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Brief Information

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP): Since 1987, JJ/WBGSP has enabled more than 6,000 mid-career professionals from 160 developing countries and Japan to complete graduate degrees in development-related fields. On an annual basis, the Government of Japan solely funds the JJ/WBGSP.

The JJ/WBGSP scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:

  • Economy class air travel between your home country and the host university at the start of your study program and immediately following the end of the scholarship period. In addition to the two-way air travel, scholars will receive a US $500 travel allowance for each trip;
  • Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
  • While on campus during the scholarship period, a monthly subsistence allowance to cover all living expenses (accommodations, food, etc., including books). The amount of the allowance varies depending on the host country.

Please note all JJ/WBGSP scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.

The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover:

  • Visa application(s) costs
  • Expenses to bring and/or support a scholar’s family members;
  • Extra-curricular courses or training;
  • Courses that do not meet the minimum credits required to earn the graduate degree;
  • Language training not provided by the graduate program;
  • Additional travel during the course of the study program;
  • Expenses related to research, supplementary educational materials, field trips, participation in workshops/seminars, or internships; or
  • Educational equipment such as computers.
  • Resident permit fee

Note: The JJ/WBGSP scholarship may only supplement, and does not duplicate, any other source of financial support/fellowship you might have. If you are notified to be a semi-finalist or if you are awarded a scholarship, you must inform and document to the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat at that time if you have other sources of scholarship funds. 

To accommodate the academic calendar of JJ/WBGSP Participating Programs, the next application process will be organized in two rounds:

  • 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.

Please note: All eligibility criteria are strictly adhered to. No exceptions are made. Eligibility criteria WILL NOT change during an open call for applications. However, this information is subject to change between the close of one application process and the opening of the next.

Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Rep.
Côte d’Ivoire
Djibouti
Dominica
Egypt, Arab Rep.
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Gambia, The
Ghana
Grenada
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
India
Iran, Islamic Rep.
Jordan
Iraq
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kyrgyz Republic
Lao PDR
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Micronesia, Fed. Sts.
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Rwanda
Samoa
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sudan
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Tunisia
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela, RB
Vietnam
West Bank and Gaza
Yemen, Rep.
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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