IMF JISPA Scholarship 2027 in Japan (Fully Funded)

Overview

The Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Asia (JISPA) PhD Scholarship 2027 is a fully funded doctoral programme for public-sector officials, run through a partnership between the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Government of Japan and Japanese universities. It is designed to give officials advanced analytical, econometric and policy-formulation skills. Scholars take part in policy discussions with IMF economists, Japanese Ministry of Finance representatives and the Bank of Japan.

Doctoral research must be in economics or a related public policy field that addresses national or regional economic challenges, such as macroeconomic policy, monetary economics, econometrics, public finance, fiscal policy, taxation, debt sustainability, financial regulation, development economics, international trade, labour economics, climate economics, data science for policy, economic statistics and digital finance.

What you get

The award covers university admission fees, matriculation costs and full tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip economy airfare between the home country and Japan, and conditional support for international conferences and field research.

Who can apply

Applicants must be citizens of one of 21 target countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao P.D.R., Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; and eligible Pacific Island countries and Papua New Guinea. They must be public-sector officials nominated by an agency such as a central bank, ministry of finance or economy, planning body, tax authority or statistics bureau.

Preference goes to applicants under 38 with at least 2 years of public-sector experience. A Master's degree in economics or a related field with an outstanding record is required, along with independently secured admission to an English-taught economics PhD at an accredited Japanese university. Applicants must not have been on leave for more than one continuous month in the 12 months before September 1, 2027, must show IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 79-80 or higher, and must commit to returning to their nominating agency afterwards.

How to apply

Applicants secure university admission, obtain an official agency nomination, draft a research proposal on a specific economic challenge in their home country, then register on the online portal and upload the application form, nomination form, CV, proposal, certified degree certificates and transcripts, English test report, passport copy with photo and proof of admission. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed online.

Key dates

The application window runs from May 1 to June 1, 2027, closing at 23:59 JST.