WHO Internships 2026 in Manila: Paid Internship Opportunities, Eligibility, Stipend and How to Apply
The WHO Internships 2026 in Manila offer students and recent graduates an opportunity to gain practical experience with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Philippines. The current WHO Careers portal lists three full-time internship opportunities based in Manila under the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO).
The available WHO internships in Manila cover Healthy Ageing, Research, Ethics and Innovation, and Communicable Diseases. Depending on the position, interns can gain experience in public health research, health policy, data analysis, evidence synthesis, technical writing, research ethics, responsible AI and communicable disease prevention.
Importantly, WHO states that interns do not receive a salary, but eligible interns receive a living allowance, with the amount determined by duty station, residence and other financial support. WHO also provides medical and accident insurance during the internship.
WHO Internships 2026 – Overview
Opportunity| Details
Organization| World Health Organization (WHO)
Location| Manila, Philippines
Region| WHO Western Pacific Region
Internship Type| Full-time
Available Positions| 3
Study Areas| Public Health, Health Sciences, Research, Policy, Epidemiology and related fields
Duration| 12 weeks to 24 weeks, depending on position
Financial Support| Living allowance for eligible interns
Insurance| Medical and accident insurance
Lunch Support| USD 5 per working day in Manila
Application| Online through WHO Careers
2026 Intake| September 2026 onward
Applicants| Students and eligible recent graduates
The three positions currently listed by WHO are Internship – Healthy Ageing, Internship – Research, Ethics and Innovation, and Internship – Communicable Diseases.
WHO Internships 2026 in Manila
The WHO Internship Programme provides students and recent graduates with practical exposure to WHO’s technical work.
WHO describes internships as an opportunity for students to gain professional experience while contributing to technical and administrative programmes. Internships can be offered across WHO headquarters, regional offices and country offices.
The current WHO Manila internships 2026 are particularly relevant for candidates interested in international public health, research, health systems, ageing, ethics, artificial intelligence and communicable disease control.
- WHO Internship – Healthy Ageing 2026
The WHO Healthy Ageing Internship 2026 is based in Manila within the Division of Data, Strategy and Innovation, Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO).
The internship focuses on developing evidence around caregiving for older people and long-term care systems in the Western Pacific Region.
Healthy Ageing Internship Responsibilities
The intern may be involved in:
- Conducting structured literature reviews.
- Researching caregiving for older people.
- Compiling national policies related to ageing and long-term care.
- Examining formal and informal caregiving systems.
- Mapping different caregiving models across countries.
- Identifying gaps in caregiver training and support.
- Supporting selected key informant interviews.
- Preparing analytical reports and presentations.
- Contributing to research outputs and potential publications.
The internship is designed to provide practical experience in policy-oriented research, comparative analysis and health programme development.
Healthy Ageing Internship Duration
The Healthy Ageing internship lasts 12 weeks, from approximately September to December 2026.
The planned work includes literature review, country mapping, data compilation, analysis and finalisation of outputs.
Healthy Ageing Internship Eligibility
Applicants should have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time university study in public health, nursing, medicine or another relevant health or social science field.
Applicants should also be enrolled in a course leading to a formal qualification. Eligible recent graduates may also apply if they submit their application within six months of completing their qualification.
Strong candidates may have experience in:
- Literature reviews
- Desk research
- Analytical reports
- Health systems
- Healthy ageing
- Long-term care
- Data analysis
- Policy analysis
- Research
Expert knowledge of English is required.
Healthy Ageing Internship Stipend
The WHO Healthy Ageing internship does not provide a salary, but eligible interns receive a living allowance.
For Manila, WHO lists an estimated maximum allowance of:
- PHP 2,183.80 per day for interns whose permanent residence is outside the duty station.
- PHP 895.48 per day for interns whose permanent residence is in Manila.
WHO also provides the equivalent of USD 5 per working day for lunch and medical and accident insurance.
Using approximately 21.75 working days per month, the outside-duty-station rate is roughly PHP 47,500 per month before considering the lunch allowance. This is only a mathematical monthly estimate; WHO determines the exact allowance after selection based on the intern’s financial disclosure.
