Summer Community Service Fellowship Program
 

Support students as they pursue a career in public service while giving back to your community!

Participate in SCSF for Summer 2026

The registration window for Clubs and SIGs to sign up to  fund fellows for Summmer 2026 is open through  Friday, December, 2025.    

The Summer Community Service Fellowship (SCSF) invites Clubs and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) to fund one or more Harvard students interested in exploring the public interest field. Participating organizations commit to funding fellows over the summer break as they undertake an unpaid internship at a nonprofit or design their own public service project. SCSF fellows are selected  by participating Clubs and SIGs through a formal applciations process.

The SCSF stipend reduces the financial burden on students and incentives them to explore public service opportunities. Funding is intended to support a student over 10 weeks of full-time work and is provided as a stipend to help cover living expenses and offset the income they might have earned through for-profit employment.

Established in 1992, SCSF provides one of the largest sources of funding for summer public service for Harvard College undergraduates. SCSF is co-administered by the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) and the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship (CPSES) – a part of Phillips Brooks House.

Learn more about the program through the SCSF FAQ.

How to Participate

1) Register you Club or SIG to participate in SCSF. The registration window for Summer 2026 is open through December 5, 2025. Clubs and SIGs must provide basic information about their designated SCSF contact, application process, and funding details.

2) Determine your funding amount. 
Per the latest CPSES guidelines, it's recommended that Clubs and SIGs provide $6,000-$8,000 per student for 10 weeks of work, which is given to the student as a stipend to offset the income they would have earned. This amount aligns with other summer funding opportunities available at Harvard College.

For the 2026 Summer Fellowship, the minimum funding amount for Clubs and SIGs is $5,000. This adjustment is intended for Clubs and SIGs that are unable to fund students at the standard $6,000–$8,000 level this year to still participate in the program.
Please note that the minimum funding requirement for SCSF will increase to $6,000 for the 2027 Summer Fellowship.

3) Select your fellows. Participating Clubs and SIGs receive their pool of eligible student applications in early-April and have approximately two weeks to review and select their awardees. Students will be notified by the HAA and CPSES and must accept funding before they can be contacted by the Club or SIG.
4) Submit funding payment. Once students accept their funding, Clubs and SIGs will receive next steps, including payment instructions. Payment must be submitted before the end of the University’s fiscal year (June 30) to ensure processing and disbursement to students before their fellowship begins.

5) Engage with your fellows. After a stundent accepts the funding offer, the Club or SIG is encouraged to connect with, and offer mentorship opportunities for the fellows during the summer. This includes inviting fellows to the organization's events and sharing career insights and guidance.
While these engagement opportunities are encouraged, student participation is optional and not a requirement of SCSF.

Summer 2026: Important Dates

December 5,  2025:  Deadline for Clubs and SIGs to register their participation in SCSF. 

February 16 - March 29, 2026: Student application window.

Early April, 2026: Student applications are shared with Clubs and SIGs. 

April 14, 2026: Deadline for Clubs and SIGs to select which students to fund. 

Early-May, 2026:  Orientation hosted by CPSES for fellows covering program participation guidlines and expectations.

May, 2026:  Clubs and SIGs to submit funding payments.

SCSF Resources

Frequently Asked Questions: Important details regarding the SCSF program.

Sample Outreach Language: Sample language to engage with your SCSF fellows over the course of their fellowship.

Quotes from Summer 2025 Fellows: Approved quotes from SCSF Summer 2025 Fellows. Clubs and SIGs are welcome to feature these quotes in their SCSF marketing and fundraising materials.