Checked 1 November 2026. Exam structure and 2026 cycle as published on careers.un.org, read 1 November 2026. The UN says the structure may vary slightly from year to year and that convoked candidates receive the details for their own exam; exam areas and participating countries can vary from year to year.
The UN says YPP information and preparation materials are free of charge on its own careers site, and candidates who are invited (convoked) to the exam also get access to the UN Online Examinations & Tests System, where preparation material for their exam may include a suggested reading list, sample or previous questions and tips. Alongside that, you can practise the format: stage one is typically about two hours of multiple-choice questions, general and specialised, and stage two is typically two to two and a half hours of specialised open-ended answers with a suggested word limit. Independent practice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the United Nations.
This guide sets out what each stage asks, where the UN's own free material is, one worked general-paper question of our own, one written-response prompt with a marking rubric (both built on public UN documents), and a short practice plan. It is the third of four guides on the YPP; the others are linked at the end.
Key facts: the YPP exam in 2026
| Fact | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam area in 2026 | Development and Sustainability (the only subject area listed for the 2026 cycle) | UN Careers YPP page, 2026 exam cycle; job opening 285586 |
| Application window | Job opening 285586 was posted on 16 October 2026 and closes at the end of 30 November 2026, New York time (04:59:59 UTC on 1 December); apply through Inspira or the UN Careers portal | Job opening 285586 |
| Who can apply | A national of a participating Member State; at least a relevant bachelor's degree or 3-year equivalent; born on or after 1 January 1994; fluent in English or French | Job opening 285586 |
| Written exam, Part I | General Paper plus the multiple-choice first part of the Specialized Paper; anticipated for February 2027 | Job opening 285586 |
| Written exam, Part II | Constructed-response (open-ended) second part of the Specialized Paper, 1 to 2 months after Part I, for those successful in Part I | Job opening 285586 |
| Oral exam | A competency-based interview by online video conference, anticipated mid-2027 | Job opening 285586 |
| Languages | Stage one questions in English or French; in stage two some answers must be in English or French and some may be in any of the six official UN languages | UN Careers YPP page, exam structure |
| Where you sit it | Online, at a location you choose with a stable connection; stage two may be proctored remotely by webcam and monitoring software | YPP page, exam structure and FAQ |
| Official preparation | Given to convoked candidates through the UN Online Examinations & Tests System; the UN says YPP information and preparation materials are free of charge | YPP page, examination preparation and warning |
| Fees | The UN says it charges no fees at any stage of the application, examination and evaluation process | YPP page, warning regarding for-profit companies |
Read the structure yourself on the UN Careers Young Professionals Programme page and the 2026 Development and Sustainability job opening. The UN says the structure may vary slightly from year to year and that more detail is given to convoked candidates.
Read this before you use any prep site, including ours
The UN's YPP page warns that for-profit companies sell YPP application review and exam and interview preparation, that some claim access to UN inside information, and that the UN is "not collaborating or partnering with any companies offering YPP-related services". It says such services are not supported or endorsed by the UN, that it charges no fees at any stage, and that YPP information and preparation materials are free on its site.
So, plainly: ProSyllabus is not connected to the UN. We have no inside information, we have not seen the questions, we do not review applications, and nothing here will tell you what is on your exam. What we offer is original practice in the published format, built on public UN documents. Use the UN's free material first; the FAQ also warns about websites that resemble the UN site and may carry misinformation.
Source: UN Careers YPP page, "Warning – Regarding For Profit Companies" and FAQ.
