• IMF Live
International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund

Loading component...

IMF Training Program Selection and Sponsorship

Selection and Sponsorship Hero
  • Program Home
  • Find Course
  • Thematic Areas - NEW
  • Eligibility
  • All Locations
Connect with IMF Institute

Loading component...

Browse by course locations

  • All locations
  • Austria (JVI)
  • India (SARTTAC)
  • Kuwait (CEF)
  • Mauritius (ATI)
  • Paraguay (PTP)
  • Peoples Republic of China (CICDC)
  • Singapore (STI)
  • United States (HQ)
  • Online Learning (OL)
  • Other Training (OT)

Loading component...

  • About
      • IMF’s Work

      • IMF at a Glance
      • Surveillance
      • Lending
      • Capacity Development
      • IMF Factsheets List
      • How the IMF Supports the Global Economy
      • RESOURCES

      • IMF Members
      • IMF Finances
      • IMF Financial Statements
      • IMF Senior Officials
      • IMF in History
      • Archives of the IMF
      • Job Opportunities
      • TOPICS

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Fintech
      • Fiscal Policies
      • Governance and Anti-Corruption
      • All Topics
  • Research
      • Flagship Publications

      • World Economic Outlook
      • Global Financial Stability Report
      • Fiscal Monitor
      • External Sector Report
      • Other Publications

        • Staff Discussion Notes
        • Working Papers
        • IMF Research Perspectives
        • Economic Review
        • Commodity Prices
        • Commodities Data Portal
        • IMF Researchers
        • Annual Research Conference
        • Other IMF Events
  • Countries
      • IMF reports and publications by country

        • A
        • B
        • C
        • D
        • E
        • F
        • G
        • H
        • I
        • J
        • K
        • L
        • M
        • N
        • O
        • P
        • Q
        • R
        • S
        • T
        • U
        • V
        • Y
        • Z
        • IMF Resident Representative Offices
        • IMF Regional Reports
        • IMF and Europe
        • IMF Members' Quotas and Voting Power, and Board of Governors
      • Regional Offices

      • IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
      • IMF Capacity Development Office in Thailand (CDOT)
      • IMF Office in the Pacific Islands
      • IMF Europe Office in Paris and Brussels
      • IMF Regional Office for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe
      • IMF Regional Office in Riyadh
      • IMF Regional Office in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic
      • Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU)
  • Capacity Development
      • What We Do
      • How We Work
      • IMF Training
      • Digital Training Program
      • Online Learning
      • Our Partners
      • Country Stories
      • Technical Assistance Reports
      • High-Level Summary Technical Assistance Reports
      • Strategy and Policies
  • News
      • All News

        • IMF Live
        • Country Focus
        • Chart of the Week
        • Communiqués
        • Mission Concluding Statements
        • Press Releases
        • Speeches
        • Statements at Donor Meetings
        • Transcripts
        • Views & Commentaries
      • See Also

      • IMFBlog
      • Article IV Consultations
      • Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP)
      • Seminars, Conferences, & Other Events
      • E-mail Notification
      • For Journalists

      • Press Center

        The IMF Press Center is a password-protected site for working journalists.

      • Login or Register
      • Information of interest
  • Videos
      • IMF Live
      • About the IMF
      • Conferences
      • Press briefings
      • Speeches
      • Special Features
      • Africa
      • Americas
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Middle East and Central Asia
      • Economic Outlook
      • Annual and spring meetings
      • Capacity Development
      • Most Recent
      • Most Popular
  • Data
      • IMF Data Portal
      • World Economic Outlook Databases
      • AI Preparedness Index
      • Climate Change Indicators Dashboard
      • IMF Finances
      • Standards for Data Dissemination
      • International Financial Statistics
      • Financial Access Survey
      • G20 Data Gaps Initiative
      • Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves
      • World Revenue Longitudinal Data
  • Publications
      • RESOURCES

      • Publications Advanced Search
      • IMF eLibrary
      • IMF Bookstore
      • Publications Newsletter
      • Essential Reading Guides
      • FLAGSHIPS

      • World Economic Outlook
      • Global Financial Stability Report
      • Fiscal Monitor
      • External Sector Report
      • Regional Economic Reports
      • KEY SERIES

      • Country Reports
      • Departmental Papers
      • Policy Papers
      • Books
      • Selected Issues Papers
      • IMF NOTES

      • IMF Notes
      • How-To Notes
      • Technical Notes and Manuals
      • Staff Discussion Notes

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 complete this form 

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

International Monetary Fund
  • About
  • Research
  • Countries
  • Capacity Development
  • News
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Data
  • Publications
  • Social Media Hub
  • Annual Report
  • Copyright and Usage
  • Privacy Notice
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Glossary
  • Scam Alert
  • IMF Brand
  • عربي
  • 中文
  • Français
  • 日本語
  • Русский
  • Español

© 2026 International Monetary Fund. All rights reserved.

  • IMF Live