Winter Term International Travel Grants

2009-2010 INFORMATION AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• Overview
• Program Deadlines and Requirements
• Projects and Placements
• Sources of Funding
• Eligibility for Funding
• Funding Guidelines
• Grant Amounts
• Applications for Funding
• Notification Deadlines
• Award Conditions and Grant Payment Schedule
• For Further Information and Questions

Overview

There are several ways to engage in international legal studies during Harvard Law School’s Winter Term.  The Law School offers a number of intensive courses with a significant emphasis on international, foreign or comparative law.  However, this document focuses on opportunities to do clinical or research and writing work abroad during Winter Term. 

HLS J.D. and LL.M. students may apply to participate in a two-credit Independent or Continuing Clinical during the Winter Term, which involves working 40 hours per week under the supervision of an on-site attorney and in coordination with an HLS faculty sponsor. For more information, please contact the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs in Austin 102.  HLS students are not eligible for credit for an “internship” abroad unless it meets the criteria of an independent clinical placement.

Individual HLS students may also register for the Winter Term Writing Program. A student who participates in the Winter Term Writing Program devotes his/her Winter Term to intensive, individualized research and writing under the supervision of an HLS faculty member.  Please see the Registrar’s website for more information, including specifics regarding credits (go to “J.D. Winter Writing Program” for J.D. students; LL.M. students will receive information on the LL.M. Winter Writing Program directly from the Graduate Program).

Please note that HLS students may not take courses at a foreign law school as a way of earning credit for Winter Term. 

HLS J.D. and LL.M. students who will be traveling abroad in furtherance of an approved Winter Term Writing or Clinical project who meet basic eligibility requirements (set forth in the Sources of Funding section below) will receive a Winter Term International Travel Grant of $800.  All students meeting these criteria will automatically be considered for additional support.  Additional funding is limited and will be awarded on a competitive basis, therefore students should not assume the availability of additional support beyond the $800 base grant.

Program Deadlines and Requirements

In order to receive a Winter Term International Travel Grant, a student must meet basic eligibility requirements and complete two applications: one regarding the substance of the project and the other for the travel grant itself.  The process is analogous to applying for admission and financial aid.

Program applications are due as follows:

• J.D. and LL.M. students seeking approval for Independent and Continuing Clinicals projects should submit applications to the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs in Austin 102 by Friday, October 23, 2009.
• J.D. students must register for the Winter Term Writing Program by submitting the required registration form to the Registrar’s Office in Pound 300 by Friday, November 6, 2009.
• LL.M. students seeking approval for Winter Term Writing Program projects should submit applications to the Graduate Program in Lewis 203 by Friday, November 13, 2009 in accordance with information distributed by the Graduate Program.

International travel grant applications are due as follows:

• J.D. students for Independent and Continuing Clinicals and for Winter Term Writing Program projects should submit grant applications to International Legal Studies in Lewis 231 by Monday, November 9, 2009.
• LL.M. students for Independent and Continuing Clinicals should submit grant applications to International Legal Studies in Lewis 231 by Monday, November 9, 2009.
• LL.M. students for Winter Term Writing Program projects should submit grant applications to International Legal Studies in Lewis 231 by Friday, November 13, 2009.

The Winter Term International Travel Grant Program confers a financial grant only. Students are responsible for arranging academic credit for the Winter Term directly with appropriate faculty and offices (e.g., Registrar’s Office, Clinical and Pro Bono Programs, Graduate Program).

Projects and Placements

Students have participated in a wide variety of international projects and placements during the Winter Term.

Examples of past Winter Term Writing Project topics include: changes to the Russian visa regime and its effect on non-governmental organizations; universal jurisdiction in French courts; South Korea’s newly-instituted citizen participation adjudication system; and gang violence in El Salvador and human rights abuses in the government’s response, among others. Students should consult with their faculty supervisors about the best direction for writing projects. 

Examples of past clinical placements include: South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority; the Documentation Center of Cambodia; the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society; and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. Students may wish to consult with the Clinical and Pro Bono Programs Office for guidance on projects of interest. 

Please note: Students are responsible for the ethical implications of their research. If a student’s project involves interviews, surveys, or obtaining information about individuals by other means, it may require review by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. The Law School liaison at the Committee, Elizabeth Bowie, ebowie@fas.harvard.edu, can determine whether a student’s project requires review, and assist with the application process.

Sources of Funding

For international travel related to Winter Term clinicals and projects approved for the Winter Writing Program in January 2010, a student who meets basic eligibility criteria and program requirements and who is accepted to the applicable Winter Term program will be guaranteed Winter Term International Travel Grants of $800, provided that anticipated, reasonable expenses are equal to or exceed that amount.  If expenses for a proposed project will be less than $800, a student should apply for that lower amount.

