Scholarships & Competitions

This list of scholarships and competitions is updated annually.  If any of the links do not work for you, enter the name of the scholarship or competition into a search engine to find the most recent information.  To hunt within this list for a topic, hold down the CRTL key and the F key and when a search box appears, enter your term (labor, trademark, etc...).

University of Pittsburgh Funding - More information about these three programs is available at the CILE Office in room 318 or by e-mail.

Nordenberg Fellowships to pay for an internship abroad.

CILE Fellowships to help defray the costs of studying abroad.

Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships - to study a foreign culture and language at Pitt.

Study Abroad
http://www.law.pitt.edu/academics/juris-doctor/specialized-areas-of-stud...

Study at Pitt
http://www.law.pitt.edu/academics/juris-doctor/specialized-areas-of-stud...

Scholarships and Competitions in Deadline Order

JANUARY

The Pittsburgh Foundation Jack Wilson Fund
Scholarship for innovative international opportunities that fosters the appreciation of and better understanding among different cultures generally to promote peace and community development. (study abroad) Application Deadline: Mid January. http://www.pittsburghfoundation.org/

The National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Graduate Fellowships are  for "study of world regions critical to U.S. interests." Awards: up to $20,000 for study abroad up to $30,000 for language study and research. Deadline: January Website: http://www.borenawards.org  

Ladas Memorial Award: Sponsored by the International Trademark Association. Writing on any topic involving trademark law. Prize: $2,000 cash award, and financial support up to $1,000 for the student’s attendance at an educational program sponsored by the Brand Names Education Foundation or the International Trademark Association. Deadline: January. http://www.inta.org/Academics/Pages/LadasMemorialAward.aspx

Entertainment Law Initiative & GRAMMY Foundation Legal Writing Contest
Legal analysis and a proposed solution involving any issue in the music industry. Award: 1st Prize $5,000 , 2nd Prize (four awarded) $1,500. Deadline: January http://www.grammy.org/grammy-foundation/preservation/entertainment-law-initiative-eli

Nationality Rooms Scholarships
The Nationality Rooms have awarded over 600 grants for summer study abroad since 1948. The purpose of these awards is to give students an in-depth immersion in another culture for at least five weeks. Some awards require previous language experience but many do not. The number of scholarships available varies each year. In recent years, awards have gone to students who have wanted to study in Africa, Armenia, Austria, Chile, Denmark, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Scandinavia, and Scotland. The amounts of the individual awards typically range from $1,000 to $4,000.

- Graduate students must: be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Be current full-time students at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Have a QPA of at least 3.0.
- Return to the University of Pittsburgh as full time students for a minimum of two terms immediately after study abroad
- Propose a career-related, credit-worthy study program of at least five weeks.

The application materials are available in November for an end of January deadline. Application materials can be obtained from the Nationality Rooms Program Office, 1209 Cathedral of Learning, 412-624-6150. The interview process usually begins in early December.

Rona R. Mears International Law Student Writing Competition
Two prizes of $1,000 each will be awarded to authors of the essays that have original and persuasive ana lysis of the topic designated for each year's competition.  Link to the instructions at http://www.americanbar.org/groups/international_law/membership/students.html.  The list of past winners is here.
 

Southeast Europe Fellowships American Coucils Southeastern Europe Research program provides support for independent research projects that will "enable the U.S. to better understand the rgion and formulate effective policies within it." Grants cover transportation, housing, academic affiliation costs, and a stipend, usually between $5,000 and $25,000. Deadline: for spring & summer October 1, for fall the deadline is January 15. http://www.americancouncils.org/researchFellowships.php.

FEBRUARY

Trandafir International Business Writing Competition
Each year, Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, in conjunction with the University of Iowa College of Law International and Comparative Law Program, conducts an annual world affairs student writing competition. Awards: publication and a cash prize. Deadline: early February. Wesbsite: http://www.uiowa.edu/~tlcp/trandafir_competition.html

 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Fellowships
Provides funding and access to the immense Ransom library in Austin, Texas for approximately forty projects per year. Annual themes invite research proposals on topics such as cross-cultural expression in times of war. Submit a proposal to apply for this fellowship. Award: $3,000 Deadline: February
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fellowships/

Arthur C. Helton Fellowship - for fieldwork research on human rights and humanitarian affairs issues. Award: $1,000. Deadline: February http://www.asil.org/search.cfm?displayPage=314

Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Essay Award- for the best essay on human rights law within the year's assigned topic, winners get an all expense paid trip to the Academy's Specialized Human Rights Program.  http://www.wcl.american.edu/hracademy/hraward.cfm.

MARCH

Critical Language Scholarships
Scholarships for intensive overseas study in the critical need foreign languages of Arabic, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu. Department of State funding to participate in beginning, intermediate and/or advanced level summer language programs at American Overseas Research Centers and affiliated partners. Travel and educational expenses paid. http://clscholarship.org.

Center for International Legal Education
To encourage JD students to engage in international study, the Center for International Legal Education offers fellowships for students pursuing study, research, or internships abroad. Awards are typically in an amount of $500.00 to $1,500.00, depending upon need, merit, and the number of students selected for funding. Fellowship information will be announced in the E-Docket on-line early in the spring semester. The deadline is mid March. Applications can be obtained from the CILE office in Room 318 of the School of Law.

James Baker Hughes Writing Competition
Annual competition on international economic law. “International economic law” is a broad term that can include all legal aspects of economic relations, from private business matters to international trade conflicts. The article must be an unpublished student-written manuscript. Prize: $500 and publication in the Houston Journal of International Law Deadline: beginning of March. http://www.hjil.org/index.php/submissions.

