Eligibility and Registration

The CDOTS Language and Communications Training Unit (LCTU) offers the language programme in New York and online training to participants located outside New York. Registration and courses are organized in a calendar of four terms (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). We also offer self-study courses throughout the year.

Before registering, it is highly encouraged to consult Six Official UN Languages and Language and Communications Skills Courses. The actual course registration should be the final step.

Registration considerations

Participants may register for a maximum of four instructor-led courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. Additional self-study courses may be taken at any time.
Courses might not be visible for registration when the deadline (“last day to enrol”) has passed, or the available seats in the course roster and in the waitlist have been filled.
Courses might not be visible for prospective participants who attempt to register but who do not meet the eligibility criteria.
Secretariat staff members are considered “internal learners” and register using inspira.un.org. All other participants are considered “external learners” and create an account/use elearning.un.org to register.
Eligible participants who need to pay a course fee will be prompted to pay during registration in the learning management system inspira.un.org or elearning.un.org, depending on their affiliation.
Course content is not hosted in inspira.un.org or elearning.un.org. In most cases, the CDOTS-Campus virtual environment contains the learning material and interactive exercises.
The Terms and Conditions of Service of the Language and Communications Training Unit contain detailed information on the policies applied.

Eligibility considerations

Eligibility means meeting the specific criteria to register and take part in our instructor-led courses, self-study courses and placement tests.

Eligibility to participate in our training is determined by two factors: Physical location and Affiliation.

Physical location

Eligible participants based in New York can register for courses offered in the New York brochure, which comprises language acquisition and specialized courses.
Eligible participants based outside New York can register for the courses offered in the global brochure, which are specialized courses delivered online in the New York time zone (EST).
Eligible participants can take self-study courses, regardless of their location.
Eligible participants can take an online placement test, regardless of their location.

Affiliation

Eligibility to participate in the courses depends on professional status or on a formal institutional relationship.
Depending on their affiliation, eligible participants pay a course fee on registration.

Step-by-step guides. How to register

Language and communications skills courses (instructor-led): how to register

Secretariat staff members

Follow the registration instructions for UN Secretariat staff.

All eligible participants - other than Secretariat staff members

Participants who register for the first time should follow specific guidelines to create an account at registration instructions for new external learners.

Participants who are returning language learners can follow registration instructions for returning external learners.

Self-study courses: how to register and self-enrol

An additional second step to the https://inspira.un.org or https://elearning.un.org registration, self-enrolment, is required to obtain access to the self-study course materials.

Before registering for self-study courses, we highly recommend reviewing the courses offered and watching a detailed video-tutorial on the two-step registration process.

Step-by-step guides. How to cancel (drop) a registration

Secretariat staff members

Log in to inspira.un.org. Go to Main Menu > Self Service > Learning > My Learning and choose the training activity to be cancelled in the list of "My training activities". Click the “Drop” button.

Follow the instructions to cancel a registration (screenshots)

All eligible participants other than Secretariat staff members

Log in to e-learning.un.org. Go to "My training activities", click on the course you want to be cancelled and click on the "Drop" button.

To cancel the registration in elearning.un.org: log in to Elearning. Go to My training activities, find the course to be cancelled, select it, and click on the “Drop” button.

Follow the instructions to cancel a registration (screenshots)

Affiliation Groups

Eligible and free of charge: UN Secretariat staff with temporary, continuous, or permanent contracts; and UN Secretariat staff with WAE ("when actually employed") contracts.

Staff members are considered "internal learners" and use inspira.un.org to register. When registering for the class, they will be required to upload their contract, which should be valid until the last day of classes. Participants may register for a maximum of four courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. Self-study courses do not count towards this total.

JIU, CEB, ICSC staff members may contact dos-cdots-lctu@un.org.

Staff who recently changed their position may consult the United Nations System Chart for an overview of the Secretariat.

Eligible and free of charge for delegates of Permanent Missions with a red, gold, or silver D on their badge, and delegates of Non-Member states (Holy See and Palestine) with a letter O on their badge.

Eligible with a course fee for local staff of Permanent Missions (white D on their badge), experts of Permanent Missions (white D with a red band), and delegates of Intergovernmental Organizations (letter O in any colour on their badge). The course fee must be paid by the individual participant at the time of registration.

Delegates and Permanent Mission personnel are considered "external learners" and register at elearning.un.org using an organizational email address. They need to upload a scan of their badge, which should be valid until the last day of classes. Participants may register for a maximum of four instructor-led courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. Self-study courses do not count towards this total.

