The United Nations International Law Fellowship Programme is organized by the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs.

The Fellowship Programme consists of an annual summer course at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. The participants attend lectures and seminars in international law organized by the Codification Division as well as the public international law session at The Hague Academy of International Law.

The lectures and seminars organized by the Codification Division are given by prominent international law scholars and practitioners from different regions and legal systems.

The Fellowship Programme is conducted in English or French.

Benefits

Objectives

  • The Fellowship Programme provides high-quality training by prominent international law scholars and practitioners on a broad range of core topics of international law. In addition, the interactive nature of the training allows the participants to share experiences and exchange ideas, which promotes greater understanding and cooperation on contemporary issues of international law.
  • The Fellowship Programme is intended to enable qualified professionals, in particular government officials and teachers of international law from developing countries and countries with emerging economies, to deepen their knowledge of international law and of the legal work of the United Nations.
  • The Fellowship Programme accommodates up to 20 participants from developing countries and countries with emerging economies.

Benefits

  • The fellowships cover the fellowship recipient’s travel costs in economy class, accommodation, medical insurance, participation in the Fellowship Programme, the training material and the registration fee for the public international law session at The Hague Academy of International Law. In accordance with the policies and procedures governing the administration of United Nations fellowships, participants will also receive a stipend to cover other living expenses.
  • Qualified candidates may also apply for self-funded positions. Self-funded participants bear all costs associated with their participation (travel, accommodation, living expenses and registration fee for The Hague Academy of International Law). Training materials are provided to all self-funded participants free of charge.

Requirements

  • To qualify for the Fellowship Programme, candidates must have a legal background with professional experience in the field of international law. The selected candidates are required to certify that they are able to attend the Fellowship Programme in its entirety.

Selection Process

Selection process

  • When selecting participants for the Fellowship Programme, due consideration is given to the candidates’ qualifications, to the scope of their professional duties, to the relevance of the training to their professional duties, geographical distribution and gender balance. Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.
  • Due consideration will also be given to candidates from Member States from which there has been no recent fellowship recipient for the International Law Fellowship Programme.

Method of Application

  • Complete the application form in English, typewritten. Answers should be clear and as detailed as possible. If you need extra space, you may attach additional pages. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
  • The “Letter of Transmission” must be completed and signed by a senior official of the institution that is presenting the candidate’s application.
  • A candidate whose mother tongue or language of instruction is not English must submit evidence of their ability to attend and participate in lectures and seminars conducted in English (e.g., diploma of courses conducted in English, language test certificate, extensive work experience in English). Applications without a valid language certification will not be considered.
  • The application should be sent by email to: ilfp@un.org

For More Information,

Visit the Official Webpage

Application Deadline: March 22, 2024.