Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

Brief description:

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open to women and men from developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a master degree program in a development-related topic.

Host Institutions/Programs of study:

JJWBGSP offers scholarships for 41 Participating Programs at universities in U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan. 

Target group:

Developing country nationals of World Bank Member Countries

Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:

A JJWBGSP scholarship provides tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and travel allowance.

The scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.

Eligibility:

The applicant must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• • Be a national of a World Bank member developing country on this list;
• • Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country;
• • Be in good health;
• • Hold a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree earned at least 3 years prior to the Application Deadline date;
• • Be employed in development-related work in a paid full- time position at the time of submitting the scholarship application. Have at least 3 years of paid development-related employment since earning a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent university degree) and acquired within the past 6 years from the date of the application deadline. Please see FAQs—Window 1 on how to count qualified part time employment toward this 3-year requirement. Please see Annex 2 of the Application Guidelines for a suggested list of development-related topics. The only exception to this criterion is for developing country nationals from a country that is on the list of Fragile and Conflict States featured in Annex 3 of the Application Guidelines. In such cases, we do take into consideration the limited employment opportunities in those countries.
• • On or before the scholarship application deadline date, be admitted unconditionally (except for funding) for the upcoming academic year to at least one of the JJ/WBGSP participating master’s programs located outside of the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence listed at the time the call for scholarship applications opens. The letter of admission must be uploaded before submitting the scholarship application. For details, see “How to Apply”.
• • Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any type of appointment of the World Bank Group or a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption with the term “close relative” defined as: Mother, Father, Sister, Half-sister, Brother, Half-brother, Son, Daughter, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, or Nephew.
• • Individuals who have previously been offered a JJ/WBGSP scholarship but declined it, or have previously received a JJ/WBGSP scholarship but did not graduate, are not eligible to apply again.

Application instructions:

To be considered for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship, you must first apply and be unconditionally accepted for admissions to at least one of the Participating Programs. The link to the JJ/WBGSP application form will only be communicated to candidates admitted unconditionally (except for finance) to one of the JJ/WBGSP participating master’s programs, and shortlisted as eligible JJ/WBGSP applicants by the participating university.

There are 2 application windows depending on the participating program:

• • Application Window#1
  From 13 January 2025 to 28 February 2025 at noon EST
  JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #1

• • Application Window #2
  From 25 March 2025 to 23 May 2025 at noon EST
  JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #2

It is important to visit the Application Guidelines official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships

Related Scholarships: Government Scholarships for Students