World Trade Organization Paid Internship Programs 2023

WTO Internship Program

The WTO Internship Program provides an opportunity for postgraduate students from WTO member and observer countries to gain valuable experience working at the WTO.

General Missions WTO Internship Program

The missions entrusted to the trainees are intended to improve their understanding of the WTO and trade policy in general. However, internships provide opportunities in other specialist areas, such as finance, human resources, language services, IT and communications. The division to which the trainee is assigned determines the precise nature of the work to be performed. 

Duration of the WTO Internship Programme:

Up to a maximum of six months.

Remuneration WTO Internship Programme:

• Interns receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including weekends and official holidays falling within the chosen period). Travel costs to and from Geneva cannot be paid by the WTO, and such travel is not covered by the Organization's insurance.
• Health insurance coverage is mandatory in Switzerland, and interns are responsible for arranging their own health insurance before starting their internship at the WTO.

Eligibility WTO Internship Programme:

• be a national of a WTO Member State or of a country or customs territory engaged in accession negotiations.
• have completed their undergraduate studies in a relevant discipline and have completed at least one year of postgraduate study
• be at least 21 years old and no more than 30 years old during the internship.

China's PMA and Membership Program

The China LDCs and Accessions Program, sponsored by the Chinese government, aims to help young graduates and young professionals from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and developing countries to gain work experience in the WTO. The Membership Division, in close coordination with the Human Resources Division, manages the implementation of the program. The Membership Division and the Government of China meet annually to review the operation and implementation of the program.

General assignments

Interns in this program are placed in the Accessions Division of the WTO. The work of this division is to facilitate negotiations between WTO members and countries/customs territories seeking to join the WTO.

The missions entrusted to the trainees are intended to improve their understanding of commercial law, economics and commercial policies in general. The needs of the division are balanced with the capacity-building needs of the trainees. Under the supervision of a professional staff member, interns are expected to assist the division in its regular work.

Duration Program on LDCs and China's Accessions:

Up to 10 months.

Compensation and Benefits China PMA Program and Memberships

Interns in the program receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including weekends and official holidays that occur during the selected periods). In addition, travel costs (economy class airfare) to and from Geneva are covered by the WTO.

Health insurance coverage is mandatory in Switzerland, and interns are responsible for arranging their own health insurance before starting their internship at the WTO.

Eligibility China LDC and Accessions Program

• be a national of a WTO Member State or of a country or customs territory involved in accession negotiations
• be a national of a least developed country (LDC) or a developing country
• have completed their undergraduate studies in a relevant discipline (e.g. economics, law, political science, international relations) and have completed at least one year of postgraduate studies.
• not be over 30 years old.

WTO support program for doctoral studies

The WTO Doctoral Studies Support Program (also known as the Doctoral Internship Programme) aims to support the development of academic expertise on WTO issues in developing countries. The WTO Secretariat invites PhD students from developing countries to conduct research at the WTO and provides them with mentoring/advice in close collaboration with the students' thesis supervisors.

General functions WTO support program for doctoral studies

Participants of the Doctoral Internship Program are expected to advance their doctoral thesis during their time at the WTO, enjoying access to WTO facilities and information as well as opportunities to interact with the general community. trade policy. They are not expected to undertake missions on behalf of the WTO Secretariat. A mentor is assigned to the doctoral student for the duration of his internship. The role of the mentor is to provide the student with guidance, as needed, in close collaboration with the student's academic supervisors. Before the end of the doctoral internship program, the participant is required to give a seminar on his work.

Duration :

Remuneration and Benefits WTO Support Program for Doctoral Studies

• Interns in the Doctoral Internship Program receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including weekends and official holidays falling within the selected period). In addition, travel costs (economy class airfare) to and from Geneva are covered by the WTO.
• Health insurance coverage is mandatory in Switzerland, and interns are responsible for arranging their own health insurance before starting their internship at the WTO.

Eligibility for the WTO Support Program for Doctoral Studies

• be a national of a WTO Member State or of a country or customs territory involved in accession negotiations
• be a national of a least developed country (LDC) or a developing country
• hold a doctorate or equivalent degree in economics, law, international relations or a discipline closely related to the WTO
• be at the final stage of their doctorate and therefore at the writing stage (75% minimum) of the thesis
• work in one of the three official languages ​​of the WTO, namely English, French and Spanish.

How to Apply for the World Trade Organization Internship Programmes  :