Why you should consider this program

The Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship program, at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, is a Graduate Fellowship program awarding financial assistance to selected returned Peace Corps volunteers who are pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH), or a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree. All Coverdell Fellows will complete internships in underserved communities in the Tampa Bay Area, while working under the supervision of faculty. Concurrently, Fellows have the opportunity to fulfill the Peace Corps’ Third Goal: To promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. University of South Florida is ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida and No. 16 in the nation. At USF's COPH, students at all levels engage with high-tech, active learning classrooms, competitive curriculums, and supportive faculty members and peers as they make their way toward improving public health throughout the U.S. and around the world. Come and be a part of innovative research that has a strong global footprint.

Benefits for Coverdell Fellows

	Tuition/fees for Complete Program	Value of Coverdell Fellowship	Net cost *
In state	$ 20,030	$ 4,000	$ 16,030
Out of state	$ 40,460	$ 23,530	$ 16,930

* 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 the first point below for more details.

Where the cost savings value of the Coverdell Fellowship comes from

All Coverdell Fellows will receive a Scholarship from the College of Public Health for $2,000 when they enroll in the program, renewable in year 2 as long as the student is making satisfactory progress in their degree program. Fellows may receive this award twice, for a total of $4,000 of scholarship support.

Coverdell Fellows will receive an out-of-state tuition waiver, which covers approximately 58% of in-state tuition which will result in significant savings on tuition.

The College of Public Health will prioritize Coverdell Fellows for a Graduate Assistantship in their academic departments, and at the discretion and need of each department which is equivalent to 80% of in state tuition, payment of the GA health insurance premium if elected by the student, and a stipend for that term.

The College of Public Health will pay for all Coverdell Fellows to take the CPH exam to be certified in public health.

For more information about tuition and fees, please visit: https://www.usf.edu/business-finance/controller/student-services/tuition-rates.aspx

Fellowships awarded per year (average)

4

Other benefits or opportunities

Fellows are given priority for Graduate Assistantships based on availability and research needs.

Application fee waived?

No

Internship

All Coverdell Fellows will complete internships in underserved communities in the Tampa Bay Area, while working under the supervision of faculty.

Jobs for program alumni

Our alumni work in a variety of fields across Public Health both domestic and abroad. They are in every sector from the CDC and Carter Center to heads of international NGOs.

Other details

Program length

2 years

Application requirements

• MPH does not require test scores.
• MSPH requires GRE. However, applicants for MSPH, except for Genetic Counseling, are strongly recommended to apply for a GRE waiver.
• Transcripts SOPHAS requires ALL foreign transcripts to have a course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services (WES, http://www.wes.org/).
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation of a professional or academic nature.
• A resume or curriculum vitae.
• A statement of purpose and objectives.
• The SOPHAS application fee must be paid.

Admissions process

• Step 1 – Applicants will apply to the College of Public Health via SOPHAS by the application deadline for the Fall Semester
• Step 2 - Indicate in your SOPHAS application your desire to apply to the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program and complete the additional essay
• Step 3 - Applicants will be notified of their admission to the College of Public Health
• Step 4 -The Peace Corps Coordinator will contact admitted Coverdell Applicants and request their DOS, CV, and any additional documentation
• Step 5 - All Coverdell applicants will be notified of their Coverdell application status.
• Step 6 -If selected, applicants will have 1 week to decide if they wish to accept or decline the Coverdell offer and communicate with the COPH Peace Corps Coordinator

Program begins

August 26, 2024 (Fall 2024) (tentative)

Year Coverdell Fellows partnership started

2018

---

Contact

Patricia Roque, Academic Services Administrator for Experiential Learning