Apply Now: UNFPA Scholarship Program | Complete Guide
If you are a student, recent graduate, or young professional looking to build a career in international development, reproductive health, or gender equality, the UNFPA Scholarship Program is one of the most valuable opportunities you should know about. The United Nations Population Fund, commonly known as UNFPA, runs several funding programs, fellowships, and internship opportunities that support young people from all over the world. This guide covers everything you need to know about the UNFPA Scholarship Program, including who qualifies, what benefits are available, and exactly how to apply.
What is the UNFPA?
Before we get into the details of the scholarship and fellowship programs, it helps to understand what UNFPA is and why it matters. UNFPA is the United Nations agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health. Established in 1969, it operates in over 150 countries and supports more than 3,000 staff members across the globe. Its overall mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fully realized.
UNFPA’s work is organized around three major transformative goals: ending preventable maternal deaths, addressing unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. These goals align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, which was agreed upon by 179 governments in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994.
Understanding these priorities is important because UNFPA’s scholarship and fellowship programs are designed to bring young talent into the UN system to support this very work. When you apply for any UNFPA-supported program, your background and interests should ideally connect to these core areas.
Overview of UNFPA Scholarship and Funding Opportunities
UNFPA does not run a single standalone scholarship in the traditional sense where you receive money to attend university. Instead, UNFPA offers a range of funded programs that together make up what many people refer to as the “UNFPA Scholarship Program.” These include the UNFPA Global Internship Program, the Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme, the Young Professionals from Africa and African Descent Programme, and various national fellowship programs tied to specific country offices.
Each of these programs comes with its own eligibility criteria, benefits, and application process. Together, they represent UNFPA’s commitment to investing in the next generation of development leaders. Let us look at each one in detail.
UNFPA Global Internship Program
The UNFPA Global Internship Program is probably the most well-known of all UNFPA-funded opportunities. It is open to students and recent graduates from all nationalities and offers placements across UNFPA offices worldwide, including in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America.
The program is designed to give outstanding students direct exposure to how UNFPA operates. It complements development-oriented academic studies with hands-on practical experience in various aspects of UNFPA’s work. Interns are placed under the supervision of an experienced UNFPA staff member, and the background and skills of each intern are carefully matched with the needs of the organization.
What You Will Work On
As an UNFPA intern, you can expect to contribute to work in areas such as gender equality advocacy, reproductive health programming, data analysis, humanitarian response, communications, policy development, and youth empowerment. The specific responsibilities depend on the office where you are placed and the team’s current needs. UNFPA’s strategic plan focuses on ending maternal deaths, expanding access to family planning, and eliminating gender-based violence, so most internship placements connect to one or more of these themes.
UNFPA Internship Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the UNFPA Global Internship Program, you must meet specific academic and personal requirements. Here is what UNFPA looks for in its interns:
You must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program and have completed at least one full academic year, or you must be enrolled in a master’s or higher degree program, or you must have recently graduated within the past 12 months, or you must be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee program where the internship forms part of your training requirements.
In addition to your academic status, you must demonstrate interest in the field of international development. You must also show written and spoken proficiency in at least one United Nations working language, which includes English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian. Fluency in the official language of the specific UNFPA office you are applying to is also required. You should be able to adapt to multicultural environments and work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
One important restriction applies: individuals whose immediate family members, specifically a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or sister, are employed as UNFPA staff members are not eligible to apply for an internship.
Financial Support and Stipend
One of the most common questions applicants ask is whether the UNFPA internship is paid. The answer depends on whether you are already receiving financial support from an external source such as a university, government, or academic institution. If you are not receiving outside financial support, you are eligible to receive a monthly stipend from UNFPA to help cover your living expenses.
The stipend amount is calculated based on the agreed place of work, which may differ from the hiring office’s duty station in cases where remote arrangements are in place. Stipend payments are generally made monthly in the local currency of the work location.
If you are receiving funding from your home institution or government, UNFPA will not provide an additional stipend, but the experience and professional credentials you gain are still enormously valuable.
Core Competencies UNFPA Looks For
UNFPA evaluates interns against a set of core competencies that reflect its organizational values. These include the ability to embrace change and adapt to new circumstances, a commitment to integrity and accountability, analytical and strategic thinking skills, the ability to work well in teams and manage relationships across different cultural backgrounds, and a genuine commitment to UNFPA’s mission and the broader values of the United Nations system.
UNFPA also actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in its recruitment process. Applications from women, individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.
How Long Does the UNFPA Internship Last?
The duration of each internship varies depending on the assignment and the office involved. Most placements run for between three and six months. Some roles may be fully remote, allowing interns to participate from their home country, while others require on-site presence at a specific UNFPA duty station.
UNFPA Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme
The UNFPA Youth Leaders Fellowship, commonly known as the YoLe Fellowship, is a flagship youth development initiative launched by UNFPA Ghana in 2018. Since its inception, the fellowship has successfully trained and mentored young people across multiple cohorts, becoming a well-recognized program in the development and youth leadership space. Cohort 8 of the YoLe Fellowship is currently open for applications, covering the period from September 2026 to August 2027.