FreeTests: UN Charter and organs · Written communication · Teamwork · Economics
UN YPP Exam Practice: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 5 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer▶ Start nowThis one is free · no sign-in neededYour result shows how long each question took you.What each stage asks
| Stage | Question type | What the UN says it assesses | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage one: General Paper | Multiple choice | Competencies and abilities critical to working in an international organisation, for example written communication skills, reasoning skills, UN core values and competencies | Stage one typically lasts about 2 hours in all |
| Stage one: Specialized Paper, part 1 | Multiple choice | Knowledge and attributes relevant to the exam area (in 2026, Development and Sustainability) | Within the same stage |
| Stage two: Specialized Paper, part 2 | Constructed response (open-ended), each with a suggested word limit | Knowledge and attributes relevant to the exam area | Typically about 2 to 2.5 hours |
| Oral examination | Competency-based interview by video conference | The key competencies for the job family named in the job opening | Not stated |
The 2026 job opening says the Development and Sustainability examination covers a broad range of topics, with a focus on economics, statistics, social affairs, environmental issues and sustainable development, as well as skills related to technology and digital transformation, and programme management support. It names three competencies for the job family: Professionalism, Planning and Organizing, and Teamwork.
What the official pages do not publish
- The number of questions in either stage, or how many are general and how many specialised.
- Any pass mark, or how the papers are weighted.
- Whether wrong answers lose marks.
- A marking scheme for the open-ended answers.
Pages read 1 November 2026. The warning on the YPP page says its sample materials are strictly for personal, non-commercial use and subject to the UN website's terms of use, so this guide does not reproduce them. The FAQ gives one example of timing: if the exam time limit is two hours, candidates may have a window of up to 14 hours in which to start and finish it, to accommodate time zones. Follow the instructions in your own convocation.
FreeTests: UN Charter and organs · Written communication · Teamwork · Economics
UN YPP Exam Practice: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 5 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer▶ Start nowThis one is free · no sign-in neededYour result shows how long each question took you.Try four original practice questions from our independent UN YPP Exam Practice kit above. They are our own questions in the multiple-choice format, with every answer explained; they are not UN questions.
A worked general-paper question
The UN says the General Paper assesses competencies and abilities such as reasoning, written communication, and UN core values and competencies. This question practises the values side. It is our own, built on public UN texts you can read for free, and it does not appear in our paid question banks. Cover the answer, choose, then read why.
Practice item 1 · General paper style: UN values (situational)
You are a UN Secretariat staff member working on a project in your home region. An official from your own country's ministry invites you to speak at a ministry event about the project and offers you a personal fee for the talk. What is the most appropriate response?
- A. Accept the fee, because it comes from your own country, not a foreign government
- B. Accept the fee and give it to charity afterwards
- C. Decline the fee, and check whether prior authorization is needed before agreeing to speak
- D. Accept the fee if it is less than a week's salary
Answer: C. The ICSC Standards of Conduct say staff should not accept supplementary payments from a Government related to their assignment (paragraph 62), and must not accept, without the executive head's authorization, any remuneration or benefit of more than nominal value from any external source, expressly including Governments (paragraph 61). Outside activities that could interfere with UN duties, be incompatible with staff status or conflict with the Organization's interests need prior authorization (paragraph 56), so checking before you agree to speak is the sensible next step. Article 100 of the Charter makes staff responsible only to the Organization, whatever their nationality, and giving the money away afterwards does not undo accepting it.
Built on: Charter of the United Nations, Article 100; ICSC Standards of Conduct, paragraphs 56, 61 and 62
Our own practice item, written for this guide. It is not a UN question, a past paper or a prediction of the exam.
The question rewards reading the source texts themselves: the Charter and the conduct standards, not a summary of them. Our suggestion is to read the Charter, the ICSC Standards of Conduct and the 2030 Agenda alongside the UN's official preparation material; all three are free.
A written-response prompt with a marking rubric
Stage two asks specialised open-ended questions, each with a suggested word limit. The official pages read for this guide do not state a marking scheme. The prompt, the word limit and the rubric below are ours: they show one sensible way to practise, not how the UN marks.
