The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program is administered by the World Bank for experienced development professionals pursuing eligible master’s degrees. This record covers the University of Oxford Master of Public Policy route, which is listed in Window 2 for 2027.
Blavatnik School of Government considers successful MPP applicants for nomination and sends application instructions to those it shortlists. Scholars study in Oxford and commit to return home after the degree to apply their skills to their country’s development.
Benefits & funding
- Tuition for the graduate program and basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
- Economy airfare between the scholar’s home country and Oxford at the start and end of the scholarship, plus a US $600 travel allowance for each trip.
- A monthly subsistence allowance for accommodation, food, books and other living expenses; the amount varies by host country.
- Coverage lasts for the graduate program or two years, whichever is shorter; visa and residence-permit costs, family expenses and certain additional study costs are excluded.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be nationals of: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the 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, Zambia or Zimbabwe, and may not hold dual citizenship of a developed country.
- A bachelor’s or equivalent university degree must have been earned at least three years before the scholarship deadline; there is no stated minimum or maximum age.
- Applicants must have at least three years of development-related work after the bachelor’s degree, acquired within the six years before the deadline, and normally be in paid full-time development-related work when applying. For nationals of countries on the program’s fragile-states list, qualifying unpaid or informally documented development work may count.
- By the deadline, applicants must hold unconditional admission except for financing to Oxford’s MPP for the coming academic year and must not be citizens or residents of the United Kingdom when the call opens.
- Applicants must first be shortlisted by the Blavatnik School, cannot be World Bank Group staff or specified close relatives, and cannot reapply after declining a previous award or receiving one without graduating.
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 · Côte d'Ivoire · DR Congo · 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 · Palestine · Papua New Guinea · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Sudan · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
Bachelor
Experience required
≥ 3 yrs
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Application process
- 1Apply to the Oxford MPP and secure an unconditional offer except for financing.
- 2Wait for the Blavatnik School to assess offer-holders and nominate eligible candidates; only shortlisted candidates receive the scholarship portal link.
- 3Submit one online JJ/WBGSP application with the admission letter, degree diploma, required employment evidence, the program CV format and two professional recommendations.
- 4Complete the application and ensure both recommendations arrive by 12:00 noon EST on 21 May 2027.
Program timeline
Window 2 opens.
Mar 29, 2027
Application deadline.
May 21, 2027 at 12:00 noon EST