The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program allows returned Peace Corps Volunteers to pursue graduate studies at a reduced rate. All fellows complete internships in underserved communities in the United States.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Coverdell Fellowship applicants must fall into one of the following categories:
- Volunteers who completed the full 2-year tour of Peace Corps service (with no more than 90 days of emergency leave)
- Volunteers granted “early close of service”
- Volunteers granted “interrupted service” status because of circumstances beyond their control
- Volunteers who were medically separated
In addition to these requirements, the applicant must be admitted into one of the graduate programs at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). These programs are administered in conjunction with the School of Graduate Studies. Hence students wishing to pursue a graduate program at SEBS must apply to the School of Graduate Studies.
| Program | Fall Start | Merit-Based Aid | Spring Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric Sciences | March 1 | January 15 | November 1 |
| Bioenvironmental Engineering | January 3 | January 3 | November 1 |
| Ecology and Evolution | December 15 | December 15 | * |
| Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences | March 15 | December 15 | * |
| Entomology | ** | January 12 | ** |
| Environmental Sciences | January 15 | January 15 | November 1 |
| Food and Business Economics | August 1 | March 1 | * |
| Food Science | December 15 | December 15 | June 15 |
| Landscape Architecture | April 17 | February 1 | * |
| Microbial Biology | April 1 | * | |
| Nutritional Sciences | April 1 | January 15 | * |
| Oceanography | January 1 | January 1 | * |
| Plant Biology | April 1 | January 15 | * |
Columns marked with one asterisk (*) indicate the program does not admit students for that term.
Columns marked with two asterisk (**) indicate the program admits students on a rolling basis. Once the program reaches capacity, applications will no longer be accepted.
Admissions and Funding
The program provides 50% tuition remission per year to qualified returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Applicants are automatically considered when they submit their application. There is no separate application process. Applicants must do all three of the following:
- Apply for one of the above listed graduate programs through gradstudy.rutgers.edu
- Self-identify as a former Peace Corps Volunteer on the admissions application
- Submit a copy of your description of service (DOS)
Need more information?
For more information about the Peace Corps Fellows program, please call 848-932-3333 or email sebsglobal@sebs.rutgers.edu.
