Application Deadline
May 29, 2026
The JJ/WBGSP is open to citizens of certain 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.
Program Description
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.
Eligibility Requirements
Developing Country nationals must:
- Be a national of a World Bank member developing country
- Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country
- Be in good health
- Hold a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree earned at least 3 years prior to the Application Deadline date
- Be employed in development-related work in a paid full-time position at the time of submitting the scholarship application
- Have at least 3 years of paid development-related employment since earning a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent university degree) and acquired within the past 6 years from the date of the application deadline
- On or before the scholarship application deadline date, be admitted unconditionally (except for funding) for the upcoming academic year to at least one of the universities located outside of the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence
- Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of any type of appointment of the World Bank Group or a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption
- Individuals who have previously been offered a JJ/WBGSP scholarship but declined it, or have previously received a JJ/WBGSP scholarship but did not graduate, are not eligible to apply again
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
- A US $600 travel allowance for each trip
- Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance obtained through the university
- A monthly subsistence allowance to cover all living expenses (accommodations, food, etc., including books)
Please note all JJ/WBGSP scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.
What is Not Covered
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
- Educational equipment such as computers
- Resident permit fee
Note: The JJ/WBGSP scholarship may only supplement, and does not duplicate, any other source of financial support/fellowship you might have. If you were awarded another scholarship or fellowship, you must send the documents pertaining to this other scholarship/fellowship to the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat.
Grant Atlas