Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program

Established in 2004, the Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program recognizes the legacy of Arthur Helton, a prominent human rights advocate and ASIL member. Helton died in the August 19, 2003 bombing of the UN mission in Baghdad.

The Helton Fellowship Program seeks applicants in the early stages of their academic and professional careers who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions to the use and study of international law around the world.

Law students, practicing lawyers, human rights professionals, scholars, and other individuals seeking assistance in conducting international fieldwork and law-related research are encouraged to apply. Applicants can be of any nationality but must be current law students or have graduated from law school (at either the undergraduate or graduate levels) no earlier than December 2021.

In order to ensure the quality and applicability of their proposal, applicants must obtain written support for their fieldwork or research project from a sponsoring organization. This organization can be any educational institution, international organization, governmental agency, or nongovernmental organization working in international law, human rights, humanitarian affairs, international criminal law, or related areas. The sponsoring organization must provide a letter of support for the applicant clearly indicating their awareness of the proposed project, the role that they will play in assisting the potential Helton Fellow in completing the project, and the value of the project to the organization’s mission, the surrounding region, and/or the relevant field of international law. Individuals pursuing independent research or fieldwork are not eligible for Helton Fellowships. Applicants should also identify other potential sources of funding to cover costs related to their fieldwork. ASIL does not assist in securing organizational sponsorship or alternative funding for Fellows.

Fellows must begin their fieldwork between April 2025 and September 2025. Helton Fellow projects must be completed no later than March 2026.

In acknowledgement of Arthur C. Helton’s commitment to human rights and humanitarian affairs in the field, preferential consideration may be given to applications demonstrating a significant fieldwork component as well as those involving the human rights of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other vulnerable populations. Applications for fieldwork in the area of international criminal law and international humanitarian law are also encouraged.

Applicants will be considered by the Helton Fellowship Selection Committee on the basis of the written materials included in the application package. No interviews or any other communications with applicants will be conducted

Helton Fellowship micro-grants are intended to ensure that these individuals have access to modest amounts of funding that can often stand between them and their first professional opportunities to become effective practitioners, experts, and scholars of international law. The fellowships are intended to help cover for travel, housing, living expenses, and other costs related to the Fellow’s fieldwork and research.