The YoLe Fellowship is a one-year program specifically designed to empower young people to become ethically driven, transformational leaders. It combines rigorous training, high-level mentorship, practical internship experience, and a pathway to a master’s degree in Youth Leadership and Development.
What Makes the YoLe Fellowship Unique?
The YoLe Fellowship stands out from other youth programs because it goes far beyond classroom training. Fellows gain one-on-one mentorship from high-achieving professionals across multiple sectors including government, international development, entrepreneurship, and academia. They undertake a mandatory internship placement with UN agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs, and public and private institutions. They participate in national policy engagements, help organize youth-centered forums, and work on real-world development projects tied to UNFPA’s mandate.
Uniquely, the program has partnered with the University of Ghana School of Continuing and Distance Education at the Centre for Digital Youth Development (UGDYV-CDYD) to offer fellows a master’s degree in Youth Leadership and Development upon successful completion of both the fellowship and the academic requirements. This makes the YoLe Fellowship one of the very few programs of its kind that combines a UN fellowship with a recognized postgraduate qualification.
The program is also delivered in collaboration with the Government of Ghana’s Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment and the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV), reinforcing its credibility and institutional support.
Training Areas in the YoLe Fellowship
Fellows in the YoLe program receive comprehensive training on a wide range of topics, all connected to UNFPA’s mandate and the broader goals of the United Nations. Training areas include leadership development and public speaking, sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their implementation, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, human rights and youth rights, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health, social entrepreneurship and innovation, agribusiness and community development, artificial intelligence and digital skills, and research and networking skills.
This broad curriculum ensures that YoLe fellows are equipped to address contemporary challenges across multiple sectors, not just within the UN system but in government, the private sector, and civil society as well.
YoLe Fellowship Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the UNFPA Ghana YoLe Fellowship Cohort 8, you must meet the following criteria. You must be between 18 and 30 years of age and currently resident in Ghana. You must hold a qualification from an accredited tertiary institution. You must be able to commit fully to the one-year fellowship duration, with on-site presence required at the UNFPA Ghana Country Office and at the University of Ghana Digital Youth Village and Centre for Digital Youth Development in Legon, Accra.
You should be proactive and possess strong interpersonal skills, be proficient in English, and demonstrate a passion for leadership, sustainable development, peace and security, and human rights. You should show a drive for change across sectors including social entrepreneurship, agribusiness, innovation, artificial intelligence, and community development. Demonstrating an affiliation with a youth-led organization, NGO, CSO, community volunteer group, or government youth program related to UN and UNFPA’s mandate is also required.
Children, siblings, or spouses of active UNFPA staff members are not eligible to apply.
How to Apply for the YoLe Fellowship Cohort 8
To apply for Cohort 8 of the UNFPA YoLe Fellowship, you need to prepare and submit the following documents. First, write a motivation letter of no more than 500 words explaining your motivation for applying, your professional goals, and what you hope to achieve through the fellowship. Second, prepare your CV or resume. Third, provide proof of identity using a Ghana Card, valid passport, or birth certificate. Fourth, include evidence of health insurance; the National Health Insurance is acceptable.
The application deadline for Cohort 8 is May 14, 2026, at 11:59 pm. All applications are submitted online. Females and persons living with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted by UNFPA.
You can submit your application through the UNFPA YoLe Fellowship Cohort 8 Official Application Form.
UNFPA Young Professionals from Africa and African Descent Programme
Another important opportunity under the UNFPA Scholarship Program umbrella is the Young Professionals from Africa and African Descent Programme. This is a career entry program that UNFPA launched to attract young talent from Africa and the African diaspora into the United Nations system. It is designed to serve as a starting point for an exciting and meaningful career with UNFPA.
This program is aimed at individuals who are early in their professional careers and who bring diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to UNFPA’s work. It reflects UNFPA’s broader commitment to building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of the communities it serves around the world.
The program focuses specifically on Africa because of the continent’s central importance to UNFPA’s mission. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for a significant share of global maternal deaths and faces some of the highest rates of unmet need for family planning, early and forced marriage, and gender-based violence. Bringing more African professionals into UNFPA strengthens the organization’s capacity to deliver meaningful, culturally grounded solutions.
UNFPA Innovation and Challenge Programs
Beyond traditional scholarship and fellowship formats, UNFPA also funds innovation challenges and grants aimed at young entrepreneurs and organizations with promising ideas. For example, UNFPA has previously partnered with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on the Innovations to Empower Women and Girls Challenge, which offered grants of up to $60,000 per award to companies and organizations with innovative solutions to challenges in family planning, maternal health, and gender-based violence.
These innovation programs are not scholarships in the traditional sense, but they represent another way that UNFPA channels funding toward young people and organizations working on development challenges aligned with the UN’s priorities.
