UNU-IAS MSc in Sustainability Scholarships

Who can apply

A national of a country on the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients, able to demonstrate financial need
A completed bachelor's degree in a field related to sustainability
A GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale, or 70 percent
English proficiency of TOEFL PBT 600, TOEFL iBT 100, or IELTS Academic 7.0
Not living in Japan on a working visa, not already enrolled in another postgraduate programme, and not already holding a master's degree from an institution other than UNU-IAS
Not holding another scholarship at the same time
Rector's and Resona applicants must additionally demonstrate an interest in the broader work of the United Nations; recipients of all three routes take on post-award obligations, from a short essay (jfUNU) to annual 400-word reflection papers and a stated commitment to UN values (Rector's Scholarship)

One application covers admission and all three scholarships

There is no separate scholarship form for any of these three awards: you answer the scholarship questions inside the same application you submit for admission to the two-year MSc in Sustainability itself. That degree costs USD 12,000 a year in tuition if you’re paying your own way, which is the number to keep in mind when weighing how much each award actually saves you.

The three routes are not equivalent, and the wording matters

The three routes are not equivalent, and the wording matters. The Japan Foundation for UNU (jfUNU) Scholarship pays JPY 120,000 a month for up to 24 months, but UNU-IAS’s own page says tuition “may be waived” for recipients, not that it always is, so do not assume this one covers the full USD 12,000 a year automatically. The UNU Rector’s Scholarship and the Resona Bank Scholarship are both stronger: full tuition plus JPY 130,000 a month for up to 24 months, with travel support on top, USD 2,500 for the Rector’s award and JPY 260,000 for Resona. Neither of those two covers visa handling fees or health and accident insurance, which UNU-IAS states explicitly are the student’s own responsibility.

Two routes ask for a demonstrated UN interest, and all three carry post-award obligations

The Rector’s and Resona routes add a criterion the jfUNU route doesn’t: a demonstrated interest in the broader work of the United Nations, not just sustainability as a subject. All three routes also come with obligations after you’re awarded, not just before. jfUNU recipients write a short essay on their experience for the donor organisation. Rector’s Scholarship recipients write a 400-word reflection paper every year and explicitly agree to uphold UN values such as integrity and respect for diversity. Recipients of all three are expected to participate in UNU activities and help promote them among the wider student body.

Eligibility is need-based, not merit-only

Eligibility is need-based rather than merit-only: you need to be a national of a country on the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients and able to show genuine financial need, on top of the degree’s own admission bar of a related bachelor’s degree, a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or 70 percent), and an English score of IELTS 7.0 or equivalent. No Japanese language ability is required.

Nothing open right now, and a fourth route exists alongside these three

As of this check, UNU-IAS’s own page says plainly that applications for September 2026 entry are closed, and no dates for September 2027 have been published anywhere on the university’s site. The intake runs annually each September, so a new round is expected, just not yet dated. There is also a fourth funding route through the ADB-Japan Scholarship Program, already covered separately in this directory as its own entry.