Healthy Ageing Internship Deadline
8 September 2026
Applicants should verify the deadline on the official WHO Careers vacancy before submitting their application.
- WHO Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship 2026
The WHO Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship 2026 is another Manila-based opportunity within the Division of Data, Strategy and Innovation, WPRO.
The internship focuses on health research governance, research ethics and responsible artificial intelligence in health.
Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship Responsibilities
The selected intern may:
- Conduct literature reviews.
- Undertake evidence synthesis.
- Research health research ethics and governance.
- Analyse challenges facing national ethics systems.
- Research responsible AI in health.
- Prepare background reports.
- Draft briefing notes.
- Prepare presentations.
- Support technical meetings and workshops.
- Assist with webinars.
- Maintain technical resources.
- Support knowledge dissemination.
The internship provides exposure to research governance, ethics oversight, responsible AI, evidence-informed policymaking and international public health collaboration.
Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship Eligibility
Applicants should have completed the equivalent of three years of university study in areas such as:
- Public Health
- Health Policy
- Global Health
- Bioethics
- Research Ethics
- Health Sciences
- Law, including health, public or international law
- Another relevant discipline
Relevant experience in academic research, literature reviews, evidence synthesis, policy briefs, research projects or public health programmes can strengthen an application.
Expert knowledge of English is required, while knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship Duration
The internship lasts 12 weeks, with the programme scheduled approximately from September to December 2026.
WHO Research Internship Stipend
WHO does not classify this as a salaried position. Instead, eligible interns receive a living allowance.
For Manila, the current vacancy lists:
- Up to PHP 2,183.80 per day for interns whose permanent residence is outside Manila.
- Up to PHP 895.48 per day for interns whose permanent residence is in Manila.
- USD 5 equivalent per working day for lunch.
- Medical and accident insurance.
The exact allowance is calculated after selection based on the intern’s financial disclosure and other financial support received.
Estimated Monthly Living Allowance
For an intern whose permanent residence is outside Manila, PHP 2,183.80 per day is approximately PHP 47,500 per month when calculated using an illustrative 21.75 working days.
This should not be treated as a guaranteed monthly salary. The official WHO vacancy determines the actual allowance.
Application Deadline
2 September 2026
The official WHO vacancy lists the Research, Ethics and Innovation internship closing date as 2 September 2026.
- WHO Communicable Diseases Internship 2026
The WHO Communicable Diseases Internship 2026 is based in Manila under the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control (DPC), WPRO.
This is a broader division-wide internship opportunity covering areas related to communicable disease prevention and control, health promotion and other public health priorities.
Communicable Diseases Internship Responsibilities
Depending on the assigned technical unit, the intern may:
- Conduct public health research.
- Perform literature reviews.
- Undertake secondary data analysis.
- Collect and organise data.
- Support qualitative research activities.
- Develop technical tools and guidelines.
- Draft reports and policy materials.
- Prepare communication materials.
- Present research findings.
- Support meetings and workshops.
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation activities.
The internship provides exposure to evidence-based public health action and the work of WHO at regional, country and global levels.
Communicable Diseases Internship Eligibility
Applicants should have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time university study and be enrolled in a formal qualification in an area such as:
- Public Health
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy and Systems
- Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Nutrition and Food Safety
- Environmental Health
- Health Communications
Recent graduates may also qualify if they apply within the specified post-graduation period.
Applicants should demonstrate communication, teamwork and the ability to produce quality work.
Experience in research, report writing, data analysis, statistical software or public health research can be advantageous.
Communicable Diseases Internship Duration
The internship lasts between 12 and 24 weeks on a full-time basis.
The tentative start date is after September 2026.
Communicable Diseases Internship Stipend
The WHO Communicable Diseases internship does not offer a conventional salary.
Instead, eligible interns receive a living allowance. For Manila, the vacancy states a maximum allowance of USD 35.80 per day, paid in local currency, depending on the intern’s circumstances and other financial support.
