Volunteering•Global

International UN Volunteer Assignments (Volunteer Abroad)

Funding

Partial / Stipend

Program dates

TBA

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme mobilises people to serve with UN agencies, funds and programmes around the world. Through the “volunteer abroad” pathway, an international UN Volunteer is deployed to a duty station outside their own country to support peace, development and humanitarian work. From 1 April 2026 UNV operates a single, unified model with four categories — UN Community Volunteer, UN Volunteer Associate, UN Volunteer Specialist and UN Volunteer Expert — so that people at very different career stages can serve. Volunteers receive a living allowance and assignment support rather than a salary. Candidates register once in the Global Talent Pool and are then matched to advertised assignments.

Benefits & funding

  • Monthly Living Allowance (MLA): a duty-station-based allowance meant to cover basic living costs — explicitly not a salary, reward or compensation.
  • Entry lump sum and exit (resettlement) lump sum to help with settling in and returning home.
  • Entitlement travel (including pre-departure expenses) and home-visit travel where applicable.
  • Comprehensive insurance: health, life and disability cover, plus medical evacuation and UN medical services.
  • Annual leave accrued over the assignment, training and learning access (including the UNV eCampus), and supplements such as danger/hardship or accommodation where the duty station applies.
  • Exact allowance amounts vary by duty station, category and family status and are set out in the Conditions of Service.

Eligibility

  • Open to all nationalities; international assignments are served outside your own country.
  • Age 18–80; assignment length 1–48 months (international assignments commonly run 3–12 months, extendable up to a maximum of four years).
  • Experience by category: UN Community Volunteer — no prior experience required; UN Volunteer Associate — at least 1 month; UN Volunteer Specialist — at least 3 years; UN Volunteer Expert — at least 7 years.
  • Required qualifications, education and language depend on the specific assignment.
  • Commitment to the values of volunteerism and the UN, and the ability to work in multicultural settings.

Application process

  1. 1
    Create a profile in the UNV Global Talent Pool on the Unified Volunteering Platform (app.unv.org).
  2. 2
    Browse and apply to advertised international assignments that match your profile and category.
  3. 3
    If selected, complete the matching, deployment and onboarding process with the host UN entity.

Program timeline

  1. Rolling

    assignments are advertised year-round on the Unified Volunteering Platform; there is no single annual deadline.

  2. unified Conditions of Service take effect (four volunteer categories; age 18–80; assignments 1–48 months).

    1 April 2026