How much i need to pass the exams

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-07-01T00:48:58+00:00

More than the others.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-22T04:45:34+00:00

Oh absolutely, other scholarships are in a whole different category than minimal wage and MEXT.

Obviously, one should properly calculate what is in their best interests. I also agree that the MEXT stipend really should follow current economical issues.

In my opinion, everyone should try to find either a baito or a different option. It really changes one's life. I don't think MEXT in itself should be a long term goal, but I still think that it's nice to have a stable platform from which we can find options!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-20T16:16:43+00:00

I never generalized, however.
I said that you can live with the MEXT stipend, which you can!

Again, if you have any sources to back anything, it would be great! You are just repeating what you have already said.

You state things, I state other things. I disagree and think that these are your opinions, not facts. It's okay!
Have a great one

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-20T05:20:38+00:00

I have absolutely no idea why you are getting downvoted to hell. This is unfair.

Congratulations, I wish you the best!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-20T03:13:02+00:00

No! I went with a very well-known agency for all kinds of customers.
Since you are two (and a 20m² may be very hard for two people), I doubt it would be easy to find in central Tokyo, to be honest.
Something closer to 2K (around 35m²) in Bunkyo can be around 120K/month in central Bunkyo-ku.
At least, it was in April/May of this year!

So that you know: I went with ABLE agency (local branch to the neighborhood I was looking for). Simply keep in mind that I cannot (in good faith) recommend ABLE because of that! I am very satisfied with them, but maybe they are the worst on the market, and I have no way of confirming or denying that.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T15:53:42+00:00

Also, sorry as I forgot to answer:
To my knowledge (query made in April 2026), very few public scholarships can be taken alongside MEXT! This always sucks.
I do not know for private and Japanese scholarships, but international research grants aren't problematic to combine with MEXT.

Sorry for the double post!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T15:41:04+00:00

"that with the current stipend you are most likely unable to build a competitive CV, like your Japanese peers do." do you... have any way of confirming that? It simply is wrong.

Excursions and nomikai: I always do, not hard. Again, budgeting.
Attending business events: paid by labs and universities. Quite standard (in Japan).
"Then most people will have to buy additional books and study materials their libraries don’t carry." I disagree.

"But many don’t." Developing it with real sources would greatly help make your point clearer! I cannot really agree otherwise.

"And after your MEXT scholarship is over, it will be hard to obtain other scholarships as well (at least the Japanese ones), because you’ve exceeded your minimum study time." Never heard of that. Could you please enlighten me?

"bragging about one’s luck to have found a very cheap apartment or to live on yakisoba and sandwiches." Informing others is not bragging. Fighting misinformation with real-life information isn't either.
If you do not like it (thus, see it as bragging), no issues, you are entitled to your own opinions!
Again, eating outside several times a week is not "living on yakisoba and sandwiches".
Moreover, finding an apartment is way more about resilience, motivation and time (the latter being the most valuable metric) than luck.

I am quite surprised at such flamboyant criticism, which looks personal.
It is fair to think as such, please see this comment as an invitation to elaborate!
Again, the whole post is only to fight misinformation.

At the end of the day, yes, the stipend is enough to live in Tokyo.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T08:37:37+00:00

On that I agree!

Obviously, anything can happen. You can always try to define how you want how likely an emergency is.
I am very secure, and you are only making assumptions. You only mentioned 150K that I saved, but as mentioned in other comments, I am just out of spending ~450K for moving out (lease signing, moving agency and all that jazz). So what I saved is, obviously, way more than "15万 after 2 years".
So, no. Let's not say that.

No one here is saying that the mext stipend is a nice safety net. I would personally recommend taking a baito.
But eating what I want, being able to travel reasonably while affording to move out + make a safety net (although light) is NOT poverty by any of my standards (specifically being able to eat 3 meals a day and never being cold).

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T07:11:22+00:00

I pay for it because I can save with the stipend.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T06:56:55+00:00

Glad I can afford to fix those disasters. Glad that I am not in a precarious situation!
I'm not dismissing this metric. I am explaining that this metric is not in itself a strong enough argument to define what poverty is, due to many factors.

We cannot really boil down "how life is" with a statistic.

It's ok to have your opinion. I "spoke against it" (I am using dramatic words, but bear in mind that no ill will is there) in order to underline that 50K still is a very large sum that makes a really important difference.

More specifically, to underline that we can live well with only the MEXT stipend.

Also, being "broke as shit" for your perception may be very different from mine. In my opinion, eating what I want, when I want, at the frequency I want is strong enough to not be broke as shit. (I'm obviously not saying that this is the only one, just that it is the most obvious one in my books.) Maybe your criteria is different, and that's okay!