WHO also provides:
- USD 5 per working day for lunch.
- Medical insurance.
- Accident insurance.
At approximately 21.75 working days per month, USD 35.80 per day is equivalent to roughly USD 779 per month, before the separate lunch allowance. This is an illustrative calculation rather than a guaranteed monthly payment.
Communicable Diseases Internship Deadline
26 August 2026 at 11:59 PM Harare time, based on the deadline shown in the vacancy information supplied for this listing. The WHO vacancy system can display deadlines according to the user’s device or time-zone settings, so applicants should confirm the deadline directly in the official vacancy before submitting.
WHO Internship 2026 Benefits
The WHO Internships 2026 provide more than professional experience.
Eligible interns can receive several forms of support depending on the duty station and specific vacancy.
Key WHO Internship Benefits
Living Allowance
WHO provides a living allowance to eligible interns. The amount varies according to the duty station, residence and other financial support received by the intern.
Medical and Accident Insurance
WHO provides interns with medical and accident insurance coverage for the duration of the internship.
Lunch Support
For the Manila internships listed above, WHO provides the equivalent of USD 5 for each working day toward lunch expenses.
International Public Health Experience
Interns gain practical exposure to the work of the World Health Organization and its regional programmes.
Research and Technical Skills
Depending on the position, interns can develop skills in:
- Research
- Data analysis
- Literature reviews
- Policy analysis
- Technical writing
- Evidence synthesis
- Health systems
- Public health
- Research ethics
- Responsible AI
- Communicable disease prevention
Professional Networking
WHO internships can expose participants to professionals working across regional and international public health programmes.
WHO Internship 2026 General Eligibility
In addition to the requirements listed for each vacancy, WHO’s general Internship Programme states that applicants normally must meet several conditions.
Applicants must generally:
- Be at least 20 years old at the time of application.
- Be enrolled in a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification, or meet the applicable recent-graduate provision.
- Have completed at least three years of full-time university study before starting the internship.
- Be fluent in at least one working language of the office of assignment.
- Hold a valid passport from a WHO Member State.
- Not be related to a WHO staff member in the specified family relationships.
- Not have previously participated in the WHO Internship Programme.
However, applicants should always check the specific vacancy, because individual WHO internships may have additional education, experience, language and timing requirements.
WHO Internship Application Process
The WHO internship application process is completed online through the WHO Careers recruitment system.
WHO states that applications must be made through the internship vacancy notices posted on its Careers site using the online recruitment system known as Stellis.
Step 1: Select a WHO Internship
Review the available WHO internship vacancies and select a position that matches your academic background and professional interests.
Step 2: Review the Requirements
Carefully check:
- Education requirements
- Experience requirements
- Language requirements
- Internship duration
- Closing date
- Financial support
- Required documents
Step 3: Prepare Your Application
The WHO application process requires information about your:
- Education
- Current studies
- Language skills
- Experience
- Qualifications and certifications
- Training
- Publications
- Computer skills
- Motivation for applying
WHO’s FAQ also advises applicants to prepare a specific cover letter for each internship position rather than using one generic cover letter for multiple vacancies.
Step 4: Submit Online
Submit your application through the official WHO Careers recruitment system before the relevant deadline.
Step 5: Prepare for Selection
Only candidates under serious consideration will normally be contacted, and WHO notes that internships are highly competitive.
Documents Required for WHO Internships
Applicants should be prepared to provide supporting documents if requested.
Selected candidates may need to provide:
- Proof of enrolment or qualifying academic documentation
- Certified copies of academic evidence
- WHO medical certificate of fitness for work
- Reference-check contact details
- Other documents requested during the recruitment process
WHO advises candidates not to send documents until specifically requested.
How to Write a Strong WHO Internship Application
The WHO Internship Programme is competitive, so applicants should make their applications specific to the selected vacancy.
Match Your Academic Background
Clearly demonstrate how your academic programme relates to the internship.
Highlight Research Experience
For the Healthy Ageing and Research, Ethics and Innovation internships, experience with literature reviews, evidence synthesis, data analysis or policy research can be particularly relevant.
