United Nations University (UNU), Office of the RectorInternship

Paid UNU Junior Fellows Internship, Tokyo

Nov 01, 2026 23:59:00 JST

Opportunity type

Internship

Funding

Partially Funded

Location

Japan

Deadline

Nov 01, 2026 23:59:00 JST

About this opportunity

The United Nations University's Office of the Rector takes on a small group of Junior Fellows twice a year to work full time at UNU headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo. The Spring 2027 term runs for about six months from 1 March 2027 and is open to master's and doctoral students and recent graduates aged 32 or under, wherever they live now. Fellows without other financial support receive a monthly stipend from UNU towards living costs in Tokyo.

What you get:

A monthly stipend from UNU towards living costs and transport, paid to fellows who have no other financial support from a university or institution (UNU's own Spring 2027 funding form gives 133,050 JPY a month for six months)
Six months of full-time work experience at a UN agency's headquarters, starting with a one-week orientation
1.5 days of paid leave a month, plus weekends and UNU holidays
Office space on site and free access to the headquarters library and gym

What you'll do:

Research and write executive briefs and topical information briefs for the Rector's office
Run internal analyses of university operations, including in Excel
Help organise lectures, conferences, workshops and public events, in person and online
Coordinate meetings, take minutes, proofread reports and prepare newsletters and event summaries

Key dates:

Applications close November 1, 2026 at 23:59 Japan Standard Time
Shortlisted applicants get a phone or Zoom interview and a timed written assignment on the same day
Internship runs March 1, 2027 to August 27, 2027

More information:

Full call, application steps and the application and funding forms are on the UNU Careers posting for Spring 2027
Questions go to ro_internship@unu.edu

Who can apply

Currently pursuing a master's or doctoral degree, or completed one within two years of applying, preferably in a field related to UNU's work
Aged 32 or under at the time of application
No more than five years of work experience in your field
Native or fluent English; a TOEFL, IELTS or TOEIC score is needed unless English is your native language or your undergraduate or graduate degree is taught in English
A CV of up to two pages, a one-page cover letter, the Spring 2027 application form and funding form
Two recommendation letters sent by the referees themselves from an institutional email address, at least one from a professor
Open to applicants based in Japan or overseas

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

Our AI read the official sources and cross-checked the key facts. Here is what held up, and what it could not confirm.

We could not fully verify this organization or all of its details. Check it independently on the official website before you apply, and never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

LOT Verification ScoreSolid

Cross-checked 11 of 12 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Run by the United Nations University itself, with a clear three-stage selection process
+Paid: a monthly stipend from UNU, confirmed on the Spring 2027 posting
+UNU's scam warning states it charges no application or processing fee
+Exact closing time and zone published: 23:59 Japan Standard Time on 1 November 2026
+Open to applicants worldwide for Spring 2027; developing countries and women strongly encouraged

Worth checking yourself

!The stipend is only for fellows not receiving financial support from a university or other institution (academic scholarships do not count as such support)
!The stipend only partly covers living costs: 133,050 JPY a month against UNU's recommended budget of 160,000 to 200,000 JPY, and applicants must submit a funding form showing how they will support themselves in Tokyo
!The posting does not say UNU covers flights to Tokyo, visa costs or health insurance, and UNU accepts no responsibility for costs from accidents or illness
!Postgraduate only: undergraduates are not eligible
!Recommendation letters must come directly from referees' institutional email addresses
!The work is administrative support for the Rector's office, not research placement in a UNU institute

Sources checked

OPopportunitytracker.ugOfficialCAcareers.unu.eduOfficialUNunu.eduApplyONonlineunu-my.sharepoint.comOfficialONonlineunu-my.sharepoint.comOfficialUNunu.eduApply

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.