Application Deadline: 14 September 2025.
Applications are now open for the 2026 United Nations – The Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme. The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations (“OLA/DOALOS”) is now accepting applications for the 2026 session of the United Nations – The Nippon Foundation (UNNF) Fellowship Programme.
The objective of the UNNF Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea is to provide mid-level
Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing States dealing directly with
ocean affairs and/or the law of the sea with funded advanced training in the field of ocean affairs and
the law of the sea, or related disciplines including marine science in support of management
frameworks. The aim is for participants to acquire the necessary skills to support their States in the
implementation of the legal framework set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS), and related instruments, while also enabling them to formulate comprehensive ocean
management regimes, including within the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Structure:
The UNNF Fellowship is structured as a 9-month Programme, divided into two phases:
- Phase One: A three-month training phase with OLA/DOALOS at United Nations Headquarters
in New York (from approximately mid-March to June 2026). - Phase Two: A six-month research stay at an academic Host Institution participating in the
UNNF Programmes, selected for its expertise in the Fellow’s field of research (from July to
December 2026).
Eligibility criteria:
To qualify, candidates must:
- Be between the ages of 25 and 45.
- Possess at least a first university degree or equivalent.
- Demonstrate an ability to undertake advanced academic research and studies.
- Be from a developing State.
- Be a mid-level government official or mid-level professional dealing directly with ocean affairs
and/or the law of the sea such as, but not limited to, the implementation of UNCLOS and
related instruments, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, particularly SDG-14, including in relation to the establishment of maritime
zones and the delimitation of maritime boundaries; sustainable development of oceans and
seas; national and/or regional ocean policy; coastal zone management; conservation and
management of marine living resources; maritime transport and shipping; maritime security;
the protection and preservation of the marine environment, and marine sciences.
Application process:
Candidates must complete the application package available on the UNNF Fellowship Programmes
website, by using the “APPLY NOW” button (https://www.un.org/oceancapacity/content/apply-now).
Candidates must:
- Fill the required application forms
- Transmit the application forms, along with a copy of their passport, to the following email
address: [email protected] - Complete the following online form: https://forms.office.com/e/wj5pijFijj
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the United Nations – The Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme
