Application Deadline: 22 March 2026
Applications are currently being accepted for the 2026 edition of the United Nations – Nippon Foundation Strategic Needs Fellowship. This Fellowship is specifically designed to support developing countries—particularly the least developed nations, small island developing States, and landlocked developing countries—in enhancing their capacity to tackle urgent and strategically important challenges related to ocean affairs and the law of the sea.
The program targets government officials from developing States who may have limited prior experience in ocean governance and maritime law but occupy crucial roles within their national administrations. These individuals receive intensive, tailored training focused on the ocean-related issues that their countries have identified as critical capacity gaps. The objective is to equip these officials with specialized knowledge and skills, enabling them to address these challenges more effectively upon their return.
Structure, Curriculum, and Expected Outcomes of the Fellowship
The Fellowship comprises a comprehensive four-month training course conducted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The training is administered through the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), which is part of the Office of Legal Affairs. For each selected candidate, DOALOS designs a highly customized curriculum based on the strategic needs outlined in their application and endorsed by their respective Nominating Authorities.
This bespoke program is structured to build the participant’s capacity in areas critical to their country’s ocean affairs and maritime law policies. The training aims to enhance the Fellow’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the development and implementation of national or regional frameworks concerning ocean governance.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be between 25 and 45 years of age.
- Candidates should hold at least a first-level university degree.
- Applicants must be government officials from developing countries who engage directly with key topics such as the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and related instruments. This includes work on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, national or regional ocean policies, maritime zone establishment and boundary delimitation, coastal zone management, marine living resources conservation, maritime transport and shipping, maritime security, marine environment protection, ocean and climate change, and marine scientific research.
- Proficiency in both spoken and written English is essential, as the Fellowship activities are conducted exclusively in English.
- The strategic needs identified in the application must directly pertain to the applicant’s country’s formulation or execution of ocean affairs and maritime law policies.
- Fellows must be free from any non-Fellowship commitments for the duration of the program unless expressly authorized by DOALOS.
Benefits and Support Provided
- Monthly Stipends: Fellows will receive a monthly financial allowance during the entire duration of their Fellowship. For the United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNNF-OALOS), which includes a nine-month program, stipends cover both the New York phase and the subsequent placement at the host institution.
- Travel Expenses: The program covers a round-trip economy class airfare between the Fellow’s home country and New York, facilitating their participation in the Fellowship.
- Accommodation: Fellows are responsible for arranging their own housing during the Fellowship. For UNNF-OALOS Fellows engaged in the nine-month program, this responsibility applies to lodging during both phases of the Fellowship.
For a detailed overview and to apply for the fellowship, interested candidates should Visit the Official Webpage of the United Nations – Nippon Foundation Strategic Needs Fellowship.
