World Bank Government Analytics Fellowship 2026 (USA, Fully Funded)

Author: Hammad Ishaq
Last verified on: September 23, 2025

Overview: What the program is, who runs it, purpose

• The Government Analytics Fellowship is a program run by the World Bank, in collaboration with University College London (UCL), the World Bank’s Development Economics Vice-Presidency (DEC), its Development Impact Group (DECDI), and the Institutions Global Department. (World Bank)

• It is designed to strengthen public administration in governments worldwide by enabling officials to use data (especially administrative records, survey data, etc.) more effectively to inform decision-making, improve efficiency, and promote accountability. (World Bank)

• The Fellowship is anchored on the Government Analytics Handbook, which offers guidance on good practices, ethical measurement, use of administrative and survey data, and external assessments, etc. (World Bank)

Benefits / Funding: amounts, duration, what is / isn’t covered

Eligibility

• Citizenship / residency: Open to applicants from any country, especially those working in governments; priority funding/travel support is for applicants from ODA (Official Development Assistance)-eligible countries. (World Bank)

• Employer / institutional affiliation: Must be employed in a central government organization, including ministries or agencies. Not private-sector or NGO employees. (The World Bank Documents)

• Job level / function: Mid-level managers or senior analysts (or equivalent) who have authority to design or lead a government analytics project. (World Bank)

• Academic background: Applicants must be able to demonstrate prior tertiary-level coursework in statistics, quantitative methods, or similar data-analytic disciplines. (World Bank)

• Language: Proficiency in English (both written and spoken), since all sessions, materials, and submissions must be in English. (World Bank)

• Travel availability: Must be able to travel to Washington, D.C. for the in-person training component (dates given). (The World Bank Documents)

Timeline & Deadlines

How to apply (step-by-step)

1. Confirm eligibility
   Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria: central government employment, mid-level manager/senior analyst, relevant quantitative coursework, English proficiency, ability to travel to D.C., and obtain organizational nomination.

2. Obtain organizational nomination / endorsement
   Your central government organization must nominate you (maximum of two fellows per organization) and provide a letter endorsing your proposed analytics project and confirming support. (The World Bank Documents)

3. Prepare required documents (see checklist below).

4. Access the application portal / form
   Use the official World Bank Government Analytics Fellowship application form (online) to upload your documents in English. (World Bank)

5. Submit before the deadline
   Upload all required documents by September 28, 2025, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Late submissions are not accepted. (World Bank)

6. After submission
   If selected, participate in virtual sessions, attend in-person training, engage in mentorship, carry your analytics project, and present final outputs. (The World Bank Documents)

Required Documents Checklist

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English, maximum 3 pages. Must highlight relevant experience and clearly show prior tertiary coursework in statistics or quantitative methods. (The World Bank Documents)

• A 150-word summary of your proposed government analytics project: how you plan to apply insights from the program in your organization. (World Bank)

• Endorsement (nomination) letter from your organization: confirming your position, their support, and agreement on your proposed project. (The World Bank Documents)

• Proof of eligibility / institutional affiliation (if required): employment letter or similar (if asked). (As of last verification, this is implied but not separately listed as distinct document requirement.) (World Bank)

Selection Criteria & What Reviewers Look For

• Relevance of project proposal: Proposals should clearly relate to the use of administrative or survey data to diagnose or strengthen aspects of public administration rather than higher-level policy analysis. For example, health administration, tax administration, procurement, payroll systems, etc., rather than general health policy. (World Bank)

• Data availability: Ability to show that required data (administrative or survey) exist or can reasonably be collected as part of the fellowship project. (World Bank)

• Institutional support / endorsement strength: Demonstrated backing from your government organization, both in the letter and via your position and authority. (World Bank)

• Applicant qualifications: Analytical skills, prior quantitative training, relevant work experience in data analytics / evaluation / evidence-based decision making etc. (World Bank)

• Ability to commit: Especially being available for travel and full-time in-person training, and follow through with the project over six months. (The World Bank Documents)

Practical Tips to Strengthen an Application

• Choose a feasible, concrete project: Propose something your organization can realistically support, with clear data sources, limited in scope but with potential for scale.