Practice prompt · Development and Sustainability · suggested limit 400 words (ours)
A city authority in a developing Member State has funding this year for only one of two projects in its fast-growing informal settlements. Option A extends piped drinking water to households. Option B builds shared sanitation and hygiene facilities, run with community committees. As an Associate Officer, write a note to the city's planning director that (a) explains what the 2030 Agenda's water and sanitation targets ask for, (b) compares the two options against those targets, and (c) recommends one option, with your reasons.
Built on: A/RES/70/1, Goal 6 and its targets 6.1 (universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water), 6.2 (adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, ending open defecation, with special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations) and 6.b (participation of local communities in water and sanitation management), and the Preamble's pledge that no one will be left behind.
Our own practice prompt, written for this guide. It is not a UN question, a past paper or a prediction of the exam.
| Criterion | What a strong answer does | Weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Answers the task | Covers (a), (b) and (c) in the order asked, written as a note to the planning director, and ends with one clear recommendation | An essay on water in general; no recommendation, or both options recommended |
| 2. Grounded in UN texts | States targets 6.1, 6.2 and 6.b accurately, including the attention 6.2 asks for women and girls and people in vulnerable situations | Invented figures, or targets described wrongly |
| 3. Balanced comparison | Weighs both options on the same points: which target each serves, who benefits first, what it needs to keep working (running costs, maintenance, affordability) and the community's role | Praises one option and ignores the other's strengths |
| 4. Clear and within the limit | Short paragraphs, plain language a non-specialist director can act on, inside the word limit | Over the limit, or a wall of jargon |
A model outline (not a full answer)
- Opening (about 30 words): the decision the director faces and what the note will cover.
- (a) What the targets ask (about 90 words): 6.1, universal and equitable access to safe, affordable drinking water; 6.2, adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, ending open defecation, with special attention to women, girls and people in vulnerable situations; 6.b, local communities taking part in managing water and sanitation.
- (b) Comparing the options (about 170 words): take the same points for each. Option A serves 6.1: who gets water first, and whether households can afford connection and tariffs. Option B serves 6.2 and 6.b: who uses the facilities, whether they are safe and usable for women and girls, and whether the committees can keep them clean and maintained. Say plainly that neither option alone meets all of Goal 6.
- (c) Recommendation (about 90 words): choose one, give two reasons drawn from your comparison, and say how the other need could be planned for later.
- Close (about 20 words): the decision you are asking the director to take.
Either option can be the right recommendation if the reasoning is grounded in the targets and the comparison is fair: that is our rubric, not a UN answer key. Write it in full under a 400-word limit and time yourself. If you go over, shorten the opening and (a), never the comparison or the recommendation.
The interview stage is a separate skill: a competency-based video conference on the competencies in the job opening (in 2026: Professionalism, Planning and Organizing, Teamwork). Our suggestion: prepare one example from your own experience for each, explaining what you did and what resulted.
FreeTests: UN Charter and organs · Written communication · Teamwork · Economics
UN YPP Exam Practice: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 5 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer▶ Start nowThis one is free · no sign-in neededYour result shows how long each question took you.Practice pitfalls to avoid: our advice
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Paying for "real" or "leaked" questions | The UN says it partners with no prep company, and warns that look-alike sites may carry misinformation | Use the UN's free material after convocation; treat every other bank, ours included, as practice only |
| Studying UN trivia only | The UN says the General Paper assesses competencies and abilities such as reasoning, written communication and UN values, not only knowledge | Practise reasoning and written communication as well as UN facts |
| Reading summaries instead of the texts | Source-based practice needs precise reading; summaries blur who does what | Read the Charter and the 2030 Agenda themselves; both are free |
| Ignoring the word limit | Each stage-two question has a suggested limit; a long answer can run out of time | Plan by part, write to the limit, time every practice answer |
| Practising the wrong area | Exam areas can vary from year to year; the 2026 area is Development and Sustainability | Check the current cycle on the YPP page before you study |
| Leaving the technical check to exam day | You sit it online at a place you choose; stage two may be proctored by webcam | Follow the platform instructions given after convocation and test your equipment and connection before exam day |
A four-week practice plan
Our suggestion for the weeks between applying and the exam. Tick items off as you go; the tracker saves in this browser only.
