Internships
Are you dedicated to world development and want to gain practical experience to complement your studies?
Internships at UNDP are a great opportunity for students and recent graduates to acquire direct exposure to UNDP’s work.
Opportunities are available in a variety of areas and every attempt is made to match the interests of the intern with the needs of the organization. Visit our current vacancies and discover your development internship!
Internships can take place in UNDP Country Offices, at Regional Hubs or at Headquarters in New York. The duration of an internship assignment varies in length according to the availability and academic requirements of the intern, as well as the needs of UNDP. Assignments are available on a part-time and full-time basis throughout the year.
Qualifications & Requirements
Interns are selected on a competitive basis. Applicants to UNDP internships must at the time of application meet one of the following academic requirements:
(a) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
(c) Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.
As an applicant, you should be able to demonstrate an interest in the field of development and respect the principles of the United Nations Charter and UNDP’s mission. The desire to work with and gain the confidence and respect of people with different language, national and cultural backgrounds is an essential part of working in the UN system. You should also be interested in global mobility, as well as adaptability to varied physical and other environments.
Typically, the language requirements are: Applicants should have written and spoken proficiency in at least one, and preferably two of the three working languages used by UNDP: English, French and Spanish. Fluency in Arabic, Portuguese, Russian or Eastern European language is an asset.
Financial Issues
Since 1 January 2020 UNDP interns are provided a monthly stipend to cover costs associated to the internship. The stipend amount varies from duty station to duty station. The amount can also vary depending if a selected candidate receives financial support from a nominating institution, related institution or government.
Further Career Opportunities
The purpose of internships is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but, as mentioned, to complement an intern’s studies. However, a number of interns, having completed their studies and met the necessary requirements, have gone on to further assignments with the UNDP or elsewhere in the United Nations system.
Where to apply
Selection for internships is fully decentralized within UNDP. All internships are advertised on UNDP’s jobsite at http://jobs.undp.org/.
