World Bank Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships 2027 for masters
About
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) supports professionals from developing countries who wish to pursue a master’s degree in a development-related field. Subject to available funding, it covers 44 participating programmes at 24 universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Japan.
Table of contents
- About the World Bank Scholarships Program
- World Bank Scholarships Program 2027 application schedule
- Main eligibility requirements of World Bank Scholarships Program
- Funding and duration of World Bank Scholarships Program
- Participating universities of World Bank Scholarships Program
- Application procedure and selection of World Bank Scholarships Program
About the World Bank Scholarships Program
The 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’s degree program in a development-related topic.
Subject to available funding, JJ/WBGSP offers scholarships for 44 Participating Master’s Programs in 24 universities in the U.S., Europe, Africa, Oceania and Japan in key areas of development, including economic policy management, tax policy, and infrastructure management.
Please note that if you are not admitted to one of these 44 Participating Master’s Programs, you are not eligible to apply for a JJ/WBGSP Scholarship in 2027.
To accommodate the academic calendar of JJ/WBGSP Participating Programs, the application process is organized in two rounds:



- Application Window#1
Application Window #1 from January 18 to February 26, 2027 - Application Window #2
Application Window #2 from March 29 to May 21, 2027
World Bank Scholarships Program 2027 application schedule
- First window: from 18 janvier to 26 février 2027.
- Second window: from 29 mars to 21 mai 2027.
The two windows correspond to the schedules of the participating programmes. Applicants must check the requirements of their chosen master’s degree programme.
Main eligibility requirements of World Bank Scholarships Program
- Be a national of a World Bank member developing country on the list of eligible countries, without also holding citizenship of a developed country.
- Be in good health.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification obtained at least three years before the application deadline.
- Be in full-time paid employment in a development-related role at the time of application.
- Have at least three years of paid development-related professional experience, gained after obtaining a bachelor’s degree and within the six years preceding the deadline. Special provisions apply to nationals of fragile or conflict-affected states listed in the guidelines.
- Have secured admission, conditional only on funding, to a participating master’s degree programme outside both the applicant’s country of nationality and country of residence by the deadline.
Executive Directors, alternates and staff of the World Bank Group, as well as their close relatives as defined by the programme, are not eligible. Individuals who have previously declined a JJ/WBGSP scholarship or received this scholarship without completing their degree cannot reapply.
Funding and duration of World Bank Scholarships Program
- Master’s degree tuition fees and basic medical insurance arranged through the university.
- A monthly subsistence allowance while on campus, with the amount depending on the host country.
- Return economy-class travel between the home country and the host university.
- A travel allowance of 600 US dollars for each of the two journeys.
Funding covers the duration of the programme or two years, whichever is shorter. It excludes, among other things, visa and residence permit fees, family expenses, additional travel, computer equipment, and expenses related to research, fieldwork, internships or participation in seminars.



Participating universities of World Bank Scholarships Program
Find the participating universities of the World Bank Scholarships program
- University of Oxford, UK
- Stanford University, USA
- Yale University, USA
- Columbia University, USA
- Johns Hopkins University, USA
- University of California, Berkeley, USA
- London School of Economics, UK
- University of Leeds, UK
- Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
- University of Tokyo, Japan
Application procedure and selection of World Bank Scholarships Program
The application form is sent only to individuals who have been admitted subject only to funding and pre-screened as eligible by the participating university. Applicants must therefore contact the institution offering their chosen master’s degree programme. The admission letter must be uploaded before the application is submitted.
The assessment considers professional experience, recommendations and commitment to the home country, each accounting for 30 %, as well as academic background, which accounts for 10 %.
After their studies, recipients from developing countries commit to returning to their home country to contribute to its social and economic development.
For more informations or to apply for the World Bank Scholarships program 2027, click on the link below :
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