Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute

Application for Summer 2027 is coming soon.

Applications closed on April 5, 2027. 

To successfully apply to the Program, you must:

• Complete the application
• Pay the nonrefundable Application Fee (US$150)
• Submit a current Résumé/CV
• Submit a Letter of Good Standing or equivalent:
  • Current Students
    • U.S. students: This is an official letter that should come from an Academic Advisor, Dean, Director, or other Chief Student Affairs Officer, indicating that you are a student in good standing for academics affairs.
    • International students: If your institution does not provide an official Letter of Good Standing as described above, please provide an equivalent letter from an Advisor, Dean, Student Affairs Officer, or Registrar representative confirming that you are in good academic standing, i.e. progressing successfully through your coursework without any academic probation.
  • “In-between” graduates (students who have received their Bachelor’s degree and are considering further education related to law)
    • Please provide your academic transcripts from your undergraduate education. We are looking for evidence of consistent academic performance of a high quality.
  • Attorneys, academics, practitioners, and other professionals: Please provide a letter of recommendation from your employer.

Please note:

The files names for all documents uploaded in our application portal should only contain letters and numbers (no spaces). The system will reject file names with special characters.

All application materials should be submitted in English. If materials are submitted with another language, please provide a certified translated copy.

If you would like to make changes to your application after you have submitted it, please contact us at paris.law@cornell.edu.

The Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute, which is open to both United States and international applicants, is a unique academic experience that will expand your understanding of a special area of law. The program emphasizes the study of international law and institutions, as well as U.S. and other legal systems in a comparative context. The program also provides a unique opportunity for career advancement, personal growth and development, and networking on a global level.

Students attend classes at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, first in the Panthéon building and then the Lourcine Centre, near the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg and in the vibrant Quartier Latin, the Paris home of university students for almost a thousand years.

Each year’s program sponsors at least two private guided tours of culturally significant legal institutions. In the past, students have visited the Palais de Justice (the site of France’s highest court in the ordinary court system), the Conseil d’État (the “supreme court” in the French administrative court system), the French National Assembly, the French Senate, and the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration in Paris.

The Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute is open to:

• J.D. students and non-U.S. law Students who have completed at least one year of law studies and are in good standing
• Students preparing to study for an LL.M. degree in the United States
• Graduate students in good academic standing who demonstrate an interest in the law
• Attorneys who have been licensed or admitted by the appropriate professional entity in their respective home countries
• Academics, practitioners, and other professionals seeking knowledge of American, international, and comparative law
• “In-between” graduates – former students who have received their Bachelor’s degree and are considering further graduate education related to law

Junior and senior undergraduate students are welcome to apply to the prelaw program through this portal with our partners in Cornell’s Office of Global Learning.

If you feel that you don’t fall into the above categories but are still interested in the program, please reach out to paris.law@cornell.edu to discuss if the program is an option for you.

Are you interested in the Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute but can’t participate in this year’s program?

Fill out the info at the survey linked here, and we will notify you once the application is up for the next cycle!

• The program takes place over three weeks, from June 28th to July 16th, 2027.
• Programming will occur Monday through Friday, with in-person classes in Paris.
• There is no programming on the weekends (July 3-4, July 10-11) and on Bastille Day (July 14). These days are free to students.
• Your daily schedule will vary depending on your course selection and how many credits you enroll in.
• Mandatory Orientation and Court Visits: June 28, 29 & 30
• Classes held: July 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9.
• Study Day: July 12
• First Day of Exams: July 13
• Study Day: July 15
• Second Day of Exams: July 16

• The classes are
  • taught entirely by Cornell Law School Faculty.
  • conducted in English. [Cornell and Paris 1 do not offer French language classes as a part of the program.]
  • taught on Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne campuses in Paris. Our programming takes place at the Pantheon Building.
• The students
  • Historically this program has comprised students from all over the world.
  • Your fellow students may be a mix of pre-Law, J.D., and LL.M. students (or other non-Law graduate students seeking specialized knowledge in the subject area) as well as current professionals and academics.
  • While every year is unique and a class size can’t be guaranteed, in 2026 each of our classes typically had an enrollment of about 15-60 students.

• Each course carries 1 credit (except for the mandatory not-for-credit orientation lecture taught by Professor Lasser [Introduction to the Laws of Europe]).
• Each of the for-credit courses meet 7 times over the program’s 7 class days (see Program Schedule section above for more information).
• Each class meeting will be 90 minutes in duration.
• Cumulatively, each for-credit course will have 630 minutes of class time (90 minutes x 7 days).
• There will be 120 minutes of mandatory court visits per class.

International students: If you would like to determine credit equivalence, please reach out to your home institution’s Registrar’s Office.

The courses for the Summer 2027 program are coming soon.

Introduction to the Laws of Europe (Required Orientation Lectures) (Non-credit, mandatory) – Taught by Professor Mitchel Lasser:

These lectures examine the origins and development of the national legal systems of Europe, viewed in relation to their common law equivalents. They also present the key features of the European Union and of the European Court of Human Rights.  These lectures do not carry separate credit, but attendance by all enrolled students is required, as part of the regular courses.

9:00 am – 10:30 am: TBD

10:45 am -12:15 pm: TBD

1:15 pm – 2:45 pm: TBD

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: TBD

Application Fee (non-refundable): $150

Course fees: $1950 per credit

• 2 credits – $3900
• 3 credits – $5850
• 4 credits – $7800

Students must enroll in at least 2 credits.

After students have registered for courses, a deposit of $1000 will be due within 15 days. The remaining balance will be billed in May and due no later than June 7, 2027.

Program fees only cover tuition.

Travel-related expenses such as housing, transportation to and from Paris, and meals are the responsibility of the student.

Cornell students should apply for loans through financialaid@cornell.edu

Unfortunately, Cornell cannot provide financial aid to non-Cornell students.

• Students at other American law schools should consult the financial office at their own school. If a financial consortium agreement is required, financial aid officers are welcome to consult Cornell Law School’s Student Financial Services Office for guidance.
• Non-American participants are encouraged to apply to foundations and other sources of funding in their home countries for scholarship.

Students are required to provide their own health insurance. The Institute is not responsible for medical or dental expenses incurred by the students during the operation of the program. Be sure to include health insurance information on the application.

Cornell Law School complies with the “Cancellation, Change, or Termination of Programs” as set forth in the American Bar Association’s Criteria for Approval of Foreign Summer Programs.

60 Days:  If a student provides at least 60 days notice from the program start date for withdrawing from the program; they will receive a full refund.

30 Days: If a student provides at least 30 days notice from the program start date for withdrawing from the program; they will receive a partial refund.

If a student does not provide at least 30 days notice from the program start date for withdrawing from the program; no refund will be provided.