Students accepted into College Corps at UC San Diego engage in community-serving opportunities that focus on K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity, while also receiving financial compensation and other benefits.
Led by California Volunteers and the California Office of the Governor, the College Corps program has three priorities across the state:
To engage college students in meaningful service to build leadership and civic responsibility
To promote academic success and economic well-being with students from diverse backgrounds
To support the work of community-based organizations in key local priorities, with UC San Diego focusing on K-12 education opportunities that address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate action, and food insecurity
About College Corps at UC San Diego
In one year, College Corps Fellows at UC San Diego accomplished the following:
Tutored or mentored more than 6,700 students
Supported training in environmental stewardship and/or environmentally conscious practices for more than 2,200 individuals
Cleared more than 22 acres of invasive species
Served more than 129,000 meals
Distributed more than 155,000 pounds of food
Served more than 754 individuals, including more than 500 families, facing food insecurity
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, addressing climate change, and reducing food insecurity 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: Changemaking and Civic Leadership (4 units)
A sense of pride and accomplishment in working toward a common purpose alongside young leaders from across the state
Students interested in applying to College Corps at UC San Diego should meet the following criteria:
Full-time, enrolled UC San Diego undergraduate student
Must be in good academic standing
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
Day-to-day activities depend on each fellow's placement.
Fellows focused on K-12 education might: work with a teacher to set up lessons, lead college tutorials, 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.
#CaliforniansForAll College Corps provides up to 6,500 college students over two academic years with service opportunities in critical issue areas such as K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity.
Students who complete a year of service receive up to $10,000 while gaining valuable experience serving in their communities.
The College Corps program unites young Californians of all backgrounds in service, and – for the first time – specifically creates state-funded opportunities for AB 540 eligible Dreamers to serve their communities. Learn more about the statewide College Corps program here.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Are you affiliated with a local nonprofit organization or government agency that would be interested in hosting two or more fellows for the academic year?
If so, please message collegecorps@ucsd.edu with a brief description of the primary activity or project that you would like College Corps at UC San Diego to support.
There will be a one-week orientation in early August that will make up about 40 hours, plus regular meetings and community-building opportunities throughout the year that will total 70 hours. California Volunteers programs an additional 20 hours, leaving 360 hours of service. You will need to organize your schedule each quarter to be able to serve roughly 15 hours per week at your community partner site during their business hours. We recommend having mornings open or 1-2 full days available if at all possible.
Yes! All undergraduate transfer students are eligible for the College Corps fellowship program and are encouraged to apply as long as they have at least one academic year to complete before graduation.
Yes! College Corps at UC San Diego offers Lyft passes and mileage reimbursements to offset travel costs and minimize logistical challenges for participating fellows.
Fellows receive financial compensation for their hours served on an ongoing basis.
Should a fellow need to discontinue their participation in the program, they are ineligible to receive the remaining balance of the living stipend as well as the $3,000 educational award.
Each student's financial aid package is different. We work closely with financial aid to ensure that applicants eligible according to program criteria and that participating will not negatively impact their financial assistance. The College Corps Living Stipend is packaged as part of a student's Offer of Self Help (OSH) and takes the place of loans and work-study, NOT grants. If a student does not have enough room in their financial aid package, there is a process to waive the living stipend.
We encourage you to connect with the UC San Diego Financial Aid office to make sure you understand how the $7,000 living stipend portion of the fellowship will impact your specific situation.
If a student does not have enough room in their financial aid package there is a waiver process.
We encourage you to connect with the UC San Diego Financial Aid office to make sure you understand how the $7,000 living stipend portion of the fellowship will impact your specific situation.