Information on how to apply to the Furman Scholarship and the Furman Fellowship is below. All application materials and inquiries should be emailed to the Program’s administrator, Jocelyn Ye at jocelyn.ye@nyu.edu.
Furman Scholarship
Furman Scholars are selected at three separate points during their law school careers.
Prospective students interested in becoming Furman Scholars can apply to the program as part of their application to NYU School of Law. Along with their standard law school application materials, applicants are asked to submit a statement of interest in the Furman Program. That brief essay (up to approximately 1000 words) should describe why you wish to pursue a career in legal academia and give some sense of the field of legal scholarship you hope to pursue. Finally, you should explain why NYU School of Law is the right place for you to pursue your legal studies. Furman Scholars are selected based on their statements, academic record, and letters of recommendation.
Applications from prospective students are due on January 1st, 2024. After submissions are received and read, a small number of candidates will be selected as finalists. Finalists are invited to visit NYU to interview in the spring.
After 1L Year, current NYU Law students can apply to join the program as 2Ls. To join the Furman Program as a 2L, candidates must submit an application, which includes a proposal for a student Note, in the summer before their second year begins. Rising 2Ls are selected on the basis of their Note proposal, law school record, and faculty recommendations. 1Ls receive information during their first year about how to apply for Furman in their second year.
For helpful information on joining the Furman Program in your 2L and crafting a Note proposal, watch this Program Information Session and this Seminar on selecting a writing topic.
After 2L Year, a very small number of students join the Furman Program in their final year of law school. Students who join the Program in their 3L have a demonstrated and serious interest in legal academia, an outstanding academic record, a completed student Note or other substantial writing of equal scope, and a strong proposal for an academic article to be written in the 3L year. Candidates are invited to apply in the spring of their second year of law school, based on faculty recommendations made to the Furman selection committee. Interested 2Ls who believe they meet the criteria should alert one or more faculty members to nominate them when nominations are solicited, usually in April. Finalists are interviewed and selected at some point over the summer, and prior to the commencement of the 3L year.
Furman Fellowship
Only graduates of NYU School of Law may apply to become Furman Fellows. Applications for Fellowships in the 2024-2025 academic year are now CLOSED.
Interested applicants should submit a resume, law school transcript, research agenda, writing sample, and a list of faculty who know you best to Jocelyn Ye at jocelyn.ye@nyu.edu.