Monbukagakusho exam experience: undergraduate

A reader and a friend of mine had requested me to write about my experience before, during and after the Monbukagakusho exam. What you should know and be prepared of. I hope my readers who are thinking of trying their luck to get this scholarship, anywhere in the world would find my post is useful.

My experience here I will explain as detail as possible based on my experience taking the exam in Malaysia last year (2010).

Take note that I’m applying for undergraduate program. For post graduate program, I think you can find the information at the forum and other site.

If I’m in position to take Postgraduate program, I will definitely share my experience for the guidance of others.

I hope this post will help a lot of people of getting know the insight of this exam and be prepared for it. Please do tell me if it is helping you. I really open to good comments.lol ^^

[Update]: 5 June 2011 extra info link

[Update]: My 2011 Monbukagakusho experience

ONE: Sending the application form

Normally Embassy of Japan in Malaysia will open up the application period for a month started around March. Visit the website of the Embassy of Japan and look out for link to scholarship. The details of the scholarship will be written there too. For the application form, make sure that you fill in the form as required and you must have the qualification that they needed or else they will reject your application. I would strongly suggest that you type your application form instead of writing it because it is much neater and you no need to worry about whether the information will fit in that particular space (you can make the font smaller, etc). Besides, it is easier for the embassy too.

Then, recheck your application form again and put your signature when you already satisfy with it.

From my first previous experience, after I fill the form and send it, I have a minor mistake that I made on the application form. Luckily it is not serious and luckily, again, I meet the education counselor at Japanese embassy at Jalan Stonor. I go there more than 5 times.

My advices, if you can, please meet the educational counselor first before sending your application form. It is much safer and you don’t have to feel worry about whether you application form is confirmed or rejected.

TWO: Confirmation letter

From the application period to the exam day is about 2 to 3 months. You will get confirmation letter that look like this:

 Click on the image for magnification

You can see that the confirmation letter come together with a piece of paper that shows venue, date, time, note and the map. Usually the exam held at Confucian Private Secondary School.

Tips: You better check the way to go there or else you will be in trouble.

THREE: Preparation before the exam

Now after you’ve already sent the application form and get the confirmation letter, a question about how you going to prepare for the exam definitely strike your mind.

Based on my experience, you should be prepared that there is NO CALCULATOR is allowed during the exam. (Check the note on the paper together with the map when you get the confirmation letter)

Honestly, it is difficult when for most students in Malaysia using calculator almost in all major exams except UPSR.

I’m a physics student (Natural Science A) so the exam subject is: 

Physics, Chemistry, English, Mathematics B and Japanese language. 

Each subject is 1 hour.

For those who wanted to practice with the exam question, you can go to the link below:

http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0308e.html#1

About the syllabus, I asked the education counselor, he said that Tokyo set up the question so he was not so sure about it.

However there is important information that I wanted to share:

I found that Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) syllabus is following MEXT syllabus so you can take it from there. Here is the link to the syllabus page:

http://www.jasso.go.jp/eju/syllabus_e.html

The Monbukagakusho exam formats are almost the same as EJU in terms of the question style.

For STPM students, I feel that most of the thing STPM students are studying is enough but there are some of the questions are a bit different and some need SPM inorganic knowledge like reaction between metals and mineral acids, etc. But if you just finished SPM, you might be able to pass through the qualification, but for the entrance exam, you really have to study more than SPM syllabus to qualify. Make sure luck is on your side (mine too! lol).

So, go and study everyone when you still got time!

FOUR: A night before the exam day

Make sure you go sleep early and wake up early so that you won’t be panic during the exam. However, before that, make sure you prepare things that you should bring. I will give you a list of things that you should bring on the exam day and why you should bring it.

1) Stationery: Pencils, eraser, ruler, sharpener

        These are the most basic things you need to bring in order to answer the exam papers.

2) Water bottle

        In case you feel thirsty and dehydrated. It is good to make you calm down in case you nervous. Besides, you have to stay there for almost a whole day from morning to late afternoon. No need to go out to find water if you prepared it beforehand.

