Selection Guidelines and Sponsorship
The selection process gives priority to government officials whose professional assignments are closely related to the subject matter of a course. Courses at HQ and in IMF regional training centers and programs tend to be most appropriate for officials from ministries of finance, economy, and planning or from central banks and statistics agencies.
For courses on macroeconomic statistics, priority is given to statistical compilers. The IMF cannot consider applications from persons employed in nongovernmental businesses or private institutions, such as commercial banks, universities, or trade unions.
All applicants and nominees must submit a valid Sponsor’s Nomination Form which certifies that the candidates are officially endorsed by the sponsoring agency and have its approval to represent the agency. Official sponsors should not propose or endorse applicants who fail to meet the criteria of academic background and job relevance, or who are not fluent in the language of instruction or, where provided, interpretation.
The sponsoring agency is required to certify that, if accepted, the applicant or nominee will receive leave of absence with regular pay for the duration of the course; that during attendance at the course, the applicant will have no other duties or assignments; and that upon return to duty the applicant will return to either the former position or one with equal or greater responsibility.
Feel free to check our online catalog at: www.imf.org/institute and apply to a course of interest at: http://www.imf.org/insapply
Note: For courses by invitation, a link to the online nomination form will be provided in the nomination notification message. Eligible agencies interested in a course by invitation may email inquiries to icdtas@imf.org
Eligibility Criteria Relating to Previous Course Attendance
Due to the high demand for training, previous participation is taken into account when considering applicants and nominees for face-to-face course offerings:
- Those who have taken a course at HQ should generally wait two years before applying for another course at HQ.
- Those who have taken a course at a training center or program are generally not eligible to attend the same course at another training center or program.
Self-Financed Status
Candidates from international agencies and advanced regional countries who apply to attend IMF training events, if accepted, will be considered self-financed. Local staff in IMF Resident Representative offices selected to train at regional training centers and programs would also be self-financed. However, they are eligible to attend training at HQ as regular participants.
Attending as self-financed provides the same access to course content and activities, but all associated costs (accommodation, travel, and per diem) need to be covered by the sponsoring institution.
Selection Guidelines for Online Training
OL courses are free and are open to all government officials of IMF member countries. There are no restrictions on the number of officials who can participate in these courses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is there a fee associated with course attendance?
All IMF courses are free of charge. Airfare, accommodation and subsistence are provided by the IMF to eligible government officials only. Advanced economy country officials or international agency officials will attend as self-financed and are not eligible to receive airfare, accommodation or subsistence. Selected candidates will receive these details in their invitation letter.
How do I know if I am eligible to apply to a course?
Eligibility criteria is determined by region. To check eligibility please visit: www.imf.org/institute/eligibility
If the application deadline has passed, can I still register for the course?
No, late applications are not accepted, please wait till the next offering of the course or apply to other courses of interest.
What is the specific selection criteria?
Our courses are very competitive, selection criteria include but are not limited to: job relevance, previous attendance, work experience, language proficiency, etc.
Language proficiency is essential for courses delivered only in English. Therefore, applicants are required to submit appropriate documentation to support their language skills. The IMF reserves the right to decline applicants if the language documentation does not meet the required criteria. Submitting doctored (altered, incorrect, or falsified) documents that misrepresent a candidate's qualifications may lead to application rejection and disqualification from IMF training programs.
How do I know if I have not been selected for a course?
Follow your application status by logging in to the online application system. Only selected or waitlisted candidates will receive email notification of their status when selections are finalized.
Are courses offered in other languages other than English?
Yes, courses are also offered in Arabic, French and Spanish at HQ. Regional training centers offer courses in other languages. For additional information please visit: http://www.imf.org/institute
Where can I find more course related information (date, schedule, course description, etc.)?
For all course information, please visit our online catalog: http://www.imf.org/institute