APU ADB Scholarship 2027: Fully Funded Master’s at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

What Is the APU ADB Scholarship?

The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) is a fully funded Master’s scholarship for citizens of ADB’s developing member countries, and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Japan, has been a designated host institution since 2010. It’s one of a small number of universities where ADB-JSP is available, alongside institutions like the University of Tokyo, Hitotsubashi University, and the International University of Japan.

The scholarship funds graduate study in development-related fields, economics, business and management, science and technology, and related disciplines at APU’s Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (GSA). It excludes APU’s IMAT program specifically.

Sources: ADB-JSP – Official APU Admissions Page · Japan Scholarship Program – Asian Development Bank (Official)

Note: This is not a scholarship you apply for directly with ADB. You apply to APU’s Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, and in that same application, you request to be considered for ADB-JSP. APU reviews all applications and separately nominates a small number of eligible candidates to ADB-JSP for final selection.

Is India Eligible for the ADB-JSP Scholarship at APU?

Yes, India meets both of the scholarship’s core nationality criteria.

Beyond nationality, the full eligibility list is specific and worth checking carefully before you invest time in the application:

• Do not hold dual citizenship of any developed country
• Have gained admission to an eligible APU Master’s program (Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, excluding IMAT applicants)
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a strong academic record
• Have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience after your bachelor’s degree at the time of application
• Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application
• Not currently living or working outside your home country
• Not already enrolled in another graduate degree program
• Agree to return and work in your home country for at least 2 years after completing the program

Sources: ADB-Japan Scholarship Program – Mastersportal (Official Program Listing)

Note: The 2-year work experience requirement is the one most Indian applicants underestimate. This scholarship is built for early-to-mid-career professionals, not fresh graduates. If you graduated recently and have less than 2 years of full-time experience, you are not eligible for this specific scholarship cycle, regardless of your academic record.

Counselor insight: Indian applicants with a 3-year Bachelor’s degree sometimes worry this disqualifies them, since some Japanese scholarship routes require 16 years of cumulative education. ADB-JSP’s stated requirement is a bachelor’s degree with strong academic standing plus 2 years of work experience, not a specific years-of-education threshold, so a standard 3-year Indian Bachelor’s followed by qualifying work experience does not automatically rule you out the way it might for a different Japan-based scholarship route.

Related question: Are Germany, Russia, or Japan good options for fully funded masters programs?

What Does the APU ADB Scholarship Actually Cover?

This is a genuine full-ride package, not a partial tuition waiver with vague “additional support.”

At JPY 144,000 a month over a typical 24-month Master’s, the stipend alone is worth approximately Rs.20.9L across the full program, before counting tuition, airfare, and insurance.

Counselor insight: Don’t assume your rent in Beppu will consume most of the stipend the way it might in Tokyo. Beppu is a significantly cheaper city than Tokyo or Osaka, so the same JPY 144,000 monthly figure stretches considerably further here than the identical number would in a major metro. Budget accordingly rather than assuming Tokyo-level costs.

APU ADB Scholarship 2027 Application Process

You apply through APU’s own graduate admissions system, requesting ADB-JSP consideration within that single application, not as a separate submission.

1. Apply to APU’s Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies through the APU Online Application system for September 2027 enrollment.
2. Request ADB-JSP consideration within the same application; there is no separate ADB-JSP application form.
3. Submit by one of two deadlines: 5 November 2026 or 8 January 2027.
4. APU reviews all applications and selects suitable candidates to recommend to ADB-JSP, expected around mid-March 2027.
5. Prepare additional documents if ADB-JSP requests them after your nomination, including a formal Research Proposal following APU’s 2027 Graduate Application Handbook format.
6. Receive your final result: APU notifies nominated applicants of their APU admission outcome first; ADB-JSP’s own final scholarship decision follows, expected by the end of June 2027, though this timeline is subject to change based on the scholarship organization’s own schedule.

Sources: ADB-JSP – Official APU Admissions Page

Counselor insight: The two deadlines aren’t equivalent in terms of your odds. Applying by the first deadline of 5 November 2026 gives APU a fuller applicant pool to compare you against and more runway to prepare your nomination file properly, since the entire recommendation process still has to happen before ADB-JSP’s own mid-March review. Applying at the second deadline compresses this timeline significantly.

Which Situation Are You In?

If you have exactly 2 years of work experience and are close to turning 35: Apply now rather than waiting for a “stronger” application later. The age ceiling is fixed at the time of application, and waiting to build more experience risks pushing you past eligibility entirely.

If your undergraduate degree is a standard 3-year Indian Bachelor’s: This does not disqualify you from ADB-JSP the way it might for MEXT’s Research Student route, since ADB-JSP’s stated bar is a bachelor’s degree with a strong record plus qualifying work experience, not a cumulative years-of-education threshold.

If you’re deciding between ADB-JSP at APU and MEXT for a fully funded Japan Master’s: MEXT generally suits recent graduates without the work experience requirement, while ADB-JSP specifically targets professionals already in the workforce for at least 2 years. Choose based on which eligibility profile you actually meet, not which scholarship name is more familiar.

For a broader comparison of Japan’s other major funded scholarship routes, read our full guide to scholarships in Japan for Indian students.

Documents Required for the APU ADB Scholarship Application

Planning Calendar for the APU ADB Scholarship 2027 Cycle

What to Do When Your Application Hits a Problem

You have less than 2 years of work experience right now: This scholarship cycle isn’t accessible to you yet. Continue working toward the 2-year threshold and target a future intake once you meet it, rather than applying too early.

You’re unsure whether your specific APU Master’s program is eligible: ADB-JSP is available only within the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies and explicitly excludes IMAT applicants. Confirm your intended program falls under GSA before applying.

You applied but weren’t nominated by APU to ADB-JSP: Your APU admission itself is a separate outcome from the scholarship nomination. You may still be admitted to APU without the scholarship; at that point, weigh self-funding, other Japan scholarships like MEXT, or reapplying to ADB-JSP in a future cycle if your profile strengthens.

You hold dual citizenship, including a developed country: You are not eligible for ADB-JSP regardless of your other qualifications. This is a hard exclusion, not a point deduction.

Counselor insight: The most common reason strong candidates get missed isn’t weak qualifications; it’s applying without clearly flagging ADB-JSP interest within the APU application or submitting incomplete proof of work experience. Make sure your employment documentation is unambiguous about exact dates and full-time status before you submit.

3 Takeaways for APU ADB Scholarship

1. India meets both of ADB-JSP’s core nationality requirements, so the real filters that matter are your work experience (2+ years post-bachelor’s) and your age (35 or under at application).
2. Apply through APU directly, not ADB, and clearly request ADB-JSP consideration within that single application; there’s no separate scholarship-only submission.
3. Target the 5 November 2026 deadline over the 8 January 2027 one if possible, since it gives APU more time to properly build and submit your nomination ahead of ADB-JSP’s mid-March review.

Verified by: LeapScholar’s Japan counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students and working professionals through Japan-based scholarship applications, including MEXT and university-affiliated programs like ADB-JSP.

Have questions about the APU ADB Scholarship or other fully funded Master’s options in Japan? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions About the APU ADB Scholarship for Indian Students