<aside> ⭐ This information sheet is designed to help higher education institutions understand how AmeriCorps can be integrated into their admissions and enrollment processes.
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AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. Every year, approximately 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve organizations in communities across the United States. Individuals who serve through AmeriCorps receive a monthly living stipend and, at the end of their service term, an education award they can use to cover the costs of college or graduate school.
Many AmeriCorps members are young adults looking for a “gap year” experience between high school and college or college and graduate school. AmeriCorps service provides opportunities for these young adults to develop new skills, build their professional networks, and discern educational and career goals — all while serving their local communities!
A 2016 report published by Harvard University encouraged colleges and universities to consider these types of meaningful, sustained community service experiences in the admissions process. The report also recommended that institutions look for “collective action that takes on a community challenge,” “authentic, meaningful experiences with diversity,” and “service that develops gratitude and a sense of responsibility for the future.” By recruiting and admitting students who have had these experiences, colleges and universities build support for civic engagement on their campuses and ultimately help to develop a more engaged, service-oriented citizenry. (See Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions for more details.)
According to AmeriCorps Member Exit Survey data, AmeriCorps members also bring these valuable qualities to the campuses where they choose to matriculate.
Colleges and universities may also consider how admitting students who have earned education awards through AmeriCorps service may reduce the financial aid burden of their institutions. The following chart shows the education award earned by AmeriCorps members completing 100-1,700 hours of service. Find out how much money your institution has received in education awards.
| Participation Types | Minimum # of Hours | Amounts |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (FT) | 1,700 | $7,395 |
| Three-Quarters-Time (TQT) | 1,200 | $5,176.50 |
| Half-Time (HT) | 900 | $3,697.50 |
| Reduced-Half-Time (RHT) | 675 | $2,817.14 |
| Quarter-Time (QT) | 450 | $1,956.35 |
| Minimal Time (MT) and Summer Associate (SA) | 300 | $1,565.08 |
| Abbreviated Time (AT) | 100 | $416.17 |
Some institutions, like Dartmouth College, allow admitted students to defer enrollment while they complete an AmeriCorps term of service. According to their website, “Dartmouth believes that getting more individuals involved in service programs will have a positive effect on the civic health of our society, and is committed to helping students who plan to enroll at the College learn about service year opportunities.”
Over 300 institutions have made a public commitment to supporting AmeriCorps by becoming Schools of National Service. Having your institution listed on the Schools of National Service website can help you recruit civic-minded, purpose-driven students. There are many ways to become a School of National Service, including: