The WHO Internship Programme places students and recent graduates inside the United Nations’ health agency, working alongside technical staff on global public-health work. Assignments run out of WHO headquarters in Geneva, its six regional offices, and country offices around the world. Openings are posted continuously through the year rather than in a single annual round, each attached to a specific technical unit with its own requirements and closing date. Interns commit full-time to a single unit for the length of the placement.
Benefits & funding
- A living allowance is provided to eligible selected interns who need financial support; the exact amount is stated in each vacancy notice and depends on duty station and any other financial support the intern receives.
- Lunch vouchers may be provided at some duty stations.
- Accident and medical insurance coverage during the internship period.
- Note: travel to and from the duty station, and insurance before the start and after the end of the internship, are the intern’s own responsibility.
Eligibility
- At least 20 years of age on the date of application.
- Enrolled in a university degree — or graduated within the past 18 months — in a public-health, medical, social, management, administrative, communications, or external-relations field.
- Completed at least three years of full-time university study (bachelor level or equivalent) before starting.
- Fluent in at least one working language of the office of assignment.
- Holds a valid passport of a WHO Member State (nearly all countries are members).
- Not related to a WHO staff member, and has not previously done a WHO internship.
Can you apply?
Worth a closer look
Sign in and add your profile to check this against your nationality, residency, and studies.
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor · Master Enrolled · Master · PhD Enrolled
Not in your profile yet
Age requirement
≥ 20 yrs
Not in your profile yet
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Browse open internship vacancy notices on the WHO Careers site.
- 2Choose a posting whose technical area and language requirements match your background.
- 3Create a profile and apply through WHO’s online recruitment system (Stellis) before that posting’s deadline.
- 4Selected candidates are contacted directly by the recruiting unit.
Program timeline
Rolling
Vacancy notices posted continuously through the year, each with its own deadline.
Placement length
6 to 24 weeks, full-time, set by the hosting technical unit.