I'm a high school teacher looking into the application for the Tobitate Japan scholarship program on behalf of a student and I'm wondering if there are any teachers out there with first hand experience. I'm particularly interested in anyone who's been through the selection process:
1) What did you or your student do to boost your chances?
2) What was the in-person interview like?
3) What kind of candidates are they looking for? What should be prioritized for the written and in-person screenings?
4) My understanding is that students are required to make a study abroad plan for their application, including where they're planning to stay and what they intend to study. Did you go through a travel agency or study abroad organization? What was you or your students area of study?
It strikes me as an ultra-competitive recruitment process. I think only around 700 high school students are selected every year. Is the bar as high as I think it is? Or is it more a case of a lot of red tape and filling out forms appropriately?
by topgun169