Stipends
General principles
Stipend paid to fellows while outside the home country is a monthly allowance intended to cover the cost of lodging, board and other essentials such as laundry and local transport.
Stipend is not a salary or honorarium. It is not intended to cover the fellows' continuing expenses at home for themselves, nor their families. During the fellows' absence abroad, their Governments normally continue payment of their salaries or allowances at home.
Stipend is due from the date the fellows depart from their home countries, and ends on the date of completion of the fellowship, including a maximum travel time of up to two days by the most direct air route. Fellows should make reservations for their return journey in good time.
Stipend is normally payable in the local currency of the host country.
Stipend rates
Stipend rates are established by the United Nations. The rates are reviewed periodically on the basis of actual expenditures incurred by fellows in the various countries of study.
The stipend is normally established at two different rates for each country: the travel rate and the residential rate. For academic fellows in the United States, i.e., those in full-time attendance at universities or other institutions, an academic rate has been established.
Stipend rates established for United Nations fellows are maximum rates. The United Nations reserves the right to pay stipends at a lower rate when conditions of the fellowship programme so warrant.
When fellows are attending a course at an educational or training institution which provides room or meals, or which is paid directly by the United Nations, the stipend paid to fellows is correspondingly reduced. In cases where both board and lodging are provided for fellows, 30 percent of the applicable stipend rate is paid as pocket money. Sixty percent is paid in cases where only board or lodging is included free at the Institute.
The stipend is paid at the travel or residential rate in accordance with the following principles:
- Stipend is paid at the travel rate for the first month spent in each host country, regardless of the nature of the training programme;
- If the programme calls for a course of study in a single location, the fellows are resident fellows, and, after the first month, the stipend will be paid at the resident rate. When resident fellows have to undertake official short trips away from their base, their stipend will be raised to the travel rate for the specific period spent in travel;
- If the programme calls for periods of study in several locations successively, they are travelling fellows. Their stipend shall be paid at the travel rate. The stipend is reduced to the resident rate for any period spent in one location in excess of 30 days.
- If the training takes place in the fellows' home country, the
procedure with regard to establishing stipend rates is as follows:
- The UNDP Resident Representative is consulted with regard to the adequacy of the stipend rate to be applied;
- Generally, for fellows studying in their home/duty town, the local resident rate is reduced by 50%, and for fellows studying outside their home/duty town, the full local resident rate is payable.
Methods of payment
When the fellow's initial stop is at UN/DESA in New York, they will receive from these offices one month's stipend at the travel rate in their first host country plus their book allowance. They will be advised by the Fellowship Officer of the arrangements made concerning their subsequent stipend payments.
When the fellows' initial stop is in their first host country, their supervising authority in that country will inform them of the manner in which their stipend payments will be made. They will receive at that time, together with their first month's stipend, the amount due for their book allowance.
Stipend payments can be made in any of the following ways:
- by a United Nations cheque;
- through a bank in the host country;
- through the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme;
- through the supervising authority in the host country;
- by a bank letter of credit;
- by postal money order.
The authorized date of the fellows' departure from the home country is the date on which their awards begin and stipend payments are normally made on a monthly basis.
At the end of their training programme, fellows must report to their supervising authority, which will help them make arrangements, as required, to return to their home countries. The supervising authority will communicate the exact dates to the UN/DESA office in New York, as the case may be, and payment will then be adjusted to cover stipend up to the day of the return home by the most direct route.
Fellows, who for some reason must return home before the date on
which their fellowship is scheduled to end, are reminded that payment
of their stipend is due only until the date on which they arrive in
their home country by the most direct air route. When fellows draw
payment in excess of what is due to them, they will be required to
reimburse the amount overdrawn.
Allowances
Book Allowances
All UN/DESA fellows are entitled to receive a book allowance intended for the purchase of technical publications needed for their training or study programme.
The full amount of the book allowance will be paid at the beginning of the award in local currency of the country of study. If the award is extended beyond its original duration, the book allowance due as a result of the extension will be paid in full when the new tenure of award begins.
In certain cases the host country or the officer in charge of special training groups will provide the needed books, and no book allowance will be paid to the fellow.
Minor equipment allowances
Fellows may be reimbursed up to a maximum of $100 to cover the purchase of minor equipment necessary for their programme of studies. This reimbursement will be made upon submission of supporting evidence and on the written recommendation of the supervisor.
Thesis allowance
When fellows are undertaking an academic programme as an integral part of the training programme arranged by the United Nations, a thesis allowance will be paid by the United Nations up to a maximum of US$750 in the local currency of the country of study for major non-degree papers, theses and doctoral dissertations. This reimbursement will only be made upon submission of supporting evidence (receipts) and the recommendation of the supervisor.
Typing of regular course assignment
Claims for typing of regular course assignments will not be accepted since they are not considered as major papers or as partial fulfilment of a major paper or thesis.
Final reports
No allowance is made for preparation of fellows' final reports required at the end of the fellowship awards.
Termination (separation) allowance
Towards the end of the award, fellows will receive with their last stipend payment in the currency of the last host country a termination allowance in accordance with the following three categories:
- A lump sum payment of US$ 100 for fellowships up to six months.
- A lump sum payment of US$ 200 for fellowships up to one year.
- A lump sum payment up to a maximum of US$ 400 for long-term fellowships, at the discretion of the agency if circumstances of the fellowship, including its duration, so warranted.
Other payments
No reimbursement will be considered for travel expenses which total the equivalent of $10 or less.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees
The United Nations will pay tuition and related fees for fellows, if so required, for courses of study or examinations that constitute an integral part of the training programme arranged by the United Nations.
Insurance scheme
Fellows automatically participate in the UN/DESA Van Breda comprehensive global insurance scheme which covers medical, death and disability.
Liability to third parties for damage to persons or property
UN/DESA assumes no liability for damage to persons or property caused by holders of UN/DESA fellowships.