The United Nations Young Professionals Programme (YPP) for 2025 is now open for applications. The UN Young Professionals Programme is a recruitment program designed to attract talented and fresh young people from different countries to embark on a career with the United Nations Secretariat. As the program is designed for entry-level positions, no prior work experience is required to qualify. Successful applicants will be offered a two-year fixed-term employment contract, at either the P-1 or P-2 level . All successful candidates must accept a position at any UN duty station . For more details, please see below.
Eligibility Criteria for the United Nations Young Professionals Programme (UN YPP) 2025
- Nationality : The Young Professionals Program (YPP) is open to citizens of participating countries. The list of countries changes annually.
- Required Qualifications : You must have completed a Bachelor's degree to be eligible for the UN YPP exam.
- Age : Applicants must be 32 years of age or younger at the time of the exam.
- Language : Be fluent in English or French.
- Work Experience : Work experience is not a requirement for eligibility for the YPP.
How does the UN Youth Programme work?
An entrance exam is held annually. Qualified applicants must pass the exam to be considered for admission to the YPP.
Exam areas
- Political Affairs, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
- Human Resources, Management, Administration and Analysis
- Finance and Budget.
Job type, contract level, and duration
Young participants will be offered a two-year fixed-term contract at the P-1 and P-2 levels. After two years, and subject to satisfactory performance, they may be offered a continuing contract.
What does level P1/P2 mean?
P1 and P2 positions are entry-level professional positions in the United Nations and do not usually require any extensive work experience.
The P-1 level is designed for individuals with a bachelor's degree and no work experience, while the P-2 level is for those with a bachelor's degree with two years of relevant work experience or a master's degree with no work experience.
Workstation and Work Site
Successful candidates must be willing to assume a position in any United Nations duty station or field operation for a minimum of two years.
Countries eligible for the UN Youth Programme 2025
The list of participating countries changes annually. For 2025, citizens of these countries are eligible to apply:
- A-K: Andorra, Angola, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait
- From left to right: Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar
- S-Y: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
Estimated Timeline for the YPP Program
- Application period : October-November
- Application Checking : November - December
- Evaluation process: January - April
- Interviews and results: May - June
How to apply for the UN Young Professionals Programme 2025?
Applicants can apply online. The application period typically opens in June each year. Those interested can apply via Inspira.