Winter Term International Travel Grants

There are a number of ways to engage in international legal studies during Harvard Law School’s Winter Term. The Law School offers many courses with a significant emphasis on international, foreign or comparative law, several of which are taught in an intensive fashion over winter term. This document focuses on opportunities to do independent clinical or research / writing projects abroad during Winter Term.

Clinical Projects: 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 WCC Suite 3085, 6 Everett Street. HLS students are not eligible for credit for an “internship” abroad unless it meets the criteria of an independent clinical placement.

Research / Writing Projects: HLS J.D. and LL.M. students may 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 Winter Writing Program web page for more information, including specifics regarding credits.

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

Program Deadlines and Requirements

In order to be eligible for a Winter Term International Travel Grant, a student must 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.

Again, 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 as specified above.

Eligibility for Funding

In order to be considered for a Winter Term International Travel Grant, an HLS student must:

Please note, however, that these are minimum eligibility requirements and meeting them does not necessarily guarantee a Winter Term International Travel Grant. Also, although expenses for international travel can be significant, the Grants Selection Committee is concerned primarily with the quality of the proposed project. The fact that it would be expensive for a student to undertake certain travel is not, in and of itself, the basis for a substantial grant. For further information about what makes a proposal strong, and therefore more likely to receive a grant on the larger end of the spectrum, please see the sections on Necessary Project Elements and Examples of Strong Proposals.

Projects and Placements

Students have participated in a wide variety of international projects and placements during the Winter Term. Examples of past research / writing project topics include: changes to the Russian visa regime and its effect on non-governmental organizations; universal jurisdiction in French courts; legal strategies for economic development to protect traditional resource users in Mali; the effect of co-determination on German corporate governance; 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: the Australian Law Reform Commission; South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority; the Documentation Center of Cambodia; the Public Interest Law Institute in Hungary; 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.

Students need to consider the potential value of their projects as well as possible risks and challenges. Winter Term is quite short and students must think carefully about the scope and work plan of their projects. Inevitably, students who prepare in advance both substantively (e.g., reading, consulting with people who have relevant expertise, arranging meetings for Winter Term) and in terms of logistics (e.g., accommodations, transportation, and even safety) have a much better and more productive Winter Term experience. Conducting clinical work or research abroad can pose particular challenges and students need to try to anticipate how they will adapt to different conditions.

Properly planned Winter Term projects can be fascinating and rewarding. Some students have considered Winter Term abroad to be the highlight of their time at HLS. But in order for these Winter Term projects to be successful, students must plan and prepare appropriately.

Please note: If a student’s project involves interviews, surveys, or other ways of obtaining information about individuals, it may require review by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. For further information, see the section below on Use of Human Subjects. Also, students are urged to attend a special session about this subject on which will be held on Wednesday, October 17 at 12 p.m. in Wasserstein B010.

Necessary Project Elements

Although the topics and methodologies of projects can range considerably, certain elements contribute to the strength and success of a project proposal. In deciding which projects merit grants, and the amounts of those grants, the Selection Committee will consider:

the necessity of travel in order to complete the project
the reasons the student wants to undertake the project, including its relation to the student’s goals, and academic, intellectual, practical and other experiences
the appropriateness of the scope and the feasibility of the project
the student’s qualifications for the project, including foreign language proficiency if relevant
the potential impact of the project
the thoughtfulness, clarity, and completeness of the proposal
the correlation between the project and the area of expertise of the student’s HLS faculty supervisor
the relationship of the proposed budget to the outlined project

For examples of elements that made some recent proposals compelling, please see the section below entitled Examples of Strong Proposals.

Pair or Group Projects

Winter Term International Travel Grants will be awarded on an individual basis so that the program can support a variety of well-conceived projects. 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. Usually no more than three students may receive funding for the same independent Winter Term project though exceptions may be made if circumstances warrant. As applications will be evaluated independently, it is possible that students working together will not all be awarded grants or that, if they are, the amounts may differ.

Use of Human Subjects

Students are responsible for the ethical implications of their research. If a student’s project includes research involving human subjects, including interviews, surveys, or obtaining information by other means, it may require review by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. The Law School liaison at the Committee, Jan Jaeger, can determine whether a student’s project requires review, and assist with the application process.

