The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is funded annually by the Government of Japan and administered by the World Bank. Since 1987 it has helped more than 7,000 mid-career professionals from developing countries earn development-related master’s degrees.
Scholars study at one of the JJ/WBGSP participating “preferred” master’s programs — 44 programs across 24 universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Japan. The goal is to build a network of skilled professionals who return to contribute to the economic and social development of their home countries.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition for the graduate program, plus basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
- Economy-class round-trip airfare between home country and host university, plus a US $600 travel allowance for each trip.
- A monthly subsistence (living) allowance covering accommodation, food and books; the amount varies by host country.
- Coverage lasts for the duration of the program or two years, whichever is less.
- Not covered: visa costs, family support, extra or language courses, additional travel, research expenses, computers and resident-permit fees.
Eligibility
- Be a national of a World Bank member developing country on the JJ/WBGSP eligible-country list (87 countries/economies); you must not hold dual citizenship of a developed country.
- Hold a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree earned at least 3 years before the application deadline.
- Have at least 3 years of paid, full-time, development-related work experience after the bachelor’s degree, and be employed in a paid full-time development-related job at the time of applying. (Applicants from Fragile and Conflict-affected States have more flexible requirements.)
- Be admitted to a participating master’s program located outside your country of citizenship and residence.
- Be in good health. Not open to World Bank staff or their close relatives.
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.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Angola · Bangladesh · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon
+ 75 more
Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · DR Congo · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Dominica · Egypt · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gambia · Ghana · Grenada · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Honduras · India · Iraq · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Sudan · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Palestine · Yemen · Zimbabwe · Zambia
Education required
Bachelor
Experience required
≥ 3 yrs
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Application process
- 1Apply directly to one or more JJ/WBGSP participating “preferred” master’s programs and secure unconditional admission (except for financing).
- 2Confirm with the university that you meet the JJ/WBGSP eligibility criteria.
- 3During the relevant application window, submit the JJ/WBGSP scholarship application using the link the participating university shares with shortlisted, eligible admitted candidates.
- 4Selected scholars are notified and enroll for the program start.
Program timeline
Window 1 (partner/preferred programs)
opens mid-January, closes late February each year — the 2026 window closed February 27, 2026.
Window 2
opens late March, closes late May each year — the 2026 window closed May 29, 2026.
Program start
varies by host university, typically the following academic year.