Deadline:
January 19, 2026
Program Starts: July 22, 2026
Program Ends: July 25, 2026
Location(s)
Germany
Nuremberg
Overview
The Nuremberg Moot Court is an international competition, held in English in Nuremberg, Germany. University teams from all over the world are invited to argue a fictitious case before the "International Criminal Court" during the competition.
Details
Dissecting both complex procedural and substantive issues of international criminal law, students are given the unique opportunity to develop their skills and plead at the historic Courtroom 600 in the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the Nuremberg Trials against the major Nazi war criminals took place.
The International Military Tribunal held the Nuremberg Trials from 1945 to 1949. They resulted in the recognition of the Nuremberg Principles, which ultimately led to the creation of the International Criminal Court.
This location allows students to practice international criminal law at its very birthplace, offering both a historical and educational experience.
The Nuremberg Moot Court is divided in two phases:
- The written phase which lasts two months; and
- The oral rounds which last three days and take place in Nuremberg, Germany
The organizers collaborate with highly esteemed professionals, such as national and international judges, academics, and other legal practitioners.
The organizers of the Nuremberg Moot Court are the International Nuremberg Principles Academy and the International Criminal Law Research Unit at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Competition Timetable
- Monday, 1 December 2025, 2.00 pm CET, Opening of the application phase
- Monday, 19 January 2026, 11.59 pm CET, Closing of the application phase
- Monday, 2 February 2026, 2.00 pm CET, End of the selection process (distribution of the Nuremberg Moot Court case)
- Monday, 09 February 2026, 11.59 pm CET, Deadline for submitting the requests for clarifications of points of fact
- Monday, 16 February 2026, 2.00 pm CET, Publication of the answers to the clarification requests
- Tuesday, 7 April 2026, 11.59 pm CET, Deadline for submitting the written memoranda
- Monday, 18 May 2026, 2.00 pm CET, Announcement of the results, participating teams, and the sponsored teams
- Monday, 25 May 2026, 11.59 pm CET, Deadline for updating the team members' details on the team's account
- Wednesday, 22 July 2026, 4-5.30 pm CET, Registration
- Wednesday, 22 July 2026, 5.30 pm CET, Opening ceremony of the Nuremberg Moot Court 2026
- Thursday, 23 July 2026, Preliminary round I
- Friday, 24 July 2026, Preliminary round II
- Saturday, 25 July 2026, Last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals and awards ceremony
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility
- Any law student at a bachelor’s or master’s level or equivalent from a law school, law faculty or institution with an international law-related degree program is eligible to participate in the NMC as a member of a team.
- Teams may be composed of three to five team members.
- Each team needs to nominate an official team coordinator. The team coordinator is the contact person for the organizers throughout the NMC.
- Each institution is allowed to send only one team.
- The substitution of team members is not permitted after the application deadline as given in the official timetable; however, exceptions may be granted by the organizers in the event of exceptional circumstances.
Dates
Deadline: January 19, 2026
Program starts:
July 22, 2026
Program ends:
July 25, 2026
Program Starts: July 22, 2026
Program Ends: July 25, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
The Nuremberg Moot Court is free of charge. Team Members are not required to pay any fees.
Will the organizers offer funding?
Yes, the organizers provide funding to three teams from conflict or post-conflict countries. The funding covers travel expenses, accommodation, and per diem for three Team Members and one Team Coach.
Interested teams need to apply for funding at the application stage. See “How to apply to the Nuremberg Moot Court?”.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
