World Bank Scholarships Program

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May 29, 2026

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The World Bank Scholarships Program supports students and young researchers as part of the World Bank’s mission to build capacity, share knowledge, and strengthen development in the developing world. One of its main active programmes is the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program, JJ/WBGSP, which supports selected professionals who want to pursue a development-related Master’s degree.

The JJ/WBGSP is designed for mid-career professionals from eligible developing countries who have relevant professional experience and a record of supporting development efforts in their countries. The scholarship is available only for selected participating Master’s programmes, so applicants must first check whether their chosen programme is included in the official list.

At Darrab Education, we recommend this scholarship for applicants who already have professional experience in development-related work and want to study a Master’s degree that can help them contribute to their country’s social and economic development. Applicants should always check the official World Bank page before applying, because participating programmes, deadlines, eligibility rules, and application procedures may change.

Be a national of an eligible World Bank member developing country.
Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country.
Be in good health.
Hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent university degree earned at least three years before the application deadline.
Be employed in development-related work in a paid full-time position at the time of application.
Have at least three years of paid development-related employment after earning the Bachelor’s degree, acquired within the recent period required by the programme.
Be admitted unconditionally, except for financing, to at least one JJ/WBGSP participating Master’s programme.
The participating Master’s programme must be outside the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence.
Applicants must not be World Bank Group staff, Executive Directors, alternates, or close relatives of these groups.
Applicants who previously received a JJ/WBGSP scholarship and did not graduate, or who declined a previous JJ/WBGSP scholarship offer, are not eligible to apply again.

Completed online JJ/WBGSP application form.
Unconditional admission letter, except for financing, from a JJ/WBGSP participating Master’s programme.
Bachelor’s degree diploma.
Most advanced graduate degree diploma, if applicable.
CV using the required World Bank format.
Proof of paid development-related work experience.
Two professional recommendation letters.
Any required translations if documents are not in English.

First, check the official list of JJ/WBGSP participating Master’s programmes.
Apply for admission directly to one or more participating Master’s programmes.
You must receive an unconditional admission letter, except for financing, before submitting the scholarship application.
The university offering the participating Master’s programme must shortlist you as an eligible JJ/WBGSP applicant.
The link to the JJ/WBGSP application form is only shared with applicants who are admitted and shortlisted by the participating university.
Complete the online scholarship application.
Submit only one application. Submitting more than one application can lead to disqualification.
Submit the application online before the relevant deadline.
Do not submit documents by email, fax, post, in person, or through unofficial channels.

Economy-class air travel between the scholar’s home country and host university at the start and end of the study programme.
A travel allowance of US $600 for each trip.
Tuition for the graduate programme.
Basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
Monthly subsistence allowance to cover living expenses, including accommodation, food, and books.
Scholarship support for the duration of the graduate programme or up to two years, whichever is shorter.

Is the World Bank Scholarship fully funded?

Yes. The JJ/WBGSP provides major funding, including tuition, monthly living allowance, travel, and basic medical insurance.

Which universities participate in the World Bank JJ/WBGSP?

For the listed Application Window #1, the participating universities are:

Brandeis University
Columbia University
Johns Hopkins University
KIT Royal Tropical Institute / Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
University of California, Berkeley
University of Tokyo
University of Tsukuba
Williams College
Yale University

For the listed Application Window #2, the participating universities are:

Australian National University
Columbia University
Erasmus University
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Keio University
London School of Economics and Political Science
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, GRIPS
Saitama University
SOAS University of London
Stanford University
Université Clermont-Auvergne
University of Leeds
University of Oxford
University of Tokyo
Yokohama National University

Can I apply for any Master’s programme?

No. You must apply to one of the official JJ/WBGSP participating Master’s programmes.

Do I need admission before applying?

Yes. You must have unconditional admission, except for financing, to a participating programme before submitting the scholarship application.

Can fresh graduates apply?

Usually no. The programme is designed for professionals with paid development-related work experience after completing a Bachelor’s degree.

Can Arab students apply?

Yes, applicants from eligible Arab developing countries may apply if their country is on the official eligible country list and they meet all requirements.

Can I apply without professional experience?

Usually no. Paid development-related professional experience is a core requirement for developing country applicants.

Does the scholarship cover family costs?

No. The scholarship does not cover expenses for bringing or supporting family members.

Official Source

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