The Japanese government provides scholarship programs in different fields of expertise, including teaching. Individuals abroad may pursue teaching training in Japan under the MEXT scholarship program. Offering a comprehensive package that ensures the support for students, recipients will definitely enjoy a grounded experience learning about the teaching field.
Table of Contents
- What is MEXT Scholarship?
- All about the Teacher Training Program Scholarship
- More Info about the Program
- To wrap it up
What is MEXT Scholarship?
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship or also known as the "Monbukagasho" Scholarship is a centralized scholarship program funded by the Japanese government that is made available to help the foreign students who want to study in Japan.
MEXT has a number of diverse courses that accommodates the needs of the students.
Thus, there are a lot of scholarships offered by MEXT to choose from but for those who wish to enhance their abilities and skills in teaching, applying for the Teacher Training Program would be a great choice.
Writer's Pick
All about the Teacher Training Program Scholarship
The Teacher Training Program is a non-degree program that is sponsored by the Japanese Government that caters to international teachers who wish to study in Japanese universities.
Japan is known to have a high quality educational system as it is a country that is consistently ranked in the top 10 countries best for education. Completing a robust training program from a world-class country like Japan will help you improve your knowledge, self confidence and competency as you will be challenged in finding a new approach in teaching.
Furthermore, this can also help increase your employment opportunities everywhere you go, be it international or in your home country. And most importantly, you will be able to execute quality performance in teaching when you go back to your home country. Aside from all of that, because you are provided with everything that you need, you can also be a student and a tourist all in one.
The training will be conducted using the English or Japanese Language for the students to understand and master the academic content, become proficient in the Japanese language, and be able to communicate easily with others as they stay in Japan. The time frame for the completion of the training course is a total of one year and six months, including the early months of learning the Japanese language. Also, please keep in mind that you are not allowed to extend your scholarship period once you finish the program.
So what are the things to consider when applying for the program?
MEXT only accepts international students' applications that meet the qualifications and conditions given for submission.
Presuming that you
1. Have citizenship in a country that has diplomatic ties with Japan and aren’t a dual citizen (dual citizens have to renounce their Japanese citizenship to be eligible),
2. Are younger than 35 (born on or after April 2, 1985 to be exact with very few exceptions allowed), and
3. Are healthy (you have to submit a health exam certificate)
And are not
1. In active military service during the program,
2. A former recipient of a MEXT scholarship,
3. Receiving support from other scholarship organizations and
4. Currently or planning to be a student enrolled in a Japanese university outside of this program
then you are on a good path to meeting all the requirements!
Here are the three biggest requirements in our opinion.
First, you must be a degree holder or a teacher training school graduate. You should have working experience from your home country for at least five years or more in primary or secondary educational institutions or teacher training schools to apply for the scholarship program as they take only serious applicants.
Having a degree and experience beforehand shows that you already know the basic foundation about your course. Going out of your comfort zone to grow your experience in teaching could be a great advantage as it will help bring a fresh perspective in your career when you study in Japan.
And second, even though the training will be done using the English language, you are required to know how to speak the Japanese language or be willing to learn it, as you will be staying in the country for more than a year. For the students who are not proficient with the Japanese language, there are Preparatory Japanese language courses that you can take in the respective university you are enrolled in.
The Conditions after the training program for teachers
And the third is that after your scholarship period, you must return to your home country to utilize the training done in Japan. After all, the whole purpose of earning a teachers training in Japan is to be able to use the skills to further your career and enhance the education of your students back in your home country. Suppose you fail to get back to your respective work as an educator at your primary/secondary educational institution or teacher training school, you will have to pay the entire amount charged of the scholarship program taken.
Moreover, aside from your academics you must also be socially and culturally involved, both while in Japan and when you return home. Joining events like festivals and traditional gatherings are highly recommended for you to experience the culture and also be able to understand and adapt to the environment easily.
