United Nations International Law

Application Deadline: 22 March 2024

For the United Nations International Law Fellowship Program in 2024, applications are now being accepted. The Codification Division of the UN Office of Legal Affairs oversees the organization of the UN International Law Fellowship Program.

Objectives:

The Fellowship Program offers top-notch instruction on a wide range of fundamental areas of international law from eminent researchers and practitioners in the field. Furthermore, because the training is participatory, participants can share ideas and experiences, which fosters better comprehension and collaboration on current international law topics.

The goal of the Fellowship Program is to give qualified professionals—especially government officials and international law instructors from poor and emerging nations—the opportunity to expand their understanding of international law and UN legal work.

Up to 20 participants from poor and emerging economies might be accommodated in the Fellowship Program.

The Programme Details:

• The yearly summer training for the Fellowship Program is held at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Both the public international law session at The Hague Academy of International Law and the lectures and seminars on international law hosted by the Codification Division are attended by the participants.
• Prominent international law practitioners and researchers from various jurisdictions and legal systems present at the lectures and seminars hosted by the Codification Division.
• Either French or English is used for the Fellowship Program.

Qualifications:

• 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 can attend the Fellowship Programme in its entirety.
• The Fellowship Programme will be conducted in English in 2024. Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

2024 Fellowship Programme:

The 2024 Fellowship Programme will be held at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, from 1 July to 2 August 2024. It will be conducted in English.

The topics that will be covered in the seminars and lectures organized by the Codification Division may include:

• Introduction to international law
• Treaty law
• International responsibility
• international peace and security
• Peaceful settlement of international disputes
• Diplomatic and consular law
• International human rights law
• International humanitarian law
• International criminal law
• International environmental law
• Law of the sea
• International trade law
• International investment law

Financial arrangements:

• The fellowships pay for the recipient’s accommodations, medical insurance, public international law session registration fees at The Hague Academy of International Law, training materials, travel expenses in economy class, and participation in the fellowship program. Participants will also get a stipend to cover additional living expenses, as per the guidelines and norms regulating the administration of United Nations fellowships.
• Self-funded roles are also open to qualified individuals. Participants who provide their funding are responsible for covering all participation-related costs, including travel, lodging, living expenses, and The Hague Academy of International Law registration fees. All individuals who are self-funding receive training materials at no cost to them.

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

Two versions of the application form must be submitted:
(1) One scanned copy of the signed original (for example in PDF or JPG)
(2) One electronic MS Word version (or equivalent) of the application

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the application and selection process and does not require information concerning candidates’ bank accounts.

The deadline for applications is 22 March 2024. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the United Nations International Law Fellowship Programme