Salzburg Lloyd N. Cutler Fellows Program in International Law
The University of Chicago Law School supports student participation in the Salzburg Lloyd N. Cutler Fellows Program. 2L, 3L, and LLM students are encouraged to apply and four candidates will be selected to participate in the Program. The Program brings together 60 of the nation’s top law students with leading academics, judges, and practitioners in the fields of private and public international law. The Program examines the most critical issues shaping today’s international law agenda and creates a network of men and women interested in careers in international practice and public service.
At the heart of the Program is the preparation by each Fellow of a paper, to be submitted in a title and keywords form, for review by the other participants and a group of outstanding law professors, judges, and practitioners. Fellows should have a demonstrated interest in international law, broadly construed to include international, transnational, comparative, and foreign relations law, among related fields. Most importantly, each Fellow should come to the program with a substantial paper draft that will be ready to be workshopped during the February meeting. The paper might be a seminar paper the student is considering revising for publication, an independent study project, a law review note, or another significant piece of legal scholarship.
The 2027’s theme is International Law as a Public Good: Building Order Amidst Uncertainty. The Program will convene in Washington, DC, from February 4-6, 2027, and will include an online orientation session in advance. Each Fellow receives feedback and guidance on how to strengthen the legal arguments in their papers and find publishing opportunities. Fellows also learn about and discuss both traditional and non-traditional career paths in international law with experts and practitioners. Finally, Fellows have the opportunity to hear from distinguished speakers in collaborative panels that engage with our yearly theme.
Becoming a Salzburg Global Fellow connects students to a unique international network, with fellowship events held regularly in cities including New York, Washington, DC, and London. The Program's alumni may also be eligible to join the International Law Fellows Network (ILFN) program, which Salzburg Global Seminar launched in 2025 with the International Bar Association. ILFN will convene at Salzburg Global’s headquarters, Schloss Leopoldskron, in Salzburg, Austria, from Thursday, June 10, to Sunday, June 13, 2027; it brings together rising international lawyers to examine how the international rule of law can be strengthened and sustained. Later this year, University of Chicago Law School faculty will be invited to nominate Cutler Fellowship alumni from University of Chicago Law School to apply to join the 2027 ILFN program.
What Is the Cost? The University of Chicago Law School will cover the cost of air travel and two nights of accommodation in Washington, DC. Meals will be provided by the Salzburg Global Seminar.
Who Can Apply? This program is open to 2L, 3L, and LLM students. Students with strong international experience and/or backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. A maximum of four University of Chicago Law School students will be selected.
How Do I Apply? Please submit the following documents to Aican Nguyen at aican@uchicago.edu by 26th October 2026:
- Cover letter explaining your background and interest in the Cutler Program
- Unofficial transcript
- One-page resume
- Two-page abstract describing the research topic/paper you would wish to present.
Questions? Please contact Aican Nguyen at aican@uchicago.edu or (773) 702-0184.