Joint Japan/World Bank General Scholarship Program

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), in partnership with the MPA/ID Program, is pleased to offer eight scholarships per year to citizens of World Bank member borrower countries. These scholarships provide full tuition, a stipend of approximately $1500 per month, and round trip airfare. Scholarship recipients are required to return to their home country or to another developing country after they graduate. Scholarship recipients are ineligible for employment at the World Bank Group for a period of three years after graduation.

To apply for the JJ/WBGSP through this partnership program, you must first apply for admission to the MPA/ID program.

Since the MPA/ID program has a partnership relationship with the JJ/WBGSP, it is not necessary for MPA/ID applicants to apply to the JJ/WBGSP under the regular program. The MPA/ID Program will submit the names of admitted candidates who meet the scholarship eligibility requirements directly to the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat. In order to be considered for the scholarship, applicants to the MPA/ID Program should complete a Statement of Eligibility and submit it to the MPA/ID office at the time of application.

To be eligible for the JJ/WBGSP, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a citizen of a World Bank borrowing member country.
  • Not be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of any industrialized country and not hold dual citizenship with any industrialized country.
  • Have a minimum of two years of recent full-time professional experience in your home country or in another developing country after receiving a university degree.
  • Currently work in a development-related field in a developing or transition country.
  • Have no close relative who is an Executive Director, an alternate, a consultant, or staff member of the World Bank Group.

Steps to apply to the JJ/WBGSP partnership program:

  1. Apply to the MPA/ID Program.
  2. Complete your Statement of Eligibility (Note: the Statement of Eligibility has not yet been updated for the 2010-2011 application process.)
  3. Mail, fax, or email your Statement of Eligibility form to the MPA/ID Office (contact information included on the form).

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Robert Zoelick's Visit in April 2008

Robert Zoelick and World Bank Scholars

World Bank President Robert Zoellick, MPP 1981, came to the Kennedy School in April 2008 to meet with current JJ/WBGSP scholars and deliver the keynote address at the International Development Conference.

JJ/WBGSP Alumni

Ritesh Singh

Ritesh Singh, MPA/ID 2009, is the Deputy Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs of the Indian Ministry of Finance. Ritesh attended the MPA/ID program thanks to the support of the Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship program.