Sanctions Reform & Human Rights Scholarship

About the Scholarship
Economic sanctions have become an entrenched feature of U.S. foreign policy and a foundational pillar of national security law. Administered primarily through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), sanctions now shape global financial systems, humanitarian access, diplomacy, corporate compliance, and individual livelihoods.

Despite their centrality, sanctions law remains a niche and frequently misunderstood field. The regulatory framework is complex, inaccessible to many, and often discussed in abstract geopolitical terms rather than through its real-world human impact. As a result, sanctions are commonly viewed in binary terms—either as blunt instruments of coercion or as technocratic tools beyond public scrutiny.

The reality is more complicated.

Like any powerful legal mechanism, sanctions can be misused, overextended, or abused. At the same time, when deployed with coherence, precision, and accountability, sanctions can play a meaningful role in promoting justice, deterring serious wrongdoing, and protecting vulnerable communities—while also shaping domestic political shifts when embedded in a coherent foreign policy strategy.

This scholarship is awarded in the amount of $1,411.05 in recognition of Executive Order 14115, now defunct, issued on February 1, 2024, which marked the first-ever U.S. sanctions program addressing extremist settler violence in the West Bank. The scholarship is launched on the second anniversary of that Executive Order and reflects our belief that sanctions policy, when carefully designed, can serve as a tool for accountability (or compelling a change in behavior) rather than collective harm.

Sanctions Law Center, PLLC is committed to advancing a more rigorous, transparent, and ethically grounded understanding of sanctions law. Through this annual scholarship, we seek to support students who engage critically with sanctions policy—its harms, its limits, and its potential when used within a coherent legal and moral framework.
Eligibility
✓
Open to students currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or master’s program, or law school program, in the United States
✓
Open to applicants who are currently enrolled or who will be matriculating in the Fall 2026 term into an accredited U.S. master’s or law school program
✓
Applicants must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0
✓
Demonstrated interest in law, public policy, international affairs, economics, or related fields
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:

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A completed scholarship application form (below)
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A 750-word original essay responding to one of the prompts above
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A professional resume (academic and/or professional experience)
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A transcript from the applicant’s current or most recent institution (unofficial transcripts accepted)
Essays must be the applicant’s original work. Submissions may be reviewed for AI-generated content. Essays determined to be substantially AI-generated will be disqualified.
Selection & Award
The recipient of the 2026 Sanctions Law Center – Sanctions Reform & Human Rights Scholarship will be selected in the month following the application deadline. The award will be paid directly to the recipient’s educational institution.