Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program

SIT has supported the Peace Corps community from its inception in the early 1960s, when we were among the first institutions in the country to train the very first Peace Corps volunteers as they prepared to go abroad. We continue to stand in solidarity and partnership with the Peace Corps community today.

The Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program provides financial assistance to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) who wish to pursue graduate education at partner institutions, which include SIT Graduate Institute.

Benefit
As part of our standard partnership, we offer Coverdell Fellows a financial benefit of 35 percent off tuition for any of our low-residency programs.

Eligibility
Satisfactorily completion of Peace Corps service* and admitted to one of SIT’s hybrid master’s degree programs.

Fellows must complete a practicum of 150 to 300 hours in a high-needs U.S. community (as defined by SIT). The practicum must relate to the student’s coursework and career goals and be for a minimum of six weeks. Practicums may be paid professional positions or unpaid internships.

*To have satisfactorily completed Peace Corps service, a volunteer must have completed the full two-year tour of service or the full tour minus up to 90 days, if returned home on an emergency leave; have been granted an “Early Close of Service” or an “Interrupted Service” due to circumstances beyond the volunteer’s control; or have been medically separated as a volunteer.

Contact
To learn more about SIT Graduate Institute’s scholarships for returning Peace Corps volunteers or SIT master’s and doctorate programs, please reach out to Mary Kay Sigda at [email protected] or Maira Tungatarova [email protected].

Benefit

  • Prospective SIT students who are selected to be Paul D. Coverdell Fellows will receive a scholarship for 35 percent of the tuition for any low-residency degree.
  • Application fee waiver

Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the fellows program, individuals must have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service* and be admitted to one of SIT’s low-residency master’s degree programs.

As part of their SIT graduate program, fellows must complete a practicum for a minimum of 150 hours in a high-need American community (as defined by SIT). The practicum must relate to the student’s coursework and career goals and be for a minimum of six weeks. Practicums may be paid professional positions or unpaid internships.

*To have satisfactorily completed Peace Corps service, a volunteer must have completed the full two-year tour of service or the full tour minus up to 90 days, if returned home on an emergency leave; have been granted an “Early Close of Service” or an “Interrupted Service” due to circumstances beyond the volunteer’s control; or have been medically separated as a volunteer.

To Identify Your Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Affiliation
Please check the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows box on SIT’s online application. Otherwise, contact SIT’s Admissions Office at 800 336-1616 (toll free in the US) or 802 258-3510, or email [email protected] to get the application fee waived and be considered for the scholarship described above. Please state that you are a Paul D. Coverdell Fellow and reference the partnership.