UNESCO is accepting applications until 31 December 2026 (midnight) for internships of 1 to 6 months with the Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations, with a duty station at Headquarters, Field Offices and Institutes and the Paris, France location. Applicants must be at least 20 years old, and the internship is unpaid. This is a talent pool vacancy, not a specific opening. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full notice and set out every task, requirement and condition below.
The Mission of the Sector
The overall mission of the Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations is to coordinate, ensure liaison and provide strategic policy advice to the Director-General, as regards cooperation with Member States, the Global Priority Africa, the UN system, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), National Commissions and Goodwill Ambassadors, and to support Field Offices.
The intern has the opportunity to learn and support the overall work of the Sector's mission, and assists in coordination, liaison, information and communication tasks. Please note that this is a talent pool vacancy: you apply to join UNESCO's pool of intern candidates, not to a specific internship opening, and there is no guarantee of placement.
The posting terms are as follows. Type of contract: Internship. Duty station: Headquarters, Field Offices, and Institutes. Duration of contract: 1 to 6 months. Application deadline: 31 December 2026 (Midnight). UNESCO core values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism.
Tasks You Will Undertake
The intern undertakes the following tasks:
📝 Prepare preliminary draft notes, memoranda, letters and/or other Sector proposals for submission to Member States, Programme Sectors, and potential public and private partners
🔍 Assist in researching and analyzing information provision to briefings for bilateral meetings
🏛️ Provide assistance in coordinating the Sector's contributions to Statutory meetings (General Conference, Executive Board), and in drafting reports
📨 Assist in dealing with a wide range of issues of the PAX sector, by providing timely, accurate and specific information in response to queries, thus contributing to maintaining close working relationships with the Delegations, Programme Sectors and Central services, Field Offices, partners and other stakeholders
🗓️ Assist in the organization of meetings and events and provide technical support to ensure success of the work team
🖥️ Update the PAX website on the Intranet, notably on information in relation to Member States, UNESCO events and publications
📌 Undertake any other tasks which may be assigned by the Supervisor
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What the Internship Teaches
By the end of the internship, the intern shall:
🌐 Acquire a general understanding of the work and mission of UNESCO, with special focus on the mandate of the Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations
📚 Understand the context of global policy making, including the role of UNESCO and other international organizations through their work in setting standards, facilitating knowledge exchange, providing policy advice, enhancing institutional capacities and facilitating cooperation
🤲 Understand administrative procedures and develop soft skills such as stakeholder management, problem-solving, interpersonal skills and work ethic within the UNESCO Competency Framework, in particular teamwork, flexibility, communication and a client-oriented service mindset
🔭 Obtain a deep understanding of the functioning of the Organisation with a perspective on its policies, key challenges and impact
Competencies Listed for the Role
UNESCO lists the following competencies for this internship:
🗨️ Communication
🧾 Accountability
✨ Innovation
🔁 Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
🎯 Results focus
🧩 Teamwork
🎓 Professionalism
Eligibility: Age and Academic Status
You must be at least 20 years old to apply. On the academic side, you must meet one of the following conditions:
🎓 Be currently enrolled and on the 3rd (third) year or final year of your Bachelor's degree
🏛️ Be currently enrolled in your second university degree, Master's or PhD degree or equivalent
📜 Have completed a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree no more than 12 months prior to the issuance of the Internship Agreement, as determined by the completion date indicated on your diploma
Applicants in technical or vocational assignments must be enrolled in a specialized technical or vocational institution and must have reached the last year of their studies, or have recently graduated (within the last 12 months) from their school or institution.
Languages and Skills You Need
🗣️ Languages: an excellent command, both written and spoken, of English or French
🇫🇷 A working knowledge of the other language (English or French) is an asset, and may be required for internships in secretarial and assistantship assignments at the Headquarters
💻 Computer skills: an excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software
🤲 Team player: you should be able to work well in a team and adapt to an international working environment
📢 Communication skills: strong interpersonal and communication skills
Leave and Insurance for Interns
UNESCO does not remunerate interns, and there is no compensation, financial or otherwise, for internship assignments. If you are weighing formats, our guide to the difference between fellowships, internships and traineeships explains how each works.
