Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is one of the two programs offered under the World Bank Scholarship programs. It is a fully-funded scholarship program that invites applications from working professionals from developing countries to study master’s degree programs in development-related fields.
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 26 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.

Scholarship Benefits
The JJ/WBGSP scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:
● Economy class air travel between your home country and the host university at the start of your study program and immediately following the end of the scholarship period. In addition to the two-way air travel, scholars will receive a US $500 travel allowance for each trip;
● Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
● 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.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for the program are as follows;
Applicants from developing countries must fulfill the eligibility criteria listed below:

● A national of a World Bank member of developing country
● Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country
● Must hold a Bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree.
● Must be in good health
● Must be a full time paid employee in any development-related work while submitting the scholarship application.
● Three years of relevant experience in related areas is mandatory.
● Must have an unconditional admission letter to any one of the partner or preferred master’s programs offered by JJ/WBGSP.
● It can on or before the application deadline.
● An admission letter must be uploaded before submitting the scholarship application.
● Must have taken exams to study abroad.
● Executive Director, any staff member or any close relative of World Bank is ineligible.

Application Process

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program applications must be submitted online. JJ/WBGSP 2020 applications should include

Two professional references
An unconditional offer letter from the Preferred/ Partner master’s degree program.
While the application requirements are the same for both Preferred and Partner Programs, the application process varies.

Preferred Master’s Programs
All an applicant has to do is complete the program admission form. After securing admission in any one of the preferred programs, an applicant can apply for the JJ/WBGSP scholarship application.

Selection Process
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:

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 uses the average score of the two assessors and the following criteria to select the finalists:
   ● Maintaining a reasonably wide geographical distribution of awards
   ● Maintaining a reasonable distribution of awards across gender
   ● Unusual circumstances/hardships, when assessing the employment experience and other aspects of an application;
   ● Giving scholarships to those applicants who, other things being equal, have limited access to financial resources for graduate studies abroad.
   Deadline
   First Application Window : February
   Second Application Window: May