Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program

• The Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program (RSMFP) was established in 1982 with $2.8 million in funding from the World Bank and the governments of Bangladesh, China, India, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, and former Yugoslavia.

Scholarship Overview

• The Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program (RSMFP) provides support to citizens from developing countries who are current PhD candidates studying in developing countries.
• Recipients get funding of up to $25,000 to conduct PhD research on a development-related topic in a World Bank member country other than the Fellow’s home country or country of residence. 
• Promising developing nation researchers get to advance their doctoral work with the best international advisors and host institutions in their fields of study.

Host School(s)

• Any university in a World Bank member country

Field(s) of Study

PhD research on the development-related topics below:

• Finance, competitiveness, and innovation
• Governance, policy-making, and management
• Macroeconomics, trade, and investment
• Poverty reduction and equity/shared prosperity
• Education
• Gender
• Health, nutrition, and population
• Social protection and jobs
• Agriculture and food
• Climate change
• Environment & natural resources
• Social, urban, rural & resilience
• Water
• Energy & extractives
• Development in the context of fragility, conflict, and violence
• Infrastructure

What does the scholarship cover?

• The RSFMP covers up to $25,000 (U.S.) for developing country nationals to travel abroad to conduct development-related PhD research under the supervision of a host advisor at a university, research or development institution in a World Bank member country.

How many scholarships are given?

• Not stated

Which countries are targeted?

• Nationals from World Bank developing countries

Am I Eligible to Apply?

To apply for this scholarship, you must:

• Be a national of a World Bank member developing country
• Not hold dual citizenship of a developed country
• Be 35 years of age or younger on the application deadline date
• Be already enrolled in a PhD program in a member developing country of the World Bank at the time of application
• Be permanently resident in a member developing country of the World Bank since enrolled in the PhD program
• Have completed all coursework and exam requirements for attaining a PhD at the time of application
• Have a PhD thesis centered on a development-related field
• Not be a staff member (which includes consultant) or a relative of a staff member of the World Bank Group

How do I Apply – Next Steps

• The RSMFP application must be completed online by the Application Deadline date and include:
• A completed application form
• An agreement to the terms and conditions for an RSMFP fellowship listed on the Application Form’s Signature Page
• A completed recommendation form submitted online by the host university research advisor
• A completed recommendation form submitted online by the PhD thesis supervisor.

Note:

• All required documents must be uploaded online and not by email, post or any other means.
• Any application form that is not submitted online will not be reviewed.

Selection Process

• Applications will be reviewed to establish:
• Quality of the proposed fellowship (70%)
• Prospects for a productive career in research on development post-PhD (30%) 

Note:

• The information provided by your PhD thesis supervisor and your host institution research advisor is a crucial element of your application.

Closing Date

• Applications open on January 16, 2020.

How do I get more information?

• Website: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships#2

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