IFAD Internship Programme

Benefits & funding

• Each assignment lasts no more than six continuous calendar months, or 180 days. An eligible intern may receive a second assignment with distinct Terms of Reference.
• The standard monthly allowance equals 10 per cent of the assignment duty station’s Daily Subsistence Allowance and is capped at USD 800, with prorating for partial months or part-time work.
• Interns from IFAD recipient member countries who live beyond commuting distance receive 14 per cent of the duty station’s Daily Subsistence Allowance, including a housing element, plus a round-trip travel amount equal to 80 per cent of the confirmed economy fare and capped at USD 3,000.
• Up to two days of paid absence are available per calendar month. Unless the internship is fully sponsored, 1.325 per cent of the monthly allowance is deducted for mandatory medical insurance.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be nationals of one of IFAD’s 180 member states.
• Applicants must be 30 or younger.
• One route is current enrolment in an accredited university or graduate school, completion of at least two years of undergraduate study and attendance in courses during the previous 24 months.
• The other route is completion of accredited undergraduate or postgraduate university studies during the previous 24 months.
• Fluency in English is required. Arabic, French, Spanish or another language may be required for a particular regional assignment.
• The field of study must be relevant to IFAD’s work; the exact subject and location requirements depend on the assignment.

Application process

1. 1
   Follow the programme’s application link to the IFAD Careers Centre and sign in or create an applicant account.
2. 2
   Complete the IFAD application, including the expected month and year of graduation and the requested supporting information.
3. 3
   Submit the application to the rolling internship posting; profiles judged eligible may enter IFAD’s intern talent pool.
4. 4
   Monitor the application account and official IFAD email. IFAD contacts candidates who are under consideration for an assignment.

Program timeline

1. Open until filled

   Applications are accepted through the IFAD Careers Centre on a rolling basis.

2. After submission

   IFAD checks eligibility and may place the profile in the intern talent pool.

3. Two to four months

   IFAD states that its selection process can take this long.

4. Assignment start

   The selected division sets the date and working arrangement in the Terms of Reference.

5. Up to 180 calendar days after starting

   The first assignment ends; a distinct second assignment may follow if the intern remains eligible.