StudyDesk Scholarships
About the programme
The United Nations Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is the UN Secretariat’s flagship route for bringing talented young graduates into international civil service. Each year the UN holds a competitive examination in one subject area, chosen according to the Secretariat’s staffing needs. For 2026 the examination area is Development and Sustainability — covering economic and social development, environmental protection, population affairs and sustainable development.
This is a career opportunity, not a study scholarship: there is no tuition funding and no degree attached. Instead, candidates who clear the written examination and interview are placed on a roster that the UN uses when entry-level Professional vacancies arise. It is the closest thing the UN system has to a graduate scheme, and for many young professionals it is the first rung of a career across the Secretariat’s duty stations worldwide.
Eligibility
- Be a national of a participating member state for the 2026 cycle. Only 47 countries take part this year, and the list is built from states under-represented among UN staff — it changes annually. India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are not on the 2026 list; in Africa only Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Libya and São Tomé and Príncipe can apply this year. Always confirm your country on the official YPP page.
- Be 32 years old or younger in the examination year — born on or after 1 January 1994.
- Hold at least a first-level university degree (a bachelor’s degree or equivalent three-year qualification) in a field relevant to Development and Sustainability — such as economics, statistics, social sciences, environmental studies or sustainable development.
- Be fluent in English or French, the two working languages of the programme.
- No work experience is required — the programme is designed for recent graduates.
What successful candidates get
- A place on the YPP roster for three years, from which the UN selects for entry-level vacancies.
- Eligibility for P-1 and P-2 Professional posts across Secretariat duty stations worldwide.
- A normally two-year initial contract on recruitment, with the UN’s professional development framework.
- A structured path into international civil service — the YPP exists precisely to improve the geographical representation of member states, so rostered candidates from participating countries are genuinely in demand.
Documents required
- UN Inspira personal history profile — the UN’s standard online application, completed in full.
- Degree certificate(s) proving a first-level university degree in a relevant field.
- Evidence supporting nationality of a participating member state.
- Any documents the specific job opening (ID 285586) requests — read the vacancy notice on Inspira before you start.
How to apply
- Confirm your country participates in 2026Check the official YPP examination information at careers.un.org/ypp. If your nationality is not on the 2026 list, you cannot apply this year.
- Read the 2026 vacancy noticeOpen job opening 285586 (Development and Sustainability) and check the exact list of accepted degree subjects and any additional instructions.
- Create or update your Inspira profileComplete the UN’s Personal History Profile carefully — this is the application itself, and incomplete profiles are screened out.
- Submit before 30 November 2026Applications are free. Apply well before the deadline; late submissions are not accepted.
- Prepare for the written examinationScreened candidates sit an online written assessment, followed by interviews for those who pass. Read the YPP exam guide materials while you wait.
FAQs
No. It does not fund any degree. It is a competitive recruitment programme that can lead to paid entry-level Professional employment with the UN Secretariat.
No. Only nationals of the participating member states can apply in a given cycle, and the list changes every year. India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are not on the 2026 list.
No. The YPP is designed for young graduates; a relevant bachelor’s degree, the right age and nationality, and fluency in English or French are the core requirements.
You are placed on a three-year roster. When suitable P-1/P-2 vacancies arise, rostered candidates may be selected — the initial appointment is normally a two-year contract.
The 2026 job opening lists duty stations including New York, Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Bangkok, Beirut, Santiago and Addis Ababa, among others.
No. Applying through Inspira is free, and the UN never charges fees at any stage of recruitment.
Verified 23 Oct 2026: thepeninsulaqatar.com (16 Oct 2026) + menafn.com — 2026 YPP exam in Development and Sustainability, application window October–November 2026, age/nationality/degree/language rules; UN Information Centre for the Caribbean (LinkedIn, 17 Oct 2026) — applications open, deadline 30 November 2026, careers.un.org/ypp; pathfinderly.com — job opening 285586, opened 16 Oct 2026, deadline 30 Nov 2026, P-1/P-2 roster, 2-year initial contract; opportunitylab.net — 47 participating countries, India/Nigeria/Ghana/Kenya/South Africa not on 2026 list; opportunitiesforyouth.org (17 Oct 2026) — exam guide with full eligibility; globalsouthconnections.co.ke — yearly-changing country list. Queue title "UN Young Professionals Program 2024 UN YPP Careers" retitled to the live 2026 cycle.
