The World Bank Scholarships Program contributes to the World Bank Group’s mission of forging new dynamic approaches to capacity development and knowledge sharing in the developing world.
It is an important component of the Bank Group’s efforts to promote economic development and shared prosperity through investing in education and developing human resources in the developing world.
Since 1982, the Program has helped to form a pool of over 6,000 well-trained and experienced development professionals, transforming their countries and positively impacting future generations.
Currently, the World Bank Scholarships Program offers two sources of funding for graduate studies in development-related fields for mid-career professionals and researchers:
ATTENTION: The application processes for both preferred and Japan nationals are closed. If interested in applying next year, please check our website in March 2021 for more information on the eligibility criteria and participating programs.
Inactive Program
Japan Indonesia Presidential Scholarship Program (JIPS)
This Program is no longer accepting applications. With a one-time $10 million grant from the Government of Japan, this scholarship supported three cohorts (2008–2010) of 43 Indonesian
The Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program (RSMFP) provides support to developing country nationals who are PhD candidates in developing countries. RSMFP offers 6–10 months of funding up to $25,000 to conduct PhD research in a World Bank member country other than the Fellow's home country or country of residence. RSMFP was established in 1982 with $2.8 million in funding from the World Bank and the governments of Bangladesh, China, India, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, and former Yugoslavia. This program is currently being restructured, and no call for applications is planned at this time.
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 who are applying to a master degree program in a development-related topic.
Subject to available funding, JJWBGSP offers scholarships for 48 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. Please note that if you are not admitted to one of these 48 programs, you are not eligible to apply for a JJWBGSP Scholarship in 2021.
The 2021 Application Period will open in late March 2021 and close around mid-May 2021. More detailed information will be posted on this website in the coming weeks.
After earning their degree, developing country scholars commit to return to their home country to use their new skills and contribute to their countries’ social and economic development.
A JJWBGSP scholarship provides tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and travel allowance. View a detailed list of benefits.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
How to Apply
Selection Process
Scholarship Benefits
Details on Eligibility Criteria for each call for applications are provided in that call’s Application Guidelines, and these detailed eligibility criteria are strictly adhered to. No exceptions are made.
Broadly speaking, Developing Country nationals must:
Please note: All eligibility criteria are strictly adhered to. No exceptions are made. Eligibility criteria WILL NOT change during an open call for applications. However, this information is subject to change between the close of one application process and the opening of the next.
Applicants can apply for scholarships to one of the Participating Programs. :
SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND A PARTICIPATING PROGRAM:
ATTENTION: The call for applications for a JJWBGSP Scholarship will open in late March 2021 and the deadline for applying will be around mid-May 2021. Guidance for the 2021 call for applications, including the call’s: (i) instructions and requirements to submit an application, the eligibility criteria applicants must meet; and the selection process are provided in the Application Guidelines, FAQs, and the complete list of JJ/WBGSP Participating Programs. Master Degrees currently offered.
Inquiries on how to submit an admission application to a Participating program should be submitted to the respective university. All applicants to the JJ/WBG will need to have an unconditional offer of admission from a participating program to be eligible to apply.
Once you are familiar with the application requirements and processes, click HERE to apply, and refer to the “Accessing your online application” and “Navigating your online application” to learn how access and navigate the online application.
The JJ/WBGSP uses the following process to review eligible scholarship applications from developing country nationals, with the aim of identifying the candidates with the highest potential, after completion of their graduate studies, to impact the development of their countries.
Two qualified assessors independently review each eligible application and score the application on a scale of 1 to 10, taking into account four main factors and the degree of cohesion among them:
The JJ/WBGSP Secretariat uses the average score of the two assessors and the following criteria to select the finalists:
The JJWBGSP Secretariat presents the finalists for the Participating Program scholarship to the JJ/WBG Steering Committee (composed of members of the World Bank Board of Directors and WB management) for approval. Winners are notified soon after the JJWBG Steering Committee approval.
The JJ/WBGSP scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:
Please note all JJ/WBGSP scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.
The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover:
Note: The JJ/WBGSP scholarship may only supplement, and does not duplicate, any other source of financial support/fellowship you might have. If you are notified to be a semi-finalist or if you are awarded a scholarship, you must inform and document to the JJ/WBGSP at that time if you have other sources of scholarship funds.
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) provides scholarships for no more than a two-year duration to a limited number of Japanese mid-career professionals who are dedicated to the alleviation of poverty and enhanced shared prosperity in developing countries, and who have been admitted to or are currently enrolled in a master’s or PhD graduate degree program outside of Japan and in development-related fields.
After earning their degree, Japanese national scholars are expected to advance their professional career with a keen focus on the alleviation of poverty and enhanced shared prosperity in developing countries.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
How to Apply
Selection Process
Scholarship Benefits
The call for scholarship applications from Japanese nationals will open from late March 2021 until mid-May 2021. Guidance for this call for application, including details on how to apply, eligibility criteria, selection process and benefits are provided in the Application Guidelines and FAQs. Please read these documents before starting your application.
Once you are familiar with the application requirement and process, click HERE to apply, and refer to “Accessing your online application” and “Navigating your online application” to navigate step-by-step the online application.
The JJ/WBGSP uses the following process to review eligible scholarship applications from Japan nationals, with the aim of identifying the candidates with the highest potential, after completion of their graduate studies, to impact international development.
Two qualified assessors independently review each eligible application and score the application on a scale of 1 to 10, taking into account four main factors and the degree of cohesion among them:
The JJ/WBGSP Secretariat uses the average score of the two assessors and the following criteria to select the finalists:
The JJWBGSP Secretariat presents the finalists to the JJ/WBG Steering Committee (composed of members of the World Bank Board of Directors and WB management) for approval. Winners are informed by mid-July, after the JJWBG Steering Committee approval.
The scholarship is fully funded by the Government of Japan, and provides for each scholarship recipient the following benefits during the scholarship period:
Please note all JJ/WBGSP scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.
The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover:
Note: The JJ/WBGSP scholarship may only supplement, and does not duplicate, any other source of financial support/fellowship you might have. If you are notified to be a semi-finalist or if you are awarded a scholarship, you must inform and document to the JJ/WBGSP at that time if you have other sources of scholarship funds.
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