Host: World Bank Scholarships Program
Scholarship Name: Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
Eligible Applicants: Nationals of certain developing countries
Degree Level: Master’s
2026 Windows: 15 January–27 February / 30 March–29 May
Funding Includes: Tuition, stipend, airfare, insurance, travel allowance
The JJ/WBGSP 2026 is a master’s scholarship opportunity for citizens of certain developing countries with relevant professional experience and a development background. It is intended for applicants pursuing a development-related master’s degree through one of the participating programs.
About JJ/WBGSP 2026
According to the source page, the scholarship is available for 44 participating master’s programs offered through 24 universities across the U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan. These programs cover core development fields such as economic policy management, tax policy, and infrastructure management.
The page also makes one point very clear: applicants who are not admitted to one of the 44 participating master’s programs cannot apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship in 2026. In addition, scholars are expected to return to their home countries after graduation and contribute to social and economic development.
Eligibility Conditions
The source outlines a detailed set of eligibility rules for developing country nationals. Applicants must be nationals of a World Bank member developing country, must not hold dual citizenship of any developed country, and must be in good health.
They must also hold a bachelor’s degree earned at least 3 years before the deadline and be working full-time in paid development-related employment when submitting the application. Moreover, they need at least 3 years of paid development-related work experience earned after the bachelor’s degree and within the past 6 years.
Applicants must be admitted unconditionally, except for funding, to at least one participating master’s program located outside both their country of citizenship and their country of residence. The page further states that World Bank Group staff, certain relatives, and previous recipients or prior awardees who declined or did not graduate are not eligible.
Also Read: Global Leadership Scholarship 2026 at University of Glasgow
How the Application Works
The 2026 process is divided into two application windows. Window #1 runs from 15 January to 27 February 2026, while Window #2 runs from 30 March to 29 May 2026
The official page explains that the JJ/WBGSP application form is not openly sent to all candidates. Instead, it is communicated only to candidates who have unconditional admission, except for finance, to a participating master’s program and who are shortlisted as eligible applicants by the participating university.
Review and Selection
The review process begins with two qualified assessors who independently score each eligible application on a scale from 1 to 10. Their scoring considers professional experience, professional recommendations, commitment to the home country, and education background.
After that, the Secretariat uses the average score and additional balancing criteria, including geography, gender, hardship, and access to financial resources. The list of finalists is then submitted to the Steering Committee for approval, and winners are notified after that approval.
What the Scholarship Covers
The JJ/WBGSP scholarship includes several financial benefits for selected scholars. These benefits include:
✓ Tuition for the graduate program
✓ Basic medical insurance through the university
✓ Economy-class round-trip airfare between the home country and host university
✓ US $600 travel allowance for each trip
✓ Monthly subsistence allowance for living expenses while on campus
The scholarship covers the duration of the graduate program or up to two years, whichever is less.
Costs Not Covered
The page also lists excluded expenses. These include visa application costs, family support expenses, extra-curricular study, non-program language training, extra travel, research-related costs, workshops or internships, educational equipment such as computers, and resident permit fees.
Apply Here
➤ JJ/WBGSP