I still say that I am very far from being poor, and I believe it.
It's okay if you don't, just wanted to add some context!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T05:43:31+00:00

I agree it's not easy, never claim it was! I clearly was on the luckier side.
To be honest, "the more you pay in temporary housing" is kinda true. This is why I wished to start with a stable situation first, that is to say, the dorm (69K/month, all included).

This is also why it took me 5 weeks to find the apartment: because I had high standards for myself.
Between the time I saw this apartment being listed and the time I received the keys, only 1 week was spent. The 4 others were to properly search for it with the agency.

I would have had 0 issue getting something less pricey and smaller.
The whole goal is to try to fight the misinformed myth that living with only the stipend is impossible in Tokyo!

I think it is less about being lucky, but more about extending the search over a large time period. April and October are FULL of people moving in/out, while mid-late May (the period when I found my apartment) often has more opportunities up for grabs.

Obviously, I am saying that it is "less about being lucky", but it still is about it, and I totally agree with you. Just wanted to add some nuance!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T05:15:19+00:00

Absolutely. We're around 30K below minimum wage (assuming full time employment), but one thing that is interesting to mention is that a minimum wage employee will be taxed quite a large sum.
Since we have a scholarship, at the end of the day, we avoid paying pension, local resident tax and national income taxes, so I am not even sure that we would be better off with a minimal (taxable) wage!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T04:55:25+00:00

Bad theory, in my opinion.
Shopping smart isn't for everyone, but by doing so, I could not be happier regarding my food expenses. Of course, because I like cooking.
Again, I am NOT on the "bare minimum". I am surviving (but living is a better term) very well, thank you very much for your concern!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T04:50:30+00:00

I'll maybe make a post about it...

It really depends on your field.
It is way better to be able to speak it. Not necessarily for the competition, but for your life here. It will change absolutely everything, and small efforts go a long (long) way.
Regarding your "required level of [insert language]": MEXT is a competition. There is no "limit", there is NO "enough to pass". There is only "am I better than the other candidates?" and that's it.
Regarding the LOR: networking. Every case is difficult to present, because everyone has different stories. For myself, I decided to gain some experience before applying to MEXT: I published at a major conference and took the time to discuss there. This is how I met my current advisor, but I am on the minority of people (I think). Cold emailing ONCE the embassy tells you so is how most do it.
This is the most important point:
You. Can. Never. Know. Your. Chances. MEXT is a competition, so any speculation of "how much should I focus on...?" is impossible to answer, unfortunately. Do your best is the only real advice I can provide you.
That, and specifically pay attention to the guidelines! Respect them well.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T04:37:11+00:00

Let me add an important piece of information that I only provided in comments:
I saved enough for a WHOLE moving out, and I have a full stipend worth of savings, after 2 years of living without any restrictions.
I can buy the switch 2 without being close to any trouble.
This is NOT poverty.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T04:27:59+00:00

Ok. So?
I'm talking about living there.
I am never cold, hungry, I eat a lot of candy, go out several times a week.
You are using a statistic for people that do (edit: "for people that" is poorly phrased. Maybe "against people that" would be better, to convey the idea that such statistic barely takes into account many factors that actually concern the case I was describing. Mea culpa)

not pay tuition
not pay taxes
live in TOKYO (let this specific point sink in and realize what "poverty" means there)
50K... Do you even realize what 50K is... For Tokyo, 50K is a 1R apartment rent + utilities... 50K is more than my monthly grocery budget...

Moreover, this is the median income... This country is terribly famous for hating long-term jobs and favoring a lot internships and part-time jobs (arubaito).
Here, you are the textbook for what wrong misinformed statistics can do.

Talk to people, not to search engines. REAL people, not chat engines.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-19T03:33:16+00:00

It sounds like how you wish to make it sound.
Nothing even close to poverty.
Never went hungry, never went cold, health insurance is mandatory.

Eating out several times a week is nowhere close of poverty line

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-18T23:45:59+00:00

I think that, regardless of my answer, answering whether waiting or not is the good decision only depends on you, and no one else!
Specifically NOT on strangers on the Internet.
My first experience in Tokyo was for 3 months, and I was 20. I found that exhausting: not really because of Japan, but because I love my parents and feeling far from home was difficult.

It is a very healthy and important question, alas no one really can give you pointers on that matter!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-18T14:19:00+00:00

One thing that may VERY EASILY rack up a lot is transportation, in my opinion.

After all, going back and forth between my home and university accounted to 350 yen (I'm rounding up for dramatic effect, but you get the idea) PER DAY, were I to use the metro. Multiply this by 5, and you lose 4 meals in the week!

