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Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

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Modalities of AttendanceÌý

Description

This intensive three-week program offers a wide range of in-person courses taught by over 40 world-renowned professors.

  • Participants must attend in-person courses at the 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß Washington College of Law (17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL) Campus in Washington DC every day for the 3 weeks of the program.
  • All participants must attend the scheduled orientation session on the program calendar.
  • Complete the . Review the requirements to apply in the following section.
  • We invite you to visit our courses for more information on our offerings.
  • We offer partial scholarships to participants enrolled in the Certificate of Attendance mode.
  • Program courses can be taken in three different modalities: 1. Certificate of Attendance, 2. Diploma, or 3. ABA Credits.
  • Students enrolled in universities outside the United States who wish to earn credits must send us a letter requesting to take the courses for credits; the letter must include contact information for the registrar's office of their institution. We will send their final grades to that office so they can receive credit, but ultimately, it is their institution that decides whether to grant credits.
  • Participants pursuing both the Diploma and the Certificate of Attendance, who have passed the exams and are planning to enroll in the Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, can transfer up to eight credits from the program towards their degree and pay the difference in fees.

IMPORTANT VISA INFORMATION:

  • You can attend the summer program with a B1 visitor visa. You do not need a student visa or similar (F1 or J1). (*This requirement is different for our HRLLM master's students).
  • If you are accepted into the program, you will receive an admission letter that you can present to the American Embassy in your country. However, this letter does not guarantee the granting of a visa, but it may increase the likelihood of obtaining one. We do not provide any documents before admission to the program.
  • You must fulfill all requirements that the American Embassy requires for applicants from your country of origin.
  • Because the visa process often takes time, it is important to start the process as soon as possible.

ATTENDANCE POLICY.

  • Participants must attend 90% of the course to receive their Certificate of Attendance. No exceptions! This means that you can only miss two out of the 14 classes of each course.
  • Two tardies will be counted as one absence.
  • No refunds or payment transfers are processed after the courses have started. Nor are refunds made if participants do not attend the courses.
Registration Process
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The documents to be submitted to apply to the program differ slightly depending on the track under which you plan to enroll.

Please refer to the following table for clarity.

Categories

Complete the Online

Letter of interest (Maximum 1 page)

Resume (Maximum 3 pages)

Payment of the program application fee and course fees

Additional Requirements

Certificate of Attendance Track

X

X

X

X

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Diploma TrackÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

X

X

X

X

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ABA Academic Credit Track

X

X

X

X

Email requesting us to connect with the registrar's office of the respective university

Current 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL Students 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL

Students do not need to apply; they just need to register for classes directly in Eagle Services.

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X

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• Letter of interest (maximum 1 page). Highlight your knowledge, training, or work in the field of human rights and humanitarian law or other professional experiences and achievements that you believe make you a strong candidate for the program.

• Visiting students from ABA-accredited law schools interested in academic credits, visit the 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL page.

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OFFICIAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST

Participants whose first language is not English should be aware that a good command of English is essential to participating in the Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. It is the responsibility of each participant to ensure that their English proficiency is sufficient to follow the course content.

By applying, you acknowledge the following:

  • You certify that your proficiency in the English language is sufficient to participate in the program.

  • You understand that a medium to advanced level of English proficiency is required for successful participation, as all course materials, assignments, and exams will be presented in English.

  • You recognize that if a professor determines your language skills are inadequate, you may be required to drop the courses. Transfers or refunds will not be available after the courses begin.

  • You absolve the Academy of any responsibilities regarding your understanding of the courses.

Exceptions to the English proficiency requirement apply to those who:

  • Hold a bachelor’s degree (LLB, BA, MA, and/or PhD) from an institution where English is the language of instruction and where English is the official language of the country.

  • Hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution accredited by a US regional accreditation agency.

Certificate of Attendance
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The Certificate of Attendance is the only option for individuals without a degree in law.

This Track is designed for individuals in one of the following categories:

  1. Individuals with a university degree in a field other than law

  2. Law students at a university outside the United States

  3. Individuals with a degree in Law but do not wish to take more than three courses or simply do not wish to take exams

  4. Law students in the United States who are not interested in earning credits within the program

Exams are optional for participants opting for the Certificate of Attendance (unless they plan to transfer credits to their home university).

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE COSTS

Number of courses

Fees 2025

1

$1,693

2

Ìý$2,640

3

$3,598

4

$4,522

• The table costs do not include the non-refundable program application fee of USD $70.00*. This fee entitles the applicant to have their application reviewed by the Application Evaluation Committee. Only once the online application is completed and the $70 is paid, will your application be reviewed for admission.

• *(Please note that your bank may charge an additional $5 for credit card payment from your respective country. This amount is not part of the program costs and is not received by 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL).

• The total cost includes administrative costs and the value of the courses.

• The course cost includes the required books and reading materials for each course.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

  • There is a limited amount of partial scholarships available only to participants applying to the Certificate of Attendance Track and who are enrolled in two or more courses. We do not offer scholarships to participants applying to the Diploma or ABA Credits modalities.

  • Scholarships are determined by the Application Evaluation Committee. Please note that only applications containing all documents and covering all costs will be considered by the Committee.

  • We do not offer full scholarships! Partial scholarships only apply to the program's course costs. You will be responsible for travel, accommodation, meals, and any other additional expenses incurred during your stay.

