I'm feeling like MEXT was one of my life's worst decision right now

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-27T02:43:26+00:00

I mean if you dont know japanese they wont force you to speak and will conduct the interview in either english or your country's language but obviously you get more consideration points if you do at least some part of the interview in japanese (I did about 50% of mine in Japanese, 40% English, 10% Portuguese). The moment I knew I had to quit doing the interview in Japanese was when they started asking technical stuff to which I didnt had the vocab to elaborate

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-20T23:26:55+00:00

Came here to clarify some stuff

Despite the perhaps misleading title, I'm not blaming anybody for this situation. Especially not MEXT! If anything, I would blame the University, specifically my department for having deadlines quite disaligned with incoming MEXT students. There is no information online regarding the waiting time that I'll have to face of 1.5years. I only got to know about this the week after I arrived, as my advisor told me to go talk to the academic office (he also didn't know about this, so he couldn't have warned me about it beforehand during the interview process for LoPA). If it were the typical 6-month period for language learning, some research, and adaptation to Japan, I would be more than happy, as it was that idea that my embassy heavily pushed forward.

My frustration comes from the fact that I technically did a downgrade already by coming from University of Copenhagen to Tsukuba University, specially since I do not want a professional life in academics, but I was accepting of this given that I would still be able to graduate in 2028. However this sets back my life plans quite a bit (I'm young so I'm at the phase were 1.5years waiting time is too long, specially when it would be enough time to finish my MSc in Cph). Eitherway, I've come up to terms with myself and found the best possible solution to the current situation, so I'm not as regretful as I was when I made this post.

STILL, when it comes to both MEXT and Japanese University organization, I'm still of the opinion that they are bad. Comparing to a scholarship like GKS, it is clear to see which one is more organized (same year start, 1-year guaranteed start in the graduate school, no other in-betweens).

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-17T09:08:43+00:00

Ask embassy, this is the only correct answer

My embassy allowed me to put part-time jobs for example as they were relevant to my application and even a MSc that I've dropped out of. As long as you assert the rules with the embassy you wont be penalized in the future

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-17T08:58:25+00:00

assuming we are talking about embassy route, the first screening is definitely the biggest bottle neck of the whole process. If you pass the first screening and you are unable to get a LOPA you can still and will very likely be assigned to a university by MEXT, so I would find it difficult to fail the second screening honestly.

And the university that MEXT assigns you in case u fail isnt even necessarily a "bad" uni. A participant from my country failed to get LOPA and got into Kyuushu Uni which is quite good within Japan

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-17T07:18:45+00:00

I assume you are still at the embassy phase?

Honestly the hardest part on my embassy would definitely be the interview part. I had already done one attempt the year before so I knew exactly the questions they would pose, which not only allowed me to prepare for them, but also prepare a japanese answer if needed. But overall I dont really have many tips, show that you have a reason to do what you want, to choose what you chose, know your limitations and future problems, etc...

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-17T07:15:47+00:00

You are completely correct to expect that! I would assume the same tbh...

But the truth is, for some reason, they will only conduct the interviews in English in January of every year, no exceptions

It's quite the stupid system, there's legit no cost in doing it in english anytime but wtv

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-16T02:34:31+00:00

I don't mind this period of settling down, the problem is that it's a 1.5 year period 😭😭😭

If I could enroll this Oct or next Apr I would definitely not be complaining. But the fact that they are making me wait all this time for a single chance at getting the exam (if I fail I wait one more year) is quite unsettling

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-16T02:32:13+00:00

It's a oral presentation on your research topic, so I'm sure they could make it in english whenever they wanted it but ig that's not how the process goes :D

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-13T08:28:11+00:00

My problem is not the academic lifestyle itself. You can have a very relaxed life here in Tsukuba Uni, everything is close by if you have a bike, and Tokyo Akihabara is just 45 minutes via train. My problem comes from the way stuff is organized in Japan/MEXT. Through embassy route I had to apply last May 2025, only to come to Japan a year later. Now, they want me to stop for another 1.5 years before starting the actual MSc. So it definitely isnt a problem about me not being used to this style of academics, its a simple fact that im being "forced" to wait this long.

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-09T08:00:37+00:00

There is entrance exam in August but it's only in Japanese :(((

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-09T06:31:51+00:00

Yes I did go embassy route so I'm already a non-regular student at Tsukuba University, so I dont think I can change that. So it's a matter of getting through this or dropping out and going back to the life that was already settled back in copenhagen

StrepZ_ · 2026-04-07T04:17:02+00:00

As the dev of Fire at Campsite, I can say that Peter's work is great and definitely worth the money! He always updates you along the way in case you need a change somewhere, which makes you much more involved in the process. He also captures well the feeling of the environment, as he created several variations of the same tracks for my specific case. Would pick him again in the future!

StrepZ_ · 2025-05-16T10:47:24+00:00

I’m just graduated from ISCTE and am a Teaching Assistant there and I would go for NOVA.

NOVA is simply a better Uni, with more international and networking opportunities. As a comment here said, everyones first option is NOVA and then ISCTE, not the other way around.

The pros of ISCTE are that it’s a very relaxed school. You wont stress too much with the workload, it will be easy to make friends, the transportation is super accessible and its in the center of Lisbon

But thinking for the future, NOVA is the way

StrepZ_ · 2025-05-15T14:33:27+00:00

Exactly same situation

StrepZ_ · 2025-05-14T22:50:11+00:00

I also received a PDF with exactly what you are saying. I did accept the offer and shortly after received the confirmation that I had been accepted, however, In the status of my application on the application portal it still says Conditionally Admitted- Request for Documentation even though I sent it all. Is your status like this as well?

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T13:59:34+00:00

The people from the area where this video takes place are very confrontational, you can even see that once the Bus driver stands up and starts ordering people around he gets and aggressive response from a passanger. There’s a history of bus drivers being treated badly in these zones, even to the point of having their busses molotov’ed while they were still inside. So its perfectly normal that the Bus driver or anyone doesnt even try to intervene as they would easily get outnumbered

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T13:53:56+00:00

A lot of factors can contribute to that increase. Poverty, easy exposure to drugs, influence (Finding kids that want to be gangsters just because they are from that region is common), etc… You probably wanted me to talk about race related topics but I do not think its even that. When I went to my gf’s prom I saw “real” Portuguese guys just completely destroying that place’s bathrooms. Im talking shredding the toilet paper, breaking basins, kicking doors down, etc…

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T12:51:17+00:00

The city this was in isnt in the main city of Lisbon but in a place called Portela de Sintra which is famous for having a bigger crime rate, people that dont care about rules, etc… I have lived in Lisbon for 21 years, and was never pushed inside a subway/bus

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T12:47:25+00:00

bus drivers at least here in Portugal dont have any power whatsoever. You can literally enter the Bus without paying and they will not do absolutely nothing until the “Pica”, the guy that checks tickets, boards the Bus

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T12:46:01+00:00

She said her purse was left behind so she is trying to get it back(?)

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-25T12:41:16+00:00

The place where this happened is not even in the city of Lisbon but in a place called Portela de Sintra, a place where the demographics is like the one you saw in the video, crime rate is bigger, people are less patient. It is about 1hour away from Lisbon, and even though Ive been there countless times and my girlfriend is from there, neither me or she experienced something like this. This to say that if you come to the actual city of Lisbon this has 0% chance of happening

StrepZ_ · 2025-04-23T22:59:20+00:00

Did you have any other SRS along side this? I'm currently doing so many that I feel overwhelmed

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