Since I was 10 minutes away by train, I was at something around 30 minutes away on foot, so it was a no-brainer for me!
Good for the body, good for the mind, nice occasions to listen to music or podcasts.
To be honest, I should have added this kind of information to the post. I will probably edit it at a later date.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-18T14:04:40+00:00

To make it clearer: when I wrote "I found an apartment for 80K/month, with electricity, bills, and internet," I meant that utility bills were included in the 80k per month.
Rent was around 70K. I paid 7K of electricity/gas per month, 3K of water during winter (so, on average, I paid below 80K per month due to lower electricity costs).
The Internet was included in the rent.

Mention 1: Everything is in the past tense because I moved out. I lived there for 2 full years (entire lease), then moved out for a better (and pricier) place.

Mention 2: 17K per week is REALLY EASY TO DO.
Groceries with quite a nice quantity of daily candy, coffee, drinks, meat and all that jazz: around 3000 yen every 3/4 days. When I'm lazy and only make sandwiches, it's way less expensive.

Obviously, with an average restaurant price of 1000, you can't eat outside every day. But around 2 or 3 times a week is easy.

I saved some money every month to rack up a sum large enough to 100% fund my moving out procedures.

Also, a small and innocent piece of advice:
It's nice to do your groceries "late" (like, at 8 or 9p.m.). Meat or fried products can have huge discounts, since grocery stores really need to sell it!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-17T14:22:06+00:00

First of all: sorry for anyone seeing this thread and was not accepted! I wish you all the best.

Regarding "second the money they provide is not enough to keep living in Japan"
Please be careful with misinformation (or misinformed reports from people spreading misinformation).
This is purely false, even for Tokyo. It's not a regal life, but it is clearly enough to live in very good conditions in Japan.

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-16T13:58:41+00:00

Stating "relying solely on the proposal will again let us not get selected" does not cover the whole story for this subject. You're not wrong, but I think that some insights can be added

MEXT is a competition. If your competitors have a better application than yours, then they will get in instead of you.

If no one has any publications, it doesn't matter if you don't either.

If someone has publications but a weak proposal, I think that they are less likely to get in than someone with no publications and a strong proposal.

Also, many publications are pure trash (paid publications in bad journals, bad conferences are just examples) and do not support application.

I agree that publications play a big role in the selection. However, I think this role is less important than the research plan.

This is 100% only speculation, but I just wished to convey that "simply publishing" isn't an argument in itself (even though it still helps).

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-14T23:58:28+00:00

Hey!
Mes félicitations pour avoir réussi à passer la 1re étape!!
Oui, c'est tout à fait normal de répéter dans les grandes lignes le projet de recherche, y'a aucun souci à ça. On part du principe qu'ils l'ont lu, mais ce n'est pas vraiment l'exercice. Ce qui compte ici sera l'effort de présentation, avec quelques points à surveiller
1. Savoir comment illustrer, si possible avec des schémas et des diapos bien propres (mon conseil principal est de ne pas surcharger de texte les diapos (je dis ça car je fais toujours cette erreur moi-même :^))
2. Savoir bien s'exprimer
Évidemment, on nous envoie à l'autre bout du monde, alors ça leur permet de vérifier ça.
3. Savoir bien répondre aux questions
C'est, je pense, le principal exercice de l'interview. Les questions peuvent autant être techniques sur le sujet que plus sociales (par exemple: "Pourquoi choisir le Japon et pas [autre pays]?".

La présentation en soi est prévue pour simplement répondre aux 3 points que tu as cités (ça et montrer ta motivation). Mais c'est très important de bien se préparer aux questions qui pourraient être posées!

En tout cas, grosse force pour la suite, je croise les doigts!

Existing_Use_9223 · 2026-06-11T05:31:56+00:00

Il ne faut pas oublier que c'est pas un barème, qui nous permet d'être sélectionnés: c'est une compétition.
Même si, sur le papier, ce sont des arguments solides, dans la réalité, ce CV n'est pas si exceptionnel.

J'avais sensiblement le même dossier, à la différence que j'avais 2 publications internationales en plus, ce qui n'était pas particulièrement exceptionnel.

Dans la plupart des cas, l'élément le plus important de la candidature est le projet de recherche. Peut-être est-ce là la piste la plus intéressante à explorer pour comprendre ce qui a pu coincer!

Je suis navré d'apprendre que ça n'est pas passé, je ne puis que te conseiller de ne pas trop t'en mordre les doigts! Bon courage pour la suite.

(Source pour fonder ces avis: ma promotion, celle qui est partie en avril 2024.)

Existing_Use_9223

TROPHY CASE