Jean-Pictet Competition 2027 on International Humanitarian Law: Team Applications for the 51st Edition (Batam, Indonesia) and 52nd and 53rd Editions (Lukenya, Kenya)

The Jean-Pictet Competition is a one-week course in international humanitarian law (IHL), founded in 1989 and held every year in the host city of the edition. It is organised by the Committee for the Jean-Pictet Competition (Comité pour le Concours Jean-Pictet, CCJP), which describes it as the reference training in international humanitarian law in academia. Fifty editions have been held so far.

The Competition is entirely oral: there are no written memorials. Every year around fifty student teams from five continents spend a week on simulations built around a fictitious armed conflict, taking on the roles of legal advisers, ICRC delegates, military officers, diplomats and NGO representatives who plead, negotiate and advise.

• 51st edition (English): Batam, Indonesia, Saturday 20 March 2027 to Saturday 27 March 2027.
• 52nd edition (French): Lukenya, Kenya, Saturday 3 April 2027 to Saturday 10 April 2027.
• 53rd edition (English): Lukenya, Kenya, Saturday 3 April 2027 to Saturday 10 April 2027.

An edition is held in a single language. A team may apply to both the Francophone and an Anglophone edition, in which case it must provide a completed file in both French and English, and the CCJP decides which edition the team attends if it is pre-selected for both.

A team consists of three students representing a university or a comparable institution (for example, a military school). At the time of application, all three participants must:

• be registered as students in the institution they represent;
• be enrolled in, or have already completed, a Bachelor degree or its equivalent;
• be below 30 years of age;
• have a good knowledge of public international law;
• never have participated in the Competition before.

Requests for derogation from the student, degree or age conditions must be sent to the Competition administration (christophe@concourspictet.org) as soon as possible and at the latest with the application file, with the CV of the person concerned and a supporting letter. Each institution may submit at most one application in French and one application in English. Teams may not be accompanied by a coach during the Competition.

The Competition is open to student teams from institutions in any country: the Regulations set no nationality restriction and the CCJP selects with a view to diversity of countries. Indian law schools have taken part before, with National Law School of India University listed in the Competition's honours register.

Selection is on written application: an application form and written answers to selection questions, together with a certificate signed by a representative of the institution (dean or programme director) authorising the team and a certificate signed by each team member. The CCJP selects mainly on the quality of the files and also seeks diversity of countries and types of institution. Particular attention is paid to teams from the host country, institutions taking part for the first time, countries that have never sent a team, institutions where IHL is taught and institutions giving credit for participation. The CCJP may hold online interviews and keeps a supplementary list.

Applications run in two phases. The first phase (applications before 15 October 2026, 17:00 UTC) can fill not more than 50% of the seats for each edition, with a maximum of three teams per country per edition; teams not selected in the first phase are still considered in the second phase, which has no country quota. A team whose three members have, in the twelve months before applying, won a regional IHL competition organised by the ICRC (or a national competition treated as regional under an agreement between the ICRC and the CCJP) may qualify automatically if it also meets the other conditions of Article 6 of the Regulations.

The participation fee is EUR 1,500 per team, unless a reduction is granted from the Universality Fund. The fee covers IHL training (training documents and online training before the Competition), a tutor during the Competition, all materials, full board accommodation for the week of the edition and a written report on the team's performance. Travel to and from the Competition and personal expenses are borne by the teams. Fees are not refunded to teams that withdraw after payment, do not get a visa or do not attend for any other reason external to the CCJP. Payment instructions and bank details are in the official Regulations.

Participants must hold adequate insurance (civil responsibility, health, accident, repatriation) and are responsible for their own visas and travel documents; the CCJP supports visa applications as far as possible.

The Universality Fund gives partial financial support to teams from universities in countries or regions with economic and social difficulties. It can cover a reduced participation fee, air or train tickets, travel accommodation where needed, and visa fees, but never the full fee or the full travel cost. As a rule, teams from OECD member States cannot benefit, and a maximum of two teams per country may be supported for 2027. Teams request support during the application process by completing the relevant section of the application file; decisions are at the CCJP's discretion and depend on available resources.

Apply online through the Competition's Pictet Time platform using the team application form. Applications close on 8 November 2026 at 18:00 (GMT+1), that is 17:00 UTC or 10:30 pm IST. Applications sent before 15 October 2026, 17:00 UTC (10:30 pm IST) are considered in the first phase of selection. Read the 2027 Regulations before applying; the application requires CVs and a university attestation.