Who will you be at the end of next semester?
Are you taking time out from college and looking for your next learning adventure?
If you:
Care about making an impact
Want to build skills employers value with a professional-track, individually advised internship
Are ready to build purpose and confidence in an exciting city
…then Gap Semester in the City might be a great fit!
Intentional Internships = Greater Impact
Semester in the City (SITC) hand-matches you with a 15-week, 400-hour internship at one of 200+ nonprofits, social mission businesses, and government agencies across greater Boston. You will have an internship mentor who not only serves as your supervisor, but is dedicated to supporting your professional development, including thorough oversight of a capstone Special Project.
SITC Standard Weekly Schedule
In addition to the internship, you also take 1-2 weekly classes designed to supplement your problem-solving and professional skills. Curriculum ranges from lessons about the history of social innovation within the Boston context to workshops in design thinking, creative communication, and human-centered problem solving for 21st century challenges.
You will also build relationships for life and engage in structured reflection with a diverse cohort of peers who are committed to social impact.
Eligible students must be 18-26 at the time of the program and have graduated from high school. We define "gap semester" inclusively, encompassing:
Students who have chosen to attend a specific college and defer their admission
Students who have not yet applied to or made plans to enroll at a specific college
Students who have completed some college and are taking time off
Students who are not intending to go to college, and would benefit from a semester of structured professional development within a supportive community
Residential Life
Semester in the City offers apartment housing in Allston, a residential, centrally-located neighborhood that is home to Boston University.
As a Fellow, you will share a three or four bedroom, one and a half- or two-bathroom furnished apartment with other Semester in the City participating students. Apartments feature both single bedroom and shared bedroom options, as well as a shared kitchen, bathroom and living room area. Apartments are spacious, conveniently located, and highly rated by students.
Learn more about living in Boston here.
Fellows may opt out of our apartments to live with friends or family in Boston, as long as they are within the MBTA service area.
Affording SITC
Semester in the City is committed to increasing access to life-changing internships. We have raised philanthropic funds to offer a small number of full and partial scholarships to gap semester participants in Semester in the City.
Pricing does not include scholarship support. All students, regardless of scholarship status, receive the benefits outlined below.
Program Costs
15-Week Tuition — $6,950
*Single Room — $5,250
*Double Room — $3,700
*Students may choose to live at home to save on housing costs.
Direct Student Benefits
Cost of Living Stipend — $595
Food & Wellness Reimbursement — $625
MBTA Commuter Pass — Unlimited
Program Provided Meals & Swag — $280
Americorps Segal Education Award — ~$2,000
Resources & Support
Explore our student support resources, prioritizing students well-being and development during Semester in the City.
Testimonials
Kyla Frey (SITC Fall 2024 Cohort)
Personal Reflection —
“Living in the Allston apartments has enabled me to really see all the ways I have been adulting during my Semester in the City. From budgeting to cooking for myself, from forming relationships and communicating with my roommates to completely setting my own schedule, I now have much greater faith in my ability to handle these seemingly daunting tasks.”
Professional Reflection —
“Working with the Allston Brighton Food Pantry has taught me a lot about how important the work of nonprofits like ours is to the community. While it is not directly related to the line of work I see myself going into, I have learned a lot about fostering relationships in the workplace and how to deal with different communication styles.
I value the relationship I have been able to build with my mentor more than anything. From Chef Pam I learned the importance of perseverance and how to tackle intimidating projects one task at a time. She has become someone I look up to immensely...Because I will be staying local for the summer, I have committed to continuing to assist Chef Pam in the food pantry in its daily operation.”
“I will always feel unprepared for monumental changes in my life to some extent, but now I know that I am capable of handling each next step.”
Kyla Frey
SITC Fellow Spring '24, University of California - Davis '28
“Developing the next generation of purposeful self-leaders requires us to afford young people opportunities to work with real stakes, and to experience the feeling of, 'I matter!' Semester in the City allows young people to experience what it feels like to have real impact, and gives them tools and building blocks for leading lives of meaning and purpose.”
Kam Bellamy
Executive Director of Springboard for Whole Person Learning
