StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) was established in April 1988 with financing from the Government of Japan to strengthen human-resource capacity in ADB’s developing member countries. Most ADB-JSP awards send scholars to universities across Asia — the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa track, administered by the East-West Center (EWC), is the program’s American outpost, pairing a funded master’s degree with the Center’s residential, educational and leadership-development programs in Honolulu.
The package is genuinely comprehensive: full tuition and fees, housing in EWC residential facilities, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare between home and Honolulu, books, health insurance, and J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsorship — the last of which removes a real layer of complexity for applicants navigating US immigration on their own. One structural warning matters more here than for annual scholarships: the East-West Center opens ADB-JSP applications every other year, so the Fall 2027 cycle (open August–December 2026) is followed by nothing until Fall 2029.
Eligibility
- Be a citizen and current resident of an eligible ADB developing member country. Applicants living or working in a country other than their home country are ineligible.
- Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application.
- Hold a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a strong academic record.
- Have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience after completing the university degree.
- Not have previously studied abroad (in a country outside ADB developing member countries) and not be seeking a second master’s degree.
- Be admitted to an approved ADB-JSP master’s program in a development-related field — e.g. Economics, Public Administration, Urban and Regional Planning, Global MBA, Geography, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Oceanography, Pacific Islands Studies, Sociology, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. Check the approved list: not every UHM program qualifies.
- Meet the program’s English-language requirements, be in good health, and intend to return home after study.
Benefits
- Full tuition and additional fees for the master’s degree.
- Monthly subsistence allowance covering living costs, plus housing in EWC residential facilities.
- Economy round-trip airfare between the home country and Honolulu.
- Books and instructional materials allowance.
- Medical and health insurance.
- Thesis or research support where applicable, and J-1 visa sponsorship.
- Participation in the East-West Center’s residential, educational and leadership development programs.
Documents required
- Completed ADB-JSP online application including four required essay questions.
- Curriculum vitae or résumé.
- Transcripts and degree/graduation certificates from every higher-education institution attended.
- Official TOEFL/IELTS results sent directly by the testing service.
- Three letters of reference submitted directly by the referees to EWC (due 15 December 2026).
- Proof of the University of Hawaiʻi application submission, plus the UH admission documents (statement of objectives, test scores, application fee — the fee is reimbursed for one program if the scholarship is awarded).
How to apply
- Confirm your field is approvedCheck the ADB-JSP approved-fields list on the East-West Center page first — applying to a non-approved UHM program wastes the whole effort.
- Apply to the University of Hawaiʻi in parallelSubmit the UHM graduate admission application for your approved master’s program (Graduate Division, or the Shidler portal for the Global MBA). Do not wait for the admission decision before starting the scholarship application.
- Submit the ADB-JSP application to EWC by 1 December 2026Complete the East-West Center ADB-JSP application, including the four essay questions, by the closing date.
- Lock in your referees earlyThree reference letters must reach EWC directly from your referees by 15 December 2026 — two weeks after the main deadline, and a classic point of failure.
- Send test scores officiallyHave TOEFL/IELTS results sent directly by the testing service; screenshots or applicant-forwarded copies do not count.
FAQs
The Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program, financed by the Government of Japan and administered at this site by the East-West Center, funds master’s study at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for professionals from ADB’s developing member countries. It is offered every other year — this is the Fall 2027 intake.
The EWC opened applications on 18 August 2026 and closes the ADB-JSP application on 1 December 2026. Reference letters are due 15 December 2026.
Yes. The two tracks run in parallel and you should not wait for the admission decision, since both timelines are tight. But you must complete the UH admission application separately.
Yes. Scholars are expected to return to their home countries after completing their studies and apply their new knowledge to promote socioeconomic development.
Development-related master’s programs such as Business Administration (Global MBA), Economics, Geography, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Ocean and Resources Engineering, Oceanography, Pacific Islands Studies, Public Administration, Sociology, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, and Urban and Regional Planning.
Verified 23 Oct 2026: eastwestcenter.org/apply/asian-development-bank-japan-scholarship-program (official, crawled 23 Oct 2026) — opening 18 Aug 2026, closing 1 Dec 2026, biennial cycle (next Fall 2029), established Apr 1988 with Government of Japan financing, approved fields, return-home expectation; insurab.com + gksscholarships.com + scholarships365.biz + scholarpositions.com — 1 Dec 2026 deadline, refs 15 Dec 2026, full tuition+fees, housing, monthly stipend, round-trip airfare, books, insurance, J-1 sponsorship, thesis grant; eligibility: ADB developing member country citizen resident at home, ≤35, 4-yr bachelor’s, 2+ yrs work experience, no prior study abroad, no second master’s, good health.
