College Corps at UC San Diego

College Corps at UC San Diego aims to:

• Create a generation of civic-minded leaders with the ability to bridge community divides and address social problems;
• Help low-income students graduate college on time and with less debt;
• Address societal challenges;
• Connect students to community partners via direct service; and
• Help build more equitable communities across California.

What You'll Get

Each student serving as a College Corps Fellow for the academic year receives:

• An opportunity to create a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world by supporting K-12 education, reducing food insecurity, and addressing climate change and public health in our community
• Real-world job experience and resume-building skills
• Access to training, networking, and professional development opportunities
• Connections with fellows throughout California via a virtual community platform and regional events
• Up to a $7,000 living stipend to help pay for college and a $3,000 education award upon completion of 450 fellowship hours
• An opportunity to earn academic credit through AIP 197P
• A sense of pride and accomplishment in working toward a common purpose alongside young leaders from across the state

College Corps at UC San Diego Eligibility

Students interested in applying to College Corps at UC San Diego should meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years old by the start of the program
• Full-time, enrolled UC San Diego undergraduate student
• Maintain a cumulative UC San Diego GPA of 2.5 or above
• Ability to commit to the program for the full academic year (no early graduation or study abroad)

In addition, eligible fellows are required to:

• Complete a National Service Criminal History Check and Live Scan, upon selection
• Commit to the program for the full 450 hours during the academic year 

The College Corps fellowship is designed for low- to moderate-income students. Therefore, each student selected to join the fellowship should meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Qualifies for a federal Pell grant, OR
• Qualifies for a State Cal Grant, OR
• Qualifies for a Middle Class Scholarship, OR
• Needs to work part time and/or borrow student loans to meet their educational costs, OR
• Is an AB-540 eligible Dreamer:
  • Must have a completed and submitted a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for the academic year
  • Must be an active recipient of a Cal Grant A or B Award for the academic year
  • Must submit a CA DSIG Application to become eligible for Education Award

Per the California Student Aid Commission, students who hold an F, J, or M visa cannot receive federal financial aid through the FAFSA or state financial aid through the California Dream Act Application. Unfortunately, these students would be ineligible for College Corps due to how the living stipend is disbursed through financial aid.

Through College Corps at UC San Diego, fellows will serve in one of four areas throughout greater San Diego during the 2024-2025 academic year:

• Assisting local K-12 schools and education organizations;
• Participating in climate action research and community engagement;
• Addressing food insecurity in our region; or
• Addressing public health needs in our region.

Day-to-day activities depend on each fellow's placement.

• Fellows focused on K-12 education might: work with a teacher to plan and set up lessons, lead classroom or extracurricular activities, connect with students 1:1, or work with teachers leading after school tutoring efforts.
• Fellows focused on climate action might: remove invasive species from a coastal reserve area or develop a public communications/education campaign on local issues.
• Fellows focused on food insecurity might: lead food recovery efforts, such as picking up unspoiled food for distribution at the food pantries around San Diego.
• Fellows focused on public health might: interview community members about housing insecurity, conduct outreach to community members about nutrition, or develop tools for measuring the health impact of air pollution on local neighborhoods.

Application for the 2025 - 2026 Fellowship Cohort

• Applications will open in Winter Quarter 2025 for students interesting in participating in College Corps during the 2025-2026 academic year! Please fill out our interest form linked here to be notified when the application opens.