Japan Development Service Co., Ltd.
JDS Scholarship Programme · 2026 Cohort
Study in Japan. Live in Japan.
The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) — a fully funded two-year Master's programme in Japan for Fijian government officials. Six fellows from Fiji each year, taught entirely in English.
Are you interested in studying in Japan? Here we offer a great program for you.
The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS), funded by the Government of Japan, is now accepting applications from government sector workers who wish to obtain a Master's degree from Japanese Universities, starting from the 2026 academic year. The courses are taught in English and take two years for Fellows enrolled as Master's students. The total number of participants from Fiji is six (6) per year.
JDS is designed to foster exceptional human resources capable of working to resolve various development challenges in the recipient countries by imparting advanced expertise to JDS Fellows through study at Japanese universities. JDS contributes to strengthening the partnership between Japan and the recipient country by graduating a wide range of Fellows who have a deep understanding of Japan.
JDS Project Office in Fiji holds in-person promotion seminars and online webinars to introduce the Programme.
Note: Due to Diwali celebrations and low demand, the Tuesday webinars and the 30 October webinar were cancelled. Content of all webinars is the same — no need to attend multiple sessions.
JDS Fiji 2026 offers three priority areas, each comprising one or two components (development issues). Each component is hosted by a single Japanese graduate school. Choose the path that aligns with your role and research interest.
Public Policy
Public Financial Management
International Relations
Climate Change Countermeasures / Environmental Policy
The selection process runs from September 2025 through enrolment in September/October 2026.
| 2025 | September – October | Initial contact to JDS Project Office in Fiji to obtain the application kit. Express interest to HR/Training officers in your organisation. |
|---|---|---|
| 31 October | Officially endorsed nominations by Ministry/Statutory Body heads must reach the Ministry of Civil Service. | |
| 17 November | Application deadline (16:30 paper / 23:59 TAO online). | |
| End of November | Math examination (IUJ and University of Tsukuba applicants only). TBC. | |
| 2026 | January | Initial selection (document screening) by graduate school faculties. |
| Mid-January | Medical check-up for all applicants · English examination (only for applicants who did not graduate from English-based universities). | |
| February | Second selection (interview) by graduate school faculties. | |
| March | Third selection (interview) by JDS operating committee. Final successful candidates announced. | |
| July | Pre-departure orientation in Suva and departure for Japan. | |
| August | Post-arrival orientation in Tokyo. | |
| September / October | Enrolment at graduate school in Japan. |
Please send an e-mail to JDS Project Office in Fiji (jdsfiji-1@jds21.com) with your name, organization and date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) included. Civil servants who wish to apply for the JDS Scholarship, will be able to start preparing paper-based or on-line applications.
Applications will not be accepted by JDS Project Office without the official nomination by the head of your organization. While preparing your application, please consult with the person-in-charge on training in your organization quickly. Official nomination must reach the Ministry of Civil Service before the 31st of October 2025.
Application forms, guidelines and the link for on-line registration site will be provided after JDS Project Office in Fiji receives an e-mail from a potential applicant. You may choose to fill in paper-based applications or to apply through on-line system (TAO: The Admission Office). The Application Guideline for JDS will be included in the application kit, and it will give you detailed instructions to complete the application. If you choose paper-based application, ensure to submit a full set of application documents printed out in A4 size paper. Either paper-based application or on-line application (TAO), some applications should submit with the requested hard copies in person to the JDS project office in Suva.
PLEASE NOTE that applying on-line is strongly recommended.
If you have any questions, please contact JDS Project Office.
The paper-based application should be submitted by 16:30 on Monday, the 17th of November 2025 and TAO on-line system will be closed by 23:59 on Monday, the 17th of November 2025.
Send Confidential Statement of Reference for Master Level (Form 1) to your supervisor as a Referee. This reference statement is to be completed by the applicant’s supervisor. This should be typed in English. The Referee can send it directly to the JDS Project Office in Fiji (jdsfiji-1@jds21.com) via email, or the Referee can give it to the applicant in a signed and sealed envelope with the organizational stamp. Completed but not sealed Form 1 submitted by the applicant will NOT be accepted.
