Public law plays a vital role in a free and democratic society, such as protecting individual rights, administrative justice, and relations between citizens and government. Despite its significance, there are currently no scholarships dedicated to this crucial field.
Alberta’s government has introduced the Excellence in Public Law Scholarship, which will award $10,000 each to two outstanding upper-year law students—one from the University of Alberta and the other from the University of Calgary.
“The study and practice of public law is fundamental to maintaining a society grounded in the rule of law. The Excellence in Public Law Scholarship will support outstanding students in this field and encourage more to pursue careers in public law.”
Public law includes areas such as constitutional law, administrative law and statutory interpretation and extends to fields like corporate, environmental, family, health, immigration and tax law. The Excellence in Public Law scholarship is aimed at supporting students who aspire to become public lawyers including Crown prosecutors, legislative drafters, policy lawyers, legal advisors and civil litigators.
“Pursuing a legal education is a major academic undertaking requiring hard work, commitment and motivation to serve the public. Our justice system needs sharp, highly trained legal minds, and that is what Alberta’s law schools produce. The Excellence in Public Law Scholarship is one more way to support those aspiring to this noble calling.”
“The University of Alberta Faculty of Law welcomes the launch of the Excellence in Public Law Scholarship. The robust operation of public law—the branch of law that governs the relationship between the state and its citizens, and the powers and functions of public authorities—is crucial to a healthy democracy. We commend the Alberta government for supporting this.”
“The Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary is delighted to endorse the Excellence in Public Law Scholarship. This remarkable initiative is dedicated to enhancing the prominence of public law education within Alberta. The scholarship will encourage excellence in public law, foster career opportunities and pave the way for a brighter future for law students. We applaud the Government of Alberta for their initiative in establishing this scholarship.”
The University of Alberta and the University of Calgary will each select a scholarship recipient based on their academic standing in public law course work.
Quick Facts
Eligibility criteria:
- Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.
- Must be an Alberta resident.
- Must be enrolled full-time in the second or third year of study in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta or the University of Calgary.