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Geneva, Switzerland is home to many of the world’s biggest organizations, and several of them take international interns. This post covers seven of the best known: CERN, the WTO, the World Economic Forum, the WHO, the UN, WIPO, and the ILO. Most pay a stipend or allowance, and all are open to international students and recent graduates.
For each one you get the plain facts: what it is, whether it pays, who can apply, when to apply, and the official link. One honest note up top: six of these pay, but UN Geneva internships are unpaid, so you will see that marked clearly below.
Overview
| Organization | Paid? | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| CERN | Yes, subsistence allowance | Physics, computing, engineering, maths students |
| WTO | Yes, daily allowance | Postgraduate students in trade, economics, law |
| World Economic Forum | Yes, monthly salary | Recent graduates, up to 3 years experience |
| WHO | Yes, living allowance for those who need it | Health, sciences, policy, communications |
| UN Geneva | No, unpaid | Students wanting UN experience who can self-fund |
| WIPO | Yes, monthly stipend | Law, IP, economics, international relations |
| ILO | Yes, monthly stipend | Postgraduate students in labour, policy, social science |
1. CERN Internship (Summer Student Programme)
CERN, the European particle physics lab near Geneva, runs a Summer Student Programme for bachelor’s and master’s students in physics, computing, engineering, and maths. You work on real research alongside CERN scientists and get a subsistence allowance to cover living costs.
It is open to all nationalities. Applications for the summer run from around November and close at the end of January, so the next round is your target if you missed this one. Students from the USA, Canada, and Japan apply through separate country programmes.
Official page: careers.cern/summer
2. WTO Internship Programme
The World Trade Organization takes postgraduate interns to work on trade, economics, and law. It pays a daily allowance, and applications run on a rolling basis through the year, so you can apply any time a role fits you.
It is for students enrolled in or recently finished with a postgraduate degree, usually under 30, from any WTO member. Read each posting for its own details.
Official page: wto.org internships
3. World Economic Forum Early Careers Programme
The World Economic Forum runs a paid Early Careers Programme for recent graduates, based in Geneva and a few other cities. The Geneva role pays about CHF 4,500 a month.
You need a bachelor’s or master’s and no more than three years of work experience. It runs in cohorts, and the Fall 2026 cohort has closed, so watch the WEF careers page for the next intake and apply as soon as it opens.
Official page: weforum.org/careers
4. WHO Internship Programme
The World Health Organization pays a monthly living allowance to interns who need financial support, plus insurance. You work on global health across public health, sciences, policy, and communications, in Geneva or other WHO offices, and some roles are remote.
Roles open all year, each with its own deadline. We have a full guide to this one on the site.
Official page: who.int internship programme. See our full post: WHO Internship Programme 2027.
5. UN Geneva Internship
The United Nations Office at Geneva takes interns across many teams, and it is strong experience inside the UN system. The plain fact: these internships are unpaid, so interns cover their own travel, housing, and living costs in Geneva.
They usually run two to six months and are open to students in their final year of a bachelor’s, or in a master’s or PhD. If you can fund yourself, it is a real door into the UN. If you need pay, look at the WTO, WHO, WIPO, and ILO options on this page instead.
Official page: ungeneva.org careers
6. WIPO Internship Programme
The World Intellectual Property Organization pays a monthly stipend to interns working on intellectual property, law, economics, and international relations. Applications work through a roster and open roles, on a rolling basis.
It suits students and recent graduates in relevant fields, from any country. Check the live roles for the exact stipend and requirements.
Official page: wipo.int internship program
7. ILO Internship Programme
The International Labour Organization pays a monthly stipend to interns working on labour, employment, policy, and social science. Roles are posted through the year on the ILO jobs site, and applications are open to all nationalities.
It is for students enrolled in or recently finished with a postgraduate degree. Each posting lists its team, dates, and requirements.
Official page: jobs.ilo.org internships
Do these internships pay?
Six of the seven pay. CERN gives a subsistence allowance, the WTO a daily allowance, the WEF a monthly salary, the WHO a living allowance for those who need it, and WIPO and the ILO a monthly stipend. UN Geneva internships are the exception: they are unpaid.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
None of these ask for IELTS or TOEFL by default. They need strong English, and some roles use French too. If a posting asks for proof of language, it will say so.
Can I apply from Africa or any country?
Yes. All of these are open to international applicants. You will need the right permit to intern in Switzerland, and each organization helps successful interns with the visa steps.
Can I intern remotely?
Most of these are in person in Geneva, but the WHO offers some remote roles. Check each posting, since remote options change by team.
How to apply
- Pick the organizations that match your field and study level.
- Open each official page above and read the current roles and requirements.
- Prepare a clean CV and a short cover letter for each role.
- Apply through each organization’s own portal before its deadline.
- For the seasonal ones (CERN, WEF), note when the next round opens and set a reminder.
Deadlines at a glance
CERN: applications close end of January for the summer. WTO, WHO, WIPO, ILO: rolling, open through the year. WEF: cohort-based, next intake to be announced. UN Geneva: rolling, unpaid.
Confirm the exact date on each official page before you apply, since the paid roles open and close throughout the year.
Have a question?
Drop your question in the comments and we will help. Tell us your field and study level, and we will point you to the best fit on this list.
Related reading
More funded opportunities to explore on the site:
- WHO Internship Programme 2027
- UNDP Digital, AI and Innovation Internship 2026
- UNIDIR Graduate Professional Programme 2026 (Geneva)
- United Nations Volunteer Program 2026
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