Harvard Law School International Legal Studies (ILS) Post-Graduate Fellowships

The ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship is run by the International Legal Studies office at Harvard Law School. It pays recent HLS graduates to take up a clerkship or internship at an international, foreign regional, or supranational court or tribunal — placements that are typically unpaid. A position of nine to twelve months is funded with a grant of up to $45,000; positions of six to eight months are considered with proportionally reduced funding.

Harvard Law School stated that up to one or two fellowships were expected to be awarded for 2026–2027. Applicants arrange their own placement, and the fellowship pays for the time rather than sourcing the position.

Benefits & funding

Grant of up to $45,000 for a placement of nine to twelve months.
Placements of six to eight months funded at a proportionally reduced amount.
Covers positions that are unfunded or pay a stipend below $1,000 per month.
Up to one or two fellowships were expected in the 2026–2027 cycle.

Eligibility

Open to Harvard Law School graduates of the classes of 2023 through 2026 for the 2026–2027 cycle; the eligible classes shift with each cycle.
No nationality or residency requirement is stated.
The placement must be at an international, foreign regional, or supranational court or tribunal; United States courts and foreign national courts do not qualify.
The position must be unfunded or pay less than $1,000 per month.
The placement must run at least six months; nine to twelve months attracts the full grant.
Applicants must not have previously worked as a clerk or legal intern at the same court or tribunal.
In the 2026–2027 cycle the qualifying position had to be confirmed by April 15, 2026.

Can you apply?

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Education required
Master · PhD

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Application process

1
Secure a clerkship or internship at a qualifying international, regional, or supranational court or tribunal.
2
Prepare a statement of interest of up to 1,000 words, a current CV or resume, an HLS transcript, and a commitment letter from the host court confirming the dates of the position.
3
Arrange two letters of recommendation, at least one of them from an HLS professor.
4
Applicants who have not yet secured a position add a 250-word addendum describing the steps taken so far.
5
Submit the application through Harvard’s CARAT system by the January deadline.
6
Decisions arrive in mid-February. Fellows file one report at the halfway point and one on completion, and report their subsequent employment plans.

Program timeline

Application deadline (2026–2027 cycle)
Jan 12, 2026
2026-02
Decisions announced, mid-February
Deadline to have the qualifying position confirmed
Apr 15, 2026
Funded placements of six to twelve months take place
2026–2027
2026 autumn
Call for the 2027–2028 cycle expected; not yet posted