Research Scholar Program

The Law School offers a non-degree research scholar program, attractive to legal scholars from around the world.

This program is designed to meet the varying needs of scholars who engage in major research projects for which the Law School's outstanding library can be of considerable assistance. Research scholars enjoy full access to the Law School's library and research facilities, including Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis, to pursue their individual research agendas. They are welcome to observe classes with the permission of the professor and to participate in the Law School's workshops and lecture series.

The research scholar program is intended primarily for junior and senior faculty members in law or in cognate fields at universities throughout the world. It is also available to individuals from abroad engaged in public service careers or in doctoral or post-doctoral studies. Every effort is made to welcome research scholars into the intellectual and social life of the School. Research scholars who are faculty in their own countries are invited to participate in the faculty lunches and colloquia which occur at the Law School on an almost daily basis. Most are provided library carrels with Internet access in which to pursue their work.

In recent years, our research scholar program has included faculty members from the University of Lisbon in Portugal, the Australian National University, Kyoto University in Japan, the University of Heidelberg in Germany, Peking University, and the University of Hong Kong, as well as the director of the Institute of State and Law of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a legal advisor to Amnesty International in London, and a staff member of the Japanese Ministry of Justice. Their research interests have encompassed a broad array of legal and interdisciplinary subjects. The Law School welcomes 10 to 20 research scholars annually. Their campus visits vary in length from a few weeks to one year and they may start at any time. If a research scholar would like to observe classes, he or she is encouraged to time the visit with the beginning and end of our terms. Unless visits are scheduled according to the academic calendar, research scholars may find it more difficult to obtain reasonably priced housing accommodations.

In addition to the resources offered by the Law School, research scholars have access to the considerable intellectual and cultural activities at the University of Michigan and in Ann Arbor. Frequently the interests of research scholars bring them in contact with faculty in other departments of the University such as economics or public policy studies or in the many centers that focus on significant regions of the world, such as the European Union Center and the centers for Japanese studies, for Chinese studies, or for Russian and East European studies, to name just a few.

How to Apply

Those interested in visiting the Law School should send the Center for International and Comparative Law their curriculum vita, a publication list, proposed dates of stay, a description of their intended research project and its intended purpose (e.g. doctoral thesis, journal publication), and a description of how a research scholar visit will be of value.  They should also provide two letters of reference from academics familiar with their work.  If there are particular Michigan faculty members with whom they would like to confer, they should so indicate. It is also helpful to know their interest in informally observing particular classes. Applicants for the research scholar program whose native language is not English should indicate their degree of fluency in English, in particular speaking and listening comprehension, and describe their training and experience in English.  TOEFL or IELTS score and academic records may also be requested.

Research scholar applicants with an interest in the Law School's Program in Refugee and Asylum Law should request additional information by writing to the Center for International and Comparative Law at the address below or e-mailing wls@umich.edu.

MICHIGAN GROTIUS RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

Applicants to the Law School's research scholar program may apply for Michigan Grotius Research Fellowships which are granted on a competitive basis.  Those interested in being considered for these Fellowships will be asked to complete a Fellowship application and submit it together with the application materials referenced in the section above.  If invited as a research scholar to the Law School, no tuition is charged.  Michigan Grotius Research Fellowships are intended to assist with living expenses while in full-time residence.  Most research scholars are supported by funds from other sources, such as Fulbright or sabbatical leave salary of their home university.  Because of competition for Michigan Grotius Research Fellowships, applicants are encouraged to seek alternate sources of funding.

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