Students should check with Jan in advance of submitting their funding applications (due November 5) in order to ascertain whether their projects require review and, if so, to obtain it in a timely manner. In order to facilitate the review process, we will hold a session about the use of human subjects on October 17 at 12:00 p.m. in Wasserstein B010. Students are strongly urged to attend this session in order to hear from Jan about the requirements for review, and to discuss with her whether their specific projects need approval from the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects.

Grant Amounts and Funding Guidelines

Winter Term International Travel Grants will not exceed the amount of anticipated, reasonable expenses detailed in the grant application. Funding will be awarded to qualifying students in amounts expected to range from $800 to $2,000 per student. Grants will not exceed $2,500 per student save in exceptional circumstances justified in the application budget.

Please note that students opting to purchase plane tickets in advance of the November 20 grant notification date should be aware that grants are not guaranteed. Therefore, students should plan carefully to secure the funding needed and may wish to purchase cancellation insurance.

The budget proposal should include only reasonable expenses that are necessary for the completion of the project. Students should try to secure the least expensive flights possible. 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. However, expenses related to retaining an apartment in Cambridge, MA while traveling abroad cannot be included in budget proposals. Expenses must also be verifiable – a student will be asked in his/her budget proposal to specify where s/he found the prices noted, and will need to provide receipts upon his/her return.

A student who does not receive sufficient funding for his/her project may inquire with Student Financial Services about a possible loan to cover a shortfall in Winter Term project expenses.

Applications for Funding

Applications for Winter Term International Travel Grants from J.D. and LL.M. students doing Independent or Continuing Clinicals and J.D. students participating in Winter Term Writing must be submitted in hard copy to International Legal Studies in Wasserstein 5005 by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 5, 2012. LL.M. students applying for the Winter Term Writing Program should submit their grant applications in hard copy by Tuesday, November 13, 2012 to International Legal Studies in Wasserstein 5005.

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 Wasserstein 5005) from the student’s HLS faculty supervisor. 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. The more substantive and detailed the letter, the more useful it will be in the Selection Committee’s deliberations.
Current HLS official transcript from the Registrar’s Office. Please note that requests for official transcripts may take 3-5 days to process so grant applicants should plan accordingly.
Resume or curriculum vitae
A copy of the student’s program application or registration form (J.D. or LL.M. Winter Term Writing Program, Independent or Continuing Clinical). Specific program application requirements and forms can be found here:
- 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
For students conducting research / writing projects: a bibliography of basic sources on the topic they wish to explore

Notification Deadlines

We will notify J.D. students by Tuesday, November 20, 2012 whether they have been awarded a Winter Term International Travel Grant and, if so, the amount. J.D. students and LL.M. students conducting clinical projects will have until Monday, December 3, 2012 to decide whether to accept the travel grant in relation to a winter term project abroad. LL.M. students who apply for the Winter Term Writing Program will be advised of funding decisions following decisions on their 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 Monday, December 3, 2012:

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.
Register the trip in the Harvard Travel Registry.
Attend either of the two mandatory pre-departure information sessions. These sessions will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, and from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 30, 2012.
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 15, 2013. 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 mailed between December 14 and 20, 2012 to the mailing address provided by the student, provided that s/he submits the appropriate paperwork in a timely manner. Because Harvard University is closed for part of December, payment requests received after Monday, December 3 may not be processed until January.

Students must complete the final grant requirements no later than Friday, February 15, 2013:

Submit a five-page report about the 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. This report should, however, provide information about the substance of the work conducted and conclusions reached.
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.

Sources of Funding

Sources of funding for the Winter Term International Travel Grant Program include the Cravath International Fellowships, the Human Rights Program, and the Reginald F. Lewis Internship Program. Their funding priorities are described below for informational purposes. However, 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.

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.

The Human Rights Program awards a small number of grants to HLS students conducting human rights research abroad during Winter Term. The program’s emphasis is on research for Winter Term Writing 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.

Depending on the nature of the project, students may also wish to inquire directly with various research centers and programs at Harvard Law School or research centers and programs throughout Harvard University about possible sources of funding.

