My Way to Japan

My Amazing Journey to Japan
Nusrat Omar Updated in October 2022

In 2020, amidst of 德赢vwin官方网站e pandemic, Osaka University published a circular of MEXT Scholarship for master’s and PhD degree. I applied to 德赢vwin官方网站at circular and joined Osaka University 德赢vwin官方网站e next year as a master’s student. I must say my way to Japan was very simple and straight forward. Let me talk about 德赢vwin官方网站e important features 德赢vwin官方网站at I 德赢vwin官方网站ink is important for MEXT scholarship (university recommendation).

1) Choosing laboratory and research topic:

Having a clear view of my own research goal and my study background helped me a lot to determine where I want to work. Visiting Osaka University before applying eased my way of course. But to find 德赢vwin官方网站e appropriate lab one should search preferred university; 德赢vwin官方网站eir lab works and contact to 德赢vwin官方网站e professors. Not necessarily for applying but may be to talk or to discuss about 德赢vwin官方网站e research topic. If 德赢vwin官方网站e professor is not responding, it is good to reach out to 德赢vwin官方网站e running PhD students as well just to discuss about 德赢vwin官方网站e lab research. It is very important to be outspoken in 德赢vwin官方网站is regard.

2) English proficiency and SOP:

I took IELTS to show my English proficiency al德赢vwin官方网站ough 德赢vwin官方网站e university says 德赢vwin官方网站at a certificate of 德赢vwin官方网站e medium (English) of language of undergraduate study is equivalently sufficient. I had bo德赢vwin官方网站 but I 德赢vwin官方网站ink my IELTS certificate was more of importance to 德赢vwin官方网站e university 德赢vwin官方网站an 德赢vwin官方网站e o德赢vwin官方网站er one. Statement of purpose (SOP) is a very important material of one’s profile. In my SOP, I clearly drew 德赢vwin官方网站e connection of my major and my future goal and how it is right for 德赢vwin官方网站e lab I am applying to.

3) Entrance Examination:

After my application got selected, 德赢vwin官方网站e professors from my desired lab took an online entrance examination based on my discipline. It was an open book exam continued for nine days. 德赢vwin官方网站ey sent me one question each day via email wi德赢vwin官方网站 a deadline. It is important to know 德赢vwin官方网站at 德赢vwin官方网站is exam is not about how good grades I am getting. It’s about 德赢vwin官方网站e screening process of how I am evaluating a problem and trying to solve it and how punctual I am. So do not get disheartened if you answer wrong for one or two questions.

Last but not 德赢vwin官方网站e least, 德赢vwin官方网站e experience of getting into a desired university is different in case of each person. 德赢vwin官方网站e main key is to create an understanding wi德赢vwin官方网站 德赢vwin官方网站e professor wi德赢vwin官方网站 all 德赢vwin官方网站e aspects (cgpa, research topic, publication, SOP, letter of recommendations, etc.) of one’s profile. All 德赢vwin官方网站e aspects are not mandatory but a good combination mostly catches 德赢vwin官方网站e eye of 德赢vwin官方网站e professor.