World Bank Group Africa Fellowship Program 2027 – USA

Location: United States of America

Program: PhD Degree Program

Eligibility: Sub-Saharan African nationals

Duration: 6 months

Deadline: August 25, 2026

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The World Bank Group Africa Fellowship Program is a prestigious six-month fellowship offered annually by the Africa Regions of the World Bank Group (WBG), targeting young talented African nationals who are completing or have recently completed their PhD in an area relevant to the World Bank’s work. The fellowship aims to build the capacity of the next generation of African scholars in development research and policymaking, and to promote the goal of reducing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. Selected fellows are placed at WBG headquarters in Washington D.C. or at a WBG country office, where they gain hands-on experience in WBG operations — including knowledge generation and dissemination, design of global and country policies, and the building of institutions to achieve inclusive growth in developing countries. Fellows work on research, economic policy, technical assistance, and lending operations that contribute to the World Bank’s goal of eliminating poverty and increasing shared prosperity. Since its inception, the programme has been very successful in building a strong pipeline of young African talent interested in careers in development, international institutions, African governments, think tanks, and academia. Selected candidates are hired as World Bank consultants for the six-month fellowship period beginning January 2027.

The World Bank Group (WBG), headquartered in Washington D.C., is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Comprising five institutions — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) — the WBG works with more than 100 developing countries to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity

Benefits of the Programme

This programme will provide the following to its recipients:

Six-month paid World Bank Group assignment
Placement in Washington, D.C. or a WBG country office
Hands-on development research and policy experience
Exposure to technical assistance and lending operations
Professional experience working with World Bank Group teams.

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Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:

Must be a national of a Sub-Saharan African country
Must be a recent PhD graduate (within three years of PhD completion) or be enrolled in the last year of a PhD programme
Must have an excellent command of English, both written and verbal
Must possess strong quantitative and analytical skills
Must be 32 years of age or younger by January 1, 2027
Women are strongly encouraged to apply

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

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Selection Criteria

The selection process is two-stage. In Phase I, a shortlist of candidates is prepared and made available for selection to different units of the WBG depending on applicants’ specialisation — only shortlisted applicants are notified. In Phase II, the final list of fellows is selected in consultation with the various units of the WBG based on the match between the applicant’s area of specialisation and the needs of the relevant WBG units. When the selection is complete, all shortlisted candidates are informed of their status. Selected fellows are then hired as World Bank consultants for six months, commencing January 2027.