United Nations Regional Course in International Law for

About this opportunity

This is the African edition of a United Nations training programme that has run for decades under the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law. Leading scholars and practitioners teach the core subjects of international law, together with themes that matter most in the region, and the room is deliberately mixed. Government officials sit beside university teachers, and practitioners from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations working on international law activities in Africa sit beside both. The interactive format is part of the design, because participants are expected to exchange experience and build the working relationships that make regional cooperation on legal questions easier afterwards.

The 2027 course runs in person at the facilities of the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa from 15 March to 7 April 2027 and is conducted in English. Up to 30 participants are taken, and a limited number of those places are self-funded. Fellowship holders have return travel, accommodation, meals, medical insurance and training materials paid, and receive a modest stipend for other living costs in line with the policies that govern United Nations fellowships. Self-funded participants attend the same lectures, take part in the same activities and receive the same certificate, with only the training materials provided free to them.

Applicants need a legal background with professional experience in international law, fluency in English, and the ability to certify that they will attend the whole course rather than selected sessions. Candidates must be nationals of United Nations Member States that are also members of the African Group, which opens the course to Nigerian lawyers alongside applicants from across the continent. Current staff members of the United Nations are not eligible, and the course is aimed at professionals who already hold practical experience, so it is not designed for students. Selection weighs your qualifications, the scope of your professional duties and the relevance of the training to that work, with due consideration for gender balance, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

The application itself is a single form, available in English, which you complete and send directly to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs. Your sponsoring institution fills in the parts of the form addressed to it, and you may then submit the finished form yourself rather than routing it through a ministry. There is no charge at any stage of applying or of being chosen, and the United Nations does not ask for candidates' bank account details. If you applied for an earlier edition and were not selected, you are welcome to try again with a fresh, complete application. Questions go to the Codification Division at rcil-africa@un.org, and a brochure in English and French is published on the course website.

What you receive

Three weeks of taught international law at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa from 15 March to 7 April 2027
Sessions led by leading scholars and practitioners of international law, with subjects chosen for their relevance to the African region
Return travel covered for fellowship holders
Accommodation provided without charge for the duration of the course
Meals covered during the course for fellowship holders
Medical insurance included for fellowship holders
Training materials supplied to every participant, fellowship holders and self-funded participants alike
A modest living stipend for fellowship holders under United Nations fellowship policies
The same rights, the same lectures, the same activities and the same certificate for self-funded participants
An interactive cohort of up to 30 participants mixing government, academia and organisations, which builds a lasting regional legal network
Access to the wider United Nations Programme of Assistance, including the International Law Fellowship Programme and the Audiovisual Library of International Law

Who can apply

A national of a United Nations Member State that is also a member of the African Group
A legal background with professional experience in the field of international law
Fluency in English, the language of instruction for the 2027 course
Able to certify that you will attend the course in its entirety, without exceptions
Working in government legal service, academia, or an intergovernmental or non-governmental organisation engaged in international law activities in the region
A sponsoring institution or affiliation that can complete the institution sections of the application form
Open to candidates nominated by their government or by the institution they work for or are affiliated with

Who should not apply

Current staff members of the United Nations are not eligible for fellowships
Not designed for students, since the training targets professionals with practical experience in international law
Candidates without a legal background and professional experience in international law do not meet the stated bar
Partial attendance is not permitted, so you cannot attend only the sessions that interest you
Nationals of Member States outside the African Group should look at the Asia-Pacific or Latin America and the Caribbean editions instead
Self-funded participants pay their own travel, accommodation, living costs and medical insurance
Fellowship medical insurance does not come with cash for treatments that institutions require you to pay for in advance, so plan for that possibility
Being the only applicant from your country does not by itself improve your chances, and countries are encouraged to nominate several qualified candidates

Documents to prepare

The completed United Nations Regional Course application form for Africa 2027, available in English only
The sections of the application form completed by your sponsoring institution
A certification that you are able to attend the course in its entirety
Supporting evidence of your legal qualifications and professional experience in international law
The brochure in English or French, useful as the reference document for your application

How to apply

Read the course pages on the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs site, including the general information, financial arrangements and frequently asked questions sections
Download the 2027 application form for Africa from the official page at https://legal.un.org/poa/rcil/documents/application_form_rcil_africa_2027.docx
Complete your parts of the form and pass it to your sponsoring institution or employer to fill in the sections that belong to it
Confirm that you can attend the whole course from 15 March to 7 April 2027 in Addis Ababa and provide the required certification
Send the completed form directly to the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs before 30 October 2026
Write to rcil-africa@un.org if any part of the form or the fellowship arrangements is unclear
If you applied for an earlier edition and were not selected, submit a new complete application rather than reusing the old one

Selection process

The Codification Division reviews each application against the stated professional requirements
Due consideration is given to the candidate's qualifications, the scope of their professional duties and the relevance of the training to those duties
Gender balance is factored into the final selection, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
Countries may nominate several candidates, each of whom must independently meet the qualifications
Selected candidates are required to certify that they can attend the course in its entirety before their place is confirmed
Fellowship holders and self-funded participants are assessed through the same process and against the same criteria

Sources and verification

Official source

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Questions applicants ask

Do I have to send my application through my government or my institution?

No. Your sponsoring institution completes certain parts of the application form, but you can send the finished form directly to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs.

Are only governments allowed to nominate candidates?

No. The course is also open to academics and to professionals from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and similar institutions engaged in international law activities in the region. Candidates who are not government officials can be nominated by the institution they work for or are affiliated with.

What is the difference between a fellowship place and a self-funded place?

Both are selected the same way and hold the same rights in the course. A fellowship covers travel, accommodation, meals, medical insurance and training materials, and adds a living stipend. A self-funded participant pays those costs, with only the training materials provided.

Can I attend only the sessions that interest me?

No. If you are selected you undertake to attend the Regional Course in its entirety, without exceptions.

Does the course charge any fee?

The United Nations charges no fee at any stage of the application and selection process, and it does not ask candidates for bank account information.

I applied before and was not selected. Can I try again?

Yes. You will need to submit a new, complete application to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs.

Is the course suitable for a student?

No. The Regional Courses train professionals who have already gained practical experience in international law.

What does the stipend actually cover?

It reflects local living costs such as food and public transport and is enough for a decent rather than luxurious standard of living. Accommodation is provided without charge. Rates are set by United Nations regulations and shift year to year with the United States dollar exchange rate.

Important disclaimer

Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.