WIPO Internship Programme: Paid Geneva Internships for Students and Graduates

Yes — the United Nations agency for intellectual property pays its interns. The WIPO Internship Programme offers monthly stipends of CHF 1,645 to CHF 2,170 in Geneva, Switzerland, for internships lasting between two and twelve months.

There is no fixed deadline: applications sit on a rolling roster. There are two categories, not one. Which one you fit depends on your degree.

The two categories, at a glance

Which one fits you — and who should sit this out

Read this carefully. Picking the wrong category wastes your effort.

Category I fits if you hold a bachelor’s degree earned within the last two years, or you are in your third or fourth year of undergraduate study. Category II fits if you hold a master’s degree earned within the last two years, or you are a graduate student who has finished coursework but not the thesis.

You should not apply if:

• You graduated more than two years ago — the two-year rule is a hard cutoff for both categories.
• You are a former WIPO intern. The official page is blunt: former interns cannot apply for another internship, in any category.
• You cannot work in English or French at a professional level, in writing and speech.

Fields are wide open: law, international relations, political science, economics, statistics, IT, technical cooperation, project management, administration, translation, marketing, and communications. You do not need to study intellectual property.

What the money really covers in Geneva

CHF 1,645 a month works out to about CHF 55 a day. CHF 2,170 is about CHF 72 a day.

The page says the stipend is “intended to contribute towards the cost of lodging, board and local transportation.” Note the word “contribute.” Geneva is one of the most expensive cities in the world. The stipend helps — it does not cover everything.

Now the part many applicants miss. If you are a national of a developing, least developed, or transitioning country, and you live in your home country when recruited, WIPO reimburses your round-trip travel up to CHF 1,500.

Three more benefits stack up quietly. WIPO assists with Swiss visa formalities if you need it. You get 10 days of official holidays per year plus 2.5 days of annual leave each month. And WIPO pays the full premium for comprehensive medical and professional accident insurance — you do not buy your own policy.

The roster system most applicants misunderstand

This is the single most important thing to understand about applying. The Internship Roster is generic. It is not linked to any specific internship position. When you apply, your application is shared with relevant WIPO teams on a rolling basis as needs arise.

You are not applying for “the internship.” You are putting yourself in a pool. Teams pull from the pool when they need someone.

Three consequences follow. Your application stays saved for one year. A new roster is advertised every year. And waiting is normal — only candidates who move forward get contacted.

So apply once, apply well. One strong application in the roster beats five rushed ones.

Your application, step by step

First, check the Internship Roster listing on the WIPO site and read it fully before you start. Second, create a profile in WIPO’s online recruitment system — you do this once and can edit it later. Fill in every relevant section, because only what you enter there is used to assess you, and state your preferred area of work.

Third, submit your application: a detailed profile, answers to the job questionnaire, and a letter of motivation. Submit before the deadline shown on the roster listing. Fourth, wait — your application is registered, you get a confirmation email, and it sits in the roster for a year while teams review on a rolling basis.

Fifth, the interview or test: suitable candidates may be invited to an online interview or test, usually 30 to 45 minutes, assessed against WIPO’s organizational competencies. Sixth, the offer — if selected, you get an email asking you to confirm acceptance and a tentative start date. Accept, and you receive the official internship contract.

Make your motivation letter specific. Name the WIPO area you want, what you have done that is relevant, and what you want to learn. One page, honest, no generic praise.

The small print that decides applications

No age limit exists. The page says internships are learning opportunities for students and fresh graduates, so your study stage matters more than your birth date.

Former interns are out — permanently, for internships. But one door stays open: former interns are welcome to apply to WIPO’s other professional opportunities.

Prior experience with another UN organization does not disqualify you. If you interned at UNICEF or UNDP, you can still apply to WIPO. Diverse geographical backgrounds and all genders are explicitly welcomed.

More paid international internships: the AfDB 2027 Internship Program and the CLEAR Global Erasmus Internship.

Questions applicants ask