The World Bank Group’s Young Professionals Program (YPP) engages top global talent with distinctive technical skills and leadership potential – joining us from diverse backgrounds and from all over the world – to work across the World Bank, IFC and MIGA towards the mission of a world free of poverty on a livable planet. To apply to the YPP, please ensure that you possess technical expertise and experience in the work program area you select at the time of your application (see How to Apply page of our website), as well as meet all the eligibility criteria:
 

• Date of birth as indicated on the website and in the application form, as demonstrated by your officially issued passport or equivalent document (There is no flexibility on the age requirement. Age requirement is typically verified both at the time of the application and during the background checks at the time the offer is accepted if one is extended. There are however many other opportunities to engage with the World Bank Group for qualified job applicants – please visit our career websites to learn more.)
• Nationality/ies of a World Bank Group member country as demonstrated by your officially issued passport or equivalent document.
• At least four (4) years of full-time work experience following successful completion of undergraduate studies (time spent in doctoral research studies, as well as part-time experience and internships in relevant work areas may count towards the total work experience required).
• Completion of a masters-level degree or equivalent and/or a higher qualification in a relevant field before September 1 of the year in which you start in the YPP. If you are pursuing a doctorate, full-time doctoral research studies in a relevant field at an accredited institution may count towards the required work experience, and the degree must be substantially complete with all the written work submitted before September 1 of the year in which you start in the YPP.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English language (fluency in other languages might be advantageous to your application).
• You are not a World Bank Group staff member.
• You must not be precluded from applying and/or joining by our employment eligibility policy.

Applications are open in September (late applications and off cycle applications will not be accepted) as indicated on our website and in the application form. The application and selection process and chances of success are substantially the same across any institution or area you choose to apply to but may have some variations depending on the work program selected.

You must not hold a staff appointment at the World Bank Group starting with the date of your application, but you may hold a short-term or extended-term consultant and/or temporary appointment. Current JPAs are also eligible to apply.

Please note that applicants to the Young Professionals Program must disclose any Category I Relatives or Category II Relatives (Close Relatives) who perform services and/or work for the World Bank Group institutions (WBG). This applies to Close Relatives who perform services for the WBG under a WBG appointment or as an employee of a firm or vendor, and to the close relatives of Executive Directors, Alternate Executive Directors, Senior Advisors and/or Advisors to the Executive Director. Additionally, please note that the staff members are required to inform the Manager, HR Operations, when they learn that their Close Relative Category I or Category II relative (Close Relative) is working or applying for employment with the WBG.

Applications from those with Close Relatives in Category I – which includes by blood or adoption: Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, Sister, Half-sister, Brother, Half-brother, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, Nephew – will not be accepted and/or such applicants will not be considered eligible for employment at the WBG.

Applications from those with relatives in Category II which includes Close Relatives other than the ones described in the previous paragraph, including relatives by adoption and Domestic Partners of Close Relatives, may be eligible for employment provided that they are not applying to or assigned to the same division or equivalent unit, and neither supervises the other, directly or indirectly, and their duties are not likely to bring them into routine professional contact. Close Relatives in Category II include relatives like Daughter-in-law, Son-in-law, Sister-in-law, Brother-in-law, Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, Grandmother, Grandfather, Granddaughter, Grandson, Cousin; Step Relationships like Stepmother, Stepfather, Stepsister, Stepbrother, Stepdaughter, Stepson, Step-Aunt, Step-Uncle; Half Relationships like Half-Aunt, Half-Uncle, Half-Brother, Half-Sister, Half-Niece, Half-Nephew; and Domestic Relationships like Domestic Partners of Close Relatives including Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Daughter, Son.

Please have the following ready to upload:
 

• Your CV/resume (ideally 1 page, and no longer than 2 pages) – ideally oriented to showcase your technical skills relevant to your selected work program;
• Passport page (or equivalent only if you do not currently hold an official passport) that helps confirm your birth date and primary nationality;
• Transcript(s) and/or enrollment letter(s) to confirm your post-graduate educational degrees and (expected) completion dates;
• Two (2) references from persons who know you well in a professional capacity (please note the reference form available on the YPP website).

Please follow the instructions in the application form. When selecting your reference providers, make sure that they know you well (preferably for at least one (1) year in a professional capacity or academic context) and can attest to your recent experiences and accomplishments. Your reference providers could be people your report/ed to professionally or faculty advisors (e.g., doctoral thesis supervisor), peers and/or direct reports.
 

We ask that you submit two (2) reference letters with your application and recommend using the reference form found in the resources section of the YPP website for this purpose. Your reference provider may append an additional page if they wish; however, we will predominantly rely upon the information they submit in the form and the independent verification we may conduct. We may check some or all the references, and may request names of additional reference providers at a later point.

