What the funding covers
- Tuition for the master's and basic medical insurance bought through the university.
- A monthly allowance for all living costs, including books. The amount depends on the host country.
- Economy return flights to the host university, plus US$600 for each trip.
- Funding for the length of the programme or two years, whichever is shorter.
What you will still pay
| Cost | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Tuition and basic medical insurance | The scholarship |
| Living costs | The scholarship (amount varies by country) |
| Return flights | The scholarship, plus US$600 a trip |
| Visa and residence permit | You |
Who can apply
- Nationals of the 87 developing countries on the World Bank's 2027 list, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, India and Pakistan, with no dual citizenship of a developed country.
- A bachelor's degree earned at least three years before the application deadline.
- At least three years of paid, full-time, development-related work since your bachelor's, earned within the last six years, and a paid full-time development-related job when you apply. Nationals of fragile and conflict-affected countries listed in the guidelines have an exception.
- Unconditional admission, apart from funding, to a participating master's outside your country of citizenship and residence.
Which nationalities can apply
Citizens of 87 countries can apply. Countries Eligible for the JJWBGSP Scholarship in 2027. Official list, as of Nov 7, 2026.
See all 87
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iraq, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Documents you will need
- Unconditional admission letter from a participating programme
- Proof of at least three years of paid development-related employment
- Recommendation letters
- Bachelor's degree certificate
How to apply
- Apply first to one of the 44 participating master's programmes. The 2027 list includes programmes at ANU, Brandeis, Columbia SIPA, Erasmus University (IHS and ISS), IHE Delft, Johns Hopkins, Keio, KIT with VU Amsterdam, LSE, GRIPS, Saitama, SOAS, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Clermont-Auvergne, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Leeds, Oxford, Tokyo, Tsukuba, Williams College, Yale and Yokohama National University.
- The university shortlists its admitted, eligible candidates, and only they receive the link to the scholarship form.
- Upload your admission letter and submit within a 2027 window: 18 January to 26 February, or 29 March to 21 May 2027.
- Two assessors score each application on professional experience (30%), recommendations (30%), commitment to your home country (30%) and education (10%).
Before you apply: things to know
- Scholars commit to return home after the degree and use their skills for their country's development.
- The work must be development-related and paid. Check the 2027 Application Guidelines for what counts before you rely on your experience.
- Visa costs, family expenses and residence permit fees are not covered.
- Engineers can look at Saitama University's civil and environmental engineering programme, Leeds' MSc Water, Sanitation and Health Engineering, and Yokohama National University's infrastructure management programme.
Common questions
Is Ghana eligible for the JJ/WBGSP in 2027?
Yes. Ghana is on the World Bank's list of countries eligible for the 2027 scholarship.
Can I apply to the JJ/WBGSP before I have an admission?
No. Only candidates admitted unconditionally (except for funding) to a participating programme, and shortlisted by that university, receive the application link.
How much work experience do I need?
At least three years of paid, full-time, development-related work since your bachelor's, within the last six years, and a current development-related job.
A working timeline
Counting back from the next deadline (Feb 26, 2027). Steps marked NOW are already due if you start today.