WIPO Fellowship

WIPO’s Fellowship Program is designed to strengthen the development of professionals in specialized disciplines, with the purpose of gaining hands-on experience, expanding knowledge, building a network, and contributing to global innovation and creativity. The program location is Geneva, Switzerland, and the fellowship duration is 12 to 36 months.

The program is aimed at candidates who meet the general requirements and any additional requirements tied to a specific fellowship category. Types of fellows include translation fellows, legal case manager fellows, visiting and research fellows, and other specialized fellows, each described with associated educational or professional backgrounds and functions.

Fellowship positions may be advertised through calls for expressions of interest published on WIPO’s career website, via WIPO’s LinkedIn, or via other social media channels. Selection categories are defined as four distinct categories aligned with WIPO’s business needs.

Support is delivered through a contract with duration up to 12 months, with the possibility of renewal for a total of up to three years. During the fellowship, WIPO provides a monthly stipend, official holidays and additional annual leave, comprehensive medical and professional accident insurance coverage, and relocation assistance for travel at the start and end. The program also includes access to internal training opportunities and study leave, with eligibility for UN Official languages training if required by job duties.

• General requirements: Candidates must possess at least a first-level university degree (e.g., a bachelor’s degree).
• Additional requirements: Depending on the specific fellowship category, there may be additional requirements, such as a minimum level of professional experience, advanced degrees (Master or PhD), or specific competencies.
• Age limit: There is no specific age limit for the fellowships.
• Time since graduation: Candidates can apply even if they graduated more than a year ago.
• Intern/YEP eligibility: Former interns are welcome to apply for fellowship positions, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
• Young Experts Program restriction: YEPs are not allowed to apply for any position at WIPO within the one year period after finishing the Young Experts Program.
• Translation fellows: Accommodates individuals (assistant terminologists, translators, post-editors, translation technologists and technical specialists).
• Legal case manager fellows: The WIPO Domain Name Fellowship Program accommodates young law graduates.
• Visiting and research fellows: The Research and Visiting Fellowship Program accommodates individuals with a background in economics or statistics.
• Other specialized fellows: Accommodates different educational and professional backgrounds to work in diverse areas of the organization.

• Contract duration: Your contract duration is up to 12 months, with the possibility of renewal for a total of up to three years.
• Remuneration: Monthly stipend ranging from 3,000 to 8,000 CHF per month, depending on academic background and experience relevant to the nature of the fellowship.
• Holidays: 10 days of official holidays per year.
• Annual leave: During each full month of your fellowship, you are entitled to 2.5 days of annual leave.
• Health insurance: WIPO provides comprehensive medical and professional accident insurance coverage, paying 100% of the medical insurance premium for contracts of less than 12 months and 75% for contracts of 12 months (or extended to cover 12 months or more), and paying 100% of the professional accident insurance premium.
• Relocation assistance: WIPO covers travel expenses at the start and end of your fellowship, and if necessary assists in facilitating visa formalities to Switzerland.
• Learning and development: Access to internal training programs offered by the WIPO Academy, eligibility for up to six study leave days per year, and WIPO bears the cost of UN Official languages training if required by your job duties.

1. Fellowship positions may be advertised through calls for expressions of interest, published on WIPO’s career website, or via WIPO’s LinkedIn or other social media channels.
2. Apply using the specific fellowship application pathway associated with the fellowship type (Translation Fellowship, Legal Case Fellowship, Visiting and Research Fellowship, or other Fellowships), as indicated by the program’s category links.