How to Find and Apply for UNFPA Opportunities
All official UNFPA job, internship, and fellowship opportunities are posted on the UNFPA careers portal. This is the only legitimate place to find and apply for UNFPA programs. UNFPA has made it clear that it does not charge any fees in connection with applications, processing, training, interviews, testing, or any other part of the recruitment process. If you encounter any request for payment in connection with an UNFPA opportunity, that is a scam and should be reported immediately to UNFPA’s official fraud hotline.
You should also never share personal financial information such as bank account details during the application process. Legitimate UNFPA programs will never ask for this.
To apply for the UNFPA Global Internship Roster and other career opportunities, visit the UNFPA Official Careers Portal and search for the internship or fellowship that matches your background and interests. You will need to create a candidate profile by filling in your personal, academic, and professional details before submitting your application.
Tips for a Strong UNFPA Application
If you are serious about securing a spot in an UNFPA program, here are some practical tips that can help your application stand out.
Start by connecting your background to UNFPA’s mission. Whether you are applying for an internship or a fellowship, you should be able to clearly articulate why you are interested in reproductive health, gender equality, youth empowerment, or international development. Vague statements of interest will not serve you well. Be specific about what draws you to this work and how your academic and professional background equips you to contribute.
Tailor your motivation letter to the specific program you are applying for. If you are applying for the YoLe Fellowship, your letter should reflect an understanding of Ghana’s youth development challenges and how the fellowship aligns with your personal and professional goals. If you are applying for the global internship, connect your interests to UNFPA’s strategic plan and the specific work of the office you are targeting.
Highlight relevant experience. UNFPA values candidates who have already demonstrated a commitment to development work, whether through previous internships, volunteer work, community organizing, research projects, or leadership roles in student organizations. If you have worked with NGOs, civil society organizations, or government agencies on issues related to health, gender, or youth development, make sure this is clearly visible in your CV and application letter.
Apply early. UNFPA internship rosters and fellowship programs often receive a large volume of applications. Submitting your application well before the deadline gives your profile more time to be reviewed and reduces the risk of missing out due to administrative issues.
Make sure your application is complete. Missing documents or incomplete profiles are among the most common reasons applications are rejected. Before submitting, double-check that you have included everything required and that all information is accurate and up to date.
Why UNFPA Programs Are Worth Your Time
A lot of students and young professionals wonder whether UN internships and fellowships are really worth the effort given the competitive selection process. The answer is a definite yes, and here is why.
Working with UNFPA gives you direct experience in one of the world’s leading development agencies. You will gain insight into how global health and humanitarian programs are designed, funded, implemented, and evaluated. This kind of exposure is extremely difficult to replicate in any other setting and is highly valued by employers across the development sector, multilateral organizations, international NGOs, government agencies, and academic institutions.
The network you build through a UNFPA program is also tremendously valuable. Fellows and interns connect with UNFPA staff, UN partners, civil society leaders, and fellow participants from around the world. These connections often lead to job opportunities, research collaborations, and partnerships long after the formal program has ended.
For the YoLe Fellowship specifically, the combination of mentorship, training, internship experience, and a master’s degree pathway makes it one of the most comprehensive youth development investments available on the African continent. Completing this fellowship does not just add a line to your CV; it fundamentally changes how you see development challenges and what you are capable of contributing to solving them.
Other UN Scholarships and Fellowships Similar to UNFPA Programs
If you are interested in the UNFPA Scholarship Program, you may also want to explore similar opportunities offered by other UN agencies and multilateral organizations. The UNICEF Internship Programme, the UNDP Research Fellowship, the World Bank Summer Internship Program, the UN Women Young Professional Program, and the UNESCO Fellowship Programme all offer comparable experiences for students and young graduates interested in international development.
Many of these programs share similar eligibility requirements and application processes, so preparing a strong application for one will generally help you prepare stronger applications for others as well.
It is also worth keeping an eye on UNFPA country offices in your region, as many of them run national programs tailored to local needs and opportunities. The YoLe Fellowship in Ghana is a perfect example of how a country office can create a highly impactful program that goes beyond what is available at the global level.
Final Thoughts: Should You Apply for the UNFPA Scholarship Program?
If you are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of women, girls, and young people around the world, then the UNFPA Scholarship Program is genuinely one of the best opportunities available to you right now. Whether you are interested in the global internship, the YoLe Fellowship in Ghana, or the Young Professionals programme for those of African descent, each of these programs gives you a chance to develop your skills, build your professional network, and contribute to work that matters at the highest level of international development.
The application process takes time and effort, but it is entirely worth it. Take the time to understand UNFPA’s mission, connect your own background and goals to that mission, and put together the strongest possible application. Thousands of young people from around the world apply for these positions every year, and the ones who succeed are those who can clearly show that they understand what UNFPA does and why they are exactly the right person to be part of it.
Do not wait. Review the eligibility requirements for the program that fits you best, prepare your documents, and submit your application before the deadline. Your career in international development could start right here.
To apply for the UNFPA Global Internship Program and other opportunities, visit the official UNFPA Careers and Jobs Portal and explore the current openings available worldwide.
