Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers that meet one of the criteria below are eligible to apply for the School of Social Work Coverdell Fellows Program

1. Peace Corps Volunteers who complete the full two-year tour of Peace Corps service or are otherwise given "completion of service" (COS) status
2. Peace Corps Volunteers who are medically separated
3. Peace Corps Volunteers who are given "interrupted service" status because of circumstances beyond their control
4. Peace Corps Response or Global Health Services Partnership Volunteers who complete twelve months of service within a twenty-four month period

Two-year Volunteers who resign or are administratively separated are not eligible for Coverdell Fellows unless they had already earned eligibility through a previous Peace Corps tour.

The Coverdell Fellows Scholarship is a need-based award for incoming On Campus MSW students and Online MSW students. Funding is limited.

• Resident: $5,500
• Non-Resident: $11,000

• Returning Peace Corps Volunteers applying to be a Coverdell Fellow are eligible for an application fee waiver.
• If you are applying for the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship, please answer “yes” to the question, “Do you plan to apply to an SSW Special Program?” found on the Financial Assistance page of the MSW application and then select the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship checkbox. The Coverdell Fellows Scholarship application page will be added to the end of your MSW application. You will need to enter in your dates of service and upload your Description of Service on the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship application page. If you do not have a DOS because you are currently serving in the Peace Corps, please ask your country director or program manager for a brief letter verifying your status as a Peace Corps Volunteer. This letter may be uploaded in place of the DOS. You will be able to submit your MSW application without paying the application fee.
• Unfortunately application fee refunds are not available once an applicant has paid the application fee. Please contact ssw.msw.info@umich.edu if you are applying for the Coverdell Scholarship and are prompted to pay an application fee.

• All Returned Peace Corp Volunteers who meet the eligibility requirements are invited to apply.
• RPCVs applying to the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship are eligible for an MSW application fee waiver. If you are applying for the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship, please answer “yes” to the question, “Do you plan to apply to an SSW Special Program?” found on the Financial Assistance page of the MSW application and then select the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship checkbox. The Coverdell Fellows Scholarship application page will be added to the end of your MSW application. You will need to enter in your dates of service and upload your Description of Service on the Coverdell Fellows Scholarship application page. If you do not have a DOS because you are currently serving in the Peace Corps, please ask your country director or program manager for a brief letter verifying your status as a Peace Corps Volunteer. This letter may be uploaded in place of the DOS.

Coverdell Scholarship Application Deadlines

• Winter 2023 (online MSW students): October 1, 2022
• Spring/Summer 2023 (online MSW students): February 1, 2023
• Fall 2023 (both on-campus and online MSW students): April 29, 2023