Learn More and Apply
Applications for Fall 2026 are due Friday, January 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Due to the competitive selection process, applicants are encouraged to apply for DC Program simultaneously if they have not already participated.
A complete application entails the following components, which will be uploaded electronically:
- IPO Portal application form
- Personal Statement
- Internship Interests - thematic, missions, agencies, NGOs
- Writing Sample
- Resume/CV
- One faculty recommendation
- One work supervisor recommendation
There will be a formal interview as part of the selection process. Not all candidates will be invited to interview.
All students must take all academic courses outlined below. Please note that all classes must be taken for letter grades. It is not possible to take additional Occidental classes while participating in the program.
- DWA 401: Multilateralism and the United Nations: Challenges and Opportunities for Global Cooperation (4 credits)
- DWA 402: The United Nations: Humanitarian Intervention, Humanitarian Response (4 credits)
- DWA 403: The UN Experience Internship (8 credits)
No specific internships can be guaranteed. Internship placements are driven by the needs of the internship hosts, availability, and student strengths.
- 3.0 cumulative GPA minimum; B grades or better in DWA 102, plus at least one additional course on international politics. Coursework in peace and security, human rights, humanitarianism and/or development strongly recommended.
- Junior class standing in any major at the time of application; senior standing during the program.
- Demonstrated commitment to the study of international issues.
- Appropriate and well-articulated scholarly purposes for participation demonstrated in all parts of the application.
- Neither on academic or disciplinary probation nor under investigation for violations which may result in probation between application and departure.
- All holds cleared with campus departments and offices before leaving campus.
When applications exceed capacity, successful applicants may exhibit qualifications higher than the minimum requirements.
You will be billed for the following:
- Occidental tuition
- Shared double room housing fee
- Insurance (required for international students and those whose personal plans do not cover them in New York)
You will not be billed for:
- A meal plan. However, the actual cost of meals in NY is estimated at $4,200. Financial Aid will repackage the semester cost of attendance accordingly and adjust aid packages in accordance with policy. A Financial Aid officer will determine how your package may be adjusted depending upon your needs. Please contact the Financial Aid Office with further questions.
Students live in shared double rooms at the on the Upper East Side, three blocks from Central Park and near local transportation.
Fall 2026 Program Dates
August 23 - Students arrive in New York, move into Hudson Yard after 3 pm
August 25 - August 30 - Orientation
September 2 - DWA 402 begins
September 3 - DWA 401 begins
September 2 - Internships begin
September 9 - United Nations General Assembly begins - tentative
October 19 - 26 - Advising week (Â鶹´«Ã½)
October 27 - 29 - Spring 2026 course registration (Â鶹´«Ã½)
December 14 - Last day of the program
December 16 - Latest student departure date - 12 noon
Â鶹´«Ã½ reserves the right to modify the program based on a variety of circumstances, including health and safety concerns and educational outcomes.
More than 400 Â鶹´«Ã½ students have participated in the Kahane UN Program’s Â鶹´«Ã½ at the UN since it was founded by Professor George Sherry in 1986. As students intern in an agency or related organization to the United Nations or a foreign mission to the UN, they are first hand observers of major events on the international agenda. It is a fast-moving experience, challenging students to combine internship responsibilities with related coursework.
Established in 1945, the United Nations continues to deal with the new and ongoing challenges of security and development in the 21st-century context of globalization and unprecedented technological change. While some of the world's population has benefitted from these transformations, parts of the developing world continue to lag behind. The search for ways to narrow this gap is at the heart of the work of the United Nations.
In September 2010, Occidental President Jonathan Veitch announced a $500,000 lead gift from Occidental trustee Bill Kahane '70 and his wife, Elizabeth, toward a permanent endowment for the program. In April 2014, the Kahanes further pledged $5.5 million to endow the program. This generous support also increases student scholarship support, gives students greater access to cultural offerings in New York, supports student travel to Washington, DC, and makes it possible to bring UN programming to the Occidental campus.
