The International Court of Justice (ICJ) invites applications for the Judicial Fellows Programme 2020-21. 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.

Selection Criteria 

• The program is highly selective. 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.
• In addition to that, the candidates should be 31 years of age or younger at the time the program begins. The organizers might wave this requirement in special circumstances.
• Similarly, the participants must have excellent reading, writing, and oral skills in at least English or French.
• Furthermore, the university sponsors and nominates its candidates.

Costs

• 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.
• Furthermore, 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.

Application Procedure

The organizers will ask the candidates to submit the following documents via their University

• Letter from the University agreeing to sponsor the candidate.
• Also, the program requires the application form and summary table filled in by the candidate.
• In addition to that, the candidates must submit their official academic records.
• Finally, they also require one writing sample no more than 15 pages.

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