Harvard Law School Human Rights Program

Applying for the HRP Global Human Rights Fellowship

HRP will not be offering the Global Human Rights Fellowship in 2013-2014.

Eligibility

For Harvard Law School J.D. students: 3Ls expecting to receive the J.D. degree in June 2012, as well as recent J.D. graduates.

For Harvard Law School LL.M. students: Students who expect to receive the LL.M. degree in 2012.

Interviews may be required for finalists with the Fellowship selection committee.

Application

A complete application will consist of the following:

  • Curriculum vitae, including information about classes, work and extracurricular activities in public interest and human rights inside and outside of Harvard Law School;
  • A personal statement (500 words maximum) about the applicant's relevant experience, interest, and future aspirations with respect to public interest and human rights work. The statement should include a discussion of the place of the fellowship in the applicant's career plans;
  • project description (see below for project requirements) including: a description of the sponsoring organization and of its work in the local and international context; a discussion of the student's project and its relation to the work of the organization; and an estimated budget (to demonstrate feasibility);
  • A letter and supporting material from the sponsoring organization (or related organizations) detailing their purpose, function, and particular interest in the work of the applicant;
  • Two or three letters of recommendation, including at least one from an HLS professor;
  • HLS transcript

Fellowship Selection Process

The Human Rights Program will oversee the administration of the HRP Global Human Rights Fellowship. Mindy Jane Roseman, the Academic Director, will advise students preparing applications on the substance of their proposal - whether particular sponsoring groups qualify, whether a student can work out arrangements to work with related NGOs on a single project, and so on. The Program may seek to supplement the application with information from the applicant or other informed sources.

Additional Information

Particular weight will be given to:

  • The applicant's relevant experience, including academic experience, extracurricular activities, and work experience that evidence a high capacity for and commitment to human rights work and the proposed project;
  • The merit and feasibility of the applicant's project, including the capacity of the proposed organization or organizations to host the applicant and make valuable use of his or her work;
  • The relevance of the project for the career plans of the applicant.

Project Details

Applicants should contact organizations as early as possible to determine their needs and the capacity of the applicant to fill them. Projects should be as detailed as possible. Many smaller NGOs, however, will not be able to predict their exact needs far in advance. The informed commitment of the NGO to work closely with the applicant and devote institutional resources to the project is as important as the substantive detail of the project itself.

Funding Amounts and Restrictions

Fellowship awards are made without regard to financial need, and are based on an applicant's project proposal and budget. Fellows are required to keep HRP informed of any additional funding.

Additional Requirements

The recipient of the HRP Global Human Rights Fellowship will be asked to travel back to Harvard Law School at least once during the fellowship period, to lead a presentation for students and HRP staff about their work and experience in the field. Additionally, the recipient will be expected to keep the fellowship selection committee abreast of their work during the course of the fellowship.

For More Information

For more information on the HRP Global Human Rights Fellowship, please contact:

Human Rights Program
Harvard Law School
Pound Hall 401
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617-495-9362
Email: hrp@law.harvard.edu