The reference providers may send their filled in reference forms directly to the ypp@worldbankgroup.org from their professional email address, with the subject line “Reference for Lastname, Firstname” (exactly as it appears on the application form filled in by the YPP applicants).

The YPP may request additional reference providers' names and/or reach out directly to the identified reference providers in the course of the selection process.

While our work involves focus on global issues as well as our Regions (Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia), the YPs have distinctive technical skills in at least one of our work programs. You will be asked to select a work program that best fits your educational and professional background, such as:
 

• International Finance Corporation – IFC – Operations
• Multilateral Guarantees Investment Agency – MIGA – Operations
• The World Bank – People – Education
• The World Bank – People – Health
• The World Bank – People – Social Protection
• The World Bank – Prosperity – Economic Policies
• The World Bank – Prosperity – Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation
• The World Bank – Prosperity – Institutions
• The World Bank – Prosperity – Poverty and Equity
• The World Bank – Planet – Agriculture
• The World Bank – Planet – Climate
• The World Bank – Planet – Environment
• The World Bank – Planet – Social
• The World Bank – Planet – Water
• The World Bank – Infrastructure – Energy and Extractives
• The World Bank – Infrastructure – Sustainable Infrastructure Finance
• The World Bank – Infrastructure – Transport
• The World Bank – Infrastructure – Urban Development
• The World Bank – Digital – Digital Transformation

In the application form, selecting a work program outlines some of the qualifications which together with the work program descriptions provided on the respective webpages for each institution, unit or work area, provide guidance on what might be expected of the YP applicants specific to that work program selection in their candidacy for the YPP. You can preview the work programs by visiting their respective web pages and reviewing the types of work done in each. Most of the information relevant to our work programs – including operations, projects, analytical work, and research – is publicly accessible as the result of our open access to information policy. You will be asked to briefly (up to 250 words) outline your qualifications specific to the work program you selected.
 

In addition, you will be able to tell us more about your general and specific qualifications for the YPP in two short personal statements in answer to the prompts in the application form (each of up to 400 words). These prompts explore your motivation for joining us and help us learn more about how you think about and would approach some of the challenges and opportunities we look to address in our work and fulfilling our mission.

All the complete applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be reviewed by a combination of the World Bank Group Human Resources and the staff members with technical expertise in your chosen work program area. To be considered complete, an application must include responses to all the applicable questions, as well as uploads of the documents requested.

Separately, some or all the applicants may be invited to record and submit a very short video in response to a couple of question prompts, giving you an additional opportunity to demonstrate your fluency in English language, as well as tell us more about yourself.

At the conclusion of the selection process, a sub-set of applicants will be invited to a panel interview which will take place in Washington, DC, a country office, or online. Interview panels include technical experts specializing in the work program you selected, as well as senior staff members from around the World Bank Group, and an HR staff member. During the interview, which typically lasts about 45-50 minutes, you will be asked questions by the panel that let us assess your technical expertise and experience (technical depth and breadth), quantitative and qualitative thinking and problem-solving skills, motivation, as well as your commitment to our shared mission and values. The interviews typically take place in December and January, and we cover and arrange for your travel, accommodation and reasonable expenses.

In addition to the interview, you may be required to take part in an assessment online (e.g., an online test of the financial analysis skills for IFC applicants) and/or an assessment center (e.g., a group-based assessment of a case study). A test is typically administered on a day separate from the interview day, while the assessment center is typically administered on the morning of your panel interview, preferably in person.

Prospective Young Professionals (YPs) will be informed of our intent to offer them a place in the program by about early February.

We will offer you a 5-year staff appointment on a term contract (renewable based on performance) at a GF- level (GF1 at IFC), the terms and conditions of which may vary. Your offer letter will inform you of your salary and a comprehensive package of benefits.

No. Salary and benefits are determined based on pre-set criteria that apply to all prospective staff members.

YPs tell us that one of the most important success factors is to make it straightforward for those reviewing your application to see you as a successful future YP in the World Bank Group which starts with demonstrating your “fit” with your selected work program. The application form provides you with ample opportunities to tell us about your technical skills, demonstrate your expertise and experience, and outline your potential contributions to and motivation for joining the YPP. It is a good practice to illustrate your responses with compelling examples from your experience, background and professional conduct to date.

The assessment center takes about an hour, and consists of a group exercise (about 45 minutes) and a written reflection on that exercise (about 15 minutes). It is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to work well in teams and communicate well in verbal communications, and to be self-reflective and communicate well in written communications.
 

In the group exercise, you are provided with a premise – a brief “case study” from a World Bank Group report or project, which you then discuss with several other candidates as a team. At the end of your discussion, you make a joint presentation to a representative.
 

