Applicants are invited to apply for the Disability Rights Scholarship Program funded by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The program provides yearlong awards for master’s degree study for law degrees.

The program’s objective is to provide disability rights advocates, lawyers, and educators with the necessary expertise to develop new legislation, jurisprudence, policy, research, and scholarship to harness the innovations and opportunities.

The Open Society Foundations are the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.

Why study at the Open Society Institute? The Open Society Institute supports individuals seeking innovative and unconventional approaches to fundamental open society challenges.

Application Deadline: January 6, 2020

Brief Description

• University or Organization: Open Society Institute
• Department: NA
• Course Level: Master Program
• Award: Tuition and mandatory university fees
• Access Mode: Online
• Number of Awards: Not known
• Nationality: International
• The award can be taken in the USA

Eligibility

• Eligible Countries: Applicants from Ethiopia, Lesotho, Sudan, South Sudan, Czech Republic, Georgia, or Ukraine are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
• Acceptable Course or Subjects: The scholarship will be awarded to disability rights advocates, lawyers, and educators.
• Admissible Criteria: To be eligible, the candidates must meet all the following criteria:
• Have work experience in the legal profession or advocacy focusing on human/disability rights.
• Have an excellent academic record with a bachelor of laws (LLB; in exceptional circumstances, those without an LLB but with substantial relevant experience may be considered)—a degree must be awarded by the application deadline.
• Have demonstrated leadership in the field of disability rights.
• Be able to receive and maintain a visa or study permit required by host country.
• Demonstrate a clear commitment to return to home country to contribute to advancing the inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities in their communities.

How to Apply

• How to Apply: Applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply online please click here to register, and then follow the instructions. If you are unable to apply online, the full application form (available above or from the regional coordinators), then all supporting documents must be submitted via email by the deadline to the appropriate contact.
• Supporting Documents: Before submitting your application, you should gather all required supporting documents. Any document not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
• Essay
• CV/Resume in English (no more than three pages)
• Photocopy of the page in your passport/national ID displaying your photo, name, and citizenship. Include this document for all passports/national IDs you hold.
• Transcripts/Grade Reports (list of courses taken and grades received for the most recent academic degree earned).
• Admission Requirements: When you are ready to prepare your application, you will have to meet the entry requirements.
• Language Requirement: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English or French and able to meet university designated minimum scores on standardized language tests

Benefits:

The fellowship provides:

• Tuition and mandatory university fees;
• Monthly stipend for room, board, and other living expenses;
• Program-related travel;
• Accident and health insurance during the program;
• Funds for educational materials and professional development;
• All costs associated with the pre-academic summer program and an annual conference;
• Support for students with disabilities to obtain reasonable accommodations necessary for participating in the program of study.

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