The Washington Foreign Law Society - Ibrahim Shihata Prize for Outstanding Student Writing in Islamic Law
Award: $2,500. The winner will be an honored guest at the WFLS Annual Dinner Gala
Deadline: March http://www.wfls.org/awards/ibrahim-shihata-prize/.

The Washington Foreign Law Society - Justice Robert H. Jackson Award for Outstanding Student Writing in International Law
Award: $2,500. The winner will be an honored guest at the WFLS Annual Dinner Gala
Deadline: March http://www.wfls.org/awards/justice-robert-h-jackson-award/

Association of Family & Conciliation Courts & Hofstra law School / Family Law Writing Competition- Essays on any family law topic, especially those involving international law or interdisciplinary topics. Award: $500 Deadline: March http://www.hofstra.edu/pdf/law_fcr_writing_competition.pdf

Nordenberg Fellows Program
Provides funding for students interning abroad. In addition to serving at a two-month (or longer) internships, students must attend at no less than two (2) lectures/events sponsored by the Center for International Legal Education (CILE) during the academic year following completion of the internship (each Fellowship recipient should notify CILE of the date and title of the lectures/events attended); and must, within 30 days after the completion of the internship, provide to the Center for International Legal Education a written report describing their experience in the program for which they are receiving funds.    Download application. Deadline: March. http://www.law.pitt.edu/academics/cile/jdprogram/competitions/nord

APRIL

International Association of Defense Counsel
There are four prizes for this contest $2,000, $1,000, $500 and a plaque. The top three also receive a plaque, and all four will be considered for publication in the IADC’s publication. The essays must be written on subjects in the fields of tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence or other areas of the law of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management of the defense of civil litigation. IADC was formed for the purpose of soliciting contributions to educate the public and the legal community and to fund programs and present public forums dealing with litigation. Deadline: mid-April. http://www.iadclaw.org/publications/contest.aspx

MAY

Customs and International Trade Bar Association and Brooklyn Law School: Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition. Awards: $500 & $1,000. Application Deadline: Beginning of May. Website: http://www.brooklaw.edu/intellectuallife/lawjournals/brooklynjournalofinternationallaw/vancecompetition.aspx

The Independent Institute Templeton Fellowship - Essays on any topic involving economic and personal rights. Awards: 1st - $2,500; 2nd - $1,500 and 3rd - $1,000< Deadline: May http://www.independent.org/students/essay/

JUNE

George Hutchinson Writing Competition: Co-sponsored by a private firm and the Federal Circuit Bar Association. Papers, 20-50 pages in length, must deal with a topic that lies within the substance, procedure or scope of the specialized jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Prize: $3,000 Deadline: June. http://www.memberconnections.com/olc/pub/LVFC/cpages/misc/scholar.jsp

The Waren E. Burger Prize - For essays on excellence and ethics in the legal profession. Award: $5,000 and publication in the South Carolina Law Review. Deadline: June http://www.innsofcourt.org/Content/Default.aspx?Id=309

American Judges Association/Law Student Essay Competition -"The Rule of Law in Times of Conflict." Deadline June. Awards: 1st Prize-$3,000, 2nd Prize-$1,500, 3rd Prize-$1,000. http://aja.ncsc.dni.us/essay-contest/

ABA Air and Space Law Forum Committee  Law Student Writing Competition  Award: $5,000 and published in The Air and Space Lawyer.  Entry deadline: June Co-sponsored by Rolls-Royce North America, Inc.

JULY
(no listings)

AUGUST

The Labor Lawyer annual student writing competition
accepts papers on any topic involving labor or employment law. Prize: publication Deadline: August http://www.americanbar.org/groups/labor_law/awards.html

SEPTEMBER
(no listings)

OCTOBER

Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship-The Program provides young American professionals (ages 23-34) with two high-level work placements in the federal government and private sector in Germany. Three seminars taking place throughout Europe provide an in-depth understanding of issues facing Germnay and the European Union today. Deadline: October. http://www.cdsintl.org/fromusa/bosch.htm

Southeast Europe Fellowships American Coucils Southeastern Europe Research program provides support for independent research projects that will "enable the U.S. to better understand the rgion and formulate effective policies within it." Grants cover transportation, housing, academic affiliation costs, and a stipend, usually between $5,000 and $25,000. Deadline: for spring & summer October 1, for fall the deadline is January 15. http://www.americancouncils.org/researchFellowships.php.

NOVEMBER

Ayn Rand Institute/Atlas Shrugged Contest- For essays analysing questions about the novel Atlas Shrugged. Specific questions to be addressed are on the competition's website. Awards: 1st. Prize $5,000, 2nd Prize $1,000 3rd Prize $400 (plus other cash prizes for finalists and semi-finalists) Deadline: November. http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=education_contests_atlas

DECEMBER

Critical Language Scholarship Program. Scholarships for intensive summer language institutes in which students will learn languages of critical importance to current U.S. foreign affairs. http://clscholarship.org/

New York State Bar Association’s International Law and Practice Section: Albert S. Pergam Writing Competition
Any area of public or private international law or practice. Award of $2,000 or Publication of the article. Application Deadline: Early December. CILE has more detailed information available.

American Association of University Women
Fellowships for Foreign Study. Application Deadline: Early December. Website: http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/international.cfm

CDS International: Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX)
A one year Work-Study Scholarship Program in Germany State Department Sponsored Scholarship Program includes: Stipends, International Flights, German Language Training, Semester at a German College, Professional Internship, Host Family Stay. Application Deadline: December 1st. Website: http://www.cdsintl.org/