The Japan Africa Dream Scholarship (JADS) is a postgraduate scholarship programme established by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with the Government of Japan. Its purpose is to develop skilled professionals who can contribute to Africa’s economic growth and sustainable development.
The programme provides outstanding African students with the opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree in development-related fields at approved partner universities. Priority areas include energy, agriculture, health, environmental sustainability, and engineering.
The scholarship supports students for up to two years and provides financial assistance covering tuition fees, living expenses, international travel, and basic medical insurance. Additional research and thesis preparation support may also be available to eligible scholars.
For the 2027 intake, participating universities have their own admission procedures and deadlines. For example, Hiroshima University has published an application deadline of 29 January 2027 for its October 2027 intake. Applicants must first obtain university-level consideration and nomination before the African Development Bank can award the scholarship.
The programme is intended for citizens of African Development Bank regional member countries. It is not open to international applicants from every country.
Degree Level
The JADS programme supports Master’s degree studies at approved universities. The scholarship normally covers a two-year postgraduate programme, although the funding period cannot exceed two years.
It does not provide general funding for Bachelor’s or doctoral programmes.
Available Subjects
The scholarship prioritises postgraduate programmes that contribute to Africa’s development. Eligible academic areas include:
- Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences
- Energy and Renewable Energy
- Engineering and Technology
- Environmental Sustainability
- Health Sciences and Public Health
- Development Studies
- Natural Resources Management
- Related scientific and development disciplines
The exact eligible courses depend on the participating university and the African Development Bank’s approved programme list.
Benefits
The Japan Africa Dream Scholarship provides comprehensive financial support for eligible Master’s students. The benefits include:
- Full Tuition Fees: Covers tuition costs for the approved graduate programme for up to two years.
- Monthly Living Allowance: Provides a monthly subsistence stipend to support living expenses, including accommodation and books.
- International Airfare: Covers economy-class round-trip travel between the scholar’s home country and the host university at the beginning and end of the programme.
- Medical Insurance: Provides basic health insurance, usually arranged through the host university.
- Research Support: A special grant may be available for students undertaking research and thesis preparation.
- Preparatory Training: In special circumstances, support may be provided for computer literacy, preparatory language courses, and similar activities when approved by the programme.
The scholarship covers the duration of the approved graduate programme or a maximum of two years, whichever is shorter.
The following expenses are generally not covered:
- Expenses for family members accompanying the scholar
- Visa application fees
- Extracurricular courses and training
- Language courses not included in the graduate programme
- Additional personal travel
- Field trips, workshops, and seminars not covered by the scholarship
- Computers and other personal educational equipment
Eligible Nationalities
The scholarship is open to citizens of African Development Bank regional member countries. Eligible applicants must hold citizenship in an AfDB regional member country and satisfy the programme’s other requirements.
The eligible countries include:
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and PrÃncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Applicants should confirm their nationality’s eligibility against the African Development Bank’s current regional member country list before applying.
Important: Applicants from non-African countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, are not eligible for JADS under the published nationality requirements.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must satisfy the African Development Bank’s eligibility conditions and the admission requirements of their selected university.
The general eligibility criteria include:
- Applicants must be citizens of an African Development Bank regional member country.
- Applicants must be 35 years old or younger.
- Applicants must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification in energy, agriculture, health, environmental sustainability, engineering, or a related field.
- Applicants must have an excellent academic record.
- Applicants must have at least one year of paid employment in their home country or another African country after obtaining their Bachelor’s degree, within the preceding three years.
- Applicants must demonstrate relevant professional experience and a record of contributing to their country’s development.
- Applicants must be in good health.
- Applicants must obtain admission to an approved Master’s degree programme at a participating Japanese or African partner university.
- Applicants must not already be enrolled in another graduate degree programme.
- Applicants must not be an African Development Bank Group staff member, Executive Director, alternate, or a close relative of an individual covered by the programme’s restrictions.
The African Development Bank may update eligibility conditions between application cycles. Applicants should therefore check the latest official requirements before submitting an application.
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare the following documents for university admission and scholarship consideration:
- Completed university application form
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent qualification
- Certified academic transcripts
- Proof of employment for each relevant period of employment after graduation
- Research plan or proposal
- Two professional references
- English-language proficiency evidence, such as TOEFL or another accepted test
- Passport or national identification documents
- Additional documents required by the selected university
Individual universities may request further academic or professional documents. Applicants should follow the instructions provided by their chosen institution.
How Winners Are Selected
The JADS selection process involves both the participating university and the African Development Bank.
The general process is as follows:
- Applicants submit their admission applications to a participating university.
- The university reviews academic qualifications, professional experience, and research interests.
- Eligible applicants may be interviewed or required to complete an entrance examination.
- The university identifies suitable candidates and forwards nominations to the African Development Bank.
- The African Development Bank evaluates the nominated candidates against the scholarship eligibility and selection criteria.
- Successful candidates receive official scholarship award notifications.
Applicants should remember that a university admission offer or nomination does not guarantee final scholarship approval.
After completing their Master’s studies, scholars are expected to return to their home countries and apply their acquired knowledge and skills to national and regional development.
Application Procedure
Applications for the Japan Africa Dream Scholarship are submitted through participating universities. Applicants do not normally submit a separate direct scholarship application to the African Development Bank.
Follow these steps:
- Visit the official African Development Bank JADS programme website.
- Review the eligibility criteria and confirm that your nationality and academic background meet the requirements.
- Explore the list of participating universities and their approved Master’s programmes.
- Select a suitable Japanese university and postgraduate course.
- Contact the university’s international admissions office or relevant academic department to obtain application instructions.
- Prepare your academic records, CV, employment evidence, research proposal, and recommendation letters.
- Submit your application for admission through the university’s official application system.
- Complete any required interviews, entrance examinations, or supervisor approval procedures.
- If selected and endorsed by the university, your application will be forwarded for African Development Bank scholarship consideration.
- Wait for the official scholarship award notification before making employment or relocation arrangements.
Admission to a participating university does not automatically guarantee a JADS scholarship. Final scholarship approval is made through the African Development Bank’s selection process.
Application Deadline
There is no single application deadline for all JADS partner universities. Each institution establishes its own admission schedule and scholarship nomination process.
For the October 2027 intake, Hiroshima University has published the following deadline:
- Hiroshima University Application Deadline: 29 January 2027 at 5:00 PM Japan Standard Time (JST).
Hiroshima University’s JADS application is available for October enrolment. Applicants must first contact a potential academic supervisor through the university’s International Admissions Assistant System and obtain the required agreement before proceeding to the entrance examination.
Applicants interested in other partner universities should check their individual 2027 admission schedules.