• Show past results/data work: If you’ve done similar analyses, even smaller-scale, highlight them—this helps credibility.

• Get strong endorsement letter: Ensure the nominating organization letter states the authority, resources, and commitment to participate, and ideally mentions how the project will be integrated.

• Make sure documentation is clear and concise: CV under 3 pages, project summary tightly written (150 words limit), error-free, with data elements clearly referenced.

• Prepare for logistical constraints: Travel to D.C., visas, time away from regular duties—make sure these are feasible and explain in the application (if possible) how you will manage or got support.

• Align with fellowship’s focus: Emphasize administrative efficiency rather than policy design; reference examples from the Government Analytics Handbook; ensure your project is about ‘administration’ (tax, procurement, payroll, survey of public servants, service delivery) rather than high-level policy.

• Proof-read everything, especially if English is not your first language: clarity, grammar, and structure matter.

Official links & Apply now

• Program page on World Bank Academy: Government Analytics Fellowship (program overview) — World Bank / WBG Academy. (“Apply Now” link is here) (World Bank)

• Program rules / guidelines (PDF): WB Government Analytics Fellowship 2026 PDF document, published August 12, 2025. (The World Bank Documents)

• Handbook: Government Analytics Handbook (official World Bank publication) that underpins the fellowship’s content. (World Bank)

Apply Now: via the official World Bank fellowship application form (“Apply HERE!” on the program page) (World Bank)
(Raw URLs:

• Program page: https://academy.worldbank.org/en/prosperity/institutions/government-analytics-fellowship (World Bank)

• PDF guidelines: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/95d04ea052c1c058a8a17a04b6c54169-0050012025/original/WB-Government-Analytics-Fellowship-2026.pdf (The World Bank Documents) )

FAQ (3-5 Q&As)

Q: Can someone working in a non-government agency or non-central government apply (e.g., local government, NGO)?
A: No — the eligibility clearly states that applicants must be employed in central government organizations (including agencies). Local government or non-governmental / non-public sector affiliates are not eligible. (World Bank)

Q: Can a graduate student (Master’s, PhD) apply?
A: The key requirement is employment in central government, with authority to lead a project, plus mid-level manager or senior analyst role. Being a student per se, without such a role, is likely not eligible. The official page states that current students are not eligible unless they meet those employment/role criteria. (World Bank)

Q: Is this compatible with other funding or fellowships?
A: There is no explicit restriction mentioned in the official documents about holding another fellowship, provided it does not conflict with the time commitment (especially the 2-week in person training) and responsibilities. However, applicants should check with their organization and potentially inform the fellowship administrators if combining funding.

Q: What happens if my country is not ODA-eligible?
A: You can still apply; but certain benefits (hotel, travel, subsistence) for the in-person portion are explicitly covered for applicants from ODA-eligible countries. If you are from a non-ODA-eligible country, you should verify whether those costs will be covered for you in your case — the official page does not clearly confirm full support for all. (World Bank)

Q: How many fellows will be selected?
A: The number is not clearly stated in the official rules/guidelines. Some secondary sources mention “30-40 fellows”, but that is not confirmed in the official World Bank document as a fixed cap. (Scholarships.af)

Call to Action

If you meet the criteria and are prepared to commit, do apply now via the World Bank’s official application portal. Gather your nomination letter, polish your CV and project summary, and submit before September 28, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
Apply Here – World Bank Government Analytics Fellowship (https://academy.worldbank.org/en/prosperity/institutions/government-analytics-fellowship)

Disclaimer: Details such as deadlines, funding coverage, eligibility, and timeline change. Always double-check the official World Bank fellowship page and PDF rules/guideline documents to confirm the most current information before applying.