Demonstrate Technical Skills
Mention relevant skills in:
- Microsoft Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Statistical software
- Data analysis
- Data visualisation
- Research tools
Write a Vacancy-Specific Cover Letter
Explain why you want the specific WHO internship and connect your academic experience to the duties listed in the vacancy.
Demonstrate WHO-Relevant Interests
Show an understanding of the public health issue addressed by the position rather than submitting a generic internship application.
WHO Internships 2026 Deadlines
The current Manila internship vacancies have different deadlines.
WHO Internship| Location| Deadline
Communicable Diseases| Manila| 26 August 2026
Research, Ethics and Innovation| Manila| 2 September 2026
Healthy Ageing| Manila| 8 September 2026
The deadlines above are based on the current WHO vacancy listings and should be checked again on the official WHO Careers portal before submission.
Important Note About WHO Internship Stipends
Applicants should understand the difference between a salary and a living allowance.
The current WHO Manila vacancies explicitly state that interns do not receive a salary. Eligible interns can, however, receive a living allowance whose final amount depends on the duty station, residence and other financial support.
Therefore, figures such as PHP 47,500 per month or USD 779 per month should be treated only as approximate monthly equivalents based on the daily maximums and an assumed number of working days. They are not guaranteed monthly salaries.
Frequently Asked Questions About WHO Internships 2026
Are WHO internships paid?
WHO interns do not receive a salary. However, eligible interns can receive a living allowance. The amount varies by duty station and individual circumstances.
How much is the WHO Manila internship stipend?
For the current Manila vacancies, the maximum living allowance varies by position and applicant circumstances. Some current vacancies list up to PHP 2,183.80 per day for interns residing outside Manila, while the Communicable Diseases vacancy lists a maximum of USD 35.80 per day.
Does WHO provide lunch support?
Yes. The current Manila vacancies provide the equivalent of USD 5 per working day toward lunch expenses.
Does WHO provide insurance?
Yes. WHO provides medical and accident insurance coverage for interns during their internship.
How long is a WHO internship?
WHO internships generally last between six weeks and 24 weeks, depending on the needs of the technical unit.
Can recent graduates apply?
Yes. WHO allows certain recent graduates to apply within the specified period after completing their formal qualification. The exact period can differ by vacancy, so applicants should check the specific job description.
Where are these WHO internships located?
The three current opportunities covered in this article are based in Manila, Philippines, within WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office.
Can I apply for multiple WHO internships?
WHO’s general internship FAQ states that there is no limit to the number of internship vacancies an applicant can apply for, but applicants should prepare a specific cover letter for each position.
Final Thoughts
The WHO Internships 2026 in Manila provide valuable opportunities for students and eligible recent graduates interested in international public health.
The three current opportunities cover Healthy Ageing, Research, Ethics and Innovation, and Communicable Diseases. Each WHO internship offers a different professional learning experience, from health policy and ageing research to research ethics, responsible AI and communicable disease prevention.
The positions are full-time, highly competitive and have different deadlines. Eligible interns can receive a living allowance, lunch support and medical and accident insurance, subject to the conditions of the specific vacancy.
If you are eligible, prepare your application carefully and apply before the relevant deadline.
WHO Internships 2026 – Application Deadlines
Communicable Diseases Internship: 26 August 2026
Research, Ethics and Innovation Internship: 2 September 2026
Healthy Ageing Internship: 8 September 2026
How to Apply for WHO Internships 2026
Applications must be submitted through the official WHO Careers recruitment system. WHO advises applicants to apply through the individual internship vacancy and follow the instructions provided in the online application system.
VISIT THE OFFICIAL WHO CAREERS WEBSITE TO APPLY:
WHO Internship Programme:
FOR MORE JOB UPDATES AND INFORMATION
Join WhatsApp Group
JOIN WhatsApp CHANNEL UNITED NATIONS RECRUIT
Important: Always check the individual vacancy before applying because deadlines, eligibility requirements, internship duration and financial support can vary between WHO internship positions.