In addition, students who meet the criteria for guaranteed funding, and whose anticipated expenses exceed $800, will be automatically considered for a small number of additional Winter Term grants through the Cravath International Fellows Program, the Human Rights Program, and the Reginald F. Lewis Internship Program.  In awarding these larger grants, the Selection Committee will consider:

• the necessity of travel in order to complete the project
• the reason that a particular student should undertake the project, including its relation to the student’s past and intended academic, intellectual, clinical and other experiences 
• the appropriateness of the scope and the feasibility of the project
• the potential impact of the project. 
• the thoughtfulness and clarity of the proposal 
• the relationship of the proposed budget to the outlined project

Funding priorities of the Cravath International Fellows program, the Human Rights Program, and the Reginald F. Lewis Internship Program are as follows:

Cravath International Fellowships provide funding to a selected number of HLS students to pursue academic projects with an international, transnational, or comparative law focus.  Priority will be given to J.D. students, but LL.M. students are also eligible to compete for selection.  Although Cravath Fellows' projects may involve clinical placements, efforts will be made to first fund the strongest research proposals.  Following the completion of their Winter Term projects, Cravath Fellows will present their work to members of the HLS community as well as lawyers from Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

The Human Rights Program awards a small number grants to HLS students conducting human rights research abroad during winter term. The program’s emphasis is on research for 3L papers, seminar papers or other academic work involving research in the developing world. HRP will also consider proposals from students traveling to the developing world in connection with human rights clinical or advocacy projects. (Note: the Human Rights Program will only sponsor students who have previously participated in a HRP clinical.) 

Reginald F. Lewis Internship grants are available for research and clinical projects of an international nature.  Past Lewis internship grants have supported work relating to law and development, environmental law, human rights, and international business, trade, and poverty, among other areas of focus.

There is no need for students to apply separately for Cravath, HRP, and Lewis grants as they will be coordinated as part of the Winter Term International Travel Grant Program.

In those cases where additional funding is provided, Winter Term International Travel Grants will not exceed $3,000 per student save in exceptional circumstances justified in the application budget.

Depending on the nature of the project, students may also be eligible for funding from various research centers and programs at Harvard Law School or research centers and programs throughout Harvard University and is encouraged to inquire and apply directly.

Eligibility for Funding

In order to be considered for a Winter Term International Travel Grant of $800, a student must:

• Be enrolled as a J.D. or LL.M. student at HLS during Winter Term of January 2010. 
• Apply for and be approved for a clinical project or register for a Winter Term Writing project that will require travel outside of the United States during the month of January 2010. 
• Submit the Winter Term International Travel Grant Application together with all required attachments (see section below on Applications for Funding), including a copy of the program application, to International Legal Studies.
• Demonstrate (in the application) the criticality of international travel to the completion of the project itself.
• Provide evidence of strong faculty support for the project.

Applicants should note the following:

• Students who are citizens of countries other than the United States and are conducting a Winter Term project in their home countries will not be guaranteed the $800 base funding, though they may be awarded a travel grant based on the substantive merits of their proposal and the availability of funding. 
• Students who are traveling internationally over Winter Term in conjunction with a class (e.g., Making Rights Real: The Ghana Project) are not eligible for a Winter Term International Travel Grant; they will receive information about funding directly from their professor.
• Winter term international travel grants will be awarded on an individual basis. Accordingly, students who propose to undertake a project in a pair or small group must submit separate applications and provide a detailed explanation of why each student is necessary and the specific role s/he will play. Also, no more than three students may receive funding for the same independent Winter Term project.  (The Winter Term International Travel Grant Program has a limited pool of funds and is designed to support a variety of well-conceived projects.
• Students who received Winter Term International Travel Grants for January 2009 are not precluded from applying for funding for January 2010.  The proposals of all applicants (whether applying for the first or second time) will be evaluated on their merits in relation to the other proposed projects for 2010.
• Winter Term projects should be conducted for a minimum of 13 working days (not including travel) during January 2010.

Funding Guidelines

Items in a budget proposal should be expenses that are necessary for the completion of the project.  These expenses should also be reasonable (for example, economy class flights only) and verifiable – a student will be asked in his/her budget proposal to specify where s/he found the prices noted, and to provide receipts upon his/her return.  Expenses related to retaining an apartment in Cambridge, MA while traveling abroad cannot be included in budget proposals.  Students should try to secure the least expensive flights possible, as the pool of Winter Term funding is limited.

If travel will not originate in Boston, it should be because it is less costly to travel from another city to the destination than it is to travel from Boston to the destination. Other expenses such as lodging can be included in the budget proposal for funding consideration if they are necessary costs.

Grant Amounts

Winter Term International Travel Grants will be in the amount of $800 per student, provided that anticipated and reasonable expenses are equal to or exceed that amount.

