WHO Internship 2026 is an internship opportunity focused on healthy ageing, caregiving and long-term care research in the Western Pacific Region. The position involves literature reviews, country mapping, drafting an analytical brief and supporting limited key informant interviews.
The internship is offered by the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), Healthy Ageing Unit, based in Manila, Philippines. WHO provides a living allowance and accident and medical insurance coverage for selected interns.
WHO Internship Benefits
- Interns receive a living allowance
- For interns with permanent residence in the duty station, the estimated maximum amount of the allowance provided by WHO is PHP 895.48 per day
- For interns whose permanent residence is outside of the duty station, the estimated maximum amount is PHP 2,183.8 per day
- All interns in Manila, Philippines will receive equivalent of USD 5 for each working day to buy lunch at the WHO Campus or elsewhere
- WHO provides all interns with accident and medical insurance coverage
WHO Internship Eligibility Criteria
- Have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time studies in public health, nursing, medicine, or other relevant health, or social sciences at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they apply to the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification).
- Core competencies: Teamwork; Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences; Communication.
- Ability to demonstrate WHO core competencies: Communicating effectively orally and in writing; Showing willingness to learn from mistakes; Producing and delivering quality results; Working collaboratively with team members.
- Familiarity with commonly used computer programmes, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Knowledge of specialized programmes (e.g. statistical software such as XLStat) may be an advantage.
- Experience in conducting literature reviews, desk-based research, and/or in drafting analytical reports.
- Academic or research experience related to healthy ageing, long-term care, caregiving, health systems, or social care.
- Experience in compiling and synthesizing information across multiple countries or settings is an advantage.
- Experience with qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis, including basic use of statistical or data visualization tools.
- Familiarity with policy analysis or working with grey literature (e.g. government reports, international organization publications) is desirable.
- Essential language: Expert knowledge of English. Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of another language relevant to the Western Pacific (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean or other regional languages).
How to Apply for WHO Internship?
- Apply Online
- Apply by Email
- Apply to this position by email
- Apply for this position online!
- Click this link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most frequently asked questions about the WHO Internship. These answers cover objectives, eligibility, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply for this WHO internship.
What is the objective of the internship?
The internship aims to contribute to developing a regional evidence base on caregiving for older people in the Western Pacific Region. Activities include conducting a structured literature review, compiling data on policies and caregiver roles, developing comparative country mappings, and drafting an analytical brief and PowerPoint summary for internal use.
What are the main duties of the intern?
Under supervision, the intern will conduct a structured literature review, compile and organize data on national policies and caregiver roles, develop comparative mappings of selected countries, identify gaps related to workforce and support mechanisms, support limited key informant interviews where feasible, and contribute to drafting an analytical brief and presentation materials.
How long is the internship and when does it run?
The duration of the internship is 3 months (12 weeks), running from September to December 2026. An indicative timeline in the posting outlines weeks for literature review, country mapping, drafting analysis, and finalization of outputs.
Who is eligible to apply for the internship?
Applicants must have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time studies in relevant fields prior to starting the assignment and be enrolled in a course of study leading to a formal qualification. Graduates may qualify if they apply within six months of completing their formal qualification.
What experience and skills are required?
Required experience includes conducting literature reviews, desk-based research, and drafting analytical reports. Academic or research experience related to healthy ageing, long-term care, caregiving, health systems, or social care is desired, along with familiarity with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and possibly statistical or visualization tools.
What languages are required?
Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of another language relevant to the Western Pacific (for example, Chinese, Japanese, Korean or other regional languages), as stated in the posting.
Do interns receive a salary or financial support?
Interns do not receive a salary. They receive a living allowance, with estimated maximum amounts in Manila of PHP 895.48 per day for residents and PHP 2,183.8 per day for non-residents. Interns also receive an equivalent of USD 5 per working day for lunch and WHO provides accident and medical insurance coverage.
How competitive is the internship selection?
The posting notes that internships at WHO are very competitive and only a small number of applicants are accepted each year. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, as stated in the additional information section.
What documentation is required if selected?
Selected candidates must provide certified copies of proof of enrolment in an eligible course of studies, a completed WHO medical certificate of fitness for work, and contact details for reference checks. WHO may also conduct background verification of final candidates.
How can I get guidance on completing the application?
The additional information section provides a link titled ‘Instructions for candidates’ for detailed guidance on completing job applications. Applicants are advised to follow that guidance and may apply online or by email using the options displayed on the job posting.
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