NATO Internship Programme

Do you study Political Science, International Relations or Security Studies?

Are you an interdisciplinary candidate with qualifications in Economics, Engineering, or Human Resources?

Have you studied Information Technology and Library Sciences? Do you study Aeronautics or Engineering?

Your background is Media, or Journalism?
You speak Russian or Arabic?

Are you able to conduct independent research and analysis?

NATO needs your skills !

NATO  Headquarters (HQ) introduced its Internship Programme in 2004. The aim of the programme is to provide a small number of current or recent students with the opportunity to intern with the International Staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

There is one call for applications per year, from March until June with two starting dates, in September and March the following year. Internships will in principle last 6 months.

Programme Objectives

The NATO Internship Programme has four main objectives:

• To provide the Organisation with access to the latest theoretical and technical knowledge that the intern can apply through practical work assignments, as well as with additional staff resources.
• To provide interns with an opportunity to learn from the NATO community and get a better understanding and a more balanced view of the Organisation.
• To contribute to creating a more diverse workforce.
• To expand understanding of NATO in Alliance countries.

What does NATO offer?

Interns will benefit by experiencing an international organisation from the inside while substantiating their Curriculum Vitae.

Internships are offered in the following areas:

• Defence Policy and Planning
• Executive Management
• NATO Office of Security
• Operations
• Political Affairs and Security Policy
• Public Diplomacy

Remuneration:  Interns receive a lump sum of € 600 per month. The salary is not exempt from taxation.

Leave: After three months of service, interns shall be entitled to leave (including sick leave) at the rate of 2.5 working days for every month of service completed.

Eligibility Criteria

Current students and recent graduates (1 year) with:

• Age:  over 21 at the time of internship (for insurance purposes)
• Nationality:  nationals of a NATO member state*
• Studies:  at least two years of university study or equivalent
• Languages:  proficiency in one of the official NATO languages (English/French); desirable working knowledge of the other.

Interns are required to have health insurance coverage, and to take care of formalities with Belgian authorities regarding their stay in Belgium: Federal Public Service of the Interior, Chaussée d’Anvers 59B, 1000 Brussels (phone: + 32 2 206 15 99, http://www.dofi.fgov.be or http://diplobel.fgov.be  or www.diplomatie.be ), or Belgian Embassies and Consulates outside Belgium.

All interns will require a security clearance from their national authorities prior to working at NATO. The procedure will be initiated as soon as the candidate has been selected.

Please refer to the NATO Internship Programme Policy for a full description of the programme.

Application Instructions

The 6th Call for Applications for an internship in 2009 is open from Monday 3rd March until 6th June 2008.

If you are interested in doing an internship at NATO HQ, here is how it works:

1) You need to submit electronically:

• The completed Application Form
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of motivation, indicating why you want to intern at NATO HQ and why you chose a specific division.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be processed. Due to the high number of applications received we will not be able to get back to you in case of incomplete information.

Applications arriving after the deadline will not be considered.

2) A security clearance from your national authorities is obligatory before your start of internship. Please be aware that the clearance process can only be started after you receive your conditional offer of acceptance. Your national delegation will contact you, so there is no need to do anything before that.

3) If you hold a grant or scholarship for your internship at NATO HQ, you are not bound by the deadlines for applications and the periods for the internship. You can simply send us a completed Application Form and attach your CV and a letter of motivation.

Application Forms:

• Scholarship / Grant Application Form
• Application Form 6th Call

Timeline:

	Procedure	Timeline
Application via e-mail	Application Form, CV, Letter of Motivation	3 March - 6th June 2008
Reception	An acknowledgment receipt is sent	Automatically after receipt
Eligibility	Eligible	No Notification
	Not Eligible	e-mail sent by mid-July
Preselection	Shortlisted	Will receive further information (July)
	Not Shortlisted	e-mail sent by end of July
Final Selection	Selected candidates	Will get an offer via e-mail (latest by beginning of October)
	Non-selected candidates	e-mail sent by September
Onboarding Period	Security clearance received before mid-January	Start date of internship will be in March or September, depending on preference and division
	Security clearance received before mid-July	Start date of internship will be in September

Contacts

Questions about the Internship Programme can be sent by e-mail to:
internships@hq.nato.int

Applications, together with a CV and a one page essay on your motivations, should be sent by e-mail to: intern.applications@hq.nato.int