• Foreign Affairs--Office of the President, Office of the Executive Secretary, and Department of Foreign Affairs;
• Economic and Fiscal Policy--Department of Finance, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, Department of Budget and Management, and Department of Trade and Industry;
• Infrastructure Development--Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Information and Communications Technology;

*Technical personnel below the Division Chief level in infrastructure institutions,including engineers, researchers, and other specialists engaged primarily in field or technical work, are excluded.

• Financial and Monetary Policy--Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Security and Governance--Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense, Office of the Ombudsman, and Philippine National Police;
• Others--Civil Service Commission and Department of Labor and Employment.

• For applicants from institutions other than the Priority Target Institutions listed above, eligible applicants should generally be either: Officials at the Division Chief level or above or currently be engaged in policy formulation, planning, coordination, or related functions, and be expected to continue serving in such assignments in the future.
• Technical personnel (e.g., engineers, researchers, and other specialists engaged primarily in technical or field work) will, in principle, not be eligible.

• Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), including water utilities, electric power corporations, development corporations, and similar entities;
• Higher Education Institutions, Schools, Research Institutes, and Medical Institutions, including State universities and colleges, Schools, Research Institutes and public hospitals;
• Local Government Units (LGUs)

*Personnel whose careers are expected to remain within local government jurisdictions are generally ineligible under JDS and should instead be encouraged to apply for JICA-DSP.
Exceptions may be considered for personnel expected to assume positions within the central government in the future.

• Technical and operational positions

*Even when employed by central government agencies, personnel whose duties are primarily technical or operational in nature, such as inspectors, field engineers, IT trainers, or researchers, are generally not eligible under JDS.

• BARMM ministries

The JDS program is intended for young government officials of central government institutions who are expected to become future leaders and exercise leadership in policy formulation and decision-making at the core of government. Therefore, officials of BARMM ministries shall not be eligible for JDS.

NOTE: Applicants falling under the above ineligible categories, including officials of BARMM ministries, may be encouraged to consider other available scholarship schemes, such as the JICA Development Studies Program (JICADSP), where applicable.

• Long-Term Programs ｜ Where We Work - JICA

• Currently employed in the Philippine Government
• Have permanent status
• Have at least 2 (two) years of work experience in a permanent position at the time of application, particularly in work relevant to the selected Component.

• Possess a Bachelor or higher degree relevant to the target fields
• English Proficiency: TOEFL PBT 550/ iBT 79-80 or IELTS 6.5 or higher

1. To sign and submit the pledge to follow the conditions deemed necessary as a JDS Fellow (If the Fellow violates any articles of the pledge, the scholarship may be cancelled)
2. To submit a copy of Scholarship Service Contract (referred to the Executive Order 161) to the JDS Operating Committee for record/monitoring purpose
3. To attend the pre-departure orientation in Manila (about 2 weeks in July-August 2027)
4. To fully participate in briefings/orientations in Japan (August-September 2026)
5. To contribute to the socio-economic development of the Philippines with the acquired knowledge upon returning to the Philippines
6. To follow the JDS rules and regulations
7. To be in a good condition physically and mentally during the stay in Japan as an ODA scholar. If there is a drastic change in a Fellow's health condition before and during his/her stay in Japan, or/and if the accepting university considers his/her condition is not fit for the pursuit of academic goals, the scholarship is subject to cancellation, based on the decision/guidance of the university and the JDS Operating Committee of the Philippines.