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THE UNITED NATIONS-NIPPON FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP
ON OCEAN AFFAIRS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA

The call for applications for the 2026 session is now open (also available in French and Spanish). The deadline for applications to be received by DOALOS is 14 September 2025. Award results will be posted on our website under the News Section in December 2025.

CRITERIA

To qualify, nominated candidates must meet all the following criteria:

  1. Must be between the ages of 25 and 45;
  2. Must have successfully completed a first-level university degree or equivalent;
  3. Demonstrate an ability to undertake advanced academic research and studies;
  4. Be from a developing State;
  5. Be a mid-level government official or mid-level professional dealing directly with ocean affairs and/or the law of the sea such as, but not limited to, the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG-14, including in relation to the establishment of maritime zones and the delimitation of maritime boundaries, sustainable development of oceans and seas, national and/or regional ocean policy, coastal zone management, conservation and management of marine living resources, maritime transport and shipping, maritime security, the protection and preservation of the marine environment, and marine sciences.
  6. Must be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during this entire period unless otherwise authorized by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs.

FELLOWSHIP CONDITIONS and other useful information are contained in our FAQ page

FORMS AND DOCUMENT REQUIRED

  1. 2026 UNNF Fellowship on OALOS Application Form
  2. 2026 UNNF Fellowship on OALOS Nomination and Recommendation Form
  4. A copy of the applicant's national passport biodata page

Reasonable accommodation may be provided, upon request, to applicants with disabilities to support their participation in the Fellowship Programme.

Only successful applicants will be individually contacted. 

Kindly note that we are currently reviewing many applications. The receipt of eligible applications will be acknowledged in order it was received.

News

Instructions: 

1. To apply, download the form and fill in all the fields electronically in addition to the online form. Kindly use the Sentence case for filling in the data (e.g. John Smith), do not use all capital letters to write your answers (e.g. JOHN SMITH). Apply your electronic or handwritten signature and use the "Save" option to save your changes. Kindly return the form as a Word or PDF document.

2. Each question must be answered clearly and completely in order to ensure that the application will be processed. While completing the form, candidates should pay particular attention to sections 18, 19 and 20. If necessary, candidates may attach no more than one additional page of the same size.
 

Diver under fish school. Photo: Rose, UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition

Diver under fish school. Photo: Rose,

 

3. The Application package consists of three documents and an online form:

  1. The signed Personal History and Proposed Research Application Form; 
  2. The signed and stamped Nomination and Recommendation Form - to be signed and stamped by the Official nominating the candidate; 
  3. The online form; and
  4. A copy of the applicant's national passport biodata page.

The forms listed under points 1. and 2. above may be returned to us in either Word or PDF format

4. Once both the Nomination and Recommendation Form and the Personal History and Proposed Research Topic Application Form are completed, signed and stamped, please email them directly to DOALOS at doalos@un.org, along with a copy of the passport biodata page, within the established deadlines.

Green turtle on reef. Photo: Volger, UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition

Green turtle on reef. Photo: Volger, 

Mirror image of wonderpuss larvae. Photo: Hoarau, UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition

Mirror image of wonderpuss larvae. Photo: Hoarau,