Human Rights Close to Home offers high school student fellows leadership development through a one-year, stipend-supported program. Student fellows learn and share human rights knowledge and civic engagement skills in order to plan and implement civic actions in their own communities. Students from across the state of Connecticut are welcome to apply. Student fellows receive a $1,000 stipend for completing the one-year program.
Applications for the 2026-27 cohort are now open!
Applications will be reviewed beginning January 30, 2026.
The last day to submit an application is February 27, 2026.
View instructions on how to apply through UConn Pre-College Summer
Key Activities for Student Fellows
Summer Institute:
Summer 2026 Dates: July 5, 2026 - July 10, 2026 (One-week residential experience on the UConn Storrs campus)
Connecticut high school student fellows will participate in a one-week residential leadership institute focused on human rights and civic engagement. You will explore human rights issues, considering how they relate to your own lives, and develop knowledge and skills to contribute to civic action projects in your home communities. Teachers from across Connecticut will learn about human rights and civic engagement alongside you throughout the week.
HRCH is working in close partnership with UConn Pre-College Summer (PCS). PCS will collaborate with HRCH to bring students to UConn’s Storrs campus for a one-week intensive residential program. To learn more about PCS please visit the OECP website.
Community Engagement Projects:
Working in teams or individually during the school year, you will engage in a human rights-based civic action project. Receiving close guidance and supervision from HRCH staff, college student mentors (undergraduate or graduate students), and community mentors, you will learn about local human rights issues, gain practical experience, and develop valuable skills you can apply to future human rights and civic engagement work. You will return to UConn 2-4 times throughout the year to meet with the other student fellows and work on your civic action projects.
Alumni:
Alumni of HRCH will have opportunities to continue to engage with HRCH and each other after completing the yearlong program through our alumni network.
Program Timeline
December 2025: Applications for the 2026-2027 HRCH student fellowship open
January 30, 2026: Application priority deadline
February 13, 2026: First set of decisions sent out
February 27, 2026: Final application deadline
March 13, 2026: Decisions sent
March 30, 2026: Commitments due
May – June 2026: Program information sent
July 5 – 10, 2026: One-week residential Summer Institute (Sunday to Friday)
End of July/August 2026: First $500 stipend payment is disbursed upon completion of the summer institute
September 2026 - May 2027: Civic engagement project implementation with support from HRCH team and peers
June/July 2027: End of program celebration (exact day to be determined)
August 2027: Second $500 stipend payment is disbursed upon program completion
Online Information Sessions for High School Students
To request an information session on HRCH for high school students in your school or community organization, please contact us at hrch@uconn.edu.
How to Apply
The priority deadline for applications is January 30, 2026. The final deadline to submit an application is February 27, 2026.
We recommend that you first view instructions on how to apply through UConn Pre-College Summer, then apply at the bottom of the page.
There is no fee to apply for HRCH, nor any enrollment deposit due at any time. HRCH is a partnership program of Pre-College Summer.
New student applicants should register with Pre-College Summer using their email, name, and birthdate. Once registered, click 'Start New Application.' Under the 'Applicant Type' section, select 'Human Rights Close to Home Participant.' There is no need to enter an application fee waiver code; this field should be left blank. You may continue your application by clicking 'Continue' to the next section.
Questions?
Please direct questions about the application form to the Pre-College Summer office at pcs@uconn.edu.
If you have questions about the Human Rights Close to Home program please contact us at hrch@uconn.edu.