The United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship provides Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing States with advanced training on ocean affairs and the law of the sea, as well as related disciplines, including marine science in support of management frameworks. Fellows will learn about international legal frameworks, key issues and best practices in ocean affairs, become familiar with the work of the United Nations, and develop professional skills. Fellows will also conduct individual research, under academic supervision, and develop a written thesis on a topic selected by them.
Upon completion of the Fellowship, Fellows are expected to return to their home countries and use their in-depth knowledge and extended experience to assist in formulating comprehensive ocean policy and in implementing the legal regime set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments, including through designing, implementing and/or evaluating specific improvement projects. For further details on the Fellowship objectives see this document
Subscribe for scholarship update!
Be among the first to know whenever new United scholarship is going on
United Nations Fellowship
Aim and Benefits of United Nations Fellowship
- The Fellowship is fully funded and includes a monthly stipend, medical insurance, and round-trip economy class airfare. Further details about the Fellowship conditions and financial support are available on our Fellowship Conditions webpage.
Requirements for United Nations Fellowship Qualification
- Candidates wishing to be considered for a Fellowship award must ensure that they meet all the following criteria:
- You must be between the ages of 25 and 45;
- You must have successfully completed a first university degree, and demonstrate a capacity to undertake independent advanced academic research and study;
- You must be a mid-level professional from a national government of a developing State, or another governmental or non-governmental agency in such a State, which deals directly with ocean affairs issues, and your professional position must allow you to directly assist your nation in the formulation and/or implementation of policy in this area. This includes marine sciences and the science-policy linkage. Your "Nomination and Recommendation Form" should be completed by a Government official or other official who can attest to the nature of your work with respect to the Government's ocean affairs and law of the sea related activities, and indicate how an Award would directly contribute to these activities;
- Your proposed research and study programme must contribute directly to your nation's formulation and/or implementation of ocean affairs and law of the sea policies and programmes; and
- You must be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during the entire Fellowship period unless otherwise authorized by the Division.
Satisfaction of the above criteria must be clearly demonstrated by the candidate through the application forms and confirmed by a Nominating Authority. The Programme is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its participants. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided, upon request, to applicants with disabilities to support their participation in the Programmes.
Application Deadline
March 22, 2026How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to
United Nations on www.un.org to apply
To apply, candidates must:
- Complete the required application forms
- Submit the application forms, along with a copy of their passport, to the following email address: [email protected], with the email subject line "2026 UNNF Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Strategic Needs Fellowships".
For more information, kindly visit United Nations webpage.
Menu
