Fellows are not UN staff members. As such, they do not enjoy the benefits and entitlements stipulated in the UN Staff Rules and Regulations. Fellows are governed by the UN/DESA Policies and Procedures on Fellowships, Study Tours and Group Training which can be found at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/fellowship/policies-and-procedures

Letter of Award

Fellows receive a Letter of Award indicating the host country in which their assignment is to be carried out, the name of the recipient organization, the field of training and the duration of the award.
When accepting the fellowship, fellows sign a Letter of Acceptance through which they accept the fellowship award and confirm they will adhere to the obligations and conditions outlined in the Letter of Award.

Supervision

Throughout their assignment, fellows will be under the general supervision of UN/DESA, which manages the Programme. UN/DESA, through its Capacity Development Programme Management Office in New York and the Office in Rome, will be responsible for all administrative issues pertaining to the fellowships.
However, the recipient organization in each host country will be responsible for direct supervision during the fellowship period.

Travel

UN/DESA provides each fellow with a round-trip ticket for international travel. Fellows travel in economy class at all times irrespective of the flight duration.

Compensation

The fellow’s stipend is not considered a salary or honorarium, but rather an allowance (fellowship) to reimburse living expenses. This payment is intended to cover the cost of accommodation, board and other essentials, including local transportation. It is normally paid monthly in the currency of the host country.
The following are the current stipend rates (April 2024) in local currency and USD

The first month of stipend is paid at the travel rate (TRV rate) and all subsequent months at the residential rate (RES rate).

Accommodation

Fellows are responsible for finding their own accommodation in the country of assignment. Accommodation costs will be covered by fellows through their stipend.

Security

The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) offices in the respective countries are responsible for the security of all fellows during their assignment.
Upon arrival, fellows must report to UNDSS and are provided with a security orientation training. UNDSS will enroll fellows in the United Nations Security Management System and assign them to the warden plan of the UN agencies in that country.
Fellows cannot be placed in countries/areas where the security level is higher than 3 (moderate) or in non-family duty stations.

Medical Insurance

The United Nations will provide each fellow with CIGNA Health Insurance for the entire duration of the fellowship award. This medical insurance also provides coverage for disability and death.

Additional information on the policies and procedures governing UN Fellowship Programmes is available at https://www.un.org/development/desa/fellowship/fellowships