Who Can Apply?
This competition rewards teams that can think together; this does not mean agreeing on everything. A strong team can bring different strengths into the process, including research, writing, curiosity and creative attention.
You do not need to be a specialist. You do not need prior experience with moot court competitions or other law school competitions. You do not need to have studied environmental law, ecology, or be familiar with more-than-human thought. What matters most is an abundance of curiosity and an openness to engage seriously with the process and the questions posed by the competition.
You are eligible if all of the following are true:
Every team must have three law students. Teams with fewer or more students are not eligible.
Every member of the team must be enrolled at the same law school in India.
Team members may be from different years of study. For example, a first-year student and a fourth-year student may be part of the same team.
Undergraduate and LLM students are equally eligible to participate. A team may include any combination of three from this group of students.
Any number of teams may apply from one law school. There is no cap on the number of applications from a college.
If your law school has an internal policy or selection process governing participation in external competitions, that policy will apply. Courts of the Living does not impose any additional institutional cap or selection requirement, but we will defer to any restrictions or procedures formally prescribed by your law school.
Every applying team must name one faculty sponsor, who only needs to attest that all team members are enrolled at the same law school.
A student may be part of only one team.
Applications must be submitted by 22nd September 2026.
There is no application fee at any stage of the competition.
Detailed timeline
Apply
Applications Here!
Awards
Courts of the Living Excellence Prize
The winning team receives ₹1,00,000. The runner-up team receives ₹50,000.
Campus Commons Awards
Selected teams receive up to ₹30,000 to create student-led initiatives within their law schools.
Living Practice Awards
Selected teams receive up to ₹30,000 to carry field insights into specific place-based action.
Selected students receive six months of pathway mapping, curated introductions, mentorship and wider Courts of The Living network access.
FAQs
We are two campuses of the same university. Are we one institution?
Can a non-law student at our university join?
Can a member be under eighteen?
Can our team change after we register?
Does our college have to nominate us or approve this?
Do we need to know about environmental law, ecology, animal law, wildlife protection, or fieldwork beforehand?
What happens to our videos after the interview?