Note: 2021/2022 application and intake for Japanese Universities
Application deadline for September 2021/April 2022 Intake: August 31, 2021
Background
The Japan Africa Dream Scholarship (JADS) Program is a capacity building project by the AfDB and Japan which was initiated in 2017 with the aim of providing two-year scholarship awards to highly achieving African graduate students to enable them to undergo post-graduate studies (i.e. a two-year Master’s degree program) in selected priority development areas on the continent and Japan. The overarching goal the AfDB and the Government of Japan seek to attain is to enhance skills and human resources development in Africa in under the Bank’s High 5s agenda (i.e. “Feed Africa”, “Light up Africa”, “Industrialize Africa”, “Integrate Africa” and “Improve the quality of life of the people of Africa”) and key Japanese development assistance initiatives. JADS core areas of study focus include energy, agriculture, health, environmental sustainability, and engineering. The program also seeks to promote inter-university collaboration and university-industry partnerships between Japan and Africa. Upon completion of their studies, the JADS scholars are expected to return to their home countries to apply and disseminate their newly acquired knowledge and skills in the public and private sectors, and contribute to national and continental socio-economic development.
About the JADS program
The JADS Program is open to applicants from AfDB member countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a graduate degree program in energy development and related discipline. The program does not provide scholarships to any other graduate degree program.
The scholarship program provides tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and travel allowance.
Upon completion of their studies, the beneficiary scholars are expected to return to their home countries to apply and disseminate their newly acquired knowledge and skills, and contribute to the promotion of sustainable development of their countries.
What can an applicant do before the call?
- Read information posted on this website and review eligibility criteria carefully.
- Begin gathering required documentation for the scholarship application, including: your current curriculum vitae, proof of employment for each record of employment since earning a Bachelor’s degree, and certified copy of the certificate of your most advanced university degree earned.
- Identify two professional references.
- Prepare your research plan and proposal
- Identify two professional references.
- Take TOEFL iBT, TOEC test for English proficiency score report
Who is Eligible to Apply?
The program is open to those who have gained admission to an approved Masters degree course at a Japanese partner university. Candidates should be 35 years old or younger; in good health; with a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in the energy area or related area; and have a superior academic record. Upon completion of their study programs, scholars are expected to return to their home country to contribute to its economic and social development.
Details on Eligibility Criteria are provided in that call’s Application Guidelines, and these detailed eligibility criteria are strictly adhered to. No exceptions are made.
Broadly speaking, nationals of African countries must:
- Be a national of a AfDB member country;
- Be in good health;
- Hold a Bachelor (or equivalent) degree in the energy area (or related field) earned at least 1 years prior to the application deadline date;
- Have 1 years or more of recent development-related experience after earning a Bachelor (or equivalent) degree;
- Be accepted unconditionally to enroll in the upcoming academic year in at least one of the JADS partner universities for a Master’s degree;
- Applicants living or working in a country other than his or her home country are not eligible for scholarships.
- JADS does not support applicants who are already enrolled in graduate degree programs.
- Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, and/or staff of all types of appointments of the African Development Bank Group 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.
*Please note: All eligibility criteria are strictly adhered to. No exceptions are made. Eligibility criteria will notchange during an open call for applications. However, this information is subject to change between the close of one application process and the opening of the next.
Selection Process
The JADS program uses the following four main factors and the degree of cohesion, to review eligible scholarship applications, with the aim of identifying the candidates with the highest potential, after completion of their graduate studies, to impact the development of their countries.
- Quality of Education Background
- Quality of Professional Recommendations
- Quality of Professional Experience
- Quality of Commitment to your Home Country
- Quality of Statement of Purpose
JADS awards scholarships to applicants who have had at least 1 year of paid employment in the applicant’s home country or in other African countries acquired after receiving the first Bachelors (or equivalent university) degree within the past 3 years.
The JADS Secretariat uses the following criteria to select the finalists:
- Maintaining a reasonably wide geographical distribution of awards, that takes into account the geographic distribution of eligible applications;
- Maintaining a reasonable distribution of awards across gender that takes into account the distribution of eligible applications across gender;
- Giving scholarships to those applicants who, other things being equal, appear to have limited financial resources
- Unusual circumstances / hardships, when assessing the employment experience and other aspects of an application.
The JADS Secretariat presents the finalists to the AfDB’s Executive Director for Japan for approval on a rolling basis, matching the JADS partner universities admission cycle. A seminar is held for all finalists in each cycle at the AfDB’s Headquarters. The Secretariat informs the scholarship winners to the partner universities soon after approval.
For more information please open this link
What can an applicant do before the call?
Who is Eligible to Apply?
List of Universities
Selection Process
Scholarship Benefits
Application Procedures