The UN Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is a recruitment initiative for talented, highly qualified professionals to start a career as an international civil servant with the UN Secretariat. It consists of an entrance examination process and professional development once successful candidates start their career with the UN.
Key Eligibility Criteria
- Nationality: Be a national of a participating country.
- Education: Hold at least a relevant Bachelor's degree or a 3-year equivalent degree relevant to the exam area.
- Age: Be 32 years or younger in the year of the examination.
- Language: Be fluent in either English or French.
Participating countries are listed on the official YPP Exam Cycles page once applications open.
Programme Benefits
The United Nations offers an attractive remuneration package with competitive pay and benefits.
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How the Application Process Works
- Confirm Eligibility: Review the basic application criteria carefully.
- Review the Job Opening: The YPP application period typically opens each October, with job openings specific to each exam area found through the Job Search function on Inspira or the UN Careers Portal.
- Prepare an Application: Watch the official YPP Application Guide Videos before applying, and review the general UN "Applicant Guide" available on Inspira.
Evaluation Process
Applications are screened for basic eligibility (nationality, age, education, language). If more than 90 applicants from the same country are eligible for an exam area, those applicants are screened and ranked by highest level of education completed, knowledge of official UN languages, and relevant work experience. If the exam runs in two stages, up to 90 applicants per country/exam area may be invited to the first stage, with a maximum of 60 per country/exam area advancing to the second stage.
Estimated Timeline
- Application Period: October-November — review the job opening and submit your application on Inspira.
- Applications Screened: December-January — eligibility evaluated, candidates notified and convoked to examination.
- Assessment Process: February-May — exams administered online, marked, and verified.
- Interviews & Results: June-August — written exam results shared, interviews conducted, overall results announced.
How to Apply
Applications open in October. Visit the United Nations Careers webpage to create an Inspira account and watch the application guide videos ahead of time.
Disclaimer
Edfrica shares opportunities for informational purposes only. Results and outcomes are not guaranteed.
