Pictured: Me, in the Future (???)
As mentioned in my first entry, I’m currently living off my savings and cartooning fulltime. My hope is to make fulltime cartooning a sustainable reality, and as such, money is the predictable bottom line. If this venture fails to earn me at least a living wage, I’ll be forced to abandon it (or at least abandon its fulltime pursuit).
But as important as capital is, if I devote too much time to the pursuit of funds, then I wouldn’t have any time to devote to my artwork, thus rendering the whole endeavor meaningless. So there’s a delicate balance that needs to be reached, between time spent on my art and time devoted to the logistics of getting by. Only in rare instances are these two factors in harmony with each other. One such instance is in my pursuit of a Monbukagakusho (or “Monbusho” for short) Scholarship.
The Monbusho Scholarship, like the JET Program, is funded by the Japanese government, and serves as an exchange program of sorts. But while the JET Program works to introduce diversity to primary and secondary English education in Japan, the Monbusho Scholarships seeks to do it at the university level. There are different types of Monbusho Scholarships, but the one that I’m applying for is a graduate-level research scholarship. My research proposal focuses on Japanese Calligraphy and Ink Drawing.
The application process has proven to be long and arduous, and the guidelines were at times maddeningly vague. But the potential payoff is huge: a full two-year scholarship, plus a monthly stipend to live on. So if I get it, I’ll have an opportunity to study Japanese Calligraphy (which I believe would help my cartooning immeasurably), and would get to do so all expenses paid. You can’t ask for much more than that.
There are four main phases to the application process: 1) getting the written application has been completed and turned in, 2) the Interview and Japanese Exam, 3) Obtaining a “letter of acceptance” from a Japanese professor, and 4) Getting the final “OK” from Tokyo. I have currently passed the first three steps, and am awaiting word on the last one. If Tokyo says yes, then I’m in! Needless to say, I’m excited that I made it this far and am anxious to see if I’ll get it. There’s nothing for me to do now but twiddle my thumbs and wait. I could get word as early as next month, or as late as next February. Naturally, readers of this blog will be among the first to know how it pans out.
Anyway, I’ve decided that if I do get accepted that I’m going to write an account of the whole application process. Like I mentioned, certain aspects of the Monbusho guidelines are really vague, and there seems to be surprisingly little information to be found on the web about it. On countless occasions I thought to myself that I would have killed to have seen a successful application or three, so I’d at least have some idea of what they’re looking for. Since my exhaustive internet search has reveled such things are not readily available, I figured I could fill the void myself. How interesting this would be to non-Monbusho Scholarship applicants I can’t say, but oh well.
By next Friday’s entry I should be ready to unveil a nigh-complete cover design for Tonoharu, so stay tuned.
14 responses so far ↓
1 Mayumi Reuvers // Sep 26, 2007 at 8:51 am
Hi Lars,
Your site looks fun. We will be checking it. My friends in Japan will be interested in, too.
2 Lars Martinson // Sep 28, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Hey Mayumi,
Glad you enjoyed my site.
Lars
3 Anonymous // Nov 17, 2007 at 11:56 am
Hi Lars,
Good luck with your pursuit of the MEXT Scholarship. I applied for this scholarship after returning from the JET Program and later helped coordinate the selection process when working for the Japanese Consulate. Your publication will definitely help give weight to your application. Beware though, I was given the general impression that individuals whose field of study was under the visual arts were less likely to be funded. This may vary depending on the Consulate you are applying through. I’d recommend becoming good friends with the MEXT/JET Coordinator at that Consulate to get a better idea of the applicants they normally recommend. Traditional arts are also pretty much excluded from the program. My best recommendation would be to add some some element of literature or cultural studies to your field of study. Also, having a clear idea of where you would like to study (under which professor, at which school), but remaining flexible enough to “go anywhere MEXT sees fit, helps. Good luck with your pursuit.
