The LL.M. Human Rights Fellowship Program was established by Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute to support students at Columbia Law School's Master of Law (LL.M.) degree program. The successful LL.M. Human Rights Fellowship applicant is committed to human rights scholarship and/or advocacy and intends to work in the human rights field following completion of the program.  Human Rights Fellows receive funding towards tuition, room, and board for the LL.M. program at Columbia Law School.

Qualifications

The successful LL.M. Human Rights Fellowship applicant has at least two years of experience in the human rights field, is committed to human rights scholarship and/or advocacy, and intends to work in the human rights field following completion of the program. LL.M. Human Rights Fellows are expected to devote a significant part of their studies to human rights and to participate in the activities provided by the Human Rights Institute that provide forums for the exchange of ideas about human rights law, theory, and practice.

The Human Rights Fellowship is open only to students who have been accepted into the LL.M. program at Columbia Law School. Applications for the fellowship will not be considered unless admission is confirmed.

Application Procedure 

You must submit your application for the Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship along with your application for admission to the LL.M. program. Both applications should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Legal Studies (GLS) Columbia Law School. Please be sure your fellowship materials are clearly marked as such and that your name is on your essay.  The deadline for both the LL.M. and Human Rights Fellowship applications is December 15. 

Submit a separate, short (1-2 pages) essay describing your previous human rights work and your plans for activity in this area for the next five years, a resume or CV, and two letters of recommendation (these may be the letters of recommendation submitted for the LL.M. application provided they comment on your work in human rights). This material should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Legal Studies at Columbia Law School with your LL.M. application.  

For a detailed description of the Columbia Law School LL.M. Program and admission process please visit the Graduate Legal Studies web page.

For more information on how to submit your Fellowship application with the LL.M. Program please visit the Financial Assistance & Loans web page and scroll down to the section on the Human Rights Institute LL.M. Fellowship.