The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) 2026 offers fully funded Master's degree study at the University of Hawai'i at Mฤnoa, combined with the leadership and residential programs of the East-West Center in Honolulu. It is funded by the Government of Japan through the Asian Development Bank, open to citizens of ADB developing member countries aged 35 or under, and the application deadline is 1 December 2026 for the Fall 2027 academic year.
About the ADB-JSP
The ADB-JSP scholarship was established in April 1988 with financing from the Government of Japan to strengthen human resource capacity in Asian Development Bank developing member countries.
๐ It aims to give well-qualified citizens of ADB's developing member countries the opportunity to undertake graduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asia and Pacific region.
๐ After completing their studies, scholars are expected to return to their home countries to apply and share their new knowledge and skills to promote socioeconomic development. The East-West Center accepts applications every other year, and the next cycle is open from August to December 2026 for the Fall 2027 academic year.
What the Scholarship Covers
๐ต Full tuition and fees.
โ๏ธ Roundtrip travel to Honolulu from the applicant's home country.
๐ Housing in East-West Center residence facilities.
๐ณ A monthly stipend.
๐ Funds for textbooks.
๐ฉบ Health insurance.
๐ US visa sponsorship (J-1 Exchange Visitor).
๐ Also worth a look if you are chasing funded study, this scholarship in ๐จ๐ฆ Canada: The Glendon Chase McCormick Award โ https://youthworkshub.org/21037
Eligible Master's Programs and Required Tests
The following Master's degree programs at the University of Hawai'i at Mฤnoa are funded by ADB-JSP at the East-West Center, with the standardized tests each requires shown alongside:
๐ผ Business Administration (Global MBA): TOEFL or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GMAT (UHM only).
๐ Economics (MA): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐บ๏ธ Geography (MA): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐ฑ Natural Resources and Environmental Management (MS): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐ Ocean and Resources Engineering (MS): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐ Oceanography (MS): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐๏ธ Pacific Islands Studies (MA): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM).
๐๏ธ Public Administration (MPA): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM).
๐ฅ Sociology (MA): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐พ Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences (MS): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM); GRE (UHM only).
๐๏ธ Urban and Regional Planning (MURP): TOEFL, DUOLINGO or IELTS (EWC and UHM).
Basic Eligibility Requirements
๐ Be a citizen and current resident of a developing member country of the Asian Development Bank, and not more than 35 years old at the time of application.
๐ Have a 4-year Bachelor's degree or the equivalent at the time of application (an equivalent could be a 3-year Bachelor's plus a 1-year Master's, or a 2-year Bachelor's plus a 2-year Master's, subject to review).
๐ผ Have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience after a university degree at the time of application.
๐ฃ๏ธ Take one of the accepted English proficiency tests, with minimum scores of 550 (paper-based TOEFL), 213 (computer-based TOEFL), 79-80 (TOEFL iBT), 95 (DUOLINGO) or 6.5 (IELTS). Results must be from a test taken within the past two years.
Who Cannot Apply
๐ซ Applicants living or working in a country other than their home country are not eligible.
๐ซ Applicants who have previously studied abroad (in a country outside ADB developing member countries), or who are seeking a second Master's degree, are not eligible.
๐ Another international option to keep in mind, this time in ๐จ๐ณ China: Global Internship Programme at a major bank โ https://youthworkshub.org/20536
How to Apply
๐ Two separate applications are required. First, submit the ADB-JSP scholarship application to the East-West Center through the online Submittable portal. Second, submit a separate application (with all required supporting documents) to the University of Hawai'i at Mฤnoa for admission into your chosen Master's program. For the Global MBA, applications must be obtained from the Shidler Global MBA program rather than the general Graduate Division site.
๐ Have the following ready to upload: proof of your UH application submission (or a brief explanatory note if delayed), your CV or resume, scanned official transcripts and degree/graduation certificates for each higher education institution attended, and your TOEFL/IELTS result. Official hard copies of transcripts and certificates must reach the East-West Center by mail by 15 December, and hard-copy test results by 1 March.
Deadline
โณ 01 December 2026
Links
๐ Apply (East-West Center Submittable): https://eastwestcenter.submittable.com/submit/c537e27c-c696-4362-9e9f-1711d1aa9fa7/view
๐ ADB-JSP application information (East-West Center): https://www.eastwestcenter.org/education/student-programs/opportunities-study
๐ ADB Japan Scholarship Program: https://www.adb.org/work-with-us/careers/japan-scholarship-program/faq
๐ง adbjsp@eastwestcenter.org
โ ๏ธ Important Notice
Youth Works Hub is not the organiser, partner, or representative of the listed projects. This listing is shared for information only, based on details from the source. Deadlines, eligible countries, dates, and other details may change or be withdrawn at any time, and all funding, reimbursements, and allowances are set by the project coordinator or National Agency. Applications go directly to the coordinator or hosting organisation through the official link. Listings may include third-party links (ESC Portal, infopacks, forms) that Youth Works Hub does not control. Always verify the details on the official project page before applying.
