Requirements to Qualify

To qualify for PSI grants, students earn “public service points” by engaging in activities that prepare them for public service. At least one ten-week summer in a public service job is required (Summer Public Interest Funding guidelines for eligible jobs will apply).

Students can earn remaining points from a range of choices. A substantial commitment to public service will be required to accrue enough points to qualify, but students will have flexibility in deciding what types of activities to pursue and will be able to receive the PSI grant prior to earning the necessary points as long as they will be able to meet their point requirement prior to graduation.  Students earn points for the following public interest related activities.

Summer Public Interest Employment

Students can earn 4 points for each week worked in a full-time public service summer job, to a maximum of 40 points per summer. To earn points, the work must meet the Summer Public Interest Funding guidelines for eligible summer jobs. Students working four or more weeks but fewer than ten weeks in a public service summer job can receive 4 points per week worked, but this employment is not ordinarily eligible for Summer Public Interest Funding. A maximum of 80 points (the equivalent of two summers) will be awarded for summer employment. At least one ten-week summer of public interest employment is required to qualify for a PSI grant.

Public Service Clinical Programs

Ten points per clinical credit can be earned through completion of an approved public service clinical program during the academic year. For example, completion of a two-credit public service clinical earns 20 points. There is no limit on the number of points that can be earned through clinical programs. A PSI approved clinical is any clinic where the work is in a non-profit organization, a government agency (or the overseas equivalent), a law firm on a pro bono basis, or any other work defined as public service work in this Initiative. Most private sector clinical placements (e.g. the Sports Law Clinic) will not qualify. Contact the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs for more information.

Student Practice Organizations (SPO's)

Five points will be awarded for each twenty hours of confirmed work with an SPO during an academic-year semester. There is no limit on the number of points that can be earned through SPO work. Work at these SPO’s can qualify for points: Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP); Prison Legal Assistance Project (PLAP); Harvard Defenders, Harvard Mediation Program, HLS Advocates for Human Rights; Recording Artists Project (RAP).

Pro Bono work

Ten points can be earned for each 40-hour block of pro bono service during the academic year. There is no limit on the number of points that can be earned through pro bono work, but such work must be confirmed by the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs. To avoid duplication, pro bono points will not be awarded for pro bono work that also earns clinical points, SPO points, or summer public interest job points. For information on what qualifies see the Pro Bono Requirements.

Faculty-Sponsored Public Service Projects

Five points can be earned for an unpaid faculty-sponsored public service project. A student can earn up to 5 points from any faculty member, and an overall maximum of 10 faculty-awarded points. Points will not be awarded for work that also earns pro bono, clinical, SPO, or summer public interest job points.

PSI Community Events Sponsored by OPIA

One point can be earned for attending an OPIA-sponsored event specifically identified as eligible for PSI credit, up to a maximum of 10 points. Points will not be awarded for partial attendance at any event.

Note: the administrators of the Public Service Initiative will make every effort to track the accumulation of PSI points, but in the event of discrepancies the burden of documenting public service activities will fall to the student.