The Rutgers Center for Immigrant Justice, with support from the Sommer Opportunity Fund, invites eligible Rutgers students to submit papers for its upcoming Student Virtual Symposium on Immigration and Citizenship Law.

Symposium Details Friday, November 20, 2026 9:45 AM–11:45 AM Virtual

Eligibility

The symposium is open to third-year Rutgers Law students (3Ls) and graduate students enrolled at Rutgers University.

Submission Requirements

Papers must be original works of scholarship on a topic related to immigration or citizenship law. Papers must not have been previously published; however, papers that have been accepted for publication but have not yet been published are eligible.

Submissions should be 40–60 pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font, and formatted with footnotes. Bluebook citation is preferred, but Chicago Manual style is also permitted.

Please include a separate cover page containing your name, Rutgers University department/school, campus, and expected graduation date. The paper itself should contain no identifying information to allow for anonymous review.

By submitting, authors certify that the paper is their own original work. Use of AI tools is limited to permissible editorial assistance, such as grammar or spell checking, and may not extend to substantive research, analysis, or drafting.

Selection & Prizes

Four papers will be selected. Each selected author will receive:

• A $200 prize
• Individualized comments and feedback from an immigration law scholar at the symposium

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: October 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST Author Notification: November 2, 2026 Virtual Symposium: November 20, 2026, from 9:45–11:45 AM

How to Submit

Please email your paper to cij@law.rutgers.edu by the submission deadline.

Questions may also be directed to cij@law.rutgers.edu.

We encourage eligible Rutgers students conducting scholarship in immigration and citizenship law to submit their work and participate in this opportunity.