Application for the 2023-2024 Japan and World Bank Scholarship Program for Developing Countries is now open. The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open to citizens of developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying for a Master’s degree program in a development-related topic.
Subject to available funding, JJWBGSP offers scholarships for 26 Participating Programs at universities in U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania and Japan in key areas of development, including economic policy management, tax policy, and infrastructure management.
After earning their degree, developing countries scholars commit to return to their home country to use their new skills and contribute to their countries social and economic development. Only those who applied (or are applying) and get admitted to one of these 45 programs are eligible to apply for a JJWBGSP Scholarship in 2023.
Program Details
- Host institution: Partner universities. Please check the full list below
- Fields of study: Eligible Master Degree. Please check the full list below
- Number of awards: Not specified.
- Duration: Applicants program duration.
- Target group: Open for candidates of eligible countries. Please check the Please check the full list below.
World Bank Scholarship Program Benefits
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship will provide selected applicants 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.
Eligible Countries for the World Bank Scholarship
The 2023 Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open for the citizens of the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Rep., Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Arab Rep., El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, The, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Rep., 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 Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, St Vincent, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Republic of, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Japan and World Bank Scholarship Eligible Programs
Below is the complete list of JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #1.
- University of Birmingham : MSc Conflict, State Building and Development
- University of Wisconsin-Madison : Educational Policy Studies
- Vrije Universiteit – KIT : Health Systems Policy and Management
- University of California-Berkeley : Master of Development Practice
- University of Hong Kong : Master of Urban Design (MUD)
- Johns Hopkins : Master of Public Health
The following is the list of JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #2.
- Australian National University
- Brandeis University
- Columbia University – School of International and Public Affairs
- Erasmus University Rotterdam -IHS : Master of Urban Management and Development
- Harvard – Kennedy School of Government : Master of Public Administration in International Development
- IHE Delft Institute :
- MSc in Water and Sustainable Development — Water, Food and Energy Track
- MSc in Water and Sustainable Development — Water Hazards, Risks and Climate Track
- MSc in Water and Sustainable Development — Water and Health Track
- MSc in Water and Sustainable Development — Water Resources and Ecosystem Health Track
- Keio University : Master in Taxation Policy and Management
- London School of Economics
- National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) : Tax Course of the Public Finance Program
- Saitama University : International Graduate Program on Civil and Environmental Engineering
- SOAS University of London : MSc International Finance and Development
- Stanford University : Master in International Policy
- Université Clermont-Auvergne – FERDI : Master in Economic Policy Management
- University of Leeds : Master of Public Health (International)
- University of Oxford :
- Blavatnik School of Government: Master of Public Policy
- Department of International Development: MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies
- University of Sussex
- University of Tokyo
- Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP): Master of Public Policy, International Program
- Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Science: International Program on Agricultural Development Studies
- University of Tsukuba : Master’s Program in Economic and Public Policy
- Yokohama National University : Infrastructure Management Program.
World Bank Scholarship Program Eligibility
To be considered for the Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship (JJ/WBGSP), applicants must:
- Be a national of a World Bank member developing country (check the list above);
- 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. The only exception to this criterion is for developing country nationals from a country that will be on the updated list of Fragile and Conflict States provided to applicants in the Application Guidelines for each call for scholarships.
- 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 preferred university master’s programs located outside the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence. The letter of admission must be uploaded before submitting your application.
- Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any 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.
Similar opportunities
How to Apply for the World Bank Scholarship Program
Interested candidates who would like to apply for this world bank scholarship program need to click on the “Apply” button below and follow the given instructions to submit their applications. Applicants should first submit their application for admission to one of the eligible programs at their chosen university.
Note : If you are not admitted to one of these 45 programs, you are not eligible to apply for a JJWBGSP Scholarship in 2023.
Application Window#1
From January 16, 2023 to February 28, 2023 at noon Washington time. Please click here to see the JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #1.
Application Window #2
From March 27, 2023 to May 26, 2023 at noon Washington time. Please click here to see the JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #2.
Note : Do not submit a JJ/WBGSP Scholarship Application until you have uploaded an unconditional letter of acceptance from a participating master’s degree program. You are, however, allowed to draft the application beforehand. Do not use a mobile phone to apply. You should use a desktop / laptop computer.
Applications deadline is May 27, 2023. For more detail on the 2023-2024 Japan and World Bank Scholarship Program, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.