The preparatory Survey of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) to Ukraine was launched in 2022.
Under the survey, JDS is now recruiting potential applicants who understand its aims and are interested in 2 year/ 1 year Master's degree program at Japanese accepting universities for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The program will be held in English with 4 slots available per year.
Overview of the JDS Project : Introduction video
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| Nationality | Citizens of Ukraine |
| Age |
Between 22 and 39 years old as of April 1, 2026 (Born on/after April 2, 1986, and on/before April 1, 2004) |
| Academic Background |
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| Work Experience |
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| English Proficiency | Have a good command of both written and spoken English. English proficiency certificate is required. Valid score from EF SET as well as the other world-wide acknowledged English proficiency tests (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) is acceptable. |
| Health Condition | Mentally and physically in good health. Note: Applicants need to take and pass a health check-up that will be arranged by the JDS Project Office. Applicants who cannot take or pass all the required medical tests will be disqualified from the JDS scholarship. |
| Ineligibility |
A person corresponding to any of the following is not eligible to apply:
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| Others |
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Promotion seminars to provide more detailed information on the JDS Project and how to prepare the application documents for prospective candidates will be held online. Details will be announced later.
March 13, 2026
If you have documents that cannot be submitted by the deadline, please contact the JICE staff.
| Schedule | Steps | Description |
| Jan. 26 ~ March 13 | Application |
Closing date: March 13, 2026 |
| Mach 17 | Academic aptitude test/ |
EF SET (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) and Math tests. The test results will be reviewed by the universities in the following selection stages. |
| Mid-March | 1st Selection | Document screening: Application Documents and research plan will be examined by the Japanese universities. |
| Late March | Health Check-up | The health check-up will be arranged at a hospital in Kyiv. |
| March 25～27 | 2nd Selection | Technical interview: Faculty members of the Japanese universities will conduct their interview exams online. |
| Early April | 3rd Selection | Comprehensive interview: The Operating Committee members will conduct the interview exams online. |
| Early April | Approval by the OC | The successful candidates will be approved and notified. NAUCS will start the study abroad permission procedure. |
| April - June | Application Procedure | JICE will support the application for each university |
| April - July | Japanese Language Training | To be provided online to the successful candidates (3 months) |
| July | Orientations | Provided by JICA and JICE |
| July - August | Official Departure Approval by NAUCS | The JDS Fellows will receive official departure & study abroad permission by NAUCS |
| Late August | Departure for Japan | JICE will arrange for air-ticket, visa, and support after arrival in Japan |
In the JDS selections, each candidate's suitable academic abilities to pursue a Master's program in Japan will be evaluated as well as the potential of their future contribution to the country. Thus, it is highly recommended to explain at the interview that the objective of your research plan is connected with the development issues under the Component you are applying for and to justify the relation of your research with your career path and the way it corresponds to your current position and responsibilities in the organization you belong to.
It is also recommended to check the website of the university you are applying to, to make sure its curriculum and the major fields of its faculty members are relevant to your research.
Remember that plagiarism from somebody's work or websites is strongly prohibited.
Please refer to "Tips on Application and Selection (Reference)" and "Guideline for Writing a Research Plan" in the Application Form for more information.
Print out this sheet, and ask your employer/ supervisor to fill out the Recommendation letter (Annex)
For more details, please check this Application Guideline
Fill out the forms, and send the scanned data to the email addresses below .
Every qualified applicant will be required to take an English proficiency test (EF SET, TOEFL iBT or other equally accepted by the universities one) in January 2026 (tentative). An online math test will be obligatory for the candidates for IUJ. (Refer to the brief description below of the required test contents. If the applicant is in possession of a valid English proficiency score, there is no need to take the English test.)
*EF SET exam is easily accessible in Ukraine and also acceptable for the Japanese universities. The candidates can submit EF SET valid score or any of the other world-wide acknowledged English proficiency tests. For refence please check the links below:
The scores will be reviewed at the 1st selection by the accepting universities. The universities may have specific requirements as to the candidates' command of English (ex. TOEFL iBT score of 60 or higher) and their numeracy skills. Make sure to prepare well for the exams. *
The JDS Ukraine Team is happy to announce that on the following days there will be online Q&A sessions about the JDS Scholarship Program, how to prepare the necessary application documents and about the selection process in general.
We shall welcome all your questions and will gladly clarify anything you might wish to know before applying for the JDS Scholarship this year.
Please be mindful that the application deadline is March 13 (Fri).
Schedule:
We look forward to meeting you all at the appointed days and time on the Zoom link below: