Do You Need a Degree to Join the Peace Corps?

Serving with the Peace Corps is a chance to learn with communities, build trust across cultures, live out your values and be a changemaker. If you’re wondering whether you need a degree or what truly makes a strong candidate, read on for a clear breakdown.

In This Article, We Will…

• Define the Peace Corps
• Review the eligibility requirements to join the Peace Corps
• Go over the requirements for Peace Corps applications
• Share how advanced study can make you a competitive Peace Corps applicant
• Provide resources to learn more about the MA in Peace and Justice program

What is the Peace Corps?

Established in 1961, the Peace Corps is a U.S. government service program with a mission to promote peace, human connection, mutual cultural understanding and sustainable change through knowledge sharing around the world. Specifically, the program places volunteers with community partners in over 60 countries to serve on projects in six sectors:

• Agriculture
• Community economic development
• Education
• Environment
• Health
• Youth in development

Examples of service opportunities include teaching English, launching income-generating activities (such as beekeeping and soap making) and creating sustainable health programs to promote maternal and child health.

Traditional Peace Corps Volunteers serve for 27 months, but shorter service options are also available.

What Are the Peace Corps Requirements? 

While most Peace Corps Volunteer positions require a four-year degree, some Volunteer opportunities accept applicants with five years of job experience or an associate’s degree plus relevant work experience.

Review these additional Peace Corps qualifications to confirm if you’re eligible to serve:

• U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old
• Willing to commit to two years of service and three months of training, where you will begin to learn the host country’s language
• Marriage certificate or attest to your committed partnership if you and your partner both applied and qualify for assignments in the same country (if applicable)
• Notarized letter affirming you’ve arranged for your dependent(s) to be cared for while you are away on service (if applicable)

Note: The above eligibility criteria apply to the traditional Peace Corps Volunteer Program. If you are interested in a shorter period of service, confirm your eligibility for the Peace Corps Response or Virtual Service Pilot programs.

Peace Corps Application Requirements 

If you meet the eligibility criteria above, here is what you will need to submit for your Peace Corps Volunteer application:

• Tailored resume for the position of interest that is 1-3 pages long
• Motivation for Serving statement that is approximately 500 words maximum and describes how you would overcome challenges associated with service
• Three references, preferably from current or former employment supervisors, but may also include:
• Volunteer work supervisors
• Professors or advisors
• Mentors
• Close friends
• Proof of foreign language skills, such as college coursework (official or unofficial transcript) or proficiency exam results
• Relevant background information, including:
• Education
• Legal history
• Intelligence agency background (for you and any immediate family members)
• Sector-specific experience in agriculture, health, youth in development and/or education
• Volunteer experience
• Your earliest availability date and preferred country and work sector
• Peace Corps history documents if you have participated in the program before

If you are invited to serve, you must be medically and legally cleared to do so.

How Can Graduate Study Strengthen Your Peace Corps Application?

While a graduate degree is not required for the traditional Peace Corps Volunteer program, it can make you a competitive, more prepared candidate. Through a master’s program, you’ll gain:

• Credible expertise: Coursework in program design, community organizing and conflict sensitivity will teach you principles and strategies you can apply to your service work.
• Experiential learning: Research you’ll conduct and practicums you’ll complete for a graduate program will help you build confidence collaborating with stakeholders. Your hands-on learning experiences will also mirror the reporting and technical demands of service.
• Leadership skills: Graduate programs offer facilitation, project management and partnership-building experiences that will help you drive sustainable initiatives in other countries and communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.

If you’re passionate about service, graduate study can equip you with foundational skills for long-term impact, both during and after your time in the Peace Corps.

Deepen Your Impact with an MA in Peace and Justice

For aspiring volunteers who want to pair service with academic rigor, the Kroc School’s MA in Peace and Justice (MAPJ) program is designed to develop many skills the Peace Corps values, such as community-driven change, ethical leadership and cross-cultural collaboration.

You’ll learn from practitioner-faculty, take courses in conflict analysis, human rights, program design and evaluation as well as gain field-based experience that prepares you to co-create sustainable solutions with community partners. Graduates carry these skills into Peace Corps service and into careers across NGOs, government, education, and social impact organizations.

If you’re ready to turn empathy into action, we invite you to join our community of changemakers today!