Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Advanced Studies - Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Advanced Studies

What the Japan-IMF Scholarship covers

You will receive full funding for the first two years of a PhD programme in macroeconomics abroad. The exact amount is not determined in advance, as the scholarship package covers your actual costs: all tuition and university fees, health insurance, a monthly living allowance and selected travel expenses. You will also undertake a paid summer placement lasting from 10 to 13 weeks at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C. The scholarship is funded by the Japanese Government and administered by the IMF. For the third year and subsequent years, you will need additional funding, usually through research or teaching activities at your university.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a Japanese citizen. There are no exceptions.
• Degree level: You are studying abroad as part of a PhD programme or are currently applying to join one. You may be in your 1, 2 or 3 year of this programme.
• Where you study: You are studying for a PhD at a university outside Japan which has a strong PhD programme in macroeconomics.
• Field of study: Macroeconomics or a related field such as finance, labour economics, development economics, gender economics or climate economics.
• Age: You can complete your PhD before you become 34.
• Grades: You have an excellent academic record. You must also provide your GRE, TOEFL or IELTS results.
• Career commitment: After completing your PhD, you will apply for the IMF’s ‘Economist Programme’ and take up a post there if one is offered to you. Otherwise, you will have to repay the scholarship.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online in English via the Institute of International Education. Applications for the respective PhD programmes must be submitted separately. The application deadline is 30 November. Decisions on the award of scholarships will be made in the spring, and studies will commence in the autumn of the same year.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined. Only Japanese nationals who are undertaking a PhD in macroeconomics at a leading university abroad are eligible, and a maximum of four scholarships are awarded each year. The pool of applicants is small, but the requirements are high, as recipients are also required to work for the IMF upon completion of their studies. If you clearly meet the criteria, have a track record of outstanding academic achievement and are seriously pursuing a career as an economist at the IMF, your prospects are good.