Apply for the Fully-funded Global UNEP-Georgetown Fellowship Program for public sector lawyers from developing countries

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Closing Date: 5 February 2025

Apply for the Fully-funded Global UNEP-Georgetown Fellowship Program for public sector lawyers from developing countries

Global UNEP-Georgetown Fellowship Program Overview

In 2016, UNEP and the Georgetown University Law Center partnered to develop a joint Global Environment and Sustainability Law Fellows Program, to train public sector lawyers from developing countries working on matters related to environmental law, natural resources law, or associated fields of law, to ultimately promote the environmental rule of law.

The Global Environment and Sustainability Law Fellowship is an opportunity for public sector lawyers from developing countries to earn a Georgetown LL.M. and to gain international legal experience with a posting at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, or at one of its regional offices around the world.

Program Strucuture

Successful Fellows will receive an Environmental and Energy Law LL.M. Degree from the Law Center. Georgetown Law offers over 60 courses in environmental and energy law and closely related disciplines ranging from core courses in environmental law, energy law and natural resources law, to specialized seminars in environmental justice, water law, wildlife law, food and drug law, energy trading, and the intersection of business, sustainability and human rights, taught by world-class faculty and practitioners. Upon graduation, Fellows will gain international environmental legal and policy experience with the United Nations by working at UNEP’s Headquarters or regional offices for three months.

In the new phase of the Global Environment and Sustainability Law Fellows Program, UNEP and Georgetown Law are now inviting National Focal Points (NFPs) to the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme to nominate candidates by email. The Montevideo Programme is UNEP’s flagship environmental law programme.

The Program helps defray the costs for candidates who would not otherwise be able to afford an LL.M. degree focusing on environmental law.  The Fellowship will cover the full cost of tuition, necessary travel, and the living stipend for the three-month period in UNEP’s Headquarters or regional offices. UNEP and Georgetown Law strongly recommend candidates to pursue an external source of funding for living expenses while in Washington, DC.

Program Fellows:

Since its inception, UNEP and Georgetown Law have supported and trained ten Fellows from different countries which have gone on to positions in government ministries, environmental agencies and international organizations, as well as positions of traditional authority.

Program Requirements:

To be eligible for this fellowship a candidate must:

reside in a developing country;

possess the requisite degree to practice law in his or her home country;
be currently employed by a national or local government entity; and
be engaged in practicing environmental law, energy law, natural resources law, or a related legal field.

The Fellows must commit to return to their home country to continue working in public sector environmental law and policy for no less than three years.

Application process

National Focal Points (NFP) to the Montevideo Environmental Law Programmeare invited to nominate candidates by email to [email protected]. Nominations should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the nominee, of no more than two pages. Each NFP may nominate up to two candidates. Nominees will be reviewed and shortlisted, and shortlisted candidates will be provided with a waiver of application fees by Georgetown.

Any other interested candidates can also apply directly to Georgetown and indicate their interest in the Fellowship on their LL.M. application. Candidates who apply directly are not eligible for application fee waivers. Visit Georgetown Law Admissions for application forms and other information on requirements, deadlines and processes. With their application to Georgetown Law, all candidates must submit a supplemental essay of 500 words or less on an issue of environmental law or policy of particular interest.

The deadlines for the 2025-2026 academic year will be updated here.