How Myrian Coronel, a Paraguayan Scholar, Secured a Fully Funded Master’s in Poverty and Social Policies at Nagoya University, Japan Through the MEXT Scholarship (Monbukagakusho)

Hi! My name is Myrian Coronel. I’m from Paraguay!

I’m an economist, and I completed my master’s degree at Nagoya University in Japan as a MEXT (Japanese Government) scholar in the Graduate School of International Development (GSID), Poverty and Social Policies program. Coming from a developing country with many social challenges still unresolved, I wanted to study something genuinely useful for Paraguay. I had also always felt drawn to community and social development. This program let me understand how development cooperation actually works, so I could contribute to my country from a more informed and strategic position.

MEXT Scholarship Details

I received the MEXT Scholarship (Monbukagakusho), awarded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, through the Embassy Recommendation route. I arrived in Japan in 2022 and spent my first year as a research student at the Graduate School of International Development of Nagoya University (GSID), including six months of intensive Japanese language classes at Nagoya University’s International Language Center (ILC), before starting the two-year master’s program. I kept studying Japanese throughout the master’s as well, taking separate language classes alongside my coursework.

The scholarship covered full tuition and fees, a monthly stipend of JPY 143,000, and round-trip airfare between Paraguay and Japan.

Educational Background

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Universidad Nacional del Caaguazú (UNCA), in Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay, where I graduated with honors (valedictorian) and a grade average of 4.97 out of 5.

Before applying to MEXT, I worked at the JICA Paraguay Office as Administration Coordinator and as Technical Cooperation Coordinator. This is how I came across the Japanese Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) model, a tool that helped with the economic revitalization of rural communities in Japan, which at that time was starting to attract the attention of Paraguayan institutions as they watched it being implemented across Latin America. I wanted to understand it properly, from the source. My research proposal was around this concept and its implementation and replicability in Latin America.

I would say that my academic background and the hands-on exposure in this international organization motivated me to apply and to develop a concrete research question.

Preparing my application

While working at JICA, MEXT was a scholarship I heard about constantly. But I was also actively searching for scholarships on my own, and this wasn’t my first try. In 2016, I applied through BECAL, the Paraguayan government scholarship program, and although I was accepted by universities such as the University of Queensland and the University of Sussex for development studies, I didn’t secure the funding. In 2021, after gaining more work experience, I decided it was time to try again, and I looked for scholarships that were more complete in their coverage and where I felt I had a real chance. With MEXT, I simply felt that all my dots were finally connected enough, and I went for it.

I read the official guidelines published by the Embassy of Japan in Paraguay, studied the websites of Japanese graduate schools with programs taught in English, and looked for departments and professors whose work matched what I wanted to study. GSID at Nagoya University stood out because it is one of the few graduate schools in Japan dedicated entirely to international development.

Applying wasn't an effortless process. After work, following a structured English study plan, I spent months studying the exam's format and structure and practiced extensively with the help of a tutor. Finally, I took the TOEFL iBT and scored 85. One thing I did deliberately: I took the test months before the scholarship call was even published, so that I would be prepared and ready the moment it opened. For me, this was key, because MEXT application windows are usually short. For the same reason, I already had my degree and certificates translated and certified, ready to be submitted. Also, I tried to contact some other previous MEXT scholars to ask them about their experience applying. All in all, this process took around one year.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the MEXT Scholarship?

The Embassy route has several stages, and I treated each one as its own project.

The first step was gathering documents and recommendation letters well before the deadline, where the most important piece was the research plan. My proposal was titled “Michi-no-Eki as a tool for local development: an analysis of the implementation of Japanese roadside stations in El Salvador.” I chose El Salvador because it was the pioneer in implementing Michi-no-Eki in Latin America, and because its context is similar to Paraguay,  so the lessons would be transferable. I think connecting my professional experience at JICA with a specific, timely question was what gave the plan its strength.

After document screening, we had the interview (in Spanish, English, and a little Japanese). Once again, the advice from previous scholars was key to my preparation for the interview. Both stages took around one or two months each.

The last step involved contacting professors at different universities to secure a letter of acceptance, the most challenging part in my opinion.

How is Your Experience at Nagoya University?

Faculty members at GSID are highly academically prepared; the academic curriculum is adequate, and the fieldwork programs give you the chance to apply what you learn in a real setting. The combination of theory, method, and practice is exactly what a development program should offer.

The highlight of my program was the Overseas Fieldwork (OFW) in the Philippines. It was a full-year commitment: months of preparation and research design, two intense weeks of fieldwork on the ground with a team of about fifteen other students, and then the final report. It was the closest thing to real development work that a classroom can offer, and it taught me as much about teamwork across cultures as about research methods. For those who preferred to stay in Japan, there was also a Domestic Fieldwork (DFW) option.

The staff accompanied us at every step, from arrival paperwork to graduation. But the support I valued most came from the senpai, the senior students who took us under their wing, explained how things worked, and made academic life much more enjoyable.

My master’s program at GSID was taught in English, including coursework, supervision, and thesis writing. Even so, I wanted to immerse myself completely in the culture and the language and truly understand where I was, so I took Japanese classes alongside my regular master’s classes.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Not Knowing Japanese?

Everything in my program happened in English, so academically there was no problem. Also, because it was an international faculty, communication was not a problem either. Daily life is a different story: banks, city offices, doctors, and apartment paperwork all run in Japanese. My advice is to learn at least basic survival Japanese before arriving; it changes your experience of the country completely.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

There is no linear pathway, but this is what I think worked for me:

• A research plan that was concrete, timely, and grounded in a real policy question that Paraguayan institutions were actually asking.
• Professional experience that showed I understood development cooperation beyond the textbook and had a clear reason to study in Japan specifically.
• A strong academic record (in my case, but not necessarily essential) and a coherent story: economics, cooperation work, and a research topic that connected the two.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Honestly, nothing. This was the best scholarship I could have chosen. Japan surprised me in the best way, and today I consider it my second home. I don’t regret having waited a few years to try again; I applied exactly when I was ready, with a scholarship that covered all my needs, and everything fell into place.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

1. Start early. The Embassy process takes most of a year. Begin drafting your research plan months and gather your documents before the call opens.
2. Build your research plan around a real question. Ask what your country needs to learn and why Japan is the place to learn it. A plan rooted in your own experience is far stronger than a generic topic.
3. Contact professors properly. One well-researched email to the right professor is worth ten generic ones.
4. Don’t be discouraged by a first attempt that doesn’t work out. Use the time to gain experience and sharpen your proposal. Apply when you’re ready.
5. Learn some Japanese, even if your program is in English. It shapes how much of Japan you actually get to experience.
6. Enjoy your time there! Make friends, explore, try new things, immerse yourself in the country. Academics matter, but the network and the connections you build can make all the difference.

Applying for MEXT was one of the best decisions I’ve made, both professionally and personally. If you’re from Paraguay or anywhere else in Latin America and thinking about it: go for it. You’ll never know, maybe the next time you are reading this is in your way to the other side of the world!