The 2008 Summer Corps application is now closed. Notification of status—accepted, rejected or waitlisted—will be sent to all applicants by April 18.

How to Apply

To be considered for the Summer Corps program, you must complete the four steps outlined below. If you have any questions about program eligibility, please email summercorps@equaljusticeworks.org.

STEP ONE: Check Your Eligibility

In order to participate in the Summer Corps program, you must be a current student at a 2007-08 Equal Justice Works law school and must graduate no earlier than December 2008. To become an AmeriCorps member, you must be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National or Legal Permanent Resident of the United States. Once accepted, all Summer Corps members will be required to provide proof of their AmeriCorps eligibility by submitting acceptable documentation, such as a copy of an unexpired U.S. passport, birth certificate, certificate of naturalization or Lawful Permanent Resident Card. Please note that a driver's license, Social Security card or student visa is not adequate documentation of AmeriCorps eligibility.

AmeriCorps limits individuals to two education awards in a lifetime and also places restrictions on the number of terms of service a person can complete. If you have participated in an AmeriCorps program before, email summercorps@equaljusticeworks.org to verify your eligibility for the Summer Corps program. Please be aware of these limits when considering future AmeriCorps service, including Equal Justice Works' full-time AmeriCorps program for law graduates, the Pro Bono Legal Corps. The Equal Justice Works Fellowships program is not affiliated with AmeriCorps, so participation in Summer Corps will not affect your eligibility to apply for a Fellowship.

STEP TWO: Secure a Placement with a Qualifying Host Organization

To apply for Summer Corps, you must first obtain a placement at a qualifying nonprofit host organization. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organizations. Due to federal regulations and program guidelines, not all public interest organizations qualify as host organizations for Summer Corps. Click here to see if your host organization qualifies.

On your application, you will be required to provide contact information for the host organization employee who will supervise your work. If this information is not complete and accurate, your application may be disqualified.

STEP THREE: Design a Qualifying Project

Summer Corps supports projects in which students provide primarily direct legal services to low-income and underserved individuals. Qualifying projects must involve direct services. Summer Corps members are also encouraged, but not required, to engage in community education and outreach efforts as part of their projects. Projects that consist purely of policy work do not qualify for Summer Corps. Click here for examples of past eligible projects.

Please note that you may not engage in any activities prohibited under AmeriCorps regulations during the course of your project, including lobbying, attempting to influence legislation, and political activity. Click here for a complete list of AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities. You should share this list with your host organization supervisor to make sure that you will be able to adhere to AmeriCorps guidelines.

STEP FOUR: Apply to Equal Justice Works

Once you have verified your eligibility and secured a qualifying placement, please click the link below to complete the Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Application. The application will be available until 5:00 p.m. EDT on April 2. Equal Justice Works will review applications as they are received and notify applicants of their status by April 18. Click here for information about our selection criteria and process. Once you have secured your placement and designed your project, we strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible to improve your chances of acceptance.

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