Frequently asked questions
Are there official UN YPP sample questions?
The UN says candidates invited to the exam get access to the UN Online Examinations & Tests System, where preparation material may include a suggested reading list, sample or previous questions and preparation tips. The UN's FAQ says suggested reading lists and sample questions will be available on the examination structure page, and its warning says its sample materials are strictly for personal, non-commercial use. The questions on this page are our own practice, not UN questions.
What is the format of the UN YPP exam?
An online written exam, often in two stages, then an interview. Stage one typically consists of general and specialised multiple-choice questions and lasts about 2 hours. Stage two typically consists of specialised open-ended questions with suggested word limits and lasts about 2 to 2.5 hours. The interview is a competency-based video conference. The UN says the structure may vary slightly from year to year.
What does the YPP General Paper test?
The UN says the general part assesses competencies and abilities critical to working in an international organisation, for example written communication skills, reasoning skills, and UN core values and competencies. The specialised part assesses knowledge and attributes relevant to the exam area.
Which exam area is offered in the 2026 YPP?
Development and Sustainability. Job opening 285586 was posted on 16 October 2026 and closes at the end of 30 November 2026, New York time (04:59:59 UTC on 1 December), and Part I of the written exam is anticipated for February 2027.
Are there YPP past papers?
The UN says preparation material for convoked candidates may include sample or previous questions, and its FAQ says suggested reading lists and sample questions will be available on the examination structure page. Be careful with documents shared online that claim to be past papers: the UN warns about websites that resemble UN pages and may contain misinformation.
How long is the YPP written exam?
Stage one typically lasts about 2 hours and stage two about 2 to 2.5 hours. The FAQ says candidates get a wider testing window to suit time zones; for example, a two-hour exam may have a window of up to 14 hours.
Can I answer the YPP exam in French?
Stage one questions are available in English or French. In stage two the questions can be viewed in English or French; certain questions must be answered in English or French, and certain questions can be answered in any of the six official UN languages.
Is ProSyllabus connected to the UN?
No. ProSyllabus is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the United Nations. We have no inside information, we do not review applications, and our questions are original practice built on public UN documents. The UN says it partners with no company offering YPP-related services and charges no fees.
Does the YPP exam have negative marking?
The official pages read for this guide do not say. Follow the instructions given with your convocation.
Independent practice
UN YPP Exam Practice (independent)
- General-paper style multiple-choice sets: reasoning, UN values, the UN system
- Specialised sets for the current exam area, with every answer explained and sourced to a public UN document
- The worked question and the written prompt on this page are separate from the kit; the four questions in the free sample box come from it
See what is in the practice kit →
Independent practice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the United Nations. Original practice only: no inside information, no real or past questions, no application review.
Sources
- official — UN Careers: Young Professionals Programme (eligibility, exam structure, examination preparation, 2026 exam cycle, FAQ, warning regarding for-profit companies)
- official — UN Careers: YPP 2026 job opening 285586, Development and Sustainability (posted 16 October 2026, deadline 30 November 2026; assessment, competencies, participating Member States)
- official — United Nations: Charter of the United Nations, full text (Chapter XV, the Secretariat, Articles 97 to 101)
- official — United Nations: A/RES/70/1, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- official — International Civil Service Commission: Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service
- official — United Nations: Terms of use of the UN website
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
FreeTests: UN Charter and organs · Written communication · Teamwork · Economics
UN YPP Exam Practice: free sample
Answer 4 questions against the clock, like the real exam. You then see the right answer, the reason and your time on each. About 5 minutes · free · no sign-in.
4 questions to answer▶ Start nowThis one is free · no sign-in neededYour result shows how long each question took you.
