Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) 2026
Organization: The World Bank Group
Degree level: Masters
Funding: Fully Funded
Deadline: May 29, 2026
Eligible countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Congo (Rep.), Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Fields of study: Development-related fields (Economic Policy, Tax Policy, Infrastructure Management, Public Policy, Global Health, Environmental Management, Agriculture, Urban Planning)
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open to citizens of certain developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries' development efforts. The program offers scholarships for over 50 Participating Master's Programs at universities in the U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan. The scholarship covers tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, and health insurance.
Benefits
Full tuition fee waiver.
Monthly living stipend (subsistence allowance) to cover accommodation and food (amount varies by host country).
Round-trip economy class air travel between the scholar's home country and the host university.
Travel allowance of US $500 per trip.
Basic medical/accident insurance.
Eligibility
Must be a national of a World Bank member developing country.
Must not hold dual citizenship with a developed country.
Must be in good health.
Must hold a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) earned at least 3 years prior to the application deadline.
Must have 3 years or more of recent development-related work experience after earning a Bachelor's degree.
Must be employed in a paid full-time development-related position at the time of submitting the scholarship application.
Must have an unconditional offer of admission to a participating master's degree program.
Requirements
Unconditional Letter of Admission from a participating program.
Two professional recommendations.
Completed online application form.
Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Proof of employment (current and past relevant experience).
Master of Public Policy, Master of Development Practice, Master of Public Health, Master of Urban Management, Master of Environmental Economics, Master of Educational Planning
Application Process
Apply for admission to one or more of the Participating Master's Programs.
Receive an unconditional offer of admission.
Once admitted, access the online scholarship application form (link provided on the World Bank website during the application window).
Submit the scholarship application along with all required documents by the deadline.
How to Apply
First, apply directly to a participating university master's program. After securing unconditional admission, apply for the scholarship through the World Bank's online portal during one of the two application windows.
Selection Process
Review of eligibility criteria.
Evaluation based on: Quality of Professional Experience (30%), Professional Recommendations (30%), Quality of Commitment to Home Country (30%), and Quality of Education Background (10%).
Final selection involves balancing geographical and gender distribution.