Employment at FAO

Internship Programme - Frequently Asked Questions

How to apply

FAO advertises “Calls for Expression of Interest”, which are published on its career portal. Interested candidates should apply on-line through the career portal.

If you are experiencing problems in registering or logging into your account, please contact our Help Desk at: [email protected]. NOTE: This e-mail address does not accept applications.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the responsible hiring office.

FAO does not keep a roster of applicants. If interested, you will have to reapply when the next Call for Expression of Interest is published.

Academic or government institutions may wish to enter into a formal agreement with FAO by contacting the Internship Programme Team at [email protected].

The application is the same in both cases. Candidates must complete their on-line application form through FAO recruitment portal and apply for the Calls for Expression of Interest. A letter of motivation and the evidence of attendance at a recognized University must be attached to the application in the documents section. 
Eligibility Criteria

Yes, you are eligible as long as your 31st birthday does not fall before the beginning of the internship assignment.

Your letter of motivation should include the reason for wishing to participate in the programme, the unit or area of work where you wish to undertake the assignment. Candidates affiliated with a University or institution with whom FAO has concluded an Internship Agreement may wish to mention this in the letter of motivation.

No. Individuals with family members (defined as brother, sister, mother, father) employed by FAO under any type of contractual arrangement, are not eligible for the Internship Programme.
Conditions of Service

Preferably, interns are assigned to FAO offices/project locations in their own country or country of residence, excluding non-family duty stations, unless they are residing in that duty station prior to the start of the internship assignment.

The Terms of Reference (TORs) will be prepared by the hiring office concerned before the beginning of the assignment and shared with the selected candidate. Tasks will be at an entry level, in line with  FAO Strategic Objectives and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The duration of an internship assignment is between 3 and 11 months.
Living in the Duty Station

Yes. Interns will receive a stipend in local currency and not exceeding US$ 700 per month. Stipend for sponsored interns will be directly provided by the sponsoring institutions.

No. Interns (or their sponsoring institutions as case may be) are responsible for their own accommodation at the duty station. However, medical coverage related to service-incurred is provided, with FAO paying the full premium. Interns will be responsible for arranging, at their own expense, medical insurance covering non-service incurred during the duration of the assignment.

You can contact the FAO Internship Programme Team at [email protected]. Please note that this e-mail does not accept applications.