Upon completion of the Fellowship, Fellows are expected to return to their home countries and apply the knowledge and experience gained to support the development and implementation of national ocean policies and the legal regime established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments.
For further information on the Fellowship objectives, please visit the Fellowship Objectives page.
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).
Before You Begin Your Online Application
Before completing the online Personal History and Proposed Research/Study Programme Application Form, applicants must:
- Complete and sign the 2027 UNNF OALOS Application Form – Personal History and Proposed Research/Study Programme.
- Complete the Nomination Form, signed and stamped by the nominating authority.
- Have a copy of your valid national passport ready for upload.
User guide on how to use Indico 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 .