Applications can only be submitted online through the Online Web Application tool (OWA) of the UN/DESA Office in Rome.
Each candidate can apply for a maximum of two JPO positions.
The application deadline is Tuesday, 5 May 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (CET / Italian local time) – CLOSED
We strongly encourage candidates to submit their applications well before the deadline. Due to the expected high volume of submissions in the final hours, technical assistance may be limited and cannot be guaranteed close to the cutoff time.
Before commencing the application process, candidates should read carefully all information regarding the Italian JPO Programme and, in particular, the eligibility criteria and specific requirements of the position(s) you wish to apply for.
As the OWA tool is not yet a fully responsive web application, it is strongly recommended to use a PC and not a mobile device when applying to the JPO Programme. OWA supports the latest browser versions (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge) running in Windows, macOS, Ubuntu etc. with a minimum processor of 2Ghz and 2GB RAM. The minimum screen resolution required by all OWA features is 1280 x 1024; screens with a lower resolution may not always display correctly. In-built browser features such as ‘zoom’, which allows the size of the browser content to be increased or decreased, may also be adversely affected.
Candidates using OWA for the first time must complete the registration process.
Candidates who have applied to previous editions of either the JPO Programme or the Fellowship Programme can commence the application process by signing in to OWA with their already registered credentials. The system will automatically retrieve the contents of the most recent online submission. Before submitting the new application with updated information, it is important to review/edit all existing content where appropriate. It is not necessary to upload a copy of the advanced university degree unless prompted to do so by the system.
All sections must be completed in English. Applications completed or partially completed in other languages will be disregarded.
Candidates should ensure sufficient time is set aside to complete their application. Once in OWA, it is possible to stop/start and save for later as often as required in order to facilitate correct data entry. It is also possible to copy and paste text from a Word document using the Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) keyboard shortcuts.
To avoid potential data loss, it is strongly recommended to press the ‘Save’ button once each section has been completed.
Registering with the Online Web Application (OWA)
First-time candidates must register and provide all information requested. They must also upload a copy of their advanced university degree certificate attesting eligibility for the JPO Programme, i.e.:
– PhD, or
– Laurea Magistrale/Specialistica, or
– Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico, or
– University Master’s degree.
Do NOT upload a copy of an undergraduate degree certificate (Bachelor’s degree / Laurea Triennale).
The OWA system allows candidates to upload only one PDF file. This PDF document must not exceed 1MB.
As an alternative to uploading an advanced university degree certificate, candidates may upload a signed self-certification document (autocertificazione) provided that this qualification has been awarded by an Italian university. Self-certification documents must include the following information: given name and family name, date and place of birth, advanced university degree obtained, date of award, name of the Italian university, final grade and credits obtained.
Note that in order to be valid, this self-certification document must be dated and manually signed (i.e. handwritten signature only).
Self-certification documents which have a computer keyboard-generated signature, are unsigned or otherwise incomplete will not be accepted and the application will be rejected.
Candidates who have graduated from non-Italian universities cannot submit a self-certification document and must submit a copy of the advanced university degree awarded.
If no advanced university degree certification document is uploaded, the application will be deemed invalid.
The sample documents below will NOT be considered valid:
Example 1: Unsigned self-certification
Example 2: Keyboard-generated signature
Example 3: University Enrollment Certificate
Example 4: Piano di Studi
Example 5: University website screenshots
Candidates must only upload certificates awarded by universities or educational institutions recognized or certified by a competent national authority, as included in the IAU WHED list. When evaluating university qualifications, the Italian JPO Programme is guided by the World Higher Education Database, created by the International Association of Universities, in collaboration with UNESCO, which is available from the following website – www.whed.net. It is recommended that all candidates consult this website to confirm that their university is fully accredited.
Once registration is completed, candidates will receive an automatically generated email message requesting confirmation of their OWA account credentials. Kindly note that email servers may accidentally forward this message to the JUNK or SPAM folder. Please check this folder carefully.
Candidates who do not receive an email requesting confirmation must go to the OWA log-in page and click on the hyperlinked option “Click HERE to recover your password or to finalize the registration procedure for your new account”.
Once registration has been verified, candidates may log in and commence the application process.
1. Completing your Profile
Before creating a new application, candidates must complete/update their profile. The “My Profile” section includes the following sub-sections:
1. Personal details
2. Contact details
3. Family details
4. Nationality
5. General Information
You will be requested to indicate your preferred field/s of work and provide information about your criminal record and any workplace disciplinary process/investigation.
6. Skills
You will be requested to provide details of your language and computer skills. You may also list any relevant publications.
7. Schools and training
This section allows you to list any formal training courses that you have undertaken. Education history information from age 14 onwards must also be included.
8. University /Higher Education
This section allows you to provide details of your university/higher education studies. Please ensure you include all institutions and clearly list the university degree(s) awarded including – where applicable – those which are still ongoing. You will also be requested to provide information on your university activities, including relevant seminars, special courses and final dissertation(s).
9. Additional information
You will have the opportunity to list your membership or participation in professional societies and networks related to civic, public or international affairs, as well as information regarding any fellowships held and/or periods of residence outside the country of your nationality.
2. Creating your application
To create an application, click the “New Application” button and select the position for which you intend to apply. This new application will be listed in the “My current and previous applications” section.
If you intend to apply for more than one position, it is recommended you finalize and submit your first application before creating the second one. If you do not, the contents will not be automatically retrieved by the system for the second application.
Candidates may create a maximum of two applications. Note that the OWA system will allow you to change position by clicking the “Change” button. This is possible only if the submit button has NOT been clicked. Once you click “Submit application”, your choice is deemed final and cannot be modified.
3. Compiling and submitting your application
There are three sections in the Application Form, as follows:
1. Employment history
You will be requested to provide details of all relevant work experiences to date, specifying as follows: contract information, description of your duties and achievements, as well as reasons for leaving. Please use a separate record for each post. You may also include voluntary work and internships. For each period of work experience, you will be requested to specify whether full-time or part-time (indicating the percentage).
2. Motivation letter
This section allows you to outline your reasons and motivations for applying to the selected JPO position. You may also highlight here your strengths, soft skills and interests.
3. Review and submission
It is highly recommended you click the “Download application for Review/Printing” button before submitting your application. This will automatically generate in a new window a PDF version of your application for your final review.
Note that once submitted, it is no longer possible to edit your application. The submission will be considered final. After clicking the “Submit application” button, the PDF version of your application will be automatically saved in the Downloads folder of your computer.
Bear in mind that it is also possible to save a PDF version of your application by clicking the “Print” button at the bottom of the “My applications” section and then selecting the option “Print to PDF”
REVIEW THE LIST OF AVAILABLE POSITIONS
For additional information, please contact the UN/DESA Office in Rome at JPOinfo@undesa.it