Exciting news for aspiring human rights and law professionals! Applications are now open for the Geneva Academy Scholarship 2026-2027. In this article, we outline the scholarship’s benefits, eligibility, and the complete step-by-step application process.
The Geneva Academy Scholarship is a fully funded master’s program for international students, covering tuition fees and living expenses in Geneva. Full scholarships are reserved for citizens of non-Western countries.
These scholarships support students pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights at the Geneva Academy, Switzerland — one of Europe’s most innovative and academically rigorous programs in international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights.
This one-year postgraduate degree offers advanced, practical training in IHL, international human rights law, international refugee law, international criminal law, and their interconnections. Students can tailor their learning through core courses in public international law and specialized electives in areas such as the conduct of hostilities, enforced disappearances, and Islamic law of armed conflict.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Master’s
- Host Institution: Geneva Academy
- Location: Switzerland
- Fields of Study: International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, International Law, International Refugee Law, International Criminal Law
- Program Duration: 1 year
- Application Period:
- Opens: 4 November
- Closes: 15 January (including scholarship applications)
Scholarship Coverage
Geneva Academy Scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:
Full Scholarship Covers:
- Tuition Fees.
- living expenses in Geneva for ten months.
Partial Scholarship Covers:
- Tuition Fees.
Please note: Full scholarships are only for citizens of non-western countries, therefore Applicants from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and Western Europe cannot be considered for a full scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria for Geneva Academy Scholarship
To qualify for Geneva Academy Scholarship, candidate must fulfill all of the following requirements below:
- Required Language: English, French
- A sound command of English. You must be able to show, via a recognized test, that your English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete your course at the Geneva Academy. This requirement does not apply if (1) your mother tongue is English; (2) you have taken an English-taught bachelor’s or master’s degree; (3) you have at least two years’ professional or academic experience in an English-speaking environment. A passive knowledge of French is an asset as students might have to attend conferences and class presentations in French.
- A sound command of English. You must be able to show, via a recognized test, that your English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete your course at the Geneva Academy. This requirement does not apply if (1) your mother tongue is English; (2) you have taken an English-taught bachelor’s or master’s degree; (3) you have at least two years’ professional or academic experience in an English-speaking environment.
- A passive knowledge of French is an asset as students might have to attend conferences and class presentations in French.
- Eligible Countries: All world countries.
- A full degree in law (received by June at the latest) enabling the applicant to sit the bar exam in the relevant country; or another degree if the applicant has a significant amount of training in public international law and courses related to our program (e.g. international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law).
- A strong academic record.
- A demonstrable interest in the subject matter of the program (e.g. professional experience, internships, summer school, conferences attended, publications, etc.).
