The Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program (RSMFP) provides support to developing country citizens (.xlsx) who are current PhD candidates studying in developing countries, funding up to $25,000 to conduct PhD research on a development topic in a World Bank member country other than the Fellow's home country or country of residence. This is a wonderful opportunity for the most promising developing nation researchers to advance their doctoral work with the best international advisors and host institutions in their fields of study.

The call for RSMFP fellowship applications from PhD candidates is now open until the application deadline of May 2, 2019. Learn how to apply.

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.

How to Apply?

Guidance for this call for RSMFP fellowship applications, including this call’s: (i) instructions and requirements to submit an application, the eligibility criteria applicants must meet; and the selection process are provided  in the Application Guidelines and FAQs (Updated on April 11, 2019). Please read these documents before starting your application.

Once you are familiar with the application requirements and processes, click HERE to apply, and refer to the Accessing the online application and Navigating the online application to learn how to access and navigate the online application.

Please note:

i) You will be required to upload a proposed budget for RSM financing in the application. The template (Updated on April 11, 2019) you are required to use for this budget can be downloaded here.

ii) Regarding some eligibility criteria you may want to refer to the list of World Bank member countries, and to the list of World Bank member countries that can receive Bank financing.

iii) The FAQs document will be updated on an as needed basis during the call for applications to ensure clarity of instructions.

What are the RSMFP Benefits?

RSMFP provides 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. The Scholarship covers a 6 to 10 month period. Details on eligible expenditures are provided in the Application Guidelines.

What is the Selection Process?

The RSMFP uses the following process to review completed applications, with the aim to identify eligible candidates with the most innovative and relevant research proposals in the area of development.

Two qualified reviewers independently review each eligible application to assess the following:

• Quality of the proposed fellowship (70%)
• Prospects for a productive career in research on development post-PhD (30%) 
• Information provided by your PhD thesis supervisor and your host institution research advisor are particularly important elements of your application.

The World Bank Robert S. McNamara Secretariat uses the average score of the two reviewers and the following other aspects to select the finalists:

• Maintaining a reasonably wide geographical distribution of awards;
• Maintaining a reasonable distribution of awards across gender;
• Giving fellowships to those applicants who, other things equal, appear to have limited financial resources;
• Giving preference to applicants currently employed as lecturers or researchers at an academic or research institution in a member developing country of the World Bank;
• Giving preference to applicants who have not received a JJ/WBGSP scholarship for a master’s degree program. 
• The finalists are presented to the World Bank Robert S. McNamara Steering Committee (composed of some members of the World Bank Board of Directors and WB management) for final review and
• selection of the winners of the award. The RSMFP Secretariat notifies the public on this website that the selection is made and individually informs the winners of the Fellowship.

For more information: http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships#2