Please submit the original hard copies of a certified copy of your Bachelor’s degree, a certified copy of your official transcript, the Confidential Statement (if referee cannot send it directly to the JDS Office), and the signed Certificate of English Proficiency Waiver Request (for the University of Tsukuba only) to the JDS Project Office; by 16:30 on the 17th of November 2025.
Application documents will not be returned for any reason. Late submission and/or incomplete application documents will NOT be accepted.
Mandatory for all applicants
All JDS applications are submitted exclusively through TAO, the official online application portal. The video tutorial below walks you through the entire submission process step by step. Please watch it before you start filling out the form.
Be sure to watch all three tutorials, especially tutorials 2 and 3, which are indispensable.
Before you begin writing, carefully review the Fields of Study & Graduate Schools section to make sure the graduate school of your choice offers an appropriate curriculum and has faculty members relevant to your research plan. You can obtain more information by visiting the websites of individual graduate schools or the JDS Project Office.
Your research plan should be consistent with one of the listed Sub-Programmes (Priority Areas) and Components (Development Issues), should be a programme offered by the graduate school of your application, and correspond to the overall objectives of the organisation to which you belong. Refer to the Application Guidelines for full details.
If you need further information or wish to make an inquiry, please contact our JDS Project Office in Fiji (Tel: +679-9399113 / +679-7804002).
Qualifications
Regarding the eligibility, please refer to page 5 of Application Guidelines.
Math exam is required only for those applying for International University of Japan and University of Tsukuba. On the other hand, applicants for IUJ must take English exam if they fail to submit a proof of English proficiency at the initial application. The level of the questions in the math exam will be similar to what you learned in junior-high and high school.
We do not have any borderline for GPA score.
Yes, you may apply except the case you obtained your Master's degree funded through other foreign assistance.
No. If you have ever received (or planning to receive) another scholarship through other foreign assistance, you are NOT eligible to apply. Likewise, if you have already had your master's degree, sponsored through other foreign assistance, you are also NOT eligible to apply.
Yes, you can. In the Japanese Universities selected for JDS Program, all courses are taught in English.
No, there's no funding available for PhD at JDS Pacific.
Applications
You should submit the certified copies of the degrees from both universities in that case.
Please ask your university to send the transcript directly to our JDS Office. You also need to let us know that the transcript will be sent to our JDS Office later on.
Please carefully read the instructions written in the Guidelines as well as the instructions written in the Form of a Research Plan. JDS staff members will also guide you on how to prepare the research plan upon request.
No. You must possess at least a university degree in order to apply.
All applicants who passed or did not pass the screening will be informed by JDS Office at the designated time. Any inquiries for the result of the selection by applicants are NOT allowed.
No. Any application documents will not be returned.
No. This is grant aid's scholarship. You can't apply for several scholarships. You have to choose one scholarship only.
Life in Japan
As to the allowance you will receive in Japan, please refer to page 10 of Application Guidelines.
Yes, you can invite your dependents (spouse / children) to Japan at your own expense. However, it is recommended to do so after enrolment at the university and after three months of your arrival in Japan.
In general, you are not allowed to have any paid job for living. However, jobs as a teaching/research assistant which are provided by your Accepting University, cooperation with university events (as a guest speaker…etc), a tutor or paid internships are exceptionally allowed.
No. You are not permitted to drive cars or motorcycles.
No, you cannot. You MUST return to Fiji after obtaining Master's degree through JDS Scholarship Program.
Yes, you may come back to Fiji at your own expense and must ensure that it doesn't impact your academic work negatively. If you travel overseas for any reason other than thesis research purpose, your scholarship will be suspended from the day of departure from Japan until the day of return in case of private travel. The scholarship will be paid up to 60 days in the case of the thesis research.
It depends on the university which you enroll. Normally, teaching assistant/s and tutor/s will support your studies and academic life.
All forms and reference materials in one place.