Applications are now open for the 2027 United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea: Fully Funded to New York

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Closing Date: 13 September 2026

Applications are now open for the 2027 United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea: Fully Funded to New York

The Call for Applications is now open for the 2027 United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNNF OALOS Fellowship). Award results will be posted on our website under the News Section by mid December 2026.

Objectives:

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 knowledge and 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 develop and support comprehensive ocean management regimes, including within the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, applicants must:

Be between 25 and 45 years of age.
Hold at least a first university degree or an equivalent qualification.
Demonstrate the ability to undertake advanced academic research and study.
Be a national of a developing State.
Be a mid-level government official or mid-level professional working directly on ocean affairs and/or the law of the sea, including but not limited to:
- Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments;
- Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 14;
- Maritime zones and maritime boundary delimitation;
- National and regional ocean policy;
- Coastal zone management;
- Conservation and sustainable management of marine living resources;
- Maritime transport and shipping;
- Maritime security;
- Protection and preservation of the marine environment; and
- Marine science and related fields.
Have a strong command of spoken and written English. All Fellowship activities are conducted in English and require in-person participation. Training materials in French and Spanish are available upon request, subject to availability. The research project may be undertaken in English or French, provided that the Host Institution is able to offer supervision in the chosen language.

Programme Structure

The UNNF OALOS Fellowship is a nine-month programme consisting of two phases:

Phase One: A three-month training programme at OLA/DOALOS, United Nations Headquarters, New York (24 March to 30 June 2027).
Phase Two: A six-month research placement at an academic Host Institution participating in the UNNF Programmes, selected based on its expertise in the Fellow’s research area (1 July to 17 December 2027).

How To Apply

Instructions: Before You Begin Your Online Application

Before completing the Indico.UN online Personal History and Proposed Research/Study Programme Application Form, applicants must:

Download, complete and sign the 2027 UNNF OALOS Application Form – Personal History and Proposed Research/Study ProgrammeWord document. Fill in all the fields electronically and apply your electronic or handwritten signature and use the “Save” option to save your changes.
Each question must be answered clearly and completely in order to ensure that the application will be processed. While completing the form, candidates should pay particular attention to sections 16, 17 and 18.
Complete the 2027 UNNF OALOS Fellowship Nomination Form,Word document signed and stamped by the nominating authority.
Kindly upload the completed documents in either Word or PDF format.
Have a copy of your valid national passport ready for upload.
All three documents should be uploaded in the Indico.UN Platform.

User guide on how to use Indico.UN platform

For guidance on creating an account, completing your application, uploading documents, and submitting your application through Indico.UN, please refer to the Indico.UN Participant Guide Opens a new window.

After opening the Indico.UN platform, select the “Registration” tab from the left-hand menu or scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Register Now” to begin your application.