4 Lars Martinson // Nov 18, 2007 at 9:34 am
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
I’ve currently made it through the first three stages of the application process, and all there is now is for me to do is to wait for the final “OK” or “No thank you” from Tokyo; I should find out about it pretty soon; maybe even as early as next month, probably no later than February. I’ve got my fingers crossed…
5 reina // Jan 3, 2008 at 6:41 am
hey, good luck. I want to try monbusho too.
6 Edwin Snell // Jan 17, 2008 at 8:04 am
Hey!! Congratulations!! I too am pursuing the Monbukagakusho scholarship, but am just starting… I am scared silly about the application exam!!! What does it entail?? Is there somewhere I can find an example of it online and prepare for it???
Help!!
:D
7 Lars Martinson // Jan 19, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Hey Edwin,
The best resource I’m aware of for exam prep can be found at:
http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0307e.html#1
It includes tests for previous years, so it’ll probably give you some idea of what to expect.
8 irwin b. noriega // Feb 6, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I want to be one of your student..try me!
9 lEILA // Apr 6, 2008 at 5:49 am
I want to be one of your student. I WANT TO WRITING YOR APPLICATION, WHERE IS IT?
10 renee // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:58 am
I love this site. I was going mad trying to finf info online. I am going to apply next year. I need help getting ready for the maths exam. Please help me some, I need your help badly! So if anyone is good at math and is willing to help please email me . We can study online together. I can help you with the english paper!
11 maylee // Jun 21, 2008 at 10:54 am
hey, i’m also applying for the MEXT for starting in oct 2009. i need some help though. I finished medical school and I’m an M.D. and i’m currently doing my residency in pathology. So i already have a letter of acceptance and a very detailed study plan, from a researcher in japan to do basic science research with him in gastrointestinal pathology. All i want to do is apply as a research student and get funding to work with him. I turned in my application last week. but i just got an email saying i might not be eligible. since there is a clause in the guidelines. “as a general rule those who have completed a graduate course are not eligible unless they pursue another degree in japan.” So i thought graduate course meant PhD only, but does it also mean MD? they were telling me that i might not be eligible. does anyone have any experience with this? is this true? if so then can i apply for a masters in japan? does anyone know what that means? taking graduate courses in japanese? (which might be a problem since i don’t speak any japanese) or is it just doing reserach and doing a thesis? well my interview is on thursday? is there anyone out there who has recieved the scholarship in the past and can tell me how hard it is to get the scholarship and what they look for? also, do they not want MDs? and is it bad if you dont’ know any japanese? thanks for any help. good luck to everyone.
12 Mohammed Ahmed Khallaf // Jul 18, 2008 at 9:43 pm
like to introduce myself; my name is Mohammed Ahmed Khallaf. I was born and educated in Assiut , Egypt . I have Bachelor of Science in Entomology with general grade Distinction with Honor (86.2%) from Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Egypt in 2007. Currently I am working in Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut , Egypt as a demonstrator for undergraduate students.
I will be highly pleased if you kindly accept me as a research student on Monbusho Scholarship or any scholarship. For your kind consideration and anticipation I enclosed my Curriculum Vitae here with.
It would be a great honor to learn in your lab.
I am eagerly waiting for your favorable reply.
Thank you very much.
Yours sincerely
Mohammed Ahmed Khallaf
Department of science
Assiut University
Egypt
13 Lars Martinson // Jul 19, 2008 at 1:17 am
Hello Mohammed,
I wish you the best of luck in your continuing education! However, I am just a Monbusho Scholarship recipient; I have nothing to do with selecting Monbusho scholars. I would recommend you contact the Japanese embassy in Egypt for information about how to apply.
Again, best of luck!
Lars
14 Flo // Aug 13, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Hello Lars, Can’t thank you enough for putting up this ste to help other Monbusho hopefuls! Do you have any advice on preparing for the interviews? Particularly as a medical person. Thanks again, God bless.
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