Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program 2020

Graduates from developing countries are invited to apply for the 2020 Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) — Funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the World Bank.

The deadline for submission of applications is 24th October, 2019.

About Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

Since 1996, the Graduate School of Business and Commerce of Keio University has been training promising tax personnel in the field of tax policy and administration with its Master’s Degree Program in Taxation Policy and Management. This program brings together the cooperation of Keio University, the National Tax Agency of Japan (NTA), and the World Bank in an alliance between public and private institutions.

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open to women and men from developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a master degree program in a development-related topic.   

Subject to available funding, JJWBGSP offers scholarships for master degree programs in key areas of development. After earning their degree, developing country scholars commit to return to their home country to use their new skills and contribute to their countries’ social and economic development.

After earning their degree, developing country scholars commit to return to their home country to use their new skills and contribute to their countries’ social and economic development.

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. In addition to the two-way air travel, scholars will receive a US $500 travel allowance for each trip;
• Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic medical insurance obtained through the university.
• While on campus during the scholarship period, a monthly subsistence allowance to cover all living expenses (accommodations, food, etc., including books). The amount of the allowance varies depending on the host country.

Please note all JJ/WBGSP scholarships cover the duration of the graduate program or two years, whichever is less.

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; or
• 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 are notified to be a semi-finalist or if you are awarded a scholarship, you must inform and document to the JJ/WBGSP at that time if you have other sources of scholarship funds. 

Eligibility

• Be a national of a Bank member country that is eligible to receive Bank financing and not be a national of any country that is not eligible to receive the Bank financing. For the list of eligible World Bank countries, see eligible country list.
• Not hold dual citizen of any developed country.
• Be in good health with respect to the capacity to be a productive scholar for the duration of the Graduate Program, as certified by a medical doctor.
• Hold a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with superior academic achievement earned at least three (3) years prior to the Scholarship Application Deadline.
• Not received any scholarship funding to earn a Graduate degree or its equivalent from any sources funded by the government of Japan.
• Be employed in a paid and full time position at the time of the Scholarship Application Deadline unless the applicant is from a country identified in the World Bank’s “Harmonized List of Fragile Situations”. 
• Have, by  the time of  the Scholarship Application Deadline, at least three（3）years of recent full time paid professional experience in the field of tax policy and administration at a public body (institution) after a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in the applicant’s home country or in another developing country; If the applicant is from a country identified in the World Bank’s “Harmonized List of Fragile Situations” at the time of the Scholarship Application Deadline, the recent professional experience does not have to be full time or paid.
• Not be an Executive Director,  his / her alternate, staff of  the World  Bank Group (the  World Bank, International Development Association, International Finance Corporation, MultilateralInvestment Guarantee Agency, and International Center for Settlement of Investment Dispute), or a close relative of the aforementioned by blood or adoption with the term “close relative” defined as: Mother, Father, Sister, Half-sister, Brother, Half-brother, Son, Daughter, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, or Nephew.
• Accepted to the University unconditionally or conditionally only upon securing financing.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the English language at the level of a TOEFL score of 79 (IBT) or better, or an IELTS score of 6.0 or better.
• Meet any other criteria for admission established by Keio University.
• Applicants must not be currently pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. program in industrialized countries.
• Applicants must not have had one or more years of training / studies and / or residency in an industrialized country.
• Applicants must not be permanent residents / nationals of industrialized countries.

How to Apply for Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

• Applications are accepted upon completion of Online Registration and Submission of Application Documents.
• Online Registration must be completed by October 24, 2019.   
• Application documents must be submitted by mail and must reach the Keio University by October 31, 2019. We do not accept applications via fax or email.
• Send the original copy of the application documents. Copies of the application will not be accepted.
• Please make a copy of all the application documents for your records. The World Bank may ask you to submit the copy in the selection process by the World Bank.
• Late applications and incomplete applications will not be accepted. Keio will not notify applicants of missing documents.
• Application documents may also be downloaded from the homepage of the Master’s Degree Program in Taxation Policy and Management.
• Applicants who have applied for a program offered by Keio and have passed the selection process by Keio will be asked to complete additional online application by the World Bank, which will make the final admission decision.