Supreme Court Fellows Program: 2027-28 Application Guide
Short answer: The Supreme Court Fellows Program picks four people a year for a one-year residential fellowship in Washington, D.C. Fellows are placed at the Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Judicial Center or the U.S. Sentencing Commission (Supreme Court Fellows Program) (Supreme Court Fellows Program). The 2027-28 application is due online by 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 15, 2026 (application page). Pay is GS-13 step 1, currently $120,579 (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
Fast facts
- Founded: 1973, by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (uscourts.gov).
- Who: mid-career professionals, recent law graduates, and doctorate holders in law and political science (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
- Term: one year from late August or early September; fellows are federal court employees (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
- Selection: by the Supreme Court Fellows Commission, whose nine members are chosen by the Chief Justice (uscourts.gov).
- Contact: Supreme Court Fellows contact page.
- Carry real work at the placement agency (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
- Write a publishable research paper, present it at a winter workshop at the Court, and present it again in spring to a Judicial Conference committee (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
All four current fellows clerked first: in the District of Minnesota, the Fourth Circuit, the District of Kansas, and the D.C. and Fifth Circuits. They were placed at the Sentencing Commission, the Administrative Office, the Counselor to the Chief Justice and the Federal Judicial Center (uscourts.gov). For clerkship strategy, see the federal clerkship guide.
Application
- Online form only. Do not send books or other extra material (application page).
- The form asks about citizenship, federal employment, criminal history, federal debt and professional discipline, and every yes must be explained (application page).
- Applications are accepted each year from mid-summer through early November (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
It is not a chambers clerkship; it is judicial administration and policy work (Supreme Court Fellows Program). For Supreme Court litigation, see Bristow; for chambers, see Supreme Court clerkships. For career moves afterward, talk to BCG Attorney Search.
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FAQ
Q: When is the Supreme Court Fellows deadline?
11:59 p.m. ET, Nov. 15, 2026, for 2027-28 (application page).
Q: How much do Supreme Court Fellows earn?
GS-13 step 1 at the local rate, currently $120,579 (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
Q: How many fellows are chosen?
Four a year (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
Q: Do I need to live in D.C.?
Yes. It is a full-time residential fellowship in the Washington area (Supreme Court Fellows Program).
Related guides
- Supreme Court clerkships
- Bristow Fellowship
- Specialized clerkships
- Legal fellowships directory
- Clerkship Directory home
