PUBLISHED:February 27, 2017

Duke Law announces post-graduate fellowship in International Law and Human Rights

Duke Law School is pleased to announce the creation of a one-year post-graduate fellowship in public international law and international human rights. Commencing in Fall 2017, the fellowship is intended to support students with a demonstrated interest and commitment to pursuing a career in public international law and human rights. For 2017-2018, the fellowship will enable one Duke Law graduate to work on international and human rights legal work for six months with the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) based in Geneva, Switzerland* and six months with an international non-governmental organization, also based in Geneva. The selected fellow will receive a stipend of $55,000.

The fellowship is open to JD, JD-LLM, and LLM students of Duke Law School who are graduating in May 2017, as well as to recent graduates within the past three years (i.e. classes of 2014, 2015, and 2016). Preference will be given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in public international law and/or human rights through their course work, clinical activities, externships, and other professional experiences.

Application process

To apply, applications must be submitted in full no later than Monday March 20, 2017 at 5pm Eastern Time. A complete application must include:

  • Personal statement of 1-2 pages
  • Resume
  • Official law school transcripts
  • List of three references
  • Writing sample

Applications should be sent as email attachments to Ali Prince, Program Coordinator for the Center for International and Comparative Law, at ali.prince@law.duke.edu, with the reference “International Law and Human Rights Post-Graduate Fellowship” in the subject line.

Selection process

Qualifications and criteria for selection will include the following:

  • Demonstrated knowledge of public international law and/or human rights law
  • Relevance of fellowship to applicant’s career goals
  • Curricular and extra-curricular activities undertaken in public international law and/or human rights law, including clinics and externships
  • Commitment to a career in public international law and/or human rights
  • Highly motivated and able to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team
  • Professional experience in public international law and/or human rights law
  • Written and oral communication skills, including additional knowledge of languages

A selection committee will notify finalists for an interview and a decision will be made before the end of the Spring semester.


*pending final approval of OHCHR