University of Minnesota - Humphrey School of Public Affairs

About this program

Just as your decision to join the Peace Corps, when you chose to study public affairs, you choose a path of leadership and service. You choose to be an active participant in decisions that will determine the future of your neighborhood, your community, your country, and people around the globe. In short, you choose to make a difference.

As a comprehensive public policy school, we provide students with a wide array of skills, expertise, and real-world experience to transform ideas into action. The work of our globally engaged faculty is rooted in a vision of leadership that brings diverse people and communities together, and reaches across disciplines and divisions to find lasting change that benefits all.

The Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs' Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship recognizes the past and future contributions of returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) and further strengthens the longstanding relationship between the Humphrey School and the Peace Corps. The award is intended to provide scholarship assistance as well as support the continued service of RPCVs enrolled at the Humphrey School. The benefits described below reflect average Fellowship awards, and actual value of award may vary annually and between individuals.

• Year partnership began: 2011
• Fellowships awarded per year (average): 5

Application requirements

Online application, application fee grant (see admissions process), personal statement, diversity statement, resume or CV, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency exams (if applicable), optional diversity statement.

Admissions process

Please make sure to indicate your Peace Corps participation under the "service participation" section of the online application as well as your resume. Include in your online application a copy of your signed description of service (DOS). To activate the application fee grant, students must submit the grant request form found on the Humphrey School website.

Degrees awarded

Master of Development Practice; Master of Human Rights; Master of Public Policy; Master of Science in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy; Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Benefits and opportunities

Net cost is equal to tuition/fees minus fellowship value. For some universities, the fellowship value includes non-tuition/fee benefits such as health insurance or housing. See cost savings details for more.

Estimated annual cost of living: $17,100

Cost savings details

All admitted RPCVs will receive a minimum $10,000 merit scholarship. Out-of-state applicants will also be awarded a Non-Resident Tuition Waiver, which is nearly a $20,000 value.

Internship

Coverdell Fellows are required to complete either:

1. 400 hours of community service over the term of the Humphrey School's master's degree program, or
   
2. A degree-program required, 200 hour internship which supports an underserved American community.
   

Other opportunities

Graduate assistantships (research, administrative, teaching)

Jobs for alumni

Visit our website to learn more about career outcomes or contact us to learn more about what our alumni are doing.

Nontraditional options

Fellows enrolled in a masters program are able to take advantage of professional certificate opportunities