Summer Funding: Online Form
To receive summer public interest funding, please fill out the online form below (see "SUBMIT" link at the bottom of this page). The deadline for submitting your form for Summer 2013 funding will be in May, 2013. Please check back for updated information.
Carefully review the terms and conditions for accepting summer funding below, then click through to the actual form. You must check the box on the form acknowledging acceptance of these terms in order to submit your form.
PURPOSE OF FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The University of Chicago Law School is committed to supporting a range of summer public interest employment opportunities. To meet this commitment, the Heerey Fellowship Program provides a guaranteed award of $5,000 to 1L students who work in eligible non profit or government law positions for at least eight full-time weeks of their first-year summer. Second-year students who work in qualifying public interest positions for eight full-time weeks are also eligible for a guaranteed award of $5,000, available through the Chicago Law Foundation (“CLF”) or through other donor support. While participants in both of these programs may also earn up to $5,000 in other, external (non-Law School) summer funding, those who earn more than this amount, will be required to relinquish excess earnings at the end of the summer.
CERTIFICATION/VERIFICATION
Participants must certify their summer employment offer on the form. All positions will also be verified. Upon completion of the summer position, participants must provide documentation of completion of their summer work, write an essay detailing their experience, and provide a statement of additional earnings for the approval of the Financial Aid Committee. Participants who do not provide such documentation by the October 1 deadline, must repay the full balance of the award and will be ineligible to participate in any further law school funding program, including the Law School's LRAP, postgraduate fellowship program, or any scholarship programs. The essay detailing your summer work experience may be shared with the donor(s) of your summer funding grant. Please note that you may have an opportunity to meet with your fund donor.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
This fellowship program is open only to students who secure eligible public interest or government summer positions. Eligibility for the fellowship is not dependent upon academic grade averages, but if you fall below half-time enrollment or leave the University the full amount of the initial award will be immediately due and payable.
ELIGIBLE PUBLIC INTEREST POSITIONS
An eligible public interest position is one in which the student is: (a) learning about the practice of law in a legal, policy, legislative, advocacy setting and in a position where at least one year of law school is normally required; (b) working for the public interest; (c) working for a non-profit organization or government office; and (d) working on a full-time basis for at least eight weeks of the summer. Please note individuals working in judicial externships/internships, at law firms, private corporations, or in positions at a university (including Law School research assistants and clinical positions) are not eligible to participate. Final determinations of eligibility will be made by the Financial Aid Committee of the University of Chicago Law School.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
To be considered, all students volunteering in qualified summer public interest positions must submit an online form to the Admissions & Financial Aid Office. The Law School will then process the forms and provide the fellowship funds by early summer.
FUND DISTRIBUTION
Provided that the form was submitted in a timely manner, students will receive a check for the full award amount at the beginning of the summer. Students must agree to the requirements of the program and provide all required documentation to maintain funding. It is important to note that international students from non-treaty nations may be subject to tax withholdings. U.S. citizens and Resident Aliens will not be subject to withholdings though may need to declare the income on taxes. For more information, please check with your tax professional.
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP
By participating in this fellowship/summer funding program, eligible participants understand and acknowledge that they are not employees of the University of Chicago or the Law School during the program, and that the University of Chicago and the Law School do not have any control over the organizations for which students will be volunteering.
I have read these terms and conditions and wish to submit the form for summer funding. SUBMIT