Most international organisations offer undergraduates and recent graduates the possibility of an internship (stage), usually lasting a few months, within their structures. Knowledge of English and/or French (and preferably one of the other UN languages) is a prerequisite.
There are many advantages of an internship: from becoming familiar with the environment of international organisations, to practising the skills of flexibility and open-mindedness, to continuous practice in foreign languages. An internship, therefore, is a first real opportunity to start gaining the work experience needed for a more stable employment in international organisations at a later stage: the first step …
The number of candidates admitted and the duration of the internship vary from institution to institution. Interested scholars may apply directly to the Organisations by sending a CV or the online form available on the websites of the respective organisations.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has made the new JOIN-IT portal available to anyone interested in a career in International Organisations.
JOIN-IT is a dedicated search engine, through which the user can view in real time the vacancies published on the institutional websites of the International Organisations and made available on the portal. The search engine allows the user to obtain customised results by activating filters.
Once the positions of interest have been identified, the user will be able to apply directly through the website of the International Organisation in question. At the same time, users registered on the portal will be able to access their own personal area, through which they will be able to inform MAECI of their applications and any developments and progress.
The administration, for its part, can examine the applications submitted by the users, and assess the appropriateness and best ways to support them.
Listed below are some websites with internship opportunities:
United Nations System
United Nations system hosted in Italy
- Associate Experts and Junior Officers of International Organisations (JPO) Programme
- JPO APO and Internships at FAO
- Internships at IFAD
- Internships at WFP
- Internships at IDLO
- Internships at Bioversity
International Financial Institutions (IFIs)
Other International Organisations