Archive post. Shared by SAMNET on 26 September 2025. That application cycle and the 8 October 2025 workshop have passed — the YPP runs annually, so check the UN Careers site for the current cycle. Published here as part of SAMNET’s archive.
The UN Young Professionals Programme is a recruitment route for highly qualified professionals to begin a career as an international civil servant with the UN Secretariat. It consists of an entrance examination and then professional development once successful candidates start.
How it works
The YPP examination is held once a year in different subject areas, depending on the UN’s needs. It is open to nationals of participating countries, and that list changes from year to year — so a country not eligible in one cycle may be eligible in the next, which is worth checking rather than assuming. Applications typically open around mid-year, through Inspira.
The 2025 information workshop
UN Careers, with UNA-Atlanta, ran an online workshop on the YPP and other entry-level opportunities, with current UN professionals on the panel.
- Date: Wednesday 8 October 2025, 15:00–16:30 EST — 19:00 GMT, 21:00 South African time
- For: students and professionals interested in a career at the UN
- Platform: Microsoft Teams, by registration
UN Careers: Young Professionals Programme — current cycle, exam dates and eligibility.
Why SAMNET circulates this
The composition of international institutions is not fixed by accident. It reflects who applied, a decade earlier. If the Global South is under-represented in the bodies that adjudicate international law and set international policy, part of the answer is upstream of any negotiation.
Related
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Shared by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) in the interest of greater participation and representation of the Global South in international institutions.