Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship

The JJ/WBSP is available to nationals of specific developing nations who submit applications for master’s degree programs in development-related fields. Nationals having relevant professional expertise and a history of aiding their nation's development efforts are considered eligible for JJ/WBSP. 

Subject to available funding, JJ/WBSP grants scholarships for 45 Participating Master’s Programs at 27 universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan in important development fields such as infrastructure management, economic policy management, and tax policy. 

After receiving their degrees, developing country scholars pledge to return home and use their newly acquired knowledge to aid in their nation's social and economic development.

Discover Your Ideal Scholarship Abroad

Discover Your Ideal Scholarship Abroad

What are the benefits of the Joint Japan World Bank Graduate?

The JJ/WBGSP scholarship provides the following incentives to the applicant:

Air travel in economy class between your home country and the host university at the commencement of your study program and soon after the scholarship period ends. In addition to round-trip air travel, scholars will receive a US $500 travel stipend for each trip.

Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance purchased through the university.

A monthly subsistence grant to cover all living expenditures (accommodations, food, etc., including books) while on campus throughout the scholarship period. The allowance amount varies depending on the host country.

Please keep in mind that all JJ/WBGSP scholarships are for the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is shorter.

The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover the following expenses:

Costs of VISA application(s)

Expenses incurred in bringing and/or supporting a scholar's family members;

Extracurricular activities or training;

Courses that do not fulfill the minimum credit requirements for a graduate degree;

The graduate program does not provide language instruction.

Additional travel during the program of study;

Expenses for research, supplemental educational materials, field excursions, workshop/seminar participation, or internships; or

Educational equipment such as computers.

Fee for a resident permit

Please keep in mind that the JJ/WBGSP scholarship is meant to augment, not replace, any other financial support/fellowship you may have. If you are notified that you are a semi-finalist or that you have been given a scholarship, you must notify and document to the JJ/WBGSP if you have other sources of scholarship funds. 

What are the eligibility criteria for the JJ/WBSP?

Details on Eligibility Criteria are released in the Application Guidelines for each call for applications, and these highly precise eligibility criteria are scrupulously adhered to. There are no exceptions.

In general, nationals of developing countries must:

Be a citizen of a World Bank member developing country on this list.

No dual nationality in any civilized country;

Maintain good health;

Have a Bachelor's (or equivalent) degree that was earned at least three years prior to the Application Deadline date.

Possess 3 years or more of recent development-related work experience following the completion of a Bachelor's (or equivalent) degree;

Be employed in development-related work in a paid full-time position at the time you apply for the scholarship. Have at least 3 years of paid development-related experience since acquiring a Bachelor's degree (or comparable university degree) during the last 6 years from the Application Deadline. 

Be admitted unconditionally (except for funding) for the upcoming academic year to at least one of the JJ/WBGSP participating master's programs located outside of the applicant's country of citizenship and country of residence listed at the time the call for scholarship applications opens on or before the Scholarship Application Deadline date. Before submitting your application, you must upload your admission letter. See "How to Apply" for more information.

Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any type of 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.

Individuals who have previously been offered a JJWBGSP scholarship but declined it, or who have previously received a JJWBGSP scholarship but did not graduate, are ineligible to apply again.

Please keep in mind that all eligibility conditions are rigorously followed. There are no exceptions. During an open call for applications, eligibility requirements WILL NOT CHANGE. This information, however, is subject to change between the completion of one application procedure and the start of the next.

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What are the application requirements for the JJ/WBSP for developing country nationals?

To have a JJ/WBSP reviewed, applicants must fulfill the following two requirements:

1. Fulfill the eligibility criteria, as mentioned above.
2. Submit one online application:

 If an applicant submits only one completed application electronically through the online application site before the Application Deadline: May 26, 2024, at 12:00 noon EST (tentative) for the second application window, the application will be accepted and reviewed. An application is deemed complete if it has the following items:

1. Two professional reference letters from people with direct knowledge of the applicant's professional work experience, provided online. and,
2. One completed Application Form (with an applicant's consent to the conditions mentioned on the Application Form's Signature Page) written in either English or the language of their master's degree program. (For example, an Application Form submitted in French by an applicant requesting a scholarship to attend a preferred university in the United Kingdom will not be examined).

Completing the Application Form includes, among other things, uploading scanned copies of:

(i) documentation proving the applicant fits the eligibility requirement in terms of the number of years of recent development-related work.

(ii) the applicant's bachelor's degree diploma and, if relevant, the diploma of the applicant's most advanced graduate degree. (Do not include a transcript or submit a transcript as a substitute for a diploma).

(iii)C.V. in English (or French for the GPE program at FERDI exclusively) following the format provided in Annex 4. If the work was not compensated, do not list it on your resume. Instead, make a category in your CV called "Volunteer Work" and add unpaid internships or other unpaid employment under that area.

(iv)unconditional (except for funding) Letter of Admission for the upcoming academic year to a JJ/WBGSP participating master's program:

that is listed on the JJ/WBGSP website; 

for which the applicant is seeking JJWBGSP funding; and 

that is located outside of the applicant's country of citizenship and country of residence.

(For more information on what "unconditional" means, see Annex 5.)

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What is the selection process for the JJ/WBSP?

The JJ/WBGSP uses the following process to examine qualifying scholarship applications from developing country nationals, with the goal of identifying applicants with the greatest potential to aid in their countries' development after completion of their graduate studies.

Two qualified assessors analyze each eligible application independently and grade it on a scale of 1 to 10, taking into account four primary factors and the degree of cohesiveness among them:

1. Quality of Professional Experience (30% weight)
2. Quality of Professional Recommendations (30% weight)
3. Quality of Commitment to your Home Country (30% weight)
4. Quality of Education Background (10% weight)

The JJ/WBGSP Secretariat chooses the finalists based on the average score of the two assessors and the following criteria:

Maintaining a geographically diverse distribution of awards;

Maintaining a reasonable gender distribution of rewards; 

Unusual circumstances/difficulties when evaluating employment experience and other parts of an application;

Scholarships are awarded to applicants who, all else being equal, have restricted financial means for graduate study abroad.

The JJWBGSP Secretariat submits the applicants for the Participating Programme scholarship to the JJ/WBG Steering Committee (made up of World Bank Board of Directors members and WB management) for approval. Winners are contacted as soon as the JJWBG Steering Committee approves their nominations. 

What are the contact details of JJ/WBSP? 

Address:

The World Bank 

1818 H Street,

 NW Washington, DC 20433 USA

Disclaimer: All the information published on this page is taken from the official website for the Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship. We don’t own any information. Visit the source for accurate data regarding dates, terms, and conditions, etc.

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