Not eligible: police personnel and military personnel. The section Activities, events,resources includes other resources and opportunities.

Eligible with a course fee (paid by the entity) for: UNDP*, UNCDF, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS, and UN Women staff members. It is necessary to have internal clearance and/or approval by the entity, which will be charged the appropriate course fees. UNDP staff are required to obtain internal clearance from ilearn@undp.org prior to registration.

*Note: only staff members and regular IPSA (International Personnel Services Agreement) contract holders are eligible.

Agencies, Funds, and Programmes staff members are considered "external learners" and go to elearning.un.org to register using an organizational email address. They need to upload a scan of their badge, which should be valid until the last day of classes. Participants may register for a maximum of four instructor-led courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. Self-study courses do not count towards this total. Additional internal restrictions by their entity might apply.

Not eligible: staff members from other agencies, funds, and programmes. The section Activities, events, resources includes other resources and opportunities.

Eligible and free of charge for UN retirees (Secretariat, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS and UN Women).

Eligible with a course fee for UN recognized spouses/partners of staff members; spouses of delegates of Permanent Missions to the United Nations; and UN accredited press (both white and green P on their badge). The course fee must be paid by the individual participant at the time of registration.

Spouses/partners, retirees and associated press are considered "external learners" and go to elearning.un.org to register using an organizational email address, when possible. They need to upload a scan of their badge, which should be valid until the last day of classes. Participants may register for a maximum of four instructor-led courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. Self-study courses do not count towards this total.

Not eligible: retirees from other entities.The section Activities, events, resources includes other resources and opportunities.

Eligible and free of charge for UN volunteers at the Secretariat*, with some restrictions.

*Note: only UN volunteers at the Secretariat are eligible.

UN volunteers at the Secretariat are considered "external learners" and go to un.org to register using an organizational email address. They need to upload a scan of their badge, which should be valid until the last day of classes. Participants may register for ONLY ONE instructor-led course per-term. No restrictions apply for self-study courses.

Not eligible: UN online volunteers and UN volunteers serving at non-Secretariat entities, such as volunteers serving in Agencies, Funds and Programmes).The section Supporting a Multilingual Workforce includes other resources and opportunities.

Interns
Individual contractors, consultants and/or affiliates
UN volunteers at non-Secretariat entities
NGO staff
Police personnel and military personnel
Retirees from entities other than Secretariat, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS and UN Women
Fellows
United Nations Child Care Centre staff, UN International Computing Centre (UNICC) staff, United Nations International School (UNIS) teachers
Children of all United Nations staff
Children of delegates of Permanent Missions and Observer Missions to the United Nations
The section Activities, events, resources includes other resources and opportunities.

Enrolment Information in a Nutshell

Where:

UN Secretariat Staff register at inspira.un.org
Non-UN Secretariat, eligible participants register at elearning.un.org
Registration in self-study courses requires an additional step, which is the self-enrolment in cdots-campus

When:

Registration periods and class periods run over four terms per year for instructor-led courses. Placement tests and self-study courses are available year-round.

How:

Overview at the video-tutorial “Know more about registering for language learning”

Deadlines and schedule:

The Course Brochures list key information: LMS code, class schedule and “course start” or “last day to enrol”,

Registration and cancellation deadlines (“last day to enrol”, “last day to drop”) are also visible in inspira.un.org and elearning.un.org and disappear when expired.

Restrictions:

A maximum of four instructor-led courses per term or 50 hours of instruction. UN Secretariat volunteers can take only one instructor-led course per term.
These restrictions do not apply to self-study courses.

Requirements:

Register using an official e-mail address
Check eligibility before registering
Understand the programme by reading the Terms and Conditions of Service
Pay applicable course fees (if any) when registering.

Support:

Registration Assistance Form

Registration Assistance Form. How to Request Support

To receive registration support from a team member, the best way to contact us is by filling out the Registration Assistance Form. We will respond within three business days.

In the following cases, the Language and Communications Training Unit will not be able to help:

loss of login credentials: Try “Forgot User ID" or "Forgot User Password” or “Contact us" option in inspira.un.org or elearning.un.org.
technical issues, such as login error, black screen, system running too slow, system shutting down unexpectedly, not being able to print: Try the "Contact us" option in inspira.un.org or elearning.un.org.

Completing a registration in inspira.un.org or elearning.un.org is an individual responsibility, which cannot be transferred to or completed for another person. The Registration Assistance Form. is a contact form for assistance and support only.