Judicial Fellowship Program
The Programme was established in 1999 to enable recent law graduates to gain experience working at the ICJ. It aims to improve participants’ understanding of international law and of the Court’s procedures by actively involving them in the work of the Court and allowing them to build on their experience under the supervision of a judge.
The deadline for the submission of applications is 14 February 2021. The Court is expected to reach its final decision in April 2021. Nominating universities will be notified accordingly.
While it is possible to nominate a single candidate, the Court encourages universities to propose more than one. Universities are also strongly encouraged to limit nominations to candidates who have excellent results in their law studies and who have demonstrated an interest in international law through their studies, publications, or work experience. The Court does not accept applications from individuals.
About Fellowship
Each participant is assigned to one judge for a period of around ten months, from early September to June or July of the following year.
During this period:
- Participants can expect to attend public hearings of the Court,
- Research and write memorandums on legal questions or factual aspects of pending cases, and
- Have some involvement in other aspects of the Court’s work, the particulars of which will depend on the Court’s docket and the working methods of the judge to whom they are assigned.
- Work may also involve assisting the judge with conferences, speeches, and other duties.
- Participants will work alongside an associate legal officer, who is the primary legal assistant of each judge and is employed by the United Nations for a period of two to four years.
Who can Apply
- The Court accepts up to 15 participants a year, generally with no more than one from each nominating university.
- The Court looks in particular for candidates who have excellent results in their law studies and who have studied, published, or worked in international law.
- The candidates should be 31 years of age or younger at the time the program begins. This requirement may be waived in special circumstances. In making its selection, the Court seeks candidates of diverse nationalities.
- The official languages of the Court are English and French, and participants must have excellent reading, writing, and oral skills in at least one of these.
- Working knowledge of the second official language is an asset.
- Each nominating university must agree to fund the stipend, health insurance and travel costs of its candidate if selected.
- Although the Court does not stipulate the amount of the stipend to be paid, it should be sufficient to provide for a minimum standard of accommodation and subsistence in The Hague and should ensure that the selected candidate can benefit fully from his or her experience at the Court without the burden of financial hardship. The fellowship is not a self-funded internship, and candidates without adequate financial support from their nominating university will not be eligible.
- The Court will facilitate visas, if necessary, and provide working facilities, but it cannot offer financial support.
How to Apply
Universities that accept the above conditions and wish to nominate candidates to participate in the program are invited to fill out the form through the link given at the end of this post.
Kindly note that only universities that respond in the affirmative to all of these questions will be eligible to participate in the program and receive further application instructions.
Candidates will be asked to submit the following application materials through their universities:
- Letter from the university agreeing to sponsor the candidate;
- Application form and summary table, filled in by the candidate;
- Two or three letters of reference;
- Official academic records of the candidate;
- One writing sample of no more than 15 pages.
Location
The Hague, Netherlands
Contact Info
Queries may be directed to the Deputy-Registrar of the ICJ at the following address: [email protected]
Note: Interested graduates should reach out to their Universities to sponsor you for this great opportunity of the ICJ Judicial Fellowship Program.