In the written reflection, you are given two prompts related to the group exercise to write about –in reviewing it, we look for the ability to write concise and structured communications, demonstrate a sound business judgment, and reflect on the work of your “team” as well as self-reflect on your part in the exercise.

The interview is an opportunity for a dialog. We would not advise that you consult or focus on prepared notes or other sources during the interview. If you are interviewing in person, we advise bringing only your submitted CV, a notepad and a pen to the interview. If you are interviewing online, the advice is no different, except to check your connectivity before the interview starts – our team will be happy to help you do that.
 

You will be asked questions in your declared area of technical specialty – experts in that area will ask you about your work or a specific issue in that field, as well as related issues from the experts in other sectors. The interview helps us learn more about you, how you think, structure and solve problems, and assess your technical depth and breadth. We may ask you additional questions, such as the ones that help us assess your comfort with our ethical principles and shared values.

By submitting your application, you will be confirming that your responses and submissions are your own original work and that you have not used any unauthorized materials or external resources, including AI- based tools or chatbots, nor received assistance from any person or persons in completing your application. You will also acknowledge that the use of unauthorized materials, external resources, AI-based tools, and/or receiving the assistance from any person or persons, may result in the dismissal of your application or ineligibility for employment. We may check some or all responses for compliance.
 

Please provide complete and accurate answers to the questions asked. The application form is an opportunity for you to tell us about yourself and submit your original work.

There may be organizations and individuals that might purport to allegedly be able to help you prepare a successful application. There is no “insider knowledge” that isn’t directly accessible to you already on our websites and application portal. We would not advise you paying any fee to such organizations or individuals or otherwise entrusting your application to their advice.

We assume that you are interested in the World Bank Group, or you wouldn’t be interested in applying to the YPP. If that is the case, you are probably already reading our website and exploring the work program areas of interest to you in depth. The World Bank Group’s Access to Information policy enables broad public access to the information about our work, projects under preparation, projects under implementation, analytic and advisory activities, development data, world development reports, and strategy reports and proceedings. Our mission and values help you understand our motivation and how we work together, and our World Bank Group Scorecard helps you understand how we think about and measure our impact. Please explore and reflect upon the content you found of interest.

The World Bank Group offers the Young Professionals Academy (YP Academy), a cohort-based talent development program, to help facilitate integration and continued professional growth in the organization. The World Bank Group YP Academy is a structured learning and development curriculum that spans the first two years after you join as a YP. The development curriculum includes onboarding, language learning, business and leadership skills development, operational training, and mentoring. In addition, in the first two years, YPs are required to experience at least a couple of different assignments, which might include different operational functions, institutions, and sometimes locations. The rotations aim to enhance business knowledge, build global perspective and networks, and enrich the YPs’ early career experience. Beyond the YP Academy, YP Alumni can also grow their professional and career development through access to additional learning events to develop new connections, foster knowledge and innovation, and strengthen business and leadership skills.

You are welcome to reapply as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. You might want to assess whether your application is likely to be competitive by ensuring that you have continued to develop professionally since the previous application. We do not advise reusing your prior responses (particularly if the prompts in the application form have changed). Your reference providers are welcome to resubmit their previously prepared letters, provided they fill in the form questions again at the time of your new application, as well as sign and date them de novo – we want to make sure that they continue to recommend you for the program and to hear anything new they have to say as well.

The YPP includes cohort-based learning that is core to the program. We do not defer the start date.

While we are happy to work with you and your needs if applicable, if you apply to the program, we assume that you are willing and able to work and be located in any of our offices worldwide.

For technical issues with your application, please email hrweb@worldbank.org. Please note that we might not be able to assist you if your application is being submitted in the last few days before the deadline.
 

For the status of your application, please look for the emails from the program and/or visit the application portal.

For questions not answered in any other way, please email ypp@worldbankgroup.org. Please note that the large number of applications keeps the team very busy and that the team will do their best to answer your question if possible, when sent to that email. Due to the high volume of applications, we may not be able to respond to individual requests. Please visit our website, join and/or view recordings of our events, and review our FAQs and read the application form instructions carefully.
 

In case of any perceived inconsistency between any advice solicited and/or received from any source and the information on the World Bank Group Young Professionals Program official web pages that follow, the latter prevails.

About the YPP: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers/the-young-professionals-program

Why Apply: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers/the-young-professionals-program/whyypp

How to Apply: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers/the-young-professionals- program/howtoapply

No. Please plan to apply in advance of the deadline as no late submittals, applications submitted by email, or changes to the application will be accepted after the deadline.

There are other ways to join the World Bank Group. Please visit our careers websites to learn more.