The United Nations-Nippon Foundation Fellowships 2025 are now accepting applications. These prestigious fellowships, which include the Strategic Needs Fellowship and the Ocean Governance Fellowship for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are designed for government officials from developing countries and SIDS. The programs aim to enhance the capacity of policymakers dealing with ocean governance and the law of the sea, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to contribute directly to their nation’s ocean affairs policies and programs.
The deadline to apply for both UNESCO fellowships is 30 March 2025. Award results will be published on the official website under the News section by the end of May 2025.
Fellowships Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Be aged 25 to 45 years.
- Hold a first-level university degree.
- Be government officials from developing countries or Small Island Developing States (SIDS) working on sustainable ocean development.
- Propose a study program that directly supports the formulation or implementation of ocean governance and law of the sea policies in their home country.
- Be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during the training period unless otherwise authorized.
Application Process
Interested candidates must submit the following documents:
- 2025 UNNF Fellowship Application Form (Word/PDF) – Specific to the respective program.
- 2025 UNNF Fellowship Nomination and Recommendation Form (Word/PDF) – Specific to the respective program.
- An online application form https://www.un.org/oceancapacity/content/apply-now.
All forms must be filled out electronically and signed before submission. Completed applications should be emailed directly to DOALOS at [email protected] within the specified deadline. Receipt of eligible applications will be acknowledged in order of submission.
