Internship Opportunity at International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

About the Opportunity

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea offers a limited number of internships each year to students and recent graduates of law, international relations, public relations, political science, library science and translation. Interns work under the supervision of Registry officials on matters relevant to the Tribunal’s work.

The three-month programme allows students to gain an understanding of the way in which the Tribunal functions and to participate in the work of the Registry.

Interns are expected to be able to contribute to the work of the Tribunal in fields such as the law of the sea, public international law, international organizations and international relations, political science, public information, library science and translation.

Who can Apply?

Applicants should:

• have completed at least three years of university studies;
• normally be engaged in a degree-granting or postgraduate course at the time of application and also during their internship, or be a recent graduate;
• normally not be more than 32 years of age;
• have a good command of English and/or French; and
• have an interest in international law, in particular international law of the sea, international affairs or international institutions and organizations.

Note: Indian students and aspirants are eligible to apply.

Internship Duration

3 months (October to December 2026).

Deadline

The application period for the internship period October to December 2026 is currently open, with an application deadline of 31 March 2026.

Applications for internship periods after this date may also be submitted.

Key Tasks

• Interns work under the close supervision of one of the legal officers. They carry out research on a variety of legal issues and prepare notes for their supervisor, the other legal officers, or the Registrar.
• Interns are also requested to conduct research on a specific topic of their own choice, upon which they prepare a written paper and give an oral presentation to the Legal Office at the end of the internship.
• Together with other interns serving at the Tribunal, they also prepare the weekly press review covering recent developments in the law of the sea.

Benefits

• An internship at the Tribunal provides students and recent graduates with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Working closely with officials in the Tribunal’s Registry, interns have the chance to experience:
  • the daily routine of the Registry’s different departments,
  • interact with members of the Tribunal,
  • use the extensive library facilities for their research,
  • meet participants of other training programmes; and
  • enjoy the challenge of working in a truly international environment
• A certificate of completion is given to interns completing the internship.

Important Details

• Cost: Interns do not receive any remuneration. Travel and accommodation costs, as well as living expenses, are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Those awarded funding from the Trust Fund for the Law of the Sea receive a monthly allowance to assist with living expenses.
• Visa: Interns are responsible for obtaining and financing the necessary visas for Germany. Assistance with the procedure for securing a visa is provided by the internship coordinator where necessary.
• Travel: Interns arrange and finance their travel to Hamburg. Those awarded funding from the Trust Fund for the Law of the Sea may receive financial assistance with their travel costs.
• Accommodation: Interns are responsible for arranging their accommodation in Hamburg. An information sheet on temporary accommodation is provided by the internship coordinator and some assistance in finding a room may be provided.
• Medical insurance: Interns must provide proof of adequate health/accident insurance coverage and a medical certificate stating that they are in good health and able to travel to Hamburg. The Tribunal accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness during an internship.
• Confidentiality: Interns must keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained during the course of the internship and may not publish any reports or papers based on such information even after completion of the internship.
• Certificate: Upon successful completion of the internship, interns receive a certificate stating the period of internship, giving examples of the allocated tasks and evaluating the intern’s performance.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should submit:

• The duly completed online application form attached at the end of the post;
• A covering letter no more than one page in length, explaining why an internship at the Tribunal is important to you, how it would fit in with your academic and career goals, and what benefits you expect to derive from the programme;
• A résumé/curriculum vitae;
• A brief sample of research work in English or French of no more than 10 pages, if possible on a topic of relevance to the work of the Tribunal; 
• Copies of a document as proof of your enrolment in a university course, your university degrees/diplomas and a list of courses taken or grade transcript;
• References; and
• Language certificates, where relevant.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Contact Details

Further information may be obtained from:

The Internship Coordinator
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
Am Internationalen Seegerichtshof 1
22609 Hamburg
Germany

Tel.: (49) 40 35607-227/181
Fax: (49) 40 35607-245

Email: press@itlos.org

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