Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Internship 2025

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is at the forefront of the global fight against hunger, working to ensure food security for all. Its mission is to guarantee that people everywhere have consistent access to safe, nutritious, and high-quality food needed to live active and healthy lives. With 195 member nations and operations in more than 130 countries, FAO emphasizes that everyone has a role to play in ending hunger.

The FAO Internship Programme is designed to engage talented and motivated young people; both women and men, who are eager to share fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and recent academic insights across FAO’s areas of work. The programme offers participants valuable opportunities to bridge theory with practice by taking on assignments related to FAO’s mission.

Through this internship, participants actively contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and FAO’s Strategic Framework, which supports the 2030 Agenda. The focus is on building more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems driving progress toward better production, better nutrition, a healthier environment, and an improved quality of life for all, ensuring no one is left behind.

Benefits of the FAO Internship Programme

The FAO Internship Programme offers participants more than just work experience—it provides a unique platform to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful global goals. Some of the key benefits include:

• Hands-on Experience: Interns gain practical exposure by working directly on projects that align with FAO’s mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• FAO offers interns a monthly allowance to support their living expenses during the internship.
• Skill Development: The programme enhances professional and technical skills, preparing interns for future career opportunities in international development, agriculture, food security, and related fields.
• Global Networking: Interns interact with professionals from across the world, building lasting connections within the UN system and beyond.
• Knowledge Sharing: Participants bring fresh ideas and academic insights while learning from FAO’s extensive global expertise.
• Contribution to Change: Interns play a direct role in creating inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems that make a real difference in communities worldwide.

Eligibility Criteria for the FAO Internship Programme

To be considered for the FAO Internship Programme, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Educational Background: Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at a recognized institution at the time of application or be recent graduates.
• Accredited Institutions: FAO only accepts academic qualifications from institutions listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), maintained by the International Association of Universities (IAU) and UNESCO. You can verify your institution’s accreditation at www.whed.net.
• Relevant Field of Study: Candidates must be pursuing studies in a discipline related to FAO’s mission and areas of work.
• Language Skills: A working knowledge of at least one of FAO’s official languages—Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, or Spanish—is required. Proficiency in a second FAO language will be considered an added advantage.
• Nationality: Applicants must be citizens of countries that are FAO Member States.
• Age Requirement: Candidates must be between 21 and 30 years old at the time of application.
• Soft Skills: Applicants should demonstrate strong communication abilities, adaptability, and the capacity to work effectively in a multicultural, international environment.

Technical/Functional Skills

Applicants must have pursued academic studies in a discipline relevant to the mandate and areas of work of the Organization.

Key Information

• No Fees Required: FAO does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or processing.
• Inclusive Applications Encouraged: Female candidates, nationals from underrepresented Member States, and applicants from Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Application Review: Every application will be carefully reviewed. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview, and subsequently informed if selected.
• One-Time Internship Policy: Applicants who have previously completed an internship with FAO are not eligible for another internship opportunity.
• Residency Requirements: Selected candidates must have valid residence or immigration status in the country of assignment before officially joining FAO.
• Family Employment Restriction: Candidates with immediate family members (parents or siblings) employed at FAO under any contractual arrangement are not eligible for this program.
• Stipend Support: FAO provides interns with a monthly stipend, unless they are financially sponsored by their university or another supporting organization.

How to Apply

To apply, you will need to:

• Create and complete your online profile on the FAO recruitment platform. Ensure that your profile is accurate, fully updated, and includes your employment history, academic qualifications, and language skills.
• Attach a letter of motivation, along with proof of current enrollment in a recognized university or a copy of your academic qualifications.
• Once your profile is finalized, submit your application directly through the FAO recruitment portal. Please note that only applications submitted through the official portal will be considered.
• Applications will be reviewed based on the details provided in your online profile.
• FAO will only accept academic qualifications obtained from institutions listed in the IAU/UNESCO World Higher Education Database (WHED).
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Candidates who are not selected before the closing date but wish to be considered for future opportunities must re-apply to new Calls for Expression of Interest.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications well before the stated deadline to avoid last-minute issues.

Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the FAO recruitment portal via jobs.fao.org.

Application Deadline

31st December, 2025

If further inquiries kindly visit: https://fao.service-now.com/csp