INTRODUCTION
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is a unique scholarship that is open to graduate from developed countries with experience and history of numerous development work in home country it offers scholarship for 44 participating master’s program.
It’s completely fully funded, meaning you can snag a master’s degree from a world-class university like Harvard or Oxford without paying a single dime for tuition, flights, or even living expenses. the World Bank covers it all. Plus, this isn’t just a degree, it’s a massive career upgrade.
You’ll join a killer global network of future leaders and get the advanced skills you need to go back and actually make a huge impact in our home country. It’s the ultimate investment in your future, dude. No brainer!
The program typically offers scholarships for a set list of Participating Master’s Programs at partner universities worldwide, focusing on development-related fields. While the total number of programs can fluctuate slightly from year to year (some sources cite 44, 45, or 52 for recent cycles), here is an extensive list of the master’s programs that commonly participate in the JJ/WBGSP, organized by university for clarity.
Eligibility for the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
You must be a national of a World Bank member developing country, hold a bachelor’s degree earned at least three years prior to the application deadline, and have three or more years of recent, paid, development-related work experience since earning your bachelor’s degree.
The JJ/WBGSP is designed for mid-career professionals from eligible developing countries who have a strong commitment to development-related work and wish to pursue a Master’s degree in a field relevant to global development.
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Deadline of the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program:
Application Window #1 from from January 15 to February 27, 2026.
Application Window #2 from March 30 to May 29, 2026.
Application Requirement: You must receive an unconditional acceptance (except for funding) from one of these Participating Programs before submitting your scholarship application to the World Bank. The universities often shortlist candidates and send the JJ/WBGSP application link directly.
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Benefits of the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
The scholarship is comprehensive, covering tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, and health insurance, including:
1. Economy class air travel between your home country and the host university at the start of your study program immediately following the end of the scholarship period. 2. A two-way air travel, scholars will receive a US $600 travel allowance for each trip.
3. Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
4. 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.
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The JJ/WBGSP scholarship does not cover:
Visa application(s) costs
Expenses to bring and/or support a scholar’s family members.
Extra-curricular courses or training.
Courses that do not meet the minimum credits required to earn the graduate degree.
Language training 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; or Educational equipment such as computers.
Resident permit fee.
Click HERE to apply for other scholarship program
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