UNESCO’s Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations advises the Director-General on cooperation with Member States, the Global Priority Africa, the UN system, intergovernmental bodies, National Commissions and Goodwill Ambassadors. This posting fills a pool of intern candidates for the sector, not one specific opening.
Interns spend one to six months at Headquarters, a field office or an institute, drafting notes and letters, preparing briefings, and supporting statutory meetings and events.
Benefits & funding
- No pay: UNESCO gives no compensation, financial or otherwise.
- 2.5 days of leave a month, plus 1 working day per complete month.
- Limited workplace insurance, only for injury, illness, disability or death caused by the internship work.
- You pay your own travel, arrange any visa, and must prove comprehensive health insurance for the whole stay.
Eligibility
- Aged 20 or over.
- One of: enrolled in the third or final year of a Bachelor’s; enrolled in a second degree, Master’s or PhD; or holding a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD completed no more than 12 months before the internship agreement is issued (diploma date).
- Technical/vocational applicants: final year at a specialised institution, or graduated within 12 months.
- Excellent written and spoken English or French; the other language may be required for secretarial or assistant roles at Headquarters.
- No nationality restriction is stated.
Application process
- 1Apply online in English or French by 31 December 2026; the questionnaire on skills, competencies, experience and interests must be finished within one hour.
- 2Your candidacy stays in the intern pool for six months; hiring managers contact only those they select.
- 3No word within six months means the application was unsuccessful.
- 4UNESCO signs only its own Internship Agreement, never a university’s internship convention.
Program timeline
Application deadline
Dec 31, 2026 (midnight)
Six months after applying
candidacy lapses if no hiring manager has made contact
Start and end
agreed with the hiring office, 1–6 months