The Chayes International Public Service Fellowships are dedicated to the memory of Professor Abram Chayes ’49, who taught at Harvard Law School for more than 40 years. Professor Chayes was a leading authority on international law, and throughout his career, as a lawyer, arbitrator and legal advisor, he took on notable cases arising from military and paramilitary activities in Nicaragua, boundary disputes in Africa, and the genocide in Kosovo, among many others.
Accordingly, these fellowships provide Harvard Law School students with the opportunity to spend eight weeks during the summer working abroad with governmental or non-governmental organizations concerned with issues of an international scope or relevant to countries in transition. Chayes Fellows’ projects can take a variety of forms, but could focus on the development of legal, political, social, and economic institutions, constitutional and legal issues in emerging democracies, or reconstruction of war-torn societies, among others.
Chayes Fellowships: Important Dates
| Advising for applicants | November 2024-January 2025 |
| Pre-approved placement organizations posted | Early November 2025 |
| Application deadline | February 1, 2025 |
| Interviews with applicants | February 4, 5, and 6, 2025 |
| Notification to accepted 2025 Chayes Fellows | March 1, 2025 |
| Deadline to secure an approved placement and commit to the program | March 31, 2025 |
| Mandatory international travel pre-departure information session | mid-April 2025 |