Home / Opportunities / Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) at the East-West Center / University of Hawai'i at Mānoa — Fall 2027 intake
United States · University of Hawai'i at Mānoa +…
Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) at the East-West Center / University of Hawai'i at Mānoa — Fall 2027 intake
Fully fundedOpen
Closes soon1 Dec 2026 — , 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time
The ADB-JSP, established in 1988 with Japanese government financing, funds master's study at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa for citizens of ADB developing member countries, combined with a residential leadership-development program at the East-West Center. The next application cycle runs August–December 2026 for the Fall 2027 academic year, with the scholarship application due December 1, 2026.
Why it is notable: It is one of the few fully funded master's scholarships in the United States that does not run annually — missing this window means waiting two years (the next cycle will be for Fall 2029). The dual-track structure (EWC scholarship application + separate UH Mānoa admission application) trips up applicants every cycle: both must be complete, and the scholarship form requires proof that the university application has been submitted.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Fully funded — full tuition and fees, round-trip travel to Honolulu from the home country, housing in East-West Center residence facilities, monthly stipend, funds for textbooks, health insurance, and US visa sponsorship (J-1 Exchange Visitor)
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor Masters
This scholarship is offered for Masters programs.
Who can apply
citizens AND current residents of a developing member country of the Asian Development Bank; not more than 35 years old at the time of application; hold a 4-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent — e.g., 3-year bachelor's + 1-year master's, or 2-year bachelor's + 2-year master's, subject to review) at the time of application; have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience after a university degree at the time of application.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
one of the English proficiency tests is mandatory — minimum scores: TOEFL paper-based 550, computer-based 213, internet-based (iBT) 79–80; Duolingo 95; IELTS 6.5. Results must be from a test taken within the past two years. (All applicants must take one of these tests even if English was the medium of instruction — per the official EWC FAQ.) Program-specific GRE/GMAT requirements apply for certain fields (e.g., Economics, Global MBA) via UH Mānoa.
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
35 years or younger at the time of application (official).
Tools that may help
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Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
citizens AND current residents of a developing member country of the Asian Development Bank; not more than 35 years old at the time of application; hold a…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
one of the English proficiency tests is mandatory — minimum scores: TOEFL paper-based 550, computer-based 213, internet-based (iBT) 79–80; Duolingo 95; IELTS 6.5. Results must be from a test taken within the past two years. (All applicants must take one of these tests even if English was the medium of instruction — per the official EWC FAQ.) Program-specific GRE/GMAT requirements apply for certain fields (e.g., Economics, Global MBA) via UH Mānoa.
02
Qualification
citizens AND current residents of a developing member country of the Asian Development Bank; not more than 35 years old at the time of application; hold a 4-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent — e.g
03
Documents
ADB-JSP application form with four essay questions; CV/resume; transcripts + degree certificates (soft copies by Dec 1; official hard copies mailed by issuing schools to arrive by March 1, 2027); proo
Document checklist
01ADB-JSP application form with four essay questions
02CV/resume
03transcripts + degree certificates (soft copies by Dec 1
04official hard copies mailed by issuing schools to arrive by March 1, 2027)
05proof of UH application submission
06separate UH Mānoa admission application with all its documents
07English test results (soft copy by Dec 1 if available
08official hard copy by March 1, 2027)
09three letters of reference (by Dec 15, 2026).
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: The East-West Center sponsors a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa (official).
Application Procedure
7 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Confirm eligibility against the Basic Eligibility Requirements
and the funded-fields list (official EWC page).
→
02
Apply for admission to the chosen UH
Mānoa master's program through the university's graduate admissions process (separate application, including all required supporting documents and the UH application fee; the university launches its online application ea
→
03
Complete the East-West Center ADB-JSP scholarship application
online via Submittable — due no later than December 1 (11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time), including responses to the application's essay questions.
↓
06
By March 1
2027, ensure the East-West Center receives: (a) official hard-copy transcripts and degree/graduation certificates mailed directly by the issuing schools (not photocopies), and (b) an official hard copy of the English tes
←
05
By December 15
2026, ensure three ADB-JSP letter of reference forms are received by the East-West Center from referees via the online application process.
←
04
By December 1
upload to the online application: proof of UH application submission (application acknowledgement receipt — or, if delayed, a brief note explaining you have applied and will email proof as soon as available); a CV/resume
↓
07
Await the review cycle
notifications historically follow in mid-spring (per third-party pages — mid-May to early June 2027; unverified on an official page).
Application milestones
1 Dec 2026
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official University of Hawai'i at Mānoa +… platform.
1 Dec 2026 — , 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time (official EWC FAQ + official Submittable application instructions). Letters…
Who can apply?
citizens AND current residents of a developing member country of the Asian Development Bank; not more than 35 years old at the time of application; hold a 4-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent — e.g., 3-year bachelor's + 1-year master's, or 2-year bachelor's + 2-year master's, subject to review) at the time of application; have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience after a university degree at the time of application.
What does the scholarship cover?
Fully funded — full tuition and fees, round-trip travel to Honolulu from the home country, housing in East-West Center residence facilities, monthly stipend, funds for textbooks, health insurance, and US visa sponsorship (J-1 Exchange Visitor)
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
United States · University of Hawai'i at Mānoa +…