Hi, I'm Paula
This is the story of my
Scholarship Journey.

Hi! I'm Paula from Manila, Philippines. I am currently a PhD student in Tokyo, Japan. I completed my Master's in Human Rights and Democratisation and LLM in International Security in Australia.

Scholarship Details

I am currently a recipient of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) research scholarship, which allows international students to pursue research, a Master's, or a Doctorate degree in a Japanese university. It covers a return-ticket (economy), full tuition fee, and a monthly stipend.

Educational Background

I am a lawyer by profession, but have spent most of my career in the development sector. My PhD research is an opportunity to do a deep-dive into some of the programs that I have encountered in my work, but from an academic perspective (rather than from a purely program management perspective).

How Did You Prepare to Apply for Scholarships and Institutions?

As soon as I was certain that I was going to apply, I made a list of things to-do and documents to obtain to make sure that I covered all bases and did not miss anything. I also immediately got in touch with my referees (I had to get a recommendation letter from a previous academic adviser and my current work supervisor) to let them know of my plans, because their letters were critical to my application. I read through all the blog posts and watched all the videos about the scholarship that I could find, as these provided details that one would not normally find in the guidelines.

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

While I knew my program was going to be in English, looking back I would have worked more on learning the language. It would have been a big advantage in acclimatizing.

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

Commit to the process fully. Devote time and effort in making the necessary preparations, and follow instructions. For the MEXT scholarships, everything one needs to know about it is already out there. It just requires sitting down and patiently going through all the resources available to find out which pieces of advice may work for you. Wishing you all the best!