Columbia Law School - The 2026–2027 Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship Program

Become an innovator and leader in human rights practice and/or academia with the help of the Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship.

The Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship is jointly managed by Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute (the focal point of human rights work, education, critical reflection, and scholarship at the Law School) and the Office of Graduate Legal Studies (which manages the Law School’s LL.M. and J.S.D. Programs). 

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship is jointly coordinated by Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute, the focal point of human rights work, education, critical reflection, and scholarship at the Law School, and the Office of Graduate Legal Studies, which manages the School’s LL.M. and J.S.D. Programs. Fellowships offer partial to full waivers of tuition, and in some cases, a living stipend, depending on the applicant’s demonstrated level of financial need.

LL.M. Human Rights Fellows will receive tailored skills and career mentoring in both practice and academic scholarship from Human Rights Institute faculty, staff, and advisers; be invited to special events with leading human rights advocates and scholars; and be afforded the opportunity to participate in the Human Rights Institute’s cutting-edge research projects. Fellows will also be given special consideration for admission to Columbia’s Human Rights Clinic, an innovative course where students learn to be strategic, creative, and critical human rights advocates while pursuing social justice in partnership with civil society and communities, and while advancing human rights methodologies and scholarship. Fellows are expected to devote a significant part of their studies while at Columbia to human rights, and to take an active part in the Law School’s vibrant human rights community.

Applicants must demonstrate experience in international human rights and a commitment to a career in the field, whether in academia and/or human rights practice. Candidates from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and candidates who face impediments to education and leadership because of their race, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic background, gender, or sexual orientation are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Procedures

A complete Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship Application consists of:

1. A completed application for admission to the LL.M. program through LSAC;
2. A separate, short essay of one to two pages, describing the applicant’s qualifications for the fellowship. Applicants should discuss their current and previous human rights work, interest in and commitment to the field, career goals, and human rights vision. The essay should be uploaded to the Human Rights LL.M. Fellowship section of the LSAC online application;
3. Letters of Recommendation that speak to the applicant’s prior work and future potential as a human rights advocate, scholar, and/or practitioner. The two letters of recommendation submitted for the LL.M. application may also be used for the Fellowship if they comment on the applicant’s human rights work and commitment. In the case that one or both of the letters of recommendation for the LL.M. Program application do not speak to the human rights aspects of the applicant’s background and future interests, the applicant may submit a third letter of recommendation through the LSAC online application from a professor or human rights practitioner who can comment knowledgeably about her or his human rights commitment, experience, and future plans; and
4. A completed Application for Financial Assistance as part of the LSAC online application. In providing a candid picture of your financial resources, you are enabling the selection committee to determine the appropriate level of assistance to provide to each Fellow and to maximize the number of Fellowships it can award each year.

LL.M. Program

A Columbia Law School education prepares students for leadership roles—in academia, the judiciary, business and corporate practice, public service, human rights advocacy, and other legal and non-legal fields.

The key to a satisfying and enriching LL.M. experience is student choice. Columbia Law School offers a general LL.M. degree, giving students the freedom to select their courses from an incredibly vast curriculum. Beginning with a robust three-week long Orientation program, which includes our required Introduction to American Law and LL.M. Legal Research and Writing courses for foreign-trained lawyers, our seasoned advisers in the Office of Graduate Legal Studies help you design an individual program of study to meet your academic and professional goals—whether to broaden your general preparation; to specialize in a particular field; or to deepen your knowledge of American, international, or other legal systems. LL.M. students sit alongside J.D. students in class, resulting in a mix that promotes an exchange of fresh ideas and perspectives.

From working on a law journal or with faculty on research, to participating in pro bono projects or student organizations — the possibilities for learning, networking, and growing professionally at Columbia Law School are extraordinary.  We offer unparalleled opportunities for experiential learning through our clinics, externships, and skills-based courses, such as the ever-popular Deals and Negotiation workshops.  In addition, our centers and programs enrich our students’ education through daily lectures, roundtable discussions, and conferences, and also serve as catalysts for scholarly work and student involvement on issues and activities in the law.

As a Columbia LL.M. student, you become part of one of the world’s preeminent universities, and are invited to take courses in other schools—such as Columbia Business School and the School of International and Public Affairs — making the LL.M. a truly interdisciplinary degree.