The ICJ or International Court of Justice is inviting applications from eligible universities around the world for its Judicial Fellowship Program 2022-2023.

Judicial Fellowship Program

The Programme was established in 1999 to enable recent law graduates to gain experience working at the ICJ. It aims to improve participants’ understanding of international law and of the Court’s procedures by actively involving them in the work of the Court and allowing them to build on their experience under the supervision of a judge.

About the Call for Applications

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) invites applications from eligible universities around the world for the 2022-2023 Judicial Fellowship Programme (formerly known as the University Traineeship Programme).

Looking for similar opportunities, join Opportunity Cell on WhatsApp or Telegram here.

What’s in this Fellowship?

Each participant is assigned to one judge for a period of around ten months, from early September to June or July of the following year.

During this period:

  • Participants can expect to attend public hearings of the Court,
  • Research and write memorandums on legal questions or factual aspects of pending cases, and
  • Have some involvement in other aspects of the Court’s work, the particulars of which will depend on the Court’s docket and the working methods of the judge to whom they are assigned.
  • Work may also involve assisting the judge with conferences, speeches, and other duties.
  • Participants will work alongside an associate legal officer, who is the primary legal assistant of each judge and is employed by the United Nations for a period of 2 to 4 years.

Trust Fund

  • In accordance with resolution 75/129, a trust fund for the Judicial Fellowship Programme was established by the UN Secretary-General in April 2021.
  • Starting with the 2022 intake and selection process, the trust fund will grant fellowship awards to selected candidates who are nationals of developing countries from universities based in developing countries, thereby improving and guaranteeing the geographic and linguistic diversity of the participants in the Programme.
  • Eligible universities in developing countries interested in applying for funding via the trust fund to sponsor their nominees can do so by clicking the link below to start the application process.

Who can Apply?

  • Universities are strongly encouraged to limit nominations to candidates who have shown excellent results in their legal studies and who have demonstrated an interest in public international law through their studies, publications and/or work experience.
  • The official languages of the Court are English and French, and participants must have excellent reading, writing and oral skills in at least one of them.
  • A working knowledge of the second official language is an asset.
  • Candidates should be 31 years of age or younger at the time the programme begins. This requirement may be waived in special circumstances. In making its selection, the Court seeks candidates of diverse nationalities.
  • The Court does not accept applications from individuals.

How to Apply?

  • While it is possible to nominate a single candidate, the Court encourages universities to propose more than one nominee.
  • Universities that accept the above conditions and wish to nominate candidates to participate in the program are invited to fill out the form through the link given at the end of this post.
  • Kindly note that only universities that respond in the affirmative to all of these questions will be eligible to participate in the program and receive further application instructions.

Application Deadline

  • The deadline for the submission of applications is February 13, 2022.
  • The Court is expected to reach its final decision in April 2022. Nominating universities will be notified accordingly.

Location

  • The Hague, Netherlands

Contact Information

  • Queries may be directed to the Deputy-Registrar of the ICJ at the following address: judicialfellowsprogramme[at]icj-cij.org​
  • Note: Interested graduates should reach out to their Universities to sponsor you for this great opportunity of the ICJ Judicial Fellowship Program.

Click here for the official announcement.

Click here to start the application process.

Looking for similar opportunities, join Opportunity Cell on WhatsApp or Telegram here.

Fellowships, Law