Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program

1. What is the Asian Development Bank - Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP)

The Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) is a scholarship program funded by the Government of Japan and administered by the Asian Development Bank. It aims to provide citizens of ADB member countries with opportunities to pursue graduate-level studies. From the 2026 academic year, three additional departments of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS) were newly accredited as educational institutions under the ADB-JSP. GSFS currently accepts ADB-JSP scholars in the following nine departments and one program:

2. Eligibility

Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements specified by the ADB-JSP and wish to enroll in the Master's Program of one of the departments or the educational program listed above.

3. Application procedures

Step 1 Check whether you meet the eligibility requirements specified by the ADB-JSP.
ADB-JSP – Japan Scholarship Program
Step 2 Check whether there is a faculty member in your preferred department or program who you wish to have as your academic supervisor. For information on finding a prospective supervisor and applying for admission, please refer to the guidelines under “4. Application Method” and complete the necessary procedures by the specified deadline.
Step 3 The results of the University's preliminary screening are expected to be announced in mid-February. Only applicants who pass the University's preliminary screening and meet the eligibility requirements specified by the ADB-JSP will be informed of the procedures for applying for the ADB-JSP scholarship.
Step 4 In mid-March, the University will nominate scholarship candidates to the ADB-JSP. The ADB-JSP will conduct its own screening, and the results are expected to be communicated to the University around May.
Step 5 For applicants who are confirmed to receive the ADB-JSP scholarship, procedures for enrollment in the Autumn Semester will begin.
Step 6 Obtain a visa and enter Japan by the end of September. Enrollment is available only for the Autumn Semester, which begins on October 1.

4. Application Method

The application guidelines for applicants seeking admission for the Autumn Semester of 2027 have been updated (as of September 2026).

【Applicants wishing to apply to the Department of Integrated Biosciences】

Please take Entrance Examination Schedule B. The application period for Schedule B is in November. For information on the entrance examination, please refer to the following website:
Department of Integrated Biosciences – Admission Information

Applicants who pass Schedule B and wish to be nominated for the ADB-JSP scholarship should contact the International Liaison Office promptly after receiving their admission notification in early February.

【Applicants wishing to apply to departments other than the Department of Integrated Biosciences or to the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science】

Please apply in accordance with the guidelines below. The application deadline is December 10.

Applicants who pass Entrance Examination Schedule B may enroll regardless of whether they are awarded the ADB-JSP scholarship. Applicants wishing to enroll in a department or program other than the Department of Integrated Biosciences who have applied in accordance with the guidelines above will begin the procedures for enrollment in the Autumn Semester only if they are confirmed to receive the ADB-JSP scholarship.

Guideline for 2027 October Enrollment

Designated forms

5. FAQs

I am over 35 years old. Has your institution been designated by ADB to accept seniors who are over 35 years old?
No. GSFS is not allowed to recommend any candidates who are over 35 years old to ADB.
I would like to enroll in a doctoral course. May I apply for ADB-JSP?
No. According to the ADB-JSP eligibility, only master course applicants are eligible. If you would like to pursue a Ph. D. degree, we recommend you apply for a MEXT scholarship of Embassy Recommendation. The first contact is the Japanese Embassy in your country.
Does the ADB-JSP also cover my dependents?
No. The ADB-JSP scholarship covers the scholar only.
Should I contact ADB-JSP directly and send a set of application forms?
No. ADB-JSP accepts applications from the designated institutions only.
I worked as a research assistant and get paid by my professor while studying my undergraduate course. Can I include it as an "Professional experience" required by ADB-JSP?
No. Professional experience must be what you did after you graduated from the undergraduate program. And the work you did must be related to the field you studied in your undergraduate program.
What are the lectures that are taught in English?
Lectures that GSFS offer in English can be referred to at the following link.
https://www.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/campuslife/kougi/
Departments sometimes allow you to take courses outside your department program that may be applied as a part of the required units to satisfy the graduation requirements of your program. Please refer to "COURSE REGISTRATION AND OTHER PROCEDURES" on the above link.
Applicants taking Entrance Examination Schedule B for the Department of Integrated Biosciences are required to pay an entrance examination fee. Is this fee waived?
No. The entrance examination fee is not waived. Applicants must pay the fee themselves and take the entrance examination.
If you enroll as an ADB-JSP scholar, you may apply to the ADB-JSP for reimbursement of an amount equivalent to the entrance examination fee you paid. Please note that, among the expenses incurred in taking Entrance Examination Schedule B, only the entrance examination fee is eligible for reimbursement after enrollment.
It is stated that applicants who pass Entrance Examination Schedule B may enroll regardless of whether they receive the ADB-JSP scholarship. Can they apply for scholarships other than the ADB-JSP scholarship?

Yes. They may apply. Please refer to the following website for information on scholarship programs that can be applied for through the University after enrollment.
Financial Support – Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Unfortunately, there are not many scholarship programs available to master’s program students.

In addition, when applying for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), applicants are required to submit documents demonstrating that they have sufficient financial resources to devote themselves to their studies without working part-time in Japan. Therefore, please make sure that you have made sufficient financial preparations before considering taking the entrance examination.