Legal Internship at the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) Permanent Bureau, The Hague (3 to 6 Months)

The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) is the intergovernmental organisation for private international law. Its Permanent Bureau, the HCCH secretariat in The Hague, has opened applications for three- to six-month legal interns to assist HCCH staff members in the discharge of their duties and in their day-to-day work.

Applications are for internships starting between March and September 2027 (the HCCH page prints the start as "March2026", evidently a typo for March 2027, since applications close in November 2026). The application period for legal internships from October 2027 will open separately in due course.

Only applications for full-time internships (five days per week) will be considered, and the Permanent Bureau may give priority to longer internships.

Applicants are encouraged to rank, in order of interest, the Division they wish to intern at.

• Family and Child Protection Law Division: 1980 Child Abduction Convention and 1996 Child Protection Convention; 1993 Adoption Convention and Parentage / Surrogacy Project; 2000 Protection of Adults Convention; 2007 Child Support Convention and Maintenance Obligations Protocol; Recognition and Enforcement of Protection Orders Project.
• Transnational Litigation and Apostille Division: 1961 Apostille Convention (including e-APP); 1965 Service Convention, 1970 Evidence Convention and 1980 Access to Justice Convention; 2005 Choice of Court Convention; 2019 Judgments Convention; Jurisdiction Project.
• Commercial, Digital and Financial Law Division: Central Bank Digital Currencies Project; Carbon Markets Project; Digital Tokens Project; Digital Economy Project; 1985 Trusts Convention; 2006 Securities Convention; 2015 Choice of Law Principles.

• Open to those currently studying law at the Bachelor, Masters, J.D. or Ph.D. level and to those who have already been awarded a law degree or Masters.
• For students currently enrolled in a Bachelor's programme, preference may be given to those in the later stages of their studies.
• Fluency in English, French or Spanish is required; knowledge of the other two is an asset.
• The HCCH FAQ states that the programme is open to applicants of all nationalities and that applicants need not be nationals of an HCCH Member, so Indian law students and graduates may apply.

• Research on particular points of private international law and/or comparative law relevant to existing HCCH Conventions or the future work of the HCCH.
• Taking part in the preparation of HCCH meetings (Council on General Affairs and Policy, Working/Experts' Groups, Special Commissions, Diplomatic Sessions).
• Contributing to the promotion of the HCCH and its work, including preparing presentations.

The work will generally combine legal and administrative tasks.

Internships offered by the Permanent Bureau are not remunerated. Successful applicants are responsible for their travel costs and expenses for the duration of the internship, and are encouraged to seek funding from their university or other organisations. The Permanent Bureau does not provide accommodation but shares a note with tips for finding accommodation in The Hague. Interns must hold adequate insurance covering medical and hospital expenses, repatriation and third party liability. The HCCH does not handle visas, but can issue a letter confirming the internship in support of a visa application. Interns accumulate 2.5 days of leave for each month worked.

• Letter of motivation (one page maximum)
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Transcript of academic records or statement of academic results
• Academic writing sample in English, French or Spanish (at least 500 words, any subject)
• At least one letter of recommendation

All documents must be in PDF and named [FAMILY NAME] [First Name] [Document Number] - [Document Name], for example "SMITH John 1 - Letter of Motivation".

Complete the online HCCH Legal Internship Application Form and upload the supporting documents no later than Monday 9 November 2026, 18.00 hours CET (10.30 pm IST). Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Applicants may also ask, within the same application, to be considered for an internship at the HCCH Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Hong Kong SAR (three weeks to six months, in person or online, unpaid).

Candidates are expected to hear by e-mail approximately two months after applications close. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a video interview.