The Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program, financed by the Government of Japan, funds graduate study at designated institutions across Asia and the Pacific. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) became one in 2010 and nominates a few applicants each year.
Scholars study in person at APU’s Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies in Beppu, Japan; the IMAT program is excluded. Applicants apply to APU first, APU recommends candidates, and ADB makes the final award.
Benefits & funding
- Full admission fee and full tuition.
- JPY 144,000 a month for living costs, including housing (amount subject to change).
- Books and materials, medical insurance, and economy airfare between home and APU at the start and end.
- One year at first; a second year depends on academic performance at APU.
- Scholars must return home and work there for at least two years after graduating.
Eligibility
- Citizen of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Micronesia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu or Vietnam.
- No dual citizenship of any developed country.
- Must not currently live or work outside your home country.
- Bachelor’s degree with a superior record; in principle, no bachelor’s or master’s earned outside your home country.
- At least two years’ full-time work after the bachelor’s, and English good enough for graduate study.
- Aged 35 or under when applying (ADB waives this only in exceptional cases endorsed by Japan’s government).
- Not enrolled in a graduate program, not seeking a second master’s, and never an ADB–JSP scholar before.
- Family income at most US$50,000 a year; personal income at most US$25,000.
- ADB directors, management, staff and consultants, designated-institution staff, and their relatives cannot apply.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“Not be currently living or working outside of your home country” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Cambodia · Cook Islands · Micronesia · Fiji · Georgia · India · Indonesia
+ 28 more
Kazakhstan · Kiribati · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Malaysia · Maldives · Marshall Islands · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nauru · Nepal · Niue · Pakistan · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Residence required
Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Cambodia · Cook Islands · Micronesia · Fiji · Georgia · India · Indonesia
+ 28 more
Kazakhstan · Kiribati · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Malaysia · Maldives · Marshall Islands · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nauru · Nepal · Niue · Pakistan · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Education required
Bachelor
Experience required
≥ 2 yrs
Age requirement
≤ 35 yrs
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We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Apply to an APU master’s program through the APU Online Application and request ADB–JSP consideration by 5 November 2026 (round 1) or 8 January 2027 (round 2).
- 2APU screens applications and recommends candidates to ADB–JSP around mid-March.
- 3Recommended candidates submit the extra documents ADB–JSP asks for.
- 4ADB–JSP decides the awards around the end of June; the timing may change.
Program timeline
Round 1 application deadline
Nov 5, 2026
Round 2 application deadline
Jan 8, 2027
APU recommends candidates to ADB–JSP
Mid-March 2027
ADB–JSP award decisions
End of June 2027
September 2027
Study begins (APU’s 2027 schedule; the scholarship page still says September 2026)