Internships at the International Criminal Court, The Hague

Academic qualifications: All candidates must have a degree from or be in the final stages of their studies at a recognised university. Candidates should have a very good record of academic performance.

Applications to legal positions are welcome from graduates specialising in one or more of the following disciplines: national and international criminal law, public international law, international humanitarian law, human rights law, comparative law and criminology, legal expertise.

Applications to positions that do not require legal training are welcome from graduates of history, international relations, political science, journalism, translation and interpretation, information technology and communication, logistics, human resources management, social psychology, administrative sciences, forensic science, statistics or economics and are encouraged to apply for places in the divisions and sections of the Office that do not require legal training. Graduates of other disciplines may be considered.

Practical experience: Since the Internship Placements are focused at candidates in the early stages of their professional careers practical experience is not an essential prerequisite for selection.

Language skills: Unless specific language skills are stated as a requirement by the participating sections of the Court, good oral communication and drafting skills in at least one of the working languages of the Court (English and French) are required. A working knowledge of the other working language is desirable. Knowledge of any of the other official languages of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish), or of other languages relevant to the situations pending before the Court will be considered an asset.

Other requirements

• Applicants for internships should not be older than 35 years at the time of commencing the placement.
• Adaptability to a multicultural and multilingual working environment encompassing the principal legal traditions of the world
• Ability to work effectively in a team as well as independently
• A good standard of computer literacy (especially Microsoft Office applications)
• Other important qualities are discretion, reliability, intellectual rigour, precision, perseverance, honesty, creativity, co-operative spirit and integrity.

Application

All applicants to the Internship are required to submit a completed application form and supporting documents as detailed below by 1 May 2013.

1. A completed Internship Application Form (please select the specific application form for the appropriate Organ of the Court): Internship Application Form (Presidency and Chambers); Internship Application Form (Registry); Internship Application Form (Office of the Prosecutor)
2. A concise written statement presenting the candidate’s reasons for seeking an Internship placement, explaining how their interests and experience (academic and non-academic) meet the requirements of the Divisions/Sections/Units selected on the application form and stating their expectations and the perceived benefits of the placement to the their future career. (max 400 words)
3. two (2) written references/letters of recommendation from referees familiar with the candidate’s academic background, achievements and work, including at least one from an academic instructor. NB referees should not be relatives of the candidates.
4. copies of university degrees and/or diplomas in their original language;
5. copies of transcripts of courses taken during university studies (preferably official);
6. a short essay (two pages, single spaced, type written) on a topic relevant to the work of the Court and/or specific Organ of the Court
7. Optionally, a recognised and recently passed language certificate in English and/or French, such as the IELTS or TOEFL test, the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English, the DELF, or another recognised language test together with any related score report(s);

More information on requirements for applications is AVAILABLE HERE. Applications can also be sent in electronic format to the following address: Internship-Visitingprofessional.Programme@icc-cpi.int. Please see the official website below for addresses to mail your application by regular mail or fax.  

Click here to consult the frequently asked questions about the Internship. For more information, please see the official website HERE.