The Hague Academy of International Law
Hague Academy of International Law Scholarships
The Hague Academy of International Law has taught public and private international law at the Peace Palace since 1923, and each year it pays for about 15% of the students, lawyers and diplomats who attend its Summer and Winter Courses to come on scholarships. A separate doctoral scholarship gives PhD candidates from non-OECD countries two summer months in the Peace Palace Library to finish their theses.
- Level
- Master's, PhD
- Study or work in
- The Hague, Netherlands (Peace Palace)
- Who can apply
- At least an undergraduate law degree when applying (a master's or higher preferred); English or French. Doctoral Scholarship: PhD candidates from non-OECD states
- What it covers
- Registration fees, travel up to a regional ceiling and 600 euros for accommodation (Summer Courses). Doctoral: 2,250 euros and half of travel, up to 910
- Length
- One three-week session; two months (July and August) for the Doctoral Scholarship
- Application window
- Summer Courses: 1 November to 31 January, results in April. Winter Courses: 1 May to 31 July
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- Hague Academy of International Law ScholarshipsThe Hague Academy of International Law · The Hague, Netherlands
How to apply
Register online in the scholarship category for one session, uploading a passport or ID card, a motivation letter of up to 1.5 pages and, for professionals, proof of employment. A professor of international law emails a signed letter of recommendation straight to the Academy.
The courses
The Summer Courses are the Academy's main activity: two three-week sessions, the first on public international law and the second on private international law. Each has a General Course across all three weeks and one-week Special Courses on six topics, with afternoon seminars and guest lectures. The single three-week Winter Course, held in January, covers both fields.
Lectures are given in English or French with simultaneous interpretation into the other language. Online participation in the Summer Courses is possible, but it excludes the seminars, guest lectures and the Directed Studies programme, and no scholarships are available for online attendance.
What a scholarship covers
A scholarship covers the registration fee and travel to and from The Hague. Travel is reimbursed on proof of payment for an economy ticket, up to a ceiling that depends on the region of departure, during the last week of the courses. Summer scholars also receive 600 euros at the start of the programme towards accommodation.
For comparison, the registration fee without a scholarship is 1,300 euros for one summer session, 2,300 euros for both, and 1,300 euros for the Winter Course. People whose permanent residence is in the Netherlands are not necessarily entitled to the travel and accommodation payments.
Who can apply
Scholarships are open only to people who already hold at least an undergraduate law degree, such as an LLB, when they apply; the Academy prefers applicants with a master's degree or higher. The admission rules for scholarships are stricter than for full-fee participants, who can apply with three years of law studies. Every applicant must be able to work in English or French.
A scholarship application concerns one session only, public or private international law. You may not apply for a scholarship and register at full fee for the same session, but you may pay for one session and seek a scholarship for the other, and ask to register at full fee if the scholarship is refused.
The Doctoral Scholarship
Doctoral Scholarships are for PhD candidates from states outside the OECD who live in their home country and expect to defend their thesis by 31 December of the year after the award. Holders spend July and August in The Hague with full access to the Peace Palace Library, can attend the General Course and any Special Course related to their thesis, and receive 2,250 euros (35 euros a day) plus half their travel costs up to 910 euros.
They cannot join the Directed Studies, since the aim is to work on the thesis, and the Academy checks that they stay in The Hague for two uninterrupted months and use the Library regularly. The deadline for summer 2027 is 31 January 2027, and nobody can hold a Doctoral Scholarship twice.
How selection works
- Registration. Applicants register online in the scholarship category between 1 November and 31 January for the summer, or 1 May and 31 July for the winter.
- Recommendation. A professor of international law sends a signed letter of recommendation directly to the Academy by email.
- Selection. The Secretary-General selects the scholarship holders on behalf of the Curatorium, on academic merit, and is not bound by outside recommendations.
- Results. Summer applicants hear by email in April.
Questions
Does the Academy award university credits?
No. It is not a university; participants receive a Certificate of Attendance signed by the Secretary-General.
What does a scholarship pay?
The registration fee and travel up to a regional ceiling, plus 600 euros towards accommodation for summer scholars.
What should I budget for?
Travel, fees, accommodation, food (the Academy suggests about 450 euros a month) and other expenses. Health insurance is compulsory.
Do transcripts need to be certified?
No. Copies with a signed sworn statement that they match the originals are accepted.
Who pays for the scholarships?
Public and private bodies, the Academy itself and individuals from various countries.
Who can get a Doctoral Scholarship?
PhD candidates from non-OECD states living in their home country who expect to defend by the end of the following year and have not held one before.
Can I get my fee back if my visa is refused?
If the visa is refused through no fault of your own, the registration fee is refunded in full.
Can doctoral scholars join the Directed Studies?
No. The Doctoral Scholarship is for work on the thesis, so holders may attend the General Course and related Special Courses but not the Directed Studies sessions.
How does the UN International Law Fellowship Programme fit in?
The six-week United Nations International Law Fellowship Programme runs alongside the Summer Courses, and the UN General Assembly regularly thanks the Academy for hosting its fellows.
Related programmes
Sources
Official pages last checked 28 September 2026.