As noted above, the amount of additional Winter Term grants, if any, will be determined on a case-by-case basis as described above in the section on Sources of Funding.  

A student who is a US citizen or permanent resident and who does not receive full funding for his/her project should inquire with the Student Financial Services Office about a possible loan in order to cover a shortfall in Winter Term project expenses.

Applications for Funding

Applications for Winter Term International Travel Grants must be submitted in hard copy by 5:00 pm on Monday, November 9, 2009 (except for those from LL.M. students applying for the Winter Term writing program; these applications are due on Friday, November 13, 2009) to International Legal Studies in Lewis 231.

Applications for Winter Term International Travel Grants must include the following:

• Application Form, which includes the Project Proposal Summary and Budget Proposal
• A letter (sent by e-mail to ils@law.harvard.edu or campus mail to International Legal Studies in Lewis 231) from the student’s clinical supervisor in the case of clinical projects, or the writing supervisor in the case of the winter term writing program.  The letter should indicate that the faculty member has reviewed the proposed project and offer comments on its merit and the student’s ability to conduct the work outlined.
• Official current HLS transcript from the Registrar’s Office;
• Resume or curriculum vitae;
• A copy of the student’s program application (J.D. or LL.M. Writing Program, Independent or Continuing Clinical). Specific program application requirements and forms can be found here:
• J.D. Winter Term Writing Program (see section entitled “J.D. Winter Writing Program”)
• LL.M. Winter Term Writing Program - information will be available from the Graduate Program 
• Independent Clinical Projects
• Continuing Clinical Projects

Notification Deadlines

We will notify J.D. students by November 23, 2009 about decisions on the amount of the travel grant they have been awarded.  J.D. students will have until December 7, 2009 to decide whether to accept the travel grant in relation to a Winter Term project abroad.  LL.M. students who apply for international travel grants will be advised of funding decisions following decisions on their Winter Term Writing Program applications.

Award Conditions and Grant Payment Schedule

Upon notification that a student has been awarded a grant, s/he will receive a grant agreement as well as relevant information about the grant. All steps specified in the grant agreement must be completed by the stipulated deadlines, or the student will be asked to reimburse his/her grant in full to Harvard Law School.

In order to receive a grant, a student must complete the following steps no later than December 7, 2009:

• Indicate to the International Legal Studies office in writing his/her intention to accept the Winter Term International Travel Grant for the project described in his/her proposal.
• Review, complete, sign and return the Winter Term International Travel Grant Agreement.
• Review, complete, sign and return the Assumption of Risk and General Release Form.  International Legal Studies will provide an International SOS membership card and registration instructions.
• Attend either of the two mandatory pre-departure information sessions.  These sessions will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, and from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2009.  
• Submit verification of travel costs (e-mail confirmations, receipts, bills, etc.).  In the event that verification of a portion of travel costs can only be provided upon return, a student should submit as much as possible prior to Winter Term and the remainder upon his/her return to HLS no later than Friday, February 12, 2010. HLS reserves the right to seek reimbursement of funds for any portion of a grant that a student is unable to substantiate. 
• If a student is not a US citizen, s/he must also submit a Foreign National Information Form and copies of the necessary visa documents. 

Once a student completes and submits all appropriate paperwork, it generally takes at least three weeks to receive a check. Students should not expect to receive checks before the end of the HLS final exam period in December. Checks will be sent to the mailing address provided by students. In providing a mailing address, students should keep in mind that checks will be mailed between December 18–31, 2009 (providing that a student submits the appropriate paperwork in a timely manner). Because Harvard University is closed for part of December, payment requests received after December 7 may not be fulfilled until January.

Students must complete the final grant requirements no later than Friday, February 12:

• Submit a five-page report about his/her Winter Term work to ils@law.harvard.edu. This report is related to the grant only and is not a substitute for any academic writing requirements in relation to the Winter Writing Program or Clinical Program.
• Submit verification of any travel costs not provided before the student’s departure.

We hope that all students who receive Winter Term International Travel Grants will be able to take advantage of the funding.  However, if a student does not pursue or complete his/her project in substantially the form proposed, then s/he is responsible for notifying the grant committee and returning any funding received.

For Further Information or Questions

Students should direct questions as follows:

J.D. Winter Term Writing Program
Registrar’s Office
Pound 300
(617) 495-4612
registrar@law.harvard.edu

LL.M. Winter Term Writing Program
Tracey Godbold
Graduate Program
Lewis 203
(617) 496-8210
tgodbold@law.harvard.edu

Independent or Continuing Clinical Projects
Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs
Austin 102
(617) 495-5202
clinical@law.harvard.edu

Winter Term International Travel Grant Program
Sara Zucker
International Legal Studies
Lewis 231
(617) 495-9030
szucker@law.harvard.edu