Summer Public Interest Funding
The Summer Public Interest Funding program provides funds to HLS students who choose to pursue positions in the public interest during the summer. A large portion of these positions are unpaid, which means students must find a way to support themselves, be it through other employment, fellowships, or personal resources, in order to accept the job. In recognition of the fact that these positions may provide valuable experience for students, HLS developed the SPIF program to make it possible for students to accept unpaid or underpaid summer public interest jobs which might otherwise be a financially exclusive option. Harvard Law School has the most comprehensive support for summer public interest work available. No law school offers more guaranteed funding for a broader range of public interest jobs.
For the summer of 2008, the minimum stipend for financial aid recipients working 10 weeks (350 hours) will be $5000 for 1Ls and $5500 for 2Ls and SJDs -- the largest weekly stipend offered by any school that guarantees funding. Students who do not qualify for academic year financial aid will be eligible for $3600 in funding. In addition, students can use funds from fellowships, employers, or non-HLS sources, to supplement the award they recieve for their SPIF position up to a generous cap of $6000 for first-year students or $7500 for second-year students and SJDs.
As a result of Harvard Law School's consistently growing support, the number of students choosing public interest work for the summer has increased dramatically over the past five years. A total of 373 students received Summer Public Interest Funding in the summer of 2007.
Operating out of the Student Financial Services office, the SPIF program awards stipends or Federal Work Study (FWS) to students who work in unfunded or partially funded public interest positions for ten weeks (350 hours) during the summer. Stipends are funded by HLS resources including annual support approved by the Dean, gifts from donors, and money raised by the student-run Public Interest Auction.
Supplemental funding can come from a variety of sources, including internal HLS summer fellowships, external sources such as non-HLS public interest fellowships (see Chapter 8 of OPIA's Serving the Public: A Job Search Guide), as well as stipends or pay from summer employers.
If you have questions about Summer Public Interest Funding, you may email the SPIF staff or call (617) 495-0643.