HCCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
FAQ
Any essay or paper in English or French, including a piece written as part of an examination and regardless of its length, will be considered. (If a writing sample is not available in English and / or French, applicants may submit a translation of their work.)
The writing sample should be at least 500 words. There is no maximum.
The writing sample can be on any subject. It can be on a specific topic or be general research.
Yes, you can submit a position paper as a writing sample.
A transcript of academic records refers to documentation of a student's permanent academic record, which usually means all courses taken, all grades received, all honours received, and degrees conferred to a student.
The HCCH internship programme is open to those currently studying law at the Bachelor, Masters, J.D, and PhD level and to those who have already been awarded a law degree.
No, candidates are not required to have prior legal experience. However, if they do, they are invited to specify in the application which legal experience they have gained.
The HCCH internship programme is open to candidates of all ages. However, given the type of work involved, the internship programme are primarily targeted towards current students and / or recent law graduates.
The HCCH internship programme is open to candidates of all nationalities. It is not required that applicants be a national of an HCCH Member.
Generally, there is not a possibility of being employed at the HCCH after completion of an internship. However, should a vacancy arise, it will be posted on the HCCH website and all those interested, including former or current interns, may apply.
All documentation should be submitted in English or in French (with the exception of the transcript of academic records which can be in its original language).
Applicants may provide a letter of recommendation from a Professor of a current or former university or from a current or former employer or professional contact.
Yes, more than one letter of recommendation may be submitted.
The letter of recommendation can be submitted by the candidate at the time of application or separately by the referee. If sent separately, candidates can indicate this on their applications.
The letter of motivation can commence with “Dear Sir / Madam”, “Dear members of the Internship Committee” or “To whom it may concern”.
The letter of recommendation should be sent to the following e-mail address: internships@hcch.net.
The letter of motivation can be either a general letter of motivation or one that is more relevant to the particular field(s) / area(s) of the HCCH’s work in which you are interested.
All candidates will receive an e-mail informing them of the outcome of their application. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a video interview to assess their motivations and language ability.
The Internship Committee will consider applicants with a public international law background as well as applicants with a private international law background. However, please note those who have completed a course in private international law will be considered more favourably in the application process.
Interns accumulate 2.5 days of leave for each month worked.
Internships offered by the Permanent Bureau are not remunerated. Successful applicants are responsible for their travel costs and expenses for the duration of the internship.
The HCCH is not authorised to deal with visa requirements and those interns requiring a visa are responsible for making their own arrangements. However, the HCCH can draw up a letter confirming the internship which can be presented to the relevant authorities in support of any visa application.