give a year Partnerships unite colleges and universities with City Year to develop tomorrow’s leaders and incorporate service as an integral part of the higher education experience by providing benefits to students as well as the institutions.
Learn more about how to become a give a year Partner by contacting Nan Shearer, Alumni & Career Services Manager, at nshearer@cityyear.org or 617.927.2574.
These colleges and graduate schools who provide scholarships to City Year corps members and alumni include:

Graduate Schools
Andover Newton Theological School
Antioch University New England
- Location: Keene, NH
- Benefits include 25% tuition scholarship towards any full-time graduate or PhD program in Education, Psychology, Environmental Studies, Organizational Behavior and Interdisciplinary Studies
- Learn more about this partnership
Bard Center for Environmental Policy
Bentley University - McCallum Graduate School of Business
- Location: Waltham, MA
- Benefits include one annual 100% tuition scholarship to the full-time MBA program, and one annual 50% tuition scholarship to any of the part-time evening programs
- Learn more about this partnership
Boston College Graduate School of Social Work
Boston University School of Management
Boston University School of Social Work
Brandeis University - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Brandeis University - The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
Brown University - M.A. Program in Public Humanities
Carnegie Mellon University - H. John Heinz College
Claremont Graduate University - The Drucker School of Management
Clark University Graduate School of Management
- Location: Worcester, MA
- Academic programs include MBA in Social Change, Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Finance
- Benefits include a 50% tuition scholarship and graduate assistantship
- Learn more about this partnership
Clark University - International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)
- Location: Worcester, MA
- Benefits include 40% tuition scholarships for all City Year alumni admitted, plus one annual 75% tuition scholarship
- Learn more about this partnership
Duke University - Sanford School of Public Policy
Emmanuel College of Graduate and Professional Programs
Illinois Institute of Technology - Stuart School of Business
Louisiana State University
Marist College
New York University - The Silver School of Social Work
Northeastern University Graduate School of Business Administration
Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Simmons College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Programs
Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science
Simmons College School of Management
Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Simmons College School of Social Work
SIT Graduate Institute
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Benefits include $13,500 towards any full-time Master's degree program (the highest merit scholarship awarded by Penn GSE)
- Learn more about this partnership
University of Rochester Warner School of Education
Washington University in St. Louis - The George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Washington University in St. Louis - The Olin School of Business
Wheelock College School of Graduate and Continuing Studies
Willamette University MBA for Business, Government and Not-for-Profit Management
Undergraduate Schools
Bentley University - The Founding give a year Partnership
- Location: Waltham, MA
- Benefits include $20,000 scholarship, credits toward Bentley's Service-Learning certificate, eligibility for internships with leading global corporations and recognition as Bentley National Service Scholar
- Learn more about this partnership
Dean College
Eastern University
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Benefits include $15,000 scholarship per year ($60,000 in total minimum scholarship) plus a $1,500 housing scholarship for those who elect to reside at one of IIT’s on-campus residence halls
- Learn more about this partnership
Wheelock College
Widener University
- Location: Chester, PA
- Benefits include position in Presidential Service Corps/Bonner Leader Program, which includes $5,000 scholarship plus AmeriCorps Education Award match
- Learn more about this partnership
Note: All admissions and scholarship decisions are made by the educational institutions. Corps members and alumni interested in these scholarships must complete the full application process for the institutions listed below. There may be a supplementary application process for scholarship awards. Please pay close attention to deadlines, and consider beginning work on your applications early in the year.
Become the Next give a year College or University
This innovative model of collaboration between colleges and universities and a community service organization sets the stage for service to become a more integral part of the higher education experience. The young people who complete the service and academic components of the give a year program will possess a unique combination of skills and knowledge, leadership qualities and service orientation.
Academic institutions that become give a year Partners will position themselves to:
- Offer the next generation of leaders an experience that will leave them more socially aware and civically skilled and engaged
- Add to life on campus through the infusion of idealistic and committed leaders with a high level of maturity and insight and experience working in diverse settings
- Enhance their brand and the impact their alumni make in the world through their commitment to national service
- Achieve their service mission by making a college education more affordable for young leaders who have given a year of service to their country
- Establish a program that will excite their current and prospective donor communities
We encourage other colleges and universities to consider the value of inspiring students to give a year of service with City Year as part of their college education and become give a year Partners.
Learn more about how to become a give a year Partner by contacting Nan Shearer, Alumni & Career Services Manager, at nshearer@cityyear.org or 617.927.2574.