Interested and eligible applicants can now apply for the 2025 United Nations University Sustainability Scholarship.
The United Nations University Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, and provides a monthly allowance of 130,000 JPY for living expenses for a maximum of 24 months, while also covering the costs of travel and health insurance.
Scholarship Summary
- Host Country: Japan
- Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | PhD Scholarships | Masters Scholarships
- Eligible Countries: Developing Countries
- Reward: Full Scholarship | $9948 Stipends/Yr | Visa fees | Travel costs
- Deadline: February 19, 2025
Scholarship Details
The United Nations University Sustainability Scholarship program aims to produce the policymakers and researchers of tomorrow, who will be at the forefront of global efforts toward a more sustainable future. Studying at UNU-IAS brings the unique benefits of:
- Collaborative research & practical experience,
- A global university within the UN system, and
- An international and interactive learning environment in central Tokyo.
The program is intended for recent graduates, professionals, and practitioners who seek to meaningfully contribute to the work of governments, civil society, the private sector, and/or the UN and other international organizations in the area of sustainability.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:
- Be persons from developing countries who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance
- Not be recipients of other scholarships concurrently.
- Applicants who are currently living in Japan under a working visa are NOT eligible for the scholarship
- Applicants who are already enrolled in other postgraduate degree programmes are not eligible. This includes those who have already obtained a master’s degree at an institution other than UNU-IAS
For MSc Applicants
- A completed bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university or institution of higher education in a field related to sustainability in accordance with the UNU-IAS thematic areas.
- A GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale (equivalent to 70% on a 100 % scale) for the bachelor’s degree earned and;
- English language proficiency.
For PHD applicants
- A completed master’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized university or institution of higher education in a field related to sustainability.
- A minimum of two years of professional field experience related to UNU-IAS research themes which was acquired after obtaining a university degree (full time equivalent).
- A GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale (equivalent to 70% on a 100 % scale) for at least one of the master’s degrees earned; and
- English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS) – waived for English-speaking students.
Scholarship Benefits
Successful applicants of this scholarship will receive:
UNU Rector’s Scholarship
- The UNU Rector’s Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition and provides a monthly allowance of 130,000 JPY (subject to change) for living expenses for a maximum of 24 months. Travel costs to and from Japan with a fixed amount are also covered, and a research allowance is provided.
Resona Bank Scholarship
- The UNU Rector’s Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition and provides a monthly allowance of 130,000 JPY (subject to change) for living expenses for a maximum of 24 months. Travel costs to and from Japan with a fixed amount are also covered, and a research allowance is provided.
Japan Foundation for UNU (jfUNU) Scholarship
- The jfUNU scholarship provides a monthly allowance of 120,000 JPY as a support package for a maximum of 24 months. The tuition fees may be waived for the scholarship recipients.
Asian Development Bank–Japan Scholarship Program (ADB–JSP)
- Full tuition, subsistence allowance including housing allowance, thesis research allowance, medical and accident insurance, books, and instrumental allowance will be covered by the scholarship.
- The monthly subsistence allowance including housing allowance for one person for the academic year 2022-23 is JPY 147,000 (subject to change).
- An economy class airfare will also be provided for the most direct route between the scholar’s home country and Tokyo Narita International Airport.
How to Apply
To apply for this scholarship:
- Visit the program’s webpage.
- Select a suitable program being applied for; either a Master’s or a PhD program.
- Review the checklist and prepare the application materials.
- Register online
- Wait to receive an email from UNU-IAS Admissions Office with a link to the Application Form.
- Submit the Application Form by the deadline
- Wait to receive an automatic email to confirm that the Admissions Office has received your application.
- There is no separate application form for the scholarships as it is part of the main online application form for admission.
- Interested applicants must provide the necessary information and documents for the scholarships when applying to the master’s degree programme.
To apply for this scholarship, click HERE
To receive more scholarship updates, click HERE