3) Sweater or jacket

        From my previous experience, the Confucian Private Secondary School hall’s air conditioner is very cold. So, it is better to prepare a sweater or a jacket in case you’re getting cold during exam. Please have a proper dress code. I saw many people wear short shorts and some inappropriate dress that cause bad first impression that you probably don’t want. Wear something comfortable that is suitable with the event.

4) Bentō

        Bring your own food for lunch and in-between paper snacks like biscuit to keep you refreshed through out the exam period. In my opinion, by bringing bentō, you will not only save money, but also save precious little time to revise some notes to be prepared for the next paper instead of using that time to buy food. Unless you are really really good.

I think there’s KFC somewhere near there because I saw all the invigilators eating KFC during lunch break.

5) Short notes, reference book …

        Some last minute revision might be useful to refresh our memory before the exam. My suggestion, don’t bring too many books because there’s definitely not enough time to read through it. (I learned it from my past experience ><;; lol)

FIVE: On the exam day

When you reach the exam place, you need to wait to line up in order to sign the confirmation paper that you attend the exam. However, before that, you can check your seating on papers that is glued to the wall near the entrance hall.

Locate where the toilet is in case of emergency.

You can bring your bag inside the exam hall but you are not allowed to do any sort of cheating during the exam. If you are caught doing that, you will immediately disqualified. What a waste.

All electronic devices such as cell phone must be switched off and put it inside your bag.

PLEASE listen to the invigilator carefully as he/she will give the information and information that is important to all the examinee.

Please be punctual every time the paper starts you may have to start later than other or you delayed the exam or you may not be able to seat for the paper at all.

From my previous experience, the hall is occupied with more than a thousand examinees that took this exam. Honestly, it was kind of scary when you think about how many people are able to get the scholarship and the odds of passing through this exam.

Last year, I talk to the Japan embassy representative at FACON education fair at PWTC and she said that this year (2010) there’s a lot of examinee that can score very high like 90+% compare to last year (2009). I do agree with that too because some of the physics and chemistry questions are too simple but some are, for me, confusing and hard.

FACON education fair: Embassy of Japan Booth

For Japanese language paper, you have the option to leave the paper blank unanswered if you really do not know Japanese. Before you leave, you must write down your particular so that your exam participation will not be rejected by Tokyo.

For the scholarship, they look at the results of 4 major subjects for Science student. That is: Physics/Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and English. You will have added advantage if you can get certain score in Japanese language. I think it is only apply when you get the interview though.

SIX: Results

After a few weeks to a month, you will get a letter: if it is thin, it will tell you to try again next year (I get that T.T); if it’s thick, it means that you are going for interview.

Well, common sense.

So this is the letter that you will get when your application is unsuccessful:

  Click on the image for magnification

 

I don't know what the letter looks like if my application is successful since I haven't get that yet. Hopefully I will. Then, I can share it with all of my blog readers.^^

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There you go. A complete walkthrough for this scholarship except the interview part because I did not get the chance to be interviewed by the embassy, yet. I hope I will get the chance and get the scholarship and I will definitely share my experience to those who wanted to try their luck with this scholarship.

If you wanted to ask questions, you can comment on this post, or send message on facebook if you have, or you can just write your question on chat box. Please leave your e-mail or link to your blog if you have at the chat box. Please take note of stating your question properly.

By the way, I did mention about this experience in another blog post: 15 August 2010: Special update. 

You can check it out if you want to know it. Only a short one though. lol

Good luck to everyone and me too!

[Update]: I find out this link is very informative. It is about the Monbukagakusho scholars who successful get this scholarship. Check it out to learn more about this scholarship from him.

Japanese Government Scholarship by Kim Siang

This link is about his experience  in Japan.

Life in Japan by Kim Siang 

 There are few forum that is very informative too such as ReCom.org, 

There are more info about other scholarship too.

I find out that it is about Malaysian students, mostly.

P.S: The address is changed in order to protect my privacy.