Examples of Strong Proposals

Here are examples of elements that made some recent proposals compelling:

Student A had secured a clinical placement with a non-profit organization in Australia that dealt with art law. His project involved license agreements for artists participating in creative enterprise hubs designed to revitalize city centers. The student had practical and academic experience with art / entertainment law and intellectual property law and policy. He described specifically how his Winter Term work would build on skills and knowledge he had gained through experiences prior to law school, summer jobs, and courses at HLS, as well as how the clinical placement would allow him to gain understanding in a practice area that directly related to work he hoped to do after law school. It also seemed that the student would be able to contribute significantly to the placement organization. The application included a strong endorsement from his faculty advisor which confirmed the sense of the Selection Committee that the student was well-positioned for an effective Winter Term project.

Student B wished to travel to South Korea to conduct research for a paper on a pilot program to assess whether the country should adopt a jury system. He intended to observe and review records of jury trials that were not available elsewhere, and to interview Korean lawyers and judges. The student had worked in South Korea previously and possessed the necessary foreign language skills to conduct his research independently. It was clear from the student’s proposal --- and the recommendation from the HLS faculty member supervising him --- that he had conducted a good amount of research on the topic in the fall semester. He was able to identify specific research questions and had contacted key individuals in South Korea to enlist support in arranging access during his visit. (The student’s paper was later accepted for publication in a noted peer-reviewed journal, though this accomplishment was exceptional rather than the norm for Winter Term projects.)

Student C conducted an independent clinical with the International Labor Organization office in Thailand. Her project examined labor protection and migration laws in the region, a logical outgrowth of her previous clinical and summer work in Asia and the US on anti-trafficking laws and immigration reform. She had taken a number of courses at HLS that provided her with relevant context for her Winter Term placement, and was able to articulate clearly how her project would be structured and what she hoped to learn from it.

Conversely, here are examples of problems with proposals that have resulted in the students not being granted funding:

The research topic or scope of the clinical project was deemed overly broad for a three-week period.
The research methodology was unclear – the student did not explain what she would do while she was abroad or how it would differ from research she could conduct in Harvard libraries.
The project was predicated on conducting interviews but contained almost no information about how these interviews would be arranged, what type of questions the student would ask, or whether her foreign language skills were sufficient.
The student was unfamiliar with basic operational practices in the foreign country to which he wished to travel, and failed to ascertain that the institutions where he intended to conduct research would be closed in January.
The student had not communicated adequately with the placement organization; she had only been in contact with her proposed supervisor briefly with a short e-mail exchange, and did not know what her clinical work would consist of.
The letter from a student’s proposed HLS faculty supervisor expressed concerns about the student’s qualifications or proposed project.

These examples do not constitute a comprehensive survey of strong and weak aspects of projects, but illustrate some key aspects the Selection Committee considers when evaluating proposals. It is not necessary for a student to have spent time previously in the country to which s/he plans to travel over Winter Term, but familiarity with the local context and language can be critical to working effectively. And while it is certainly possible for a student to spend Winter Term exploring a topic of recent rather than long-standing interest, the topic and destination should have some relevance to the student’s areas of study, skills, and experience, and not be a random choice or a thinly veiled justification for a leisure trip. Simply identifying an intriguing topic is not sufficient; a student must indicate how s/he will be able to do serious work on the subject over Winter Term.

For Further Information or Questions

Students should direct questions as follows:

J.D. Winter Term Writing Program
Registrar’s Office
Wasserstein 4007
(617) 495-4612
registrar@law.harvard.edu

Julie Barton
Director of Special Academic Programs
(617) 495-7192
jbarton@law.harvard.edu

LL.M. Winter Term Writing Program
Nancy Pinn
Graduate Program
Wasserstein 5005
(617) 384-8302
npinn@law.harvard.edu

Independent or Continuing Clinical Projects
Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs
Liz Solar
WCC 3085, 6 Everett Street
(617) 495-3765
esolar@law.harvard.edu

Winter Term International Travel Grant Program
Sara Zucker
International Legal Studies
Wasserstein 5005
(617) 495-9030
szucker@law.harvard.edu