ADB-Japan Scholarship Program 2027: Fully Funded Master’s in Japan & Asia

Quick Overview

Feature	Details
Full name	Asian Development Bank – Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)
Funded by	Government of Japan, administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Coverage	Full tuition + monthly subsistence & housing allowance + books + medical insurance + travel expenses
Level	Master’s (max 2 years)
Who can apply	Nationals of ~40 ADB borrowing member countries (Asia & Pacific)
Where	27 designated institutions — 17 in Japan, 10 in Asia-Pacific (incl. NUS, HKU, IIT Delhi, Thammasat)
How many	~130–135 awards per year
Key requirement	2+ years full-time professional work experience; age ≤35
Application route	Directly to partner institutions — apply ~6 months before your intake

The ADB-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) is one of the most established fully funded Master’s routes for students from developing Asia and the Pacific. Running since 1988 with Japanese government financing, it funds graduate study at 27 designated institutions, including the University of Tokyo, Kyoto, Keio, NUS, HKU, IIT Delhi, Thammasat and the Asian Institute of Management. Roughly 130–135 new scholars are selected each year, and the program explicitly prioritizes women and candidates with lower financial capacity.

Deadlines are set by each partner university and fall mostly between December 2026 and March 2027 for the September/October 2027 intakes — so August is exactly the right time to shortlist institutions and prepare. This guide is based on the official ADB pages (adb.org) and the participating institutions’ schedules.

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What Does It Cover?

Benefit	Details
Tuition	Full tuition fees at the designated institution
Subsistence	Monthly allowance covering living costs and housing
Books & materials	Allowance for books and instructional materials
Medical insurance	Covered for the duration of study
Travel	Travel expenses (round-trip between home country and host institution)
Research support	Special grant for thesis preparation may be available for research-track scholars
Duration	1 year, renewable for a 2nd year (max 2 years) conditional on satisfactory performance

> ⚠️ Not covered: spouse/dependents’ expenses, extra-curricular courses, additional travel, educational equipment (e.g., computers), conferences or field trips. And note the return-home commitment: scholars agree to return and work in their home country for at least 2 years after graduation.

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Eligibility

✅ You Must:

• Be a national of an ADB borrowing member country (see list below) and a Japanese-ODA-scholarship-eligible country

• Not hold dual citizenship of any developed country

• Have gained admission to an approved Master’s course at a Designated Institution (you apply for admission + scholarship together)

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a superior academic record

• Have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience acquired after your university degree

• Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application (waiver only with endorsement of the Government of Japan)

• Be proficient in oral and written English

• Be in good health

• Agree to return and work in your home country for at least 2 years after the program

• Apply from your home country (not while living/working abroad)

❌ Not Eligible If:

• You are a national of a country not on the ADB-JSP list (e.g., China, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, US, EU countries are not eligible)

• You are already enrolled in a graduate degree program

• You are a staff member of ADB or of a Designated Institution (or a close relative of ADB staff)

• You are pursuing a second Master’s — the program in principle does not support second master’s degrees

• You previously studied abroad — the program in principle does not support applicants who have already studied overseas

Eligible countries/areas (ADB-JSP):

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.

> Selection preferences: women candidates; applicants with lesser financial capacity; first-time study abroad; candidates with high potential for senior development roles; and candidates whose proposed field matches ADB Strategy 2030 priorities (poverty reduction, gender equality, climate resilience, livable cities, rural development & food security, governance, regional cooperation) and Japan’s ODA priorities.

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How to Apply: Step by Step

Step 1: Choose your institution and course

Review the ADB-JSP list of 27 Designated Institutions and their approved fields of study — the scholarship covers only approved courses at those institutions (e.g., economics, management, public policy, agriculture, environment, health, science & technology, development studies). You can apply to more than one institution, but you must state this in your application forms.

Step 2: Check your institution’s deadline

Each university sets its own application deadline (see the timeline below). The general rule: send your application at least 6 months before your planned intake. For September/October 2027 intakes, most deadlines fall December 2026 – March 2027.

Step 3: Request forms and apply to the institution

Contact the chosen institution (or download forms from its ADB-JSP page). Indicate that you want to be considered for the ADB-JSP scholarship. Submit the institution application form plus the ADB-JSP Information Sheet, academic records, income documents (latest income tax return or salary certification + family income certification), English test scores, and references.

Step 4: Institution shortlists, ADB decides

The institution screens and ranks applicants, then submits its ranked list to ADB. ADB reviews and recommends awardees to the Executive Director of Japan for formal approval. The institution informs you of the outcome and arranges the award — you do not contact ADB directly.

