WBG Pioneers (World Bank Group Pioneers Internship Program)

What the WBG Pioneers internship gives you

You get a paid internship at the World Bank Group with a competitive hourly wage. The exact rate is not published. You work on real projects in global development and get a mentor, an experienced staff member who guides you. You also build a network across international teams. Placements are in Washington, D.C. and in country offices worldwide, for example Seoul. One example, the World Bank Treasury role, runs 10 weeks full time (about early June to early August). Some universities offer a "no-fee" version instead. In that case your university pays an equivalent scholarship amount, or the internship counts as academic credit.

Who can apply

• Level of study: You are in your final year of a Bachelor's degree, or currently doing a Master's or PhD.
• Field of study: Open to many subjects, including economics, investment and portfolio management, public health, education, social sciences, agriculture, environment, engineering, urban planning, natural resources, private sector development, and corporate roles like accounting, communications, HR, IT and finance.
• Language: You speak fluent English. Other languages help for some roles.
• Work experience: You have up to 6 years of professional experience.
• Nationality: You are a citizen of a World Bank Group member country (nearly every country worldwide qualifies).
• Availability: You can work full time during the internship, with no other job or internship at the same time.
• Encouraged to apply: Candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and women, are especially encouraged, but anyone eligible can apply.

How to apply

You apply online through the World Bank Group careers portal and can apply for up to 3 roles. There are two cycles each year: apply January to February for spring/summer, and July to August for winter/fall. Selection has several stages: a longlist, an assessment and interviews. The final decision comes in April or October, depending on the cycle.

How realistic are your chances?

This is the World Bank Group's main internship and is well known worldwide, so it draws a very large, international applicant pool and the competition is strong. Grades alone will not decide it. The assessment and interviews reward candidates who show a genuine fit with the development mission and a clear match to a specific role. Apply to roles that fit your field precisely. Candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and women, are actively encouraged.