u/iam_akashdeep

Hey everyone!

I am an indian candidate.

I’m looking into the MEXT University Recommendation route for a Master’s at Kyoto University, specifically the Specialized Course / MEXT Special Selection.

I’m already in contact with a professor who seems interested in having me join his lab. I already had an online meeting with him, and it seemed positive, so I wanted to understand what happens next.

For anyone who has gone through this process:

• What should I expect from the professor next, as he has currently asked me for a draft of my research interests and sent me some of his lab's research-themed base research papers? Does he nominate/recommend me internally?
• What’s the overall application process and timeline?
• How does the non-degree/research student period work? Is it mandatory, or can you directly enter the Master’s program?
• If you start as a non-degree student, when do you take the entrance exam for the Master’s?
• How competitive is the selection realistically if you already have a professor willing to take you?
• How does the university screening vs. MEXT screening work?

Would really appreciate any first-hand experiences, especially from people who went through Kyoto University’s Specialized Course/MEXT Special Selection.

Thanks!