Semester in the City

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

UNH students must meet the following requirements in order to participate in Semester in the City: 

• Students may apply to participate in their sophomore, junior, or senior year, with a declared major* and 2.5 cumulative UNH GPA or higher**, with priority given to students with above 3.0.  
  • *Undeclared students are eligible to be considered by petition and must have at least 12 earned UNH credits at time of study away.
  • **Students with a GPA between 2.0-2.5 are eligible to be considered by petition. 

1. Please complete a UNH Study Away Student Eligibility Form, to confirm that you are in good academic, financial, and judicial standing, and that you will represent UNH in a positive light.  Fill out the top portion of the form and submit it to the Dean's Office for your College.  
2. International Students must get authorization from the Office of International Students & Scholars to participate in Semester in the City.

Semester in the City (SITC) Boston students will serve with leading social sector organizations four days a week, for 15 weeks.  

Social Sector Placements in Boston

Every placement will be a little different, but in each case the student will have a dedicated mentor – a hand-selected high-performing, high-potential leader.  Students will spend roughly 20 percent of their time shadowing senior leaders, 40 percent of their time doing front-line service for the organization, and 40 percent working on a special project. Social Innovation Fellowships will gain 400+ hours of work-based learning, allowing students to learn more about themselves and their passions while also building their skills and their networks.

Check out some examples of our placements and projects in Boston.

In addition to the internship, SITC Boston students engage in two weekly reflective and skill-building courses to connect to one another, build their networks and community, share and reflect on their experiences and support one another as changemakers.

The Social Innovator's Tool Box

Fellows will be enrolled in a foundational course that meets one evening a week, “The Social Innovator's Tool Box”, which will introduce students to different approaches to social change and social innovation.  Students will explore how impact investing, advocacy, action tanking, social entrepreneurship, and movement building can advance progress on issues students care about.  The course will use case studies and discussions with leading change-makers – as well as the emerging academic literature on social innovation – to illuminate different pathways to change.

Workshops for Skill-Building and Reflection

For 14 Fridays - as well as a three day orientation at the beginning of the semester and a two-day student-led research conference at the end - Semester in the City students will participate in skill-building and reflective workshops designed to accelerate self-awareness, problem-solving ability, and larger societal issues. As part of the Friday workshops, Fellows will engage in team-based community research projects and will meet with leading social innovators from diverse fields and backgrounds.  Students will also participate in workshops designed to build proficiency in Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Collaboration.

Credits

You will receive the same number of credits you would at the University of New Hampshire as a full-time enrolled student, which is 16 credits (Enrolled in INCO 505A,  INCO 505B, & INCO 505I). You'll also fulfill your Social Sciences Discovery requirement.  In some cases, all or some of the credits will also count toward academic major or minor requirements and/or core distribution requirements. View the list of pre-approved majors that accept Semester in the City credits. Be sure to speak with your academic advisor or department chair, even if your department is not on this list.

Cost

This program costs the same as one semester at UNH! You continue paying your standard tuition and mandatory fees and there are NO special fees. Financial aid will continue to come from UNH. See the 2023-24 academic year breakdown of estimated costs below.

Financial Benefits & Perks

• Receive a $595 stipend
• A monthly CharlieCard (MBTA transportation pass, subway, tram and bus system) is provided (valued at $360)
• Food reimbursements (valued at $400)
• Meals provided to participants during Orientation and classes

Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 Estimated Expenses

• UNH costs based on student living on-campus in a 3-5 person apartment (single room).
• Financial aid will be reviewed based on the costs for SITC; this may necessitate a change in aid. Make an appointment with a Financial Aid Advisor to discuss.

Boston Residential Program

Fellows will live together in Allston*, a neighborhood in Boston with a large student and young professional population, near Boston University and Boston College. Each apartment building will have a Resident Advisor who will organize community activities and occasional field trips for Fellows. A Resident Director will be on call 24/7 and is responsible for oversight and management of the residences. Participants will pay College for Social Innovation directly for their housing in Boston, which will cost about the same as an average room of similar size on campus. Participants may use their financial aid to help cover the cost of room and board.

Learn more about the apartments, what's provided, and living in Boston here or take a virtual tour in the videos below!

*It is not mandatory to live in the provided apartments if you have other accommodations in Boston.

Before applying:

• Check out the "Application Tips & Tricks"!
• In some cases, all or some of the credits will also count toward academic major or minor requirements and/or core distribution requirements.  View the list of pre-approved majors that accept Semester in the City credits and be sure to review with your academic advisor or department chair, even if your department is not on this list. 

The application consists of several sections and most students complete it in less than 30 minutes.

You will be asked to submit:

• a resume OR a LinkedIn profile
• 2 references (not recommendations)
• responses to short answer questions

​You must also complete the UNH Study Away Eligibility Form.

You'll also have an opportunity to indicate your placement preferences and tell us about the social issues that matter to you on your application and during the interview.

Application Tips & Tricks

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION