SABA-SC PIF Summer Fellowship

SABA-SC PIF intends to award public interest fellowships, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, to law students who will be working in a public interest job during Summer 2026. Applications for the 2027 award will open in February 2027.

After completed proposals are received, a selection committee will screen all qualified proposals and may schedule interviews with applicants as needed. SABA-PIF will consider a variety of factors in determining whether to award fellowships, including:

  • The applicant’s commitment to public interest work

  • The applicant’s financial need

  • The depth and quality of the summer position

  • The applicant’s SABA membership and involvement

  • The extent to which the applicant’s work will further SABA-SC PIF’s mission and benefit communities that are indigent or traditionally underserved

Applicant Requirements:

Applicants must:

  1. Be enrolled as a current law student in good standing at a law school in Southern California or working/interning in a public interest job in Southern California during the summer; and

  2. Be able to receive their award in-person at the SABA PIF and SABA-SC Annual Public Interest Dinner & Installation; and

  3. Be a current member of SABA-SC; and

  4. Provide confirmation of a minimum 8 week employment or internship with a qualifying public interest organization** during summer 2026 that shall last at least eight weeks.

    **A qualifying public interest organization is one whose work benefits the South Asian community and/or the Southern California community-at-large.

Application Materials

All materials** must be submitted by email to sabapif@gmail.com.

  • Application Form

  • Employer Form

  • Employer Letter

  • Essay Question Responses

  • Resume

  • Contact info for 2 (or more) professional references

  • Optional: evidence of financial need

    **SABA-SC PIF reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to request further information from applicants,

Additional Information:

  • SABA-SC PIF reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change the number of fellowships awarded, the dollar amount of each fellowship, or not to award any fellowships for the current year.

  • Once the summer employment or internship has concluded, the recipient will submit a two-page written statement describing the impact of their summer work in relation to the SABA-SC PIF mission.

    SABA-SC PIF may choose to publish a summary of the work on this website, in its newsletter, via email, and/or on social media.

  • Fellowship awardee(s) will receive half of the fellowship award at the SABA-SC/SABA-SC PIF annual dinner on May 14, 2026 and the other half on or before June 23, 2026 (exceptions may be made, at SABA-PIF’s discretion, for demonstrated economic hardships or other extenuating circumstances).

  • Fellowship recipients must immediately notify SABA-PIF in writing if the recipient

    • leaves or loses the position in their application; or

    • changes employers; or

    • does not work for 8+ weeks; or

    • becomes subject to academic discipline; or

    • is no longer enrolled in law school.

    If any of the above situations arise, at SABA-PIF’s sole discretion, the terms or amount of fellowship award may be modified or forfeited.

    • A fellowship recipient’s failure to comply with SABA-SC PIF’s conditions may result in the forfeiture of a portion of or the entire award.

    • It is an award recipient’s responsibility to manage tax obligations, report taxable income, and consult a tax professional for guidance on their personal situation.