WHO Internship Programme 2026: Opportunities for Students and Recent Graduates in Global Health
Are you a student or recent graduate interested in building a career in public health and international development? The World Health Organization (WHO) Internship Programme provides students and recent graduates with an opportunity to gain practical exposure to the technical and administrative work of one of the world’s leading global health organizations.
The programme is designed to help develop a diverse pool of future public health leaders while allowing interns to contribute their academic knowledge and skills to WHO programmes.
About the WHO Internship Programme
The WHO Internship Programme is aimed at students and recent graduates who want to gain insight into the systems, processes and working environment of international public health.
Internship opportunities are available across a wide range of technical and administrative areas. These can include public health, medicine, social sciences, communications, external relations, human resources, management and administration.
Interns can be placed in different WHO organizational locations, including headquarters, regional offices and country offices. Opportunities are advertised on a continuous basis, and each vacancy may have its own requirements and application deadline.
Who Is Eligible?
Applicants must meet several eligibility requirements.
Age Requirement
Candidates must be at least 20 years old on the date they apply.
Educational Requirements
Applicants must either be enrolled in a course of study leading to a formal qualification or have recently completed their qualification.
Eligible academic backgrounds include public health, medicine and social fields related to WHO’s technical work. Students studying management, administration, communications or external relations may also be eligible for relevant internships.
Applicants who have already completed their qualification may still be considered if they apply within 18 months of completing their formal qualification.
Candidates must also have completed at least three years of full-time university-level study before beginning the internship.
Language Requirements
Applicants must be fluent in at least one of the working languages of the WHO office where they are assigned.
Nationality and Other Requirements
Candidates must hold a valid passport from a WHO Member State.
Applicants must not be related to a WHO staff member, such as a parent, sibling or child, and must not have previously participated in the WHO Internship Programme.
How Long Is the Internship?
WHO internships require interns to be available full-time for a minimum of six weeks and a maximum of 24 weeks, depending on the requirements of the relevant technical unit.
Before an internship begins, successful candidates must provide appropriate proof of university enrolment or proof of completion of their most recent qualification.
They must also complete a Declaration of Interests and provide the required WHO medical certificate of fitness for work.
What Benefits Does WHO Provide?
One of the benefits of the WHO Internship Programme is that interns receive medical and accident insurance coverage for the duration of their internship.
WHO also provides a living allowance to eligible selected interns who require financial support. Eligibility for financial support is assessed based on information provided through the Declaration of Interests process.
At some duty stations, interns may also receive lunch vouchers.
However, candidates considering internships in Geneva, Switzerland, should carefully consider the cost of living and accommodation challenges. WHO notes that Geneva can be expensive, even with the living allowance available to eligible interns.
How to Apply for a WHO Internship
Applications must be submitted through individual internship vacancy announcements published on the WHO Careers website using the organization’s online recruitment system, Stellis.
There is no separate route for applying for a WHO internship outside the Stellis recruitment system.
Because internship opportunities are advertised continuously, applicants are encouraged to regularly check the WHO internship vacancies for new opportunities and deadlines.
It is important to read each vacancy carefully because individual internships may have additional requirements beyond the general programme eligibility criteria.
Important Things Applicants Should Know
WHO internships are highly competitive, and only a relatively small number of applicants are selected each year.
Interns do not have the status of WHO staff members and cannot officially represent the organization.
However, completing an internship does not prevent candidates from applying for future WHO positions. Former interns may apply as external candidates for suitable vacancies for which they are qualified.
WHO also requires higher education qualifications to come from institutions recognized or accredited through the World Higher Education Database. Some professional certificates may require individual review.
Final Thoughts
The WHO Internship Programme can be an excellent opportunity for eligible students and recent graduates seeking international exposure in public health, communications, administration, management and related fields.
With placements potentially available at WHO headquarters, regional offices and country offices, the programme offers exposure to different areas of global health work.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, regularly monitoring the WHO Careers website and preparing a strong application can help you take advantage of newly advertised opportunities.
Programme: WHO Global Internship Programme
Organization: World Health Organization
Duration: 6–24 weeks
Work arrangement: Full-time
Eligibility: Students and eligible recent graduates
Age: 20+
Application: Online through WHO’s Stellis recruitment system
Application deadlines: Vary by individual internship vacancy
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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