🏖️ Interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month during their internship and an additional leave of 1 working day per complete month of internship
🩹 Interns are provided with a limited workplace insurance coverage against risk of injury, illness, disability, or death incurred during the period of the internship and directly attributable to the execution of the internship
Costs and Conditions to Keep in Mind
📆 Duration: the minimum duration of an internship is one month, and the maximum duration is six months
🛂 Visa: you are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas
✈️ Travel: you must arrange and finance your travel to the location where you will undertake your internship
🏥 Medical insurance: you must show proof of a comprehensive health insurance valid in the country where you will undertake your internship and for the entire period of the internship; UNESCO only provides a limited workplace insurance coverage against risk of injury, illness, disability, or death incurred during the period of the internship and directly attributable to the execution of the internship
🪪 Supporting documents: before the beginning of your internship, you must provide proof of your identity (ID card or passport), a Certificate of Enrollment, a Transcript of Record, or a Diploma if you have just recently graduated
🏖️ Leave: interns are entitled to 2.5 days of leave per month and an additional leave of 1 working day per complete month of internship
📝 Internship Agreement: UNESCO does not sign any third-party agreements or contracts (for example, conventions de stage) provided by academic or research institutions; the internship arrangement is strictly between UNESCO and the intern, and only the official Internship Agreement issued by UNESCO is executed and signed by UNESCO representatives
Selection and Recruitment Process
Candidates shall apply to this vacancy notice, or to any of the available vacancy notices that match their expertise, domain or interest. You are applying to become part of the pool of intern candidates, not to a specific internship opening.
Candidates who successfully applied stay in the intern talent pool and are further assessed and selected by relevant hiring managers. The candidature is valid for 6 months, and selected candidates are contacted directly by the relevant hiring manager. If the candidate does not receive any update from UNESCO within six months, it means that the application has not been successful.
Before Applying
⏲️ During the application process you will be asked to answer questions about your skills, competencies, experience (if any) and interests, and you only have one hour to finish the process
📞 Make sure your contact details will be valid in the next 6 months
🔠 You can only use either English or French in applying
🌐 Provide an unofficial French or English translation of your documents if they are not in these languages
⚠️ Even if you are eligible, there is no guarantee of placement: UNESCO receives more applications from qualified candidates than it can place
🌏 Your application will be further accessed by UNESCO managers around the world and will stay in the internship portal for a period of six months
🔕 UNESCO does not respond to each and every candidate: if there is an internship opening and you are selected, the manager contacts you directly from the pool; if you receive no update within six months, your application has not been successful
Looking for more UN-system placements? Browse the internship section of Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Priority Africa and External Relations internship paid?
No. UNESCO does not remunerate interns, and there is no compensation, financial or otherwise. You arrange and finance your own travel and must hold comprehensive health insurance.
What does the Sector for Priority Africa and External Relations do?
Its mission is to coordinate, ensure liaison and provide strategic policy advice to the Director-General on cooperation with Member States, the Global Priority Africa, the UN system, IGOs, National Commissions and Goodwill Ambassadors, and to support Field Offices.
What will I actually do as an intern?
You prepare draft notes, memoranda and letters, research information for bilateral meeting briefings, help coordinate contributions to the General Conference and Executive Board, answer queries from Delegations and partners, help organize meetings and events, and update the PAX website on the Intranet.
Where is the duty station?
The vacancy lists Headquarters, Field Offices and Institutes. Because you join a pool of candidates, your placement depends on the hiring manager who selects you.
Am I applying for a specific opening?
No. You are applying to become part of the pool of intern candidates, and your candidature stays valid for 6 months.
Who can apply?
You must be at least 20 years old and in the third or final year of a Bachelor's degree, enrolled in a second university degree, Master's or PhD, or a recent graduate within 12 months of the Internship Agreement. You need an excellent command of English or French.
What if UNESCO never contacts me?
UNESCO does not respond to every candidate. If you receive no update within six months, your application has not been successful.
Deadline
⏳ 31 December 2026 (Midnight)
Link
🔗 Official UNESCO vacancy and application: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Multiple-INTERNSHIP-Priority-Africa-and-External-Relations/1348535957/