Step 5: Accept and return home

Awardees sign an Acceptance of Scholarship Award committing to return to their home country for at least 2 years after graduation. There is also a 2-year employment restriction at the ADB Group after the program.

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Upcoming Deadlines at Key Institutions (for 2027 intakes)

Institution	Program	Intake	Typical deadline
University of Tokyo (GraSPP)	Master of Public Policy	October	December
Ritsumeikan University	Master in Economics	September	December
Hitotsubashi University	Asian Public Policy (APP)	September	Early January
Tohoku University	Human Security / Env. Studies	October	Early January
International University of Japan	IR / Development Economics / Business	September	Early January
UNU-IAS	Master of Science in Sustainability	September	Early February
University of Tsukuba	International Public Policy	October	March

Deadlines are per the ADB institutions list — always confirm the exact date on the university’s own ADB-JSP page.

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Insider Tips

1. The work-experience rule is strict

You need 2+ years of full-time professional work experience after your degree at the time of application. Internships and part-time work generally don’t count. If you’re a fresh graduate, build 2 years of work first — and make the development angle of that work visible.

2. Age 35 is a hard line

Applicants must be 35 or under at application, unless the Government of Japan grants a waiver. If you’re close to 35, apply this cycle — don’t wait.

3. Women get priority — say so in your story

ADB-JSP gives explicit preference to women candidates and to applicants with lesser financial capacity. If either applies to you, document it naturally (roles, context, family income certification is required anyway).

4. Apply to 2-3 institutions, not one

You may apply to multiple designated institutions simultaneously (declare it in the forms). Given ~130 awards across 27 institutions, spreading your applications materially raises your odds — the MEXT scholarship and GKS can run in parallel too.

5. Match your field to ADB’s priorities

The selection criteria explicitly reward fields aligned with ADB Strategy 2030: climate resilience, gender equality, food security, governance, urban development, regional cooperation. Frame your study plan around a concrete development problem in your home country.

6. Don’t confuse ADB-JSP with JJ/WBGSP

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship (JJ/WBGSP) is a similar but separate World Bank program with its own institution list and deadlines — many applicants apply to both, and that’s fine. Just keep the applications distinct.

7. Apply from home, and prove it

You must not be living or working outside your home country at application. Residence documents matter — make sure your application shows home-country residence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the ADB-JSP fully funded?

A: Yes — full tuition, monthly subsistence & housing allowance, books, medical insurance and travel expenses. Dependents’ costs are not covered, and you must return home for 2 years after graduation.

Q: Can I apply to any university?

A: No — only the 27 designated institutions with approved fields of study. ADB-JSP does not fund study at other universities.

Q: What is the deadline?

A: There is no single deadline — each institution sets its own. Rule of thumb: apply at least 6 months before your intake; for September/October 2027 starts, most deadlines are December 2026 – March 2027.

Q: Is there a separate ADB application?

A: No. You apply to the institution only; the institution nominates you to ADB. ADB makes the final award recommendation.

Q: Am I eligible if I’m from India, the Philippines, Vietnam or Indonesia?

A: Yes — all four are on the eligible countries list. In fact, the Philippines (AIM, IRRI-UPLB) and Thailand (AIT, Thammasat) host designated institutions themselves.

Q: Does ADB-JSP cover PhDs?

A: The program covers Master’s programs (max 2 years) at designated institutions. For PhD funding in Japan, see MEXT or NTU Singapore’s NPGS.

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Timeline Table

Stage	Date
Choose institutions & fields	Now – November 2026
Prepare documents (income certs, English tests, references)	October – December 2026
University application deadlines	December 2026 – March 2027 (institution-dependent)
Institution shortlisting	Spring 2027
ADB review & Japan ED approval	Spring–Summer 2027
Study begins	September/October 2027 intakes

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Your Action Plan

1. This month: Confirm your country is eligible; shortlist 2-3 designated institutions and their approved fields.

2. September: Email the institutions’ ADB-JSP coordinators for forms and deadlines; start your English test prep.

3. October–November: Collect income/family-income certifications, transcripts and references.

4. December–February: Submit institution applications — at least 6 months before your intended intake.

5. Summer 2027: Accept your award, sign the return-home commitment, and prepare for departure.

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ADB-JSP is a rare program that funds development-minded professionals from Asia’s emerging economies — with Japanese precision and a full ride. Share this with someone from an ADB member country who wants a funded Master’s in Japan or Asia.