About the role#
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, seeks post-graduate Legal Fellows to work full-time within the Protection and Solutions Unit (PSU) at our Multi-Country Office in Washington, D.C. This one-year fellowship begins in September 2027. Fellows will work with our team to support protection strategies for asylum-seekers, refugees, and stateless persons in the United States and the northern Caribbean. Please note this is an unpaid position, and fellows are required to secure their own external funding for the full duration of the term.
What you'll do#
- Support the overall protection and solutions strategy of the PSU.
- Provide comments on proposed legislation and regulations.
- Submit amicus briefs on select international legal issues.
- Engage in law and policy analysis at the intersection of international and domestic law.
- Conduct trainings and presentations on statelessness and nationality.
- Provide guidance on potential stateless status to individuals.
- Gather information on the protection situation of forcibly displaced and stateless persons in detention, at ports of entry, and in immigration courts.
- Develop policy and practice options for relevant authorities.
- Provide information to persons of concern regarding laws, policies, and procedures for seeking asylum.
- Monitor protection conditions and provide individual case support.
- Share information on regional and global displacement trends.
What you'll need#
- Current 2027 degree candidate or recent graduate from a U.S. law school.
- Completed coursework in international law, refugee law, or human rights (U.S. immigration law coursework is preferred).
- Experience in U.S. asylum or refugee law and topics related to statelessness.
- Prior experience with law school legal clinics or direct service work.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong research and legal analysis skills with a detail-oriented approach.
- Ability to multi-task and work in a self-directed manner.
- Fluent Spanish is essential for roles focusing on the U.S. southern border and regional protection policy, and is highly desirable for other areas.
Location & details#
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
- Modality: On-site.
- Term: Full-time for 12 months, starting September 2027.
- Compensation: This is an unpaid fellowship. Candidates must demonstrate a guaranteed source of external funding.
- Requirements: Fellows must have valid work authorization in the United States for the full duration of the fellowship.
About UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
UNHCR is a global organization focused on protecting the rights of refugees and stateless persons. It coordinates international efforts to provide emergency assistance and support to those forced to flee their homes. The agency operates in over 130 countries to help individuals rebuild their lives. It maintains a workforce of more than 10,000 employees.
How to get in at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Securing an internship at UNHCR requires a proactive approach because roles are highly competitive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first, as early applicants get seen before the pile grows. Being at the front of the queue gives you a distinct advantage in a large organization. You can also use Intern Insider to surface the recruiters behind the company roles so you can reach out directly to ask about the role or a referral. Connecting with the right person often improves your response rates significantly compared to submitting an application into a general queue.