As an international school teacher, exploring and making good relationships with the people would be a great help in maintaining and strengthening the relations between your home country and Japan. And lastly, you must also be willing to cooperate with the surveys and projects that are conducted by the Japanese diplomatic missions after graduating and returning to your home countries, meaning you are committed to applying the knowledge gained.
More Info about the Program
The Training at the Universities
As a recipient of this scholarship, you will be provided with a fully furnished unit for accommodations with all the necessities provided such as appliances (tv, refrigerator, washing machine etc.) and furnitures (bed, cabinet, desk and chairs etc.) for your stay in Japan. For example, in certain universities, you might be staying in a dormitory complex near your campus which specifically hosts both international and Japanese students.
The MEXT, along with the host institutions, will be the ones to choose where you will be enrolled based on your Japanese language ability, written examination and interview results. Since it is required for you to take a Japanese Language course in elementary level, you will be enrolled in an institute for six months with 30 hours of instruction for a week. But if you excel in the said language course and if your main supervisor approves, you can proceed to academic training right away without the intensive elementary level Japanese Language course.
The host institution will provide the "Course Guide of Teacher Training Program" where all of your classes and activities for the whole training program are listed. You are to complete this training in accordance to your program with other Japanese or international students. Furthermore, the program varies depending on what university you are in, but it mainly consists of educational administration, specialized subject research, and observational tours. Also, you will have special seminars under your advisors as well as the practicum or practical training in the university's primary and secondary schools for the completion of your course.
Extra-curricular activities are also included in the course guide, so aside form the observational teacher training tours, you will also be having cultural field trips and meetings to give you a more rounded experience.
※ Hiroshima University, "Towards the Integration of Theory and Practice in Education" ※ Hyogo University of Teacher Education, "Special Features of the Course"
What are the benefits that the chosen grantees will receive?
You will be given an allowance of approximately 140,000 yen per month to pay for accommodation, food and other living expenses. Apart from this, an additional monthly allowance worth 2,000 to 3,000 yen per month will also be given for those studying in special designated subjects or curricula to accommodate the expenses in their research projects. Also, you don’t have to worry about any educational fees because MEXT will cover all the expenses, such as entrance examinations, enrollment, and tuition in the respective universities. And lastly, MEXT will provide the roundtrip transportation fees to and from Japan.
※ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, "Application Guidelines Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for 2020 (Teacher Training Students)," p. 4
How do they Select the Scholarship Grantees?
First you will submit all the required documents, including the application form, diploma, academic transcript, current employment records, health certificate and a recommendation letter to an Embassy or Consulate General of Japan near your area.
Your initial screening will be conducted by the Japanese diplomatic missions through the examination of the application documents, written examinations, and interviews. After the pretest, if chosen, you will be recommended to MEXT to proceed for the second screening. However, those who pass this stage are not necessarily guaranteed that they will be selected as MEXT scholars.
fter the second screening, the Japanese diplomatic missions will give the final results of the selection to your country on a distinguished date, following the notification of your accepting university. However, the program will not accept any objection on the university placement because you will be assigned to the area according to your test results and Japanese speaking capabilities. Thus it’s important to be flexible and positive-thinking no matter where you are assigned. From this point forward, MEXT will keep in touch for further details such as the flight schedule, information on the university placement, etc.
※ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - Japan, "Application Guidelines Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship for 2020 (TeacherTraining Students)," p.5-6
To wrap it up
Being a teacher is not easy and training to become the best in your profession should never be far from reach but fret not, Japan is here to provide all that's needed! Teaching is both a challenging and fun role, and having an excellent educational discipline, such as what Japan offers is such a favorable opportunity to grab. Aside from getting quality education and the generous scholarship, you can also discover Japan's rich cultural heritage and develop as a person as you see more of the world. There are a lot of benefits in studying in Japan, so why not come along to experience a whole new perspective? An adventure of a lifetime awaits you!
