Application

Ready to Join UCHL?

Any interested applicants should review our Expectations and FAQ page before applying to understand what to expect as a volunteer. When ready to apply, please read the information on this page carefully.

 

Application Process Overview

There are 3 stages involved in becoming a volunteer:

  1. Fill out UCHL application before the deadline, including onboarding forms as listed below.
  2. After review of your application, we will invite you for an interview if you meet the required criteria listed below.
  3. If accepted, we will contact you with further steps.

It is beneficial to your application to submit as early as possible after the application period opens. Interviews are granted to applicants who fulfill the required criteria listed below. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Qualifications are also listed for your consideration.

Required:

    • Completion of undergraduate freshman year by the start date of the program
    • 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or better
    • Completion of onboarding forms fully and correctly (see Application section)
    • Completion of application by the deadline

Preferred:

    • Interest in working with and/or coming from an underserved or underrepresented population
    • Leadership experience
    • Applicants who demonstrate:
      • Ambition, adaptability, creativity, and persistence
      • A desire to impact patients' lives
      • An inherent desire to learn more about health care
    • Note: If you only have ONE shift open to volunteer, you may be deferred to a future semester. We HIGHLY recommend applying during a semester in which you have AMPLE time to commit to volunteering. Many volunteers are deferred from the program due to lack of availability. 

There is an application FAQ at the bottom of this page. If you have any additional questions on these requirements or the application, contact us at uconnhealthleaders@uchc.edu. Once you are ready to apply, proceed to the application below.

Application:

The Fall 2026-Spring 2027 application has closed. You may fill out our Interest Form to receive email notifications when future application cycles begin.

Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Important Dates

  • Training Day: Saturday, September 19th, 2026 - it is mandatory for our volunteers to attend this!
  • Fall 2026 Start Date: Monday, September 21st, 2026
  • Fall 2026 End Date: Friday, December 4th, 2026
  • Spring 2027 Start Date: Monday, February 1st, 2027
  • Spring 2027 End Date: Friday, April 16th, 2027
  • Mandatory Group Meetings:
    • 3 mandatory meetings, one per month.
    • Meetings are held in-person at UConn Health in Farmington - We expect our volunteers to be available to attend all of our monthly group meetings!
    • General Body Meeting 1: Tuesday, September 29th
    • General Body Meeting 2: Tuesday, October 20th
    • General Body Meeting 3: Tuesday, November 17th

 

    Important Information:

    • All materials must be complete, accurate, and submission-ready at the time of submission. Applications that require follow-up or correction will not be considered.
    • All instructions must be followed exactly. Failure to adhere to formatting, naming conventions, or submission requirements may result in a reduced score or removal from consideration.

         

        HPA Letters (After volunteering with UCHL):

        • HPA letters are an objective evaluation of a volunteer's time with UCHL. These letters will be submitted to an individual's pre-health advising office and may be used during the time of application to medical/dental/PA school. HPA letters are not letters of recommendation.
        • ALL volunteers will receive an HPA letter.

        FAQ

        Q: Where do I get an HPA Letter of Endorsement?

        • A: An HPA is a health professions advisor - an advisor or advising office that specializes in working with pre-health applicants. Many schools do not assign a formal advisor to students; however, it is important for you to know your HPA office, as you will work with them on your health professional school application. Below is a list of HPA contacts for various schools in Connecticut.
          • University of Connecticut - premed_predental@uconn.edu
          • Wesleyan University - ysharma@wesleyan.edu
          • Trinity College - alison.draper@trincoll.edu
          • Quinnipiac University - anna.gilmore@quinnipiac.edu
          • University of Hartford - mahan@hartford.edu
          • University of Saint Joseph - ireed@usj.edu
          • Central Connecticut State University - oseip@ccsu.edu
          • Southern Connecticut State University - pangj1@southernct.edu
          • Eastern Connecticut State University - prehealth@my.easternct.edu
          • Western Connecticut State University - cordeiraj@wcsu.edu
          • University of New Haven - aupadhyaya@newhaven.edu

          Q: I don't have my own car. What should I answer for the transportation question?

          • A: Volunteers are required to arrange their own transportation to volunteer shifts and meetings. In the past, volunteers without cars have successfully participated in the program using public transportation. If you do not have a car but are still interested in participating, you should provide a plan for acquiring transportation in your application. If you are enrolled as a student, your academic institution may have resources to help you access local public transportation. Note: relying on a carpool with another volunteer does not count. There may be opportunities for carpools after our schedule is finalized; however they are not guaranteed at the time of application.

          Q: Do I have to be currently enrolled at a college/university to be considered? 

          • A: To be considered for placement in the program, your application must include a transcript with at least two semesters of coursework at a college or university and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (relative to a 4.0 scale). All current students or alumni who meet these expectations are welcome to apply. First-year undergraduate students as of the 2026-2027 academic year are eligible to apply for the volunteer cohort that begins in Fall 2027.

          Q: Does UCHL accept applications from ___ (college/university)? 

          • A: UCHL considers applicants who are enrolled or have been enrolled at an accredited institution that offers post-secondary degree programs (associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees). Applicants must provide the most recent transcript they have that demonstrates at least two semesters of coursework in a post-secondary degree program/graduate certificate program. There are no specific requirements regarding major/area of study.

          Q: What is the time commitment for volunteers?

          • A: UCHL volunteers participate in a minimum of 40 hours per semester across 10 weeks of volunteering, typically attending one 4-hour shift per week. Volunteer shifts can be scheduled on weekdays from 8:00am to 12:00pm or 1:00pm to 5:00pm. At present, we cannot accommodate shifts outside of these times or less than 4 hours. Shift assignments are made based on availability; we cannot guarantee placement if personal availability is highly limited. Volunteers must also attend three in-person general body meetings per semester (meetings are held in the evening and usually last 1.5 hours) and complete assignments to engage with the meeting content/reflect on their professional growth. 

          Q: Are hybrid/virtual volunteer opportunities available?

          • A: Virtual population health projects are extended to returning UCHL volunteers who have participated in the program's entry-level Social Determinants of Health Screening Project. Population health projects are offered with a 1-year commitment starting in the fall. If you encounter circumstances that do not allow for continued in-person volunteering with UCHL, the program cannot guarantee placement in one of these virtual projects.

          Q: Can my application be considered if it isn't completed by the deadline?

          • A: All application materials must be submitted by 11:59pm ET on the posted application due date. Applications must be submitted via the Google Form link we provide. Prior to the application deadline, you may email a new version of a file/response edit for the UCHL Leadership Team (uconnhealthleaders@uchc.edu) to attach to an existing Google Form submission. We will not consider application materials that are supplied after the deadline.

          Q: What should I do if I have questions about paperwork?

          • A: Our expectations for paperwork are outlined in instructions and example files. For this reason, we do not offer interviews to applicants who complete paperwork incorrectly. The UCHL Leadership Team cannot suggest edits on your paperwork. If you still require clarification after reviewing all directions and example documents, you may contact the UCHL Leadership Team (uconnhealthleaders@uchc.edu).