The World Bank, with funding from the Government of Japan, established the World Bank Graduate Scholarship program for graduate studies in subjects related to economic development. To apply for the JJ/WBGSP scholarship you must be a developing country nationals working in the public sector, or in a development related job, and have between 3 years and 20 years of full time, paid, work experience, with at least 3 recent years of work related to development of your country. Most importantly, you must commit to returning home to your country on graduation in order to use your enhanced knowledge and skills towards your community’s, country’s or region’s development. Those receiving a scholarship are barred from working at the World Bank Group for three years following graduation from the preferred masters program.
Scholarships are provided for learning only at a master program that has been granted “preferred” status by the JJ/WBG Scholarship Program. The Scholarships are available for studying masters degree at Preferred University.
Scholarship can be taken at:
The Scholarships are accessible for preferred university masters programs that is listed on the website of JJ/WBGSP and that is located outside of the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence.
Eligibility:
The applicant meets the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a national of a World Bank member country eligible to borrow.
- Not be a dual citizen of any industrialized country.
- Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, staff of the World Bank Group (the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, International Development Association, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes), consultant, relative or in-law of the aforementioned.
- Holds a Bachelors degree (or equivalent university degree) earned before 2011.
- Currently employed in a paid and full time position at time of application.
- Have, by the application deadline, at least 3 years but no more than 20 years of recent full time paid employment in the applicant’s home country or in another developing country acquired after receiving the first Bachelors (or equivalent university) degree, and at least 3 years of recent experience in development-related work.
- Have, by the notification of the scholarship award, been accepted unconditionally (except for funding) to enroll in the upcoming academic year in one of the JJ/WBGSP preferred university masters programs that is listed on the JJ/WBGSP website, that is located outside of the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence.
- Be in good health, as certified by a medical doctor, with respect to the capacity to be a productive scholar for the duration of the masters program.
Scholarship Open for:
Students of developing countries (Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep. of, Congo, Rep. of, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Rep, Ecuador, Egypt, Arab Rep., El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haití, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Rep. of, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Republic of Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People’s D.R., Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, FYR of, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, F.S., Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Rep. Bol. de, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Republic of, Zambia and Zimbabwe) can apply for this scholarship.
Scholarship Value:
The scholarship is fully funded by the Government of Japan, and provides for the recipient only the following benefits:
- economy class air travel between your home country and the host university at the start of your study program and one return journey following the end of the scholarship period. In addition to the ticket, you will receive a US $500 travel allowance for each trip;
- tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance usually obtained through the university;
- a monthly subsistence allowance to cover living expenses, including books. The amount of the allowance varies depending on the host country.
- The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover: expenses for the scholar’s family, extra-curricular courses or training, language training that is not provided by the graduate program, additional travel during the course of the study program, expenses related to research, supplementary educational materials, field trips, participation in workshops/seminars, or internships that are not part of the curriculum of the graduate program; or educational equipment such as computers.
Note: The JJ/WBGSP scholarship may only supplement, and does not duplicate, any other source of financial support/fellowship you might have. If selected as a finalist or if you are awarded a scholarship, you must inform the J/WBGSP if you have other sources of scholarship funds. The JJ/WBGSP stipend may be withdrawn completely or partially if during the scholarship period the Program has evidence of additional sources of support.
Notification:
All successful applicants will hear from the Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship Program by July 31, 2014. On or before July 31, 2014, we will post an announcement when all selected scholars have been informed. The program will not be informing unsuccessful applicants.
How to Apply?
There are two ways citizens of developing countries can apply for this scholarship:
- For scholarships to one of partner masters programs, please first apply to at least one of our partner university masters programs. The university will send the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat a short list of eligible candidates that have been accepted by the partner program, and the JJ/WBGSP Steering Committee will award scholarships to a subset of the short-listed applicants.
- For scholarships to one of preferred masters programs, you need to apply to the university to get accepted into the program and also apply directly to JJ/WBGSP for the scholarship.
Application Deadline: JJ/WBGSP scholarship applications deadline for the academic year 2014-15 is March 27, 2014.
For further information: Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarships
