How to apply for UN internships

Internships with the United Nations and its agencies give students and recent graduates a first look at international work: drafting, research, data, communications, administration or field support. Thousands of people apply every year, and most applications fail on simple, avoidable points. This guide explains how the process works and how to give your application a fair chance.

The UN family is not one employer

"The UN" includes the UN Secretariat (with offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and the regional commissions) and many separate funds, programmes and agencies such as UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, WFP and WHO. Each runs its own internship programme, with its own rules, website and pay policy. Our internships list brings together current calls from several of them; each listing links to the official vacancy.

Who can apply

The usual requirements, which you should confirm in each vacancy, are:

• you are enrolled in a degree programme (often a master's or PhD, or the final year of a bachelor's), or graduated recently, within a period the vacancy specifies;
• you are fluent in English or French (the working languages of the Secretariat), and some posts ask for another UN language;
• you have the academic background the post requires, for example economics, law, statistics or communications;
• you are available full-time for the stated period, often between two and six months.

Some internships are open only to students of particular fields or to nationals of certain countries, and several agencies encourage applications from under-represented countries. Use the filter for your nationality, for example internships for citizens of Kyrgyzstan.

Pay and costs

Whether an internship is paid depends on the organisation and sometimes on the duty station. Some UN entities pay a monthly stipend; others have traditionally offered unpaid internships. The vacancy states what applies. In most cases you are responsible for your visa, travel and health insurance, and you should check what the organisation requires before you accept. Plan your budget honestly: living costs in New York or Geneva are high.

How the application works

Applications are made online through the organisation's careers portal; for the UN Secretariat this is careers.un.org. The process is usually:

1. Create a profile with your education, work history, languages and skills. This profile is your application, so complete every field carefully.
2. Find an internship opening and read the whole vacancy: responsibilities, competencies, education, languages and duration.
3. Answer the screening questions. They often ask whether you meet each requirement and may ask short written questions. A "no" to an essential requirement usually ends the application automatically.
4. Write a short cover note where it is requested, explaining why you are suited to this post.
5. Submit before the closing date. Many internship vacancies are open for only a few weeks.

Standing out in the screening

Hiring managers look at many applications quickly. Help them:

• Match the vacancy. Use the same terms the vacancy uses when you describe your skills, but only where they are true.
• Be specific. "Analysed survey data in Stata for a thesis on youth employment" says more than "good analytical skills".
• Show interest in the mandate. One or two sentences on why this office's work matters to you are enough.
• Check your languages. State your level honestly; you may be tested.

The principles in our academic CV guide and motivation letter guide apply here too.

Interviews and tests

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to a written test or an interview, often by video. Many UN interviews are competency-based: you are asked to describe a real situation that shows a competency such as teamwork, communication or planning. Prepare a few examples with the situation, your task, what you did and the result.

After an offer

You will usually need to provide proof of enrolment or graduation, a medical statement, proof of insurance and your visa documents. Respond quickly and keep copies. Use the internship to learn and to build relationships, but read the organisation's rules on applying for jobs during and after the internship.

Alternatives worth considering

If you are interested in public international work, also look at traineeships in European institutions, such as the Blue Book traineeship at the European Commission, and at fellowships for young professionals.

Common mistakes

• Applying to many posts with an incomplete profile.
• Answering "yes" to requirements you do not meet; this is discovered later.
• Missing the closing date because the vacancy was open only briefly.
• Using unofficial websites that ask for a fee. UN organisations do not charge fees at any stage; see how to spot scams.

Related: internships list and how to find and choose a scholarship.