ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
Selection of Participants
The Program is designed for lawyers, journalists, doctors, teachers, social workers, community organizers, and other human rights activists working with NGOs on issues including sexual and gender-based violence, minority rights, LGBT rights, labor rights, migration, health, social exclusion, environmental justice, disability rights, and corporate social accountability.
Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience in human rights, commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability to pursue graduate-level studies. Full-time students or government officials will not be considered. Applicants holding full or part-time jobs pursuing their advocacy efforts are preferred.
Advocates must work at the grassroots level. Applicants from high-income countries will not be considered except for those representing marginalized communities. See the FAQ for more information about this requirement. Fluency in English is required. Preference is given to those who have not previously had opportunities to travel and study internationally.
Advocates must provide proof of institutional endorsement in English from their organizations for their participation in the Program and must commit to returning to that organization upon completion of the Program. Only one application per organization should be submitted. More than one application means all applications from that organization will be disqualified. It is up to the applicant to make sure no one else from the organization has applied.
Funding
After ISHR conducts its stringent selection process, it makes every effort to secure funding for shortlisted Advocates to attend the program. In certain cases where ISHR cannot secure funding, shortlisted Advocates may be asked to secure the funds needed for them to be admitted to the program.
Application Instructions
Applicants are asked to complete the application in its entirety. Please complete all sections in English. Please follow all instructions, including those sent to your email address.
Upon submission of a completed application, a confirmation will be sent to the applicant. Applicants may also login to the online application to view their submitted applications.
After beginning an application, the applicant can either choose to save the form as a draft, or submit a completed application. If you choose to save the form as a draft, you can return to this page to complete it. Upon submission of a completed application, a confirmation will be sent to the applicant. Applicants may login to the online application to view or edit their submitted applications until the deadline.
Applicants can access their form from their user page and by using the Manage link in the menu.
Columbia University aims to make all websites fully accessible to users with disabilities. If you experience difficulty using this page, please contact hradvocates@columbia.edu.
Deadline
The application period for 2017 is now open. Completed applications are due 11:59 GMT, on January 31st, 2017.
Supporting Documentation
Two signed letters of recommendation are required. Unsigned letters will not be accepted and your entire application will be removed from consideration. The recommenders must provide their contact information (phone number and email address). You cannot submit the proof of institutional endorsement as one of the letters. The letters must be in English. They must be from those who can attest to your work as a human rights advocate. Your letters of recommendation weigh heavily in our consideration. Please reach out to potential recommenders in a timely fashion. Most recommenders require at least one month's notice.
Status Notification
Applicants will be notified in June of their status. Please be patient as the selection and funding processes are lengthy.
Technical Questions & Assistance
Due to the number of applications we receive, we are not able to answer application questions personally. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page is available with answers to commonly asked questions. Please email further questions to hradvocates@columbia.edu. Answers to technical questions will be added as updates to the FAQ page. ISHR strongly recommends completing your application well in advance of this the application deadline. We will not accept late applications, even in the event of technical problems.
