Application Period
High School Law Institute will be able to operate in-person for at least the Fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. Accordingly, we ask that applicants live within commuting distance of NYU's campus.
The HSLI application deadline for the 2022-2023 academic year has passed. Please check back next summer!
About the High School Law Institute
The New York University High School Law Institute (“HSLI”) is a student-run organization that serves talented and motivated high school students throughout New York City. Alongside our sister program at Columbia Law School, we offer free, yearlong academic programming in constitutional law, criminal law, and speech and debate on Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Ideal HSLI students are those who recognize the impact of the legal system, wish to learn more about how it concretely impacts society, and are preparing themselves to serve and advocate for others. While there is no expectation that our students apply to law school or pursue a legal career, we do expect that they apply themselves diligently to their studies in high school and beyond.
Courses are taught by teams of current NYU Law students. Teachers receive thorough training prior to class and receive ongoing support throughout the year. They are also provided with detailed curricula created by veteran HSLI instructors and board members that are scaffolded to support high school student understanding. Each lesson contains discussion questions, background information, classroom activities, and homework assignments that can be tailored to fit each student’s interests. Our classes are discussion-driven aimed at fostering independent thought. At HSLI, students are encouraged to think well, advocate well, and work collaboratively; they are also taught to evaluate arguments based on analytical rigor and strength of evidence.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NYU has in place ongoing public health measures and requirements to ensure the safety of all University community members. As enrolled students in a high school program, all HSLI students must adhere to University guidelines and policies. More information, including updates should University protocols change, can be found on NYU Returns website. Students will also receive COVID-19-related information via email upon admission to the program.
Vaccination Requirement
All members of the NYU community who will be on campus in person–students, faculty, staff, and visitors–are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots and must upload vaccination records to the NYU Student Health Center before the start of their program. Students who are not compliant with the vaccination requirement will not have access to campus buildings, facilities, or NYU-sponsored events (both on and off campus), and may be de-enrolled from their program.
Students may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Review of exemption requests will take approximately ten business days, so please submit your request with adequate time for review. Please be advised that even if you receive an exemption, you are required to regularly upload a negative COVID-19 test result to enter NYU buildings and facilities.
Classes Timeline
Classes are held each Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. The dates of the program are as follows:
- Fall Semester Dates (2022): Sept. 24, Oct. 8, Oct. 15, Oct. 29, and Nov. 12
- College Day: Nov. 19
- Spring Semester (2023): Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, and Feb. 25
- Graduation: Mar. 4
HSLI typically holds two important events in addition to regular classes: College Day and Graduation. In November, HSLI students and their parents are invited to Columbia Law School for College Day, a family workshop to demystify the college process. Graduation is the final day of the program and has been a capstone event involving pairing with their counterparts from Columbia for mock trial and moot court competitions with instructors from both schools presiding, followed by a formal ceremony with certificates, awards, and presentations.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at nyu.hsli@gmail.com.