Young professionals seeking careers in international development have until September 30, 2026, to apply for the World Bank Group’s Young Professionals Program (YPP), one of the institution’s flagship leadership development programmes.
The application portal opened on September 1 and will close at 11:59 p.m. UTC on September 30. The World Bank says late applications will not be accepted.
The programme targets highly talented professionals interested in global development and offers participants technical training, international experience, mentorship and exposure to projects across the World Bank Group.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must have a graduate-level degree or higher qualification in a relevant field completed before the September start date.
They must also have between two and six years of relevant professional experience. Applicants pursuing a doctorate may, under the programme’s conditions, count full-time doctoral research towards the experience requirement if their written work has been submitted before the programme begins.
Strong spoken and written English is mandatory, while knowledge of additional languages is considered an advantage.
Current World Bank Group employees are not eligible to apply. Certain employment relationships involving close relatives or spouses within the institution can also affect eligibility.
What does the programme offer?
Successful candidates begin with a two-year programme designed to develop technical and leadership skills.
Participants complete three mandatory eight-month rotations. One rotation is in their primary area of expertise, another is cross-institutional, and at least one takes place in a World Bank Group country office. The rotations can provide experience across the World Bank, International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
After successfully completing the initial programme, Young Professionals move into a role with an additional five-year contract, subject to performance and applicable conditions.
What documents are required?
Applicants should prepare a CV or résumé of no more than two pages, with one page preferred.
They must also submit the passport photo page showing their date of birth and primary nationality, as well as academic transcripts or enrolment documentation confirming their postgraduate qualifications.
The application also requires candidates to select a primary stream and may allow them to identify up to two additional streams for consideration. Available areas include investment, finance, health, education, climate, agriculture, water, transport, urban development, digital transformation and legal work, among others.
When will applicants know the outcome?
The World Bank expects the initial application review to take place in October, followed by assessments and interviews.
Interviews and assessments are scheduled for December 2026 and January 2027, with final selection notifications expected in late January or early February 2027. The successful cohort is scheduled to begin in September 2027.
For professionals looking to build careers in international development, the YPP offers a route into the World Bank Group while combining structured learning with practical experience on global development challenges.
Application deadline: September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. UTC.
