UN Young Professionals Programme 2026 (YPP)

The United Nations Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is the UN's main recruitment route for talented graduates who want to start a career as an international civil servant at the UN Secretariat. Successful candidates are offered entry-level professional jobs (P-1/P-2), with a two-year contract that can become a continuing contract.

The 2026 exam area is Development and Sustainability.

Important: only 47 countries can apply

The YPP is open only to nationals of countries that are under-represented at the UN. The list changes every year. For 2026, the participating countries are:

Africa: Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Sao Tome and Principe

Asia and the Middle East: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates

Europe: Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia

Americas and the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, United States of America

Pacific: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

If your country is not listed, you cannot apply this year, but check again next year.

What successful candidates get

• An entry-level professional post (P-1/P-2, Associate Officer) at the UN Secretariat
• A two-year fixed-term contract, which can become a continuing contract with good performance
• A UN salary and benefits package
• Placement on a three-year roster for UN job offers (a roster place does not guarantee a job)
• Willingness to work at any UN duty station worldwide is required

Who can apply

• A national of a participating country (see the list above)
• Born on or after 1 January 1994 (32 or younger by the end of 2026)
• At least a bachelor's degree (or three-year equivalent) in a relevant field, such as economics, statistics, data science, social affairs, environment or sustainable development
• Fluent English or French
• No work experience required

How the selection works

1. Screening: applications are checked against the eligibility rules.
2. Written exam (online):
   • Part I (expected February 2027): a General Paper and a multiple-choice Specialised Paper
   • Part II (one to two months later): open-ended Specialised Paper questions
3. Oral exam by video call (expected mid-2027).
4. Roster: successful candidates join the YPP roster and may be offered UN posts.

How to apply

1. Check that your country is on the 2026 list.
2. Go to careers.un.org and find the YPP 2026 Development and Sustainability job opening (ID 285586).
3. Create an account and complete your application.
4. Upload your passport or national ID and degree documents.
5. Submit by 30 November 2026, 11:59 pm New York time.

Key dates

Tips

• Check your nationality first. Only the 47 listed countries are eligible.
• Study the UN's work on sustainable development, including the SDGs, UN reports and current global issues.
• Practise writing clear, well-argued answers for the open-ended exam questions.
• Applying is free. The UN never charges application fees.