The FAO Fellowships and Training Programme is not a normal scholarship where you pick a university, get admitted and receive a fixed package. It is a set of fellowship and training opportunities run by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aimed at professionals and postgraduate-level candidates working in food and agriculture. If you are a Pakistani agriculture, nutrition, forestry or fisheries graduate who wants hands-on exposure to international development work, it is worth understanding how it works before you start hunting for a call. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing, and this guide explains what to expect in practice.
A fellowship built around projects, not a degree
FAO uses these fellowships to build capacity in food security, agriculture and sustainable development. Fellows gain technical knowledge and practical experience inside the FAO framework, working alongside experts on problems in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development.
The structure changes from one fellowship to the next. Each one rests on a specific fellowship agreement, which may involve a partner such as an academic institution, a research centre or a national government. Objectives and duration are set by the project, so two FAO fellowships can look very different. One might be a research placement. Another might be technical training or professional development.
FAO expects fellows to contribute to its strategic objectives, which include ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. In plain terms, this is a knowledge-transfer programme. You are expected to learn a specialised technical skill and to bring something useful to the project you join.
Who does this suit? Someone with a relevant degree who already knows which area of food or agriculture they want to work in. Who should probably skip it? A fresh graduate looking for a funded master's degree with a predictable timeline. That is not what this is.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) |
| Funding | Full or partial, depending on the fellowship agreement |
| Level | Professional and postgraduate |
| Fields | Agriculture, food security, nutrition, forestry, fisheries, rural development |
| Deadline | Varies by call, confirm on the official site |
| Location | International (FAO works across its member countries) |
| Official site | FAO partnerships portal |
What the funding actually looks like
This is the part applicants most often misread. FAO lists funding as full or partial, and the money side depends on the specific fellowship agreement. Some fellowships provide full financial support. Others are partial or project-based. There is no single stipend figure that applies to every FAO fellowship, so do not plan your finances around a number you saw on a forum.
What fellows can expect, in general terms, is:
- access to FAO technical expertise and resources
- practical experience in international development projects
- training in specialised technical areas
- networking with agricultural experts from around the world
- a stipend or financial support, which varies by fellowship agreement
Before you accept any offer, read the agreement carefully and find out exactly what is paid and what is not. If a call is unclear on funding, ask through the contact channel given in that call. A partial award can still be a good opportunity, but only if you know how you will cover the gap.
Nationality, language and background requirements
The core eligibility rule is that you must be a national of an FAO member country. Before you put time into an application, confirm on the official FAO website that Pakistan is a member country and that the particular call you are looking at is open to Pakistani nationals. Individual calls can carry their own restrictions.
The other general requirements are:
- a relevant academic background in a field connected to FAO's mandate
- proficiency in at least one FAO official language (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian)
- commitment to the objectives of the fellowship
- any specific professional experience the individual call asks for
For most Pakistani applicants, English will be the language you use. The last requirement is where people get caught out. A call for a fisheries project may want field experience that a general agriculture graduate does not have. Read the call, not just the programme summary.
Paperwork to have ready before a call opens
Calls can appear without much warning, so it helps to keep a ready file. The standard documents are:
- a curriculum vitae
- academic transcripts
- a statement of purpose
- letters of recommendation
- proof of language proficiency
Your CV should read like a professional's CV, with projects, field work and technical skills near the top. Your statement of purpose should name the specific fellowship and explain how your background fits its technical focus and FAO's objectives on hunger and food security. A generic statement written for a university admission will look out of place.
Ask your referees early. Ideally one should know your academic work and one your professional or research work. Get your language proof sorted in advance too, since that is one of the easier items to delay. If you need to get Pakistani degrees attested for other applications, our documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful general reference.
How an FAO fellowship application usually runs
- Watch the FAO partnerships and career portals for open fellowship calls.
- When you find one, read its eligibility criteria line by line.
- Prepare the documents exactly as that call specifies.
- Submit through the designated FAO online portal, or however the call directs.
- Go through selection, which may include interviews or technical assessments.
Step five deserves attention. A technical assessment means you may be tested on the subject itself as well as on your motivation. If you are applying for a nutrition or forestry fellowship, revise the technical basics of that area before an interview.
Why there is no fixed deadline
FAO does not run one annual intake with a single closing date. The opening period varies and so does the deadline, because each fellowship follows its own project and agreement. This is frustrating if you like planning a year ahead, but it is the reality of the programme. The practical answer is to check the FAO partnerships page regularly and confirm the deadline for each call on the official site rather than relying on old dates.
Where Pakistani applicants go wrong
The biggest mistake is treating this as one scholarship with one application form. It is a family of opportunities, and each call has its own rules. Applicants who send the same CV and statement to every call rarely stand out.
A second mistake is applying with a background that only loosely matches. FAO wants your academic and professional profile to line up with its strategic objectives. A business graduate with a passing interest in food policy will struggle against an agronomist with field experience.
Third, people ignore the funding terms until an offer arrives. Because support ranges from full to partial, you need to know early whether you could accept a partial award.
Some advice that does work:
- Check the FAO partnerships website on a regular schedule so you see new calls early.
- Tailor each application to the technical requirements of that specific fellowship.
- Talk to professionals in your field. Contacts in research centres or government departments often hear about opportunities sooner.
- Keep your language proficiency document ready so it never holds up a submission.
For a wider view of options alongside this one, see all international scholarships in our guides.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for FAO fellowships?
Eligibility is generally limited to nationals of FAO member countries with a relevant academic or professional background. Check the official FAO site to confirm that Pakistan qualifies and that the specific call accepts Pakistani nationals.
Are FAO fellowships fully funded?
Not always. Some provide full financial support, while others are partial or project-based. The terms depend on the individual fellowship agreement.
Is this programme for undergraduates?
The eligible levels are professional and postgraduate. It is aimed at people who already have a relevant degree, and many calls also ask for specific professional experience.
Do I need to prove my English?
You need proof of proficiency in at least one FAO official language, and English is one of them. The accepted form of proof is set by each call, so check the call you are applying to.
How do I apply?
Applications go through the official FAO portal or a specific programme website while a call is open. Outside active calls there is nothing to submit, so keep monitoring the partnerships page.
For current calls and deadlines, check the official FAO partnerships website, and see the FAO Fellowships and Training Programme page for a summary of the details.