Fordham-Ghana Program Internships

Internships are a minimum of 5 weeks and provide law students with the opportunity to learn and work in the Ghanaian legal system.

Following the academic course session, students may stay on for internships under the auspices of the Program's internship program. Internships begin Monday, June 2 and continue through Friday, July 4, at a minimum. Depending on the host organization, it may be possible to arrange for a longer internship than the minimum 5-weeks required. Students MUST participate in the academic portion of the program in order to qualify for an internship.

Participants have the option of either a non-credit internship upon payment of a $500 internship placement fee or a for-credit internship for three ungraded credits at an additional cost of $2,250. Placements are limited and highly competitive, so interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible. While the program has been able to place every student who has applied for an internship to date, the earlier you apply, the greater your chances of receiving your first choice.

Eligibility

Due to the highly competitive nature of placement, we require a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA for internship requests. We will try to accommodate everyone interested with an internship but some of the most desirable internships are limited and will be competitive. There is some flexibility regarding this requirement, so interested students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 should contact the Faculty Director. Also, please keep in mind that every single student in the past who has applied for an internship has received one.

Internship placements are made based on student grades (undergraduate and law school), work experience, and the timing of one's application submission. Earlier applications receive priority, so we strongly encourage students to submit their application as soon as possible in order to secure an internship and to receive a placement of your highest preference.

For-Credit Internships

For-credit placements are available with the Judicial Service of Ghana and require a minimum of 5 weeks (200 hours) and participation in weekly seminar. These placements begin on Monday, June 2 and end Friday, July 4 at the earliest. For-credit placements are available throughout the Ghanaian court system: Interns are assigned to individual justices and judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court of Justice (which includes several specialized divisions, such as Human Rights, Land, Tax, and Commercial Court). Intern responsibilities are similar to those one would have as a judicial clerk in the United States and generally include conducting legal research, observing court proceedings, and drafting addresses and opinions; however, please keep in mind that there may be substantial differences in the work and culture in Ghana.

Non-Credit Internships

Placements are also available for students who do not want to take an internship for credit. Non-credit interns may apply for the same Judicial Service placements as are available under the for-credit program, although for-credit students receive priority. Non-credit internships may also be arranged outside of the judicial service, with leading law firms, government commissions, and non-governmental organizations. As with the for-credit placements, it may be possible to arrange for a longer internship than the minimum 5-weeks required. Students interested in non-JSG placements should contact the Faculty Director as soon as possible to discuss possible options.

Internship Accommodations

Students staying on for internships have the option of extending their accommodations in the Executive Hostel for the duration of their stay. Accommodation for the length of the five-week internship session will be an additional $1,925 for a single room or $1,400 per student for a shared double, if another student wishing to share is available. Students are also welcome to arrange their own accommodations off-campus for the internship session.