2023/2025 Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

Since 1987, JJWBGSP 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 JJWBGSP.

The JJ/WBGSP is open to citizens of certain 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. Subject to available funding, JJWBGSP offers scholarships for 45 Participating Master’s Programs in 27 universities in U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan in key areas of development, including economic policy management, tax policy, and infrastructure management.

Scholarship

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.

Eligibility

• 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;
• Have 3 years or more of recent development-related work experience after earning a Bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree;
• 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.
• 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 your application.
• 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 already been offered a previous JJWBGSP scholarship but declined it, or have received a previous JJWBGSP scholarship but did not graduate are not eligible to apply again.

Selection Process

The JJ/WBGSP uses the following process to review eligible scholarship applications from developing country nationals, with the aim of identifying the candidates with the highest potential, after completion of their graduate studies, to impact the development of their countries.

Two qualified assessors independently review each eligible application and score the application on a scale of 1 to 10, taking into account four main factors and the degree of cohesion among them:

• Quality of Professional Experience (30% weight)
• Quality of Professional Recommendations (30% weight)
• Quality of Commitment to your Home Country (30% weight)
• Quality of Education Background (10% weight)

How To Apply

The link to the online JJWBGSP Application Form is only communicated by JJWBGSP Participating Programs to the applicants they have shortlisted. Contact directly the Participating Program you are targeting.

Click here to see the JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #2

For more information, visit JJWBGSP.

Application Deadline: May 26, 2023

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