Available Scholarships for the Certificate of Attendance Track

1. Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court Competition Scholarship (IAMOOT) for the Program ofÌýAdvanced Studies

Number of courses

Fees 2025

Competition participant fees

1

$1,693

$1,693

2

Ìý$2,640

$1,693

3

$3,598

$2,640

4

$4,522

$2,640

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Moot Court Competition, you are eligible to receive a partial scholarship to attend the Summer Program.ÌýAs a former or current participant in the Inter-American Human Rights.

With this scholarship, you can take 2 courses for the price of 1, or take 3 or 4 courses for the price of 2.

In your letter of interest, you can indicate in which year you participated in the Competition, in what role, and request the IAMoot scholarship application.

Please note that the scholarship will be awarded after reviewing your application and verifying your participation with the Competition coordinator.

2. SCHOLARSHIPS for Alumni of our Master's Program for the Program ofÌýAdvanced Studies and for Former Summer Participants. As Alumni of our Master's Program (LL.M.) in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, you are eligible to receive a partial scholarship for the Summer Program, up to 30%.

Please, indicate in yourÌýletter of interest that you are a member of the Inter-American System and that you request the scholarship.

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3. Scholarships for Officials of the Inter-American System for the Program ofÌýAdvanced Studies.ÌýPlease, indicate in yourÌýletter of interest that you are a member of the Inter-American System and that you request the scholarship.

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4. Scholarships for Members of Associated Institutions for the Summer Program.ÌýPlease, indicate in yourÌýletter of interest that you are a member of a Associated Institutions and that you request the scholarship.

With this scholarship, you can take 2, 3, or 4 courses for the price of 2.

*If you choose to take only one course, the price will be the regular rate of our 2025 fees.

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5. Merit Scholarships for the Summer Program.ÌýPlease, indicate in yourÌýletter of interest that youÌýare requesting the scholarship. Mentioning your achievements in the field of human rights & international humanitarian law, and the reasons why you require a scholarship.

A limited number of merit scholarships are available for participants taking two or more courses in the Certificate of Attendance category. These waivers cover approximately 25% of the course fees.Ìý

Diploma

This option is only available to individuals with a degree in law and is limited to 35 candidates. In addition to the program attendance certificate, participants in this track will receive an additional diploma. The Diploma Track is considered more prestigious due to the additional requirements detailed below.

REQUIREMENTS:

The following requirements are mandatory for participants in this track:

  • Must take a minimum of 3 courses and complete a minimum of 64 hours of class.

  • Attend three of the lectures and/or panels sponsored by the Academy as part of Human Rights Month.

  • Make at least one visit to an international organization (if conditions allow).

  • Submit a 5-page essay on a topic of their choice related to human rights to hracademy@wcl.american.edu

  • Present the essay to a group composed of other participants, teachers, and human rights experts.

  • ÌýTake the exams.

DIPLOMA TRACK COSTS:

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Number of courses

ÌýÌýÌýFees 2025

3

$4,797

4

$4,797

• The table costs do not include the non-refundable program application fee of USD $70.00*. This fee entitles the applicant to have their application reviewed by the Application Evaluation Committee. Only once the online application is completed and the $70 is paid, will your application be reviewed for admission.

• *(Please note that your bank may charge an additional $5 for credit card payment from your respective country. This amount is not part of the program costs and is not received by 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏßWCL).

• The total cost includes administrative costs and the value of the courses.

• The course cost includes the required books and reading materials for each course.

• Participants may enroll in a fourth course, if desired, at no additional cost.

ABA Credit

ABA Academic Credits

This option is only for law students at universities located in the U.S. Students can register for any of the courses offered by the program and receive academic credits recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA). All program courses are approved by the ABA. Students will receive a certificate of attendance if they meet the aforementioned attendance policy. If a student completes three or more courses, they will receive a diploma certifying successful completion of the classes and exams.

REGISTRATION

Please note that the registrationÌýprocess is different for Non-WCL LLM students and students visiting from ABA-approved or state-accredited law schools) and US and international attorneys.

U.S. LAW STUDENTS:ÌýVisiting JD and LLM StudentsÌýinterested in academic creditÌýmust complete the Visiting Student Application through theÌýOffice of the Registrar website.

Please fill out this formÌýVisiting Student Application for Admission, and follow the steps.Ìý

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ABA ACADEMIC CREDITS COSTS

  • Application Costs: $70*

  • Administrative Costs: $200*

  • Cost of Academic Credit for this year: $2,386Ìý(each course is 2 credits)

Practicum in Human Rights

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Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Practicum" in Geneva. This program is organized by the International Organizations, Law and Diplomacy program, which combines legal, diplomatic, and social scientific approaches to the study of multilateralism. The program explores the legal, political, economic, and other dimensions of international organizations as they face the challenges of globalization and global governance. The theory and practice of contemporary international organizations, law, and diplomacy are taught through courses, lectures, as well as case studies and substantive interactions with officials from international organizations in Geneva.

Human rights courses typically offered in Geneva:

1. The International Labour Organization: Decent Work Agenda

2. Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law: Current Challenges

Participants in the Program ofÌýAdvanced StudiesÌýon Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, who complete a minimum of two courses and enroll in two other human rights courses through the International Organizations, Law and Diplomacy programÌýin Geneva, will receive a diploma indicating that they have obtained a "Practicum in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law" for their participation in both programs. In addition, both programs will separately award a Certificate of Attendance.

PROGRAM COSTS:

$3,950USD* for two courses, which includes accommodation and transportation in Geneva. Participants are responsible for their airfare, daily expenses, and processing the necessary visas.

*This projection is based on costs from previous years, and costs may increase for the next year.