, Japanese test is used as reference for
placement in Japanese training course before entering
Specialized Training College only. Therefore, Mathematics and
English will be taking into consideration to decide successful
candidates.
7) I do not know Japanese language. Will it affect the exam result?
A) It depends on the scholarship and the fields of study.
For Undergraduate Social Sciences and Humanities field,
Japanese score is counted in the overall score. Achieving high
score of Japanese test would contribute to the overall score.
For Undergraduate Natural Sciences A, B &C fields, College of
Technology, and Specialized Training College, Japanese score is
used as reference only. It will not affect the overall score.
See Q6.
8) How many candidates will be selected in the written exam?
A) The number of students selected for Undergraduate, College of
Technology, and Specialized Training College depends on the score of the
written exams.
9) What is the term (period) of the scholarship of the Undergraduate, College
of Technology, and Specialized Training College? Is it extendable?
A) The period of these scholarships is as follow.
Undergraduate: 5 years (including one year of Japanese
language and other necessary subjects)
College of Technology: 4 years (including one year of Japanese
language and other necessary subjects
Specialized Training College: 3 years (including one year of
Japanese language and other necessary subjects
It is extendable upon successfully passing scholarship extension exam.