IOM Internship Programme

Deadline: on a rolling basis
Open to: students approaching the end of their programme or graduates between 19 and 32 years of age
Duration: from 8 weeks to a maximum of 6 months
Internship: non-remunerated, Monthly Sustenance Allowance (MSA) – 500 to 1500 CHF (400 EUR to 1200 EUR) as partial contribution to accommodation and living expenses, in exceptional cases, travel expenses may be reimbursed

The IOM – International Organization for Migration – Internship Programme (the headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland) provides students with the opportunity to learn about IOM’s activities, to gain initial work experience, and/or to prepare for a degree dissertation. IOM provides on the job training to interns so that both they and the organization can benefit. In addition to this, IOM evaluates interns who may eventually be included on the roster for future external vacancies. Furthermore, internships build links with their institutions and universities.
Interns are given assignments and responsibility commensurate with their experience and they are referred to a supervisor/tutor, who is responsible for mentoring and coaching. They can be given short assignments either designed within on-going programmes or on an ad-hoc basis. Interns are not considered to be staff members but Terms of Reference, tasks, duration of assignment and supervisors are clearly determined. During their assignment, interns attend monthly briefings on the different services of the Organization and visit other Geneva-based International Organizations.

Eligibility

Interns tend to be students approaching the end of their programme or graduates between 19 and 32 years of age (average age is 26).

Conditions

Duration:
Internships can last from 8 weeks to a maximum of 6 months. The initial contract can be renewed, provided that the overall duration does not exceed 6 months.
Insurance:
Interns are covered against occupational injury and occupational illness under the Staff Compensation Plan.
Monthly Sustenance Allowance:
Internships are non-remunerated, voluntary assignments. IOM will grant to interns a Monthly Sustenance Allowance (MSA) as partial contribution to accommodation and living expenses. MSA does not apply for interns who receive stipends from their University, or other sources.
The allowance for internships in Geneva ranges from 500 to 1500 CHF. This amount will likely not accommodate all the expenses incurred by the intern. Thus, all remaining costs, including travel, accommodation, and living expenses, must be covered by the intern or the sponsoring institution.
Travel Expenses:
In exceptional cases, travel expenses may be reimbursed, upon approval by HRM, based on travel distance, level of education and budget availability.
More about financial matters in Geneva here.

Application Process

There is no specific time of the year for sending your application for an internship. Please register your profile in IOM e-Recruitment and select the interest group ‘Intern’. Also release your profile for our review.
If you have applied for a vacant internship position and you have not heard from the IOM in the following month from the closing date then it is most likely that the post has been filled. You can check your status in the service ‘Applications’.
If you have been interviewed, you will get written notification of the results of your interview.
If you were granted (or could be granted) a scholarship or your internship is a mandatory requirement for completing your studies, you should specify so in the cover letter as well as the exact dates of the proposed internship. Remember to attach a letter from your sponsor or university confirming the purpose of the assignment as well as the amount of your grant.
Unless otherwise specified, applications should be written in one of the IOM official languages (English, French, and Spanish).
For internships in the IOM’s field offices, you can send your application directly to the office you are interested in and copy the Staffing Unit in the cc line. You can find the email addresses and the contact details by selecting one of the countries on the ‘IOM Worldwide’ box on the right.
The official webpage. 
www.ust.md