United Nations–Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea

Benefits & funding

• A monthly stipend across all nine months, in New York and at the host institution. The rate follows the UN’s country-by-country schedule — the first month at the “Max Trav” rate, later months at the non-academic “Max Res” rate — so no single figure is published.
• Three economy-class flights: home country to New York, New York to the host institution, host institution back home. The UN’s designated travel agency books them.
• Medical coverage through Cigna for the fellowship period, covering general medical and hospital treatment up to a limit. Specialised services are excluded, and fellows pay first and claim reimbursement.
• A book allowance of US$100 a month for phase two, paid as a US$600 lump sum before departure.
• A place at a participating host institution, arranged by DOALOS, with a co-supervisor for the research.
• Not covered: accommodation, which fellows find and pay for themselves in both locations; visa costs; anything for family members. The stipend covers one person and is not a salary.

Eligibility

• Citizenship of a developing State. This is a hard bar: the application page states that candidates must be a national of a developing State. DOALOS publishes no list of qualifying countries, and the FAQ asks applicants to check with doalos@un.org. The UN’s own developing-economies grouping covers Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia other than Israel, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and Oceania other than Australia and New Zealand.
• Aged 25 to 45. The selection committee may accept applications from outside that band.
• At least a first university degree, with demonstrated capacity for independent advanced research. Applications from PhD students may be accepted.
• A mid-level government official, or another mid-level professional working directly on ocean affairs or the law of the sea. No minimum number of years is published.
• A proposed research and study programme that contributes directly to the applicant’s own country’s formulation or implementation of ocean policy.
• Strong command of spoken and written English. The FAQ adds that fluency is not a formal requirement, though most training is delivered in English, and a thesis in another language is possible where a host institution can supervise it.
• Free of all non-fellowship obligations for the whole nine months, unless DOALOS authorises otherwise.
• Able to take part in person; every element of the programme is on site.
• A nomination form signed and stamped by a nominating authority: an employer who can attest to the nature of the applicant’s work, or an organisation the applicant currently collaborates with.
• The programme funds no university degrees. It is training and research, not a scholarship for a qualification.
• Women are strongly encouraged to apply and the programme aims at 50/50 gender balance. That is an aim, not a restriction.

Application process

1. 1
   Read the 2027 call for applications on the DOALOS capacity-building site. It is published in English, French and Spanish.
2. 2
   Create an Indico.UN account and open the 2027 fellowship event page. Applications are accepted only through that platform; emailed applications are rejected.
3. 3
   Complete and sign the 2027 application form — personal history plus the proposed research and study programme.
4. 4
   Have the 2027 nomination form completed, signed and stamped by the nominating authority.
5. 5
   Upload both forms and a copy of a valid national passport, in Word or PDF, before the deadline of 13 September 2026.
6. 6
   Awardees and reserves are posted on the fellowship website by mid-December 2026. Selected fellows must then clear the UN Medical Service before the award is confirmed.

Program timeline

1. Application deadline

   13 September 2026

2. Awardees and reserves posted on the fellowship website

   Mid-December 2026

3. Phase one begins at UN Headquarters in New York

   24 March 2027

4. Phase one ends

   30 June 2027

5. Phase two begins at the host institution

   1 July 2027

6. Phase two ends and the fellowship closes

   17 December 2027