Supreme Court Fellows Program 2027–2028

Supreme Court Fellows Program 2027–2028

Overview and award details

The Supreme Court Fellows Program is a year-long professional fellowship in Washington, D.C. The Commission selects four fellows and places them at one of four federal judiciary agencies: the Supreme Court of the United States, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Judicial Center, or the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Fellows work on matters connected to judicial administration, policy development, education, and research. The program combines practical work in a sponsoring office with time to study, write, and develop an academic research agenda. Applicants should consider both the work and the research component when deciding whether this is a good match. (About the Fellowships)

The position is paid. Fellows are federal court employees and receive compensation at the GS-13/1 equivalent for the applicable locality rate. The program currently lists the salary as $121,785. Fellows are also eligible for federal health insurance, life insurance, and other federal employee benefits. The posted amount is a current figure, not a guaranteed salary for the 2027–2028 appointment: the exact salary applicable to that year may change. Check the official program pages for updated compensation information before making financial plans. (About the Fellowships)

The educational program includes opportunities such as seating at Supreme Court oral arguments, judicial-administration seminars, meetings with jurists, and a Supreme Court Preview conference. These activities sit alongside fellows’ agency work and research time; they do not replace the year-long appointment. The available description names the sponsoring agencies and broad kinds of experience, but applicants should consult the official program information for details relevant to a particular office. (About the Fellowships)

Who should apply and eligibility

The published baseline requirements are specific: applicants must be U.S. citizens and must hold a J.D. or another post-graduate degree when they apply. The Commission particularly welcomes candidates who are completing or have recently completed a judicial clerkship and plan to pursue a career in academia or public service. That statement expresses a particular interest; it does not make a clerkship or a stated academic or public-service career plan a baseline eligibility requirement. The application page is the place to verify the current requirements and any updates before submitting. (Application page)

The work may suit applicants interested in how the federal judiciary functions as an institution, including administrative work, policy, education, and research. It is not described solely as courtroom practice or as a conventional clerkship. A useful fit question is whether you can explain a research issue relevant to one of the sponsoring offices and why that office is an appropriate setting for studying it. This is practical advice based on the required proposal; the supplied program description does not publish a scoring rubric or a list of preferred proposal topics.

How to Apply

Submit the application through the online candidate information form. The application also requires a résumé that highlights academic, professional, and personal achievements, and an original legal research proposal. The proposal may not exceed 1,000 words, excluding citations. It must be uploaded as a PDF or Microsoft Word document. The proposal should identify which of the four sponsoring offices would be an appropriate venue for the proposed research. (Application page)

Two recommendations must be sent directly by the recommenders. At least one letter from a judge is preferred. “Preferred” is not the same as a stated absolute requirement: the supplied application facts call for two recommendations and express a preference for one judge’s letter. Arrange for recommenders to submit their letters themselves, rather than treating letters attached to your own upload as satisfying the described submission route. Confirm any delivery instructions on the official application page and give recommenders enough lead time to follow them. (Application page)

Before submitting, check the proposal’s originality, word count, file type, named research venue, and direct recommendation submissions. The supplied facts do not say whether edits are possible after submission, so resolve uncertainties on the application page before filing.

Timeline and deadlines

Applications for the 2027–2028 program are open through November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Treat that stated time zone as part of the deadline, particularly if preparing an application from another time zone. Do not wait until the last moment to submit: the application includes materials from other people, and recommenders need to send their letters directly. (Application page)

Finalists are notified by January and invited to a two-day interview program in Washington, D.C., in February or March. The supplied timeline does not give exact January notification or interview dates. It says finalist decisions are communicated within two weeks of interviews. Those statements describe the published process; applicants should rely on direct program communications for their own status and any logistical specifics. (Application page)

Preparing a focused application

Optional preparation advice: Begin by testing whether your proposed legal research question can be stated clearly and connected to one sponsoring office. The application asks for an original legal research proposal and asks applicants to identify the appropriate research venue. A concise explanation of the connection can help make the proposal understandable. This is writing guidance, not a published evaluation criterion, and no particular subject area is identified in the supplied facts as more competitive than another.

Keep the proposal within the 1,000-word ceiling, excluding citations. No citation style or proposal format is specified in the supplied facts, so check the application page for additional directions. Submit a PDF or Word document and confirm the file is readable.

Choose recommenders who can speak to your work from direct knowledge, and explain the submission process to them early. The published preference is for at least one judge’s letter, while two recommendations are required. Applicants who cannot identify a judge as a recommender should not infer that they are ineligible from the stated preference; they can check the current application instructions or ask the program whether their planned recommenders meet the submission requirements. This advice does not promise that any particular recommendation will satisfy the Commission.

Use the résumé to highlight academic, professional, and personal achievements. The supplied facts do not establish whether the live form requests additional fields; follow its current instructions and do not assume unlisted attachments are required.

Common application mistakes to avoid

One avoidable error is treating the salary as fixed for the fellowship year. The currently posted $121,785 is based on the applicable locality rate, and the exact 2027–2028 figure may change. Use it as a current reference only, then confirm the amount with the official program page or the agency before accepting an appointment or setting a budget. (About the Fellowships)

Another is confusing a preference with a requirement. U.S. citizenship, a J.D. or another post-graduate degree at application time, the online form, résumé, proposal, and two direct recommendations are described in the supplied facts. A judge’s recommendation is preferred, and recent or current judicial clerks pursuing academic or public-service careers are especially welcomed; those statements should not be rewritten as mandatory eligibility rules. (Application page)

Frequently asked questions

Is a judicial clerkship required?

The stated eligibility requirements do not include a clerkship. The Commission especially welcomes current or recent judicial clerks planning academic or public-service careers, but the application facts describe this as a particular interest rather than a universal prerequisite. Review the official application page for any updated criteria. (Application page)

Does every fellow work at the Supreme Court?

No. The four fellows are appointed across four federal judiciary agencies: the Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Federal Judicial Center, or U.S. Sentencing Commission. The facts provided do not explain the assignment process or guarantee an applicant’s preferred placement. (About the Fellowships)

What does the fellowship pay?

The program currently lists $121,785, equivalent to GS-13/1 at the applicable locality rate, along with eligibility for federal health, life insurance, and other employee benefits. The precise salary for the 2027–2028 appointment is unconfirmed and may change. Check the official program information for an updated figure. (About the Fellowships)

What happens after the application deadline?

Finalists are notified by January and invited to a two-day Washington, D.C. interview program in February or March. Finalist decisions are communicated within two weeks after interviews. Exact dates are not stated in the supplied timeline. (Application page)

Official sources and details to verify

Start with the official application page for the candidate information form, required application materials, eligibility, deadline, and finalist timeline. Read the program overview for agency placements, work and educational experiences, current compensation, and benefits.

The exact salary for the 2027–2028 appointment remains unconfirmed in the available program information and may differ from the current posted amount. The supplied facts also do not establish exact interview dates, office assignment mechanics, proposal formatting beyond the accepted file types and word limit, or any additional fields in the live form. Verify those details directly through current official instructions or contact information published by the program. Do not infer acceptance odds, unpublished selection criteria, or extra requirements from the limited facts available here.