The Internship Programme offers a distinctive opportunity for individuals with diverse academic, professional, and cultural backgrounds to gain insight into the Court’s mandate, objectives, and functions.
Interns can enrich their academic and professional knowledge and acquire skills crucial for their future endeavors. Geared toward those at the early stages of their careers, the internship programme considers candidates who are either currently enrolled in their final year or have completed their university studies and possess less than three years of relevant full-time professional experience.
Candidates with more than three years of experience are not eligible for an internship but may apply for a Visiting Professional placement. To learn more about the difference between an Intern and Visiting Professional, check the page Application Procedure and Frequently Asked Questions.
Frequently asked questions about the Internship Programme
The ICC offers over 200 internships and visiting professional positions per calendar year for students and graduates across various fields, including but not limited to law; human resources; translation and interpretation; IT management; and social psychology.
Unless specified in the vacancy announcement, good oral and drafting communication skills in one of the two official working languages of the Court (English and French) are required. Working knowledge of the other is an asset.
Knowledge of any of the other official languages of the court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish), or of other languages relevant to the situations pending before the Court will be considered an asset.
Interns are required to work full time for a period between three and six months (to be agreed prior to commencement). In principle, internship placements will not be extended beyond six months.
The ICC internships are in-person and in consequence, the interns are expected to relocate to the Court`s headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, and to be present at the Court full time.
The ICC is not able to provide remuneration to most participants in the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme, nor is able to reimburse expenses incurred during the placement. Applicants should therefore plan to support themselves for the duration of their placement.
The ICC funds a few positions each year through the Trust Fund for the Development of Interns and Visiting Professionals or through an European Union (EU) Contribution to the ICC. In these cases, the Human Resources Section will advertise a funded vacancy announcement in accordance with the terms of reference of the Trust Fund or the EU Contribution to the ICC. Therefore, unless the possibility of funding is mentioned in the Vacancy Announcement, the position is unfunded.
To learn more about the funded Internship and Visiting Professional opportunities please refer to the following page: Learn more about the funded internship and visiting professional opportunities at the ICC.
You may get academic credit from your institution of higher learning for an ICC internship. Check with your University to confirm their academic credit policy for internships.
Individuals can only complete one internship placement at the Court. If you are a former intern and are interested in doing a similar placement you are permitted to complete a separate visiting professional placement provided that you meet the professional experience requirement applicable to visiting professionals.
An intern may exceptionally be granted a second internship placement in a different Organ, Office, Division, Section or Unit based on the candidate’s change of career, following additional academic studies in a different field and if approved by the Human Resources Section.
Individuals are ineligible to apply if they have a parent or a sibling currently working at the Court.
Work experience is measured in terms of duration and relevance. Work experience must be relevant to the post. Relevant work experience is the mastering of skills through the practical application of theoretical knowledge, in the performance of a particular job, related to the post.
Work experience can be acquired on a full time or part time basis, and may or may not be awarded in monetary terms. Work experience acquired on a part-time basis is credited proportionately to the time worked. Internships, fellowships and volunteer work are counted at half credit. Self-employment and consultancies are also counted at half credit.
Next to gathering work experience, an ICC internship offers many opportunities to interns to develop their professional and personal skills. Interns will have the chance to participate in educational visits, attend specific talks by ICC staff members, complete several online certifications provided by the ICC and partner institutions, amongst other benefits.
ICC interns also have access to recreational activities, such as sports and fitness activities and social networking groups.
Unless otherwise specified in the vacancy, candidates from non-State parties are eligible to apply for an internship.
Due to the large volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted and invited to the next round.
Candidates can apply for all suitable vacancies. The amount of vacancies a candidate applied for will not be taken into consideration during the selection process.