Stage 1: Create an Account and Apply
Here, you’ll create an account with us and complete an application. The Admissions Team will critically review your application to determine if you are eligible for a First Interview. Those moving forward will be notified via email by JVC Staff or a Former Jesuit Volunteer (FJV) within weeks of submitting their application.
When should I apply?
The application for the 2027-28 program year is now open!
For the 2027-28 program year, apply as early as possible! Though we accept applications during 6 different rounds, we highly encourage folks to apply by December 1st for priority consideration among our domestic placements. Limited placements are available after this deadline. All application materials must be submitted by June 8th, 2027 (at the latest!) to be considered for the 2027-28 program year.
How long will it take to complete the application?
Our application may take you a few days to complete. We recommend setting aside ample time for this and notifying references in advance to speed up the process.
What will I be asked for while completing the application?
- General information about your background and education
- Resume detailing your work-life experience, competencies, and skills
- Personal statement and brief autobiography to showcase your passion for our mission.
- Short answer responses to help us gauge your understanding of our four core values.
- Recommendation forms from three individuals: (1) someone who has supervised you in an academic, professional, or organized extracurricular setting; (2) someone who can speak to your commitment to JVC’s broader mission and values (e.g., a faith leader, campus minister, service project leader); and (3) someone you have lived with as a roommate, excluding family members. Note that your application is not complete until all references have submitted their recommendation forms.
Does JVC offer financial assistance?
The RJV Hurley Fund provides financial support for incoming Jesuit Volunteers for whom financial realities would prohibit a year or two of postgraduate service. It provides awards of up to $2,500 each to a limited number of incoming JVs to mitigate costs associated with travel, health and accessibility, immigration status, and transitions into graduate school or life post-service.
To be considered for the RJV Hurley Fund, your application, including uploading supplemental materials, must be completed in full prior to moving to the next stage in the admissions process. Award announcements will be made alongside final placement offers on a first come, first serve basis.
What is the timeline for the entire 7 stage process?
Since this depends on which round you apply in, you’ll receive a general timeline upon submitting your application. You can count on the Admissions Team to send you frequent emails throughout the process to remind you of important dates and deadlines as they approach.
Stage 2: First Interview
If you are invited to a First Interview, you’ll have the chance to tell us more about who you are and how you envision yourself serving. The purpose of this screening is to help us understand your motivation for applying to JVC, as well as your willingness to engage in community while being committed to our four values. Applicants who perform well in this stage will move on to Discernment. Others will be notified that they have been declined or placed on our waitlist.
When will I know if I am invited to a First Interview?
Applicants who are invited to a First Interview will be notified within the first few weeks of submitting their application.
How should I prepare for this?
We recommend coming into this interview with a strong handle on each of our four values (community, spirituality, simple living, and social justice), particularly how they each show up in your life now, and how you might engage with them during your JV year. Other things you may be asked about include your passions, growth areas, expectations for the program, and commitment to racial justice. The more concrete examples you bring to the table for these, the better.
What happens if I’m placed on the waitlist?
Applicants who are waitlisted may hear back from us in the Spring regarding their interest in available positions. We appreciate continued interest in JVC but do not expect anyone to refrain from pursuing other opportunities while on the waitlist.
Stage 3: Discernment
If you advance beyond your First Interview, you’ll be invited into the discernment process to further explore the mission and values of JVC and share more about you and your specific placement interests. You’ll also participate in a Discernment Conversation, where you’ll have the chance to connect 1-1 with the JVC Admissions Team to share more about you and what you’re looking for in a placement site.
Information from your application, interview, written responses as well as your 1-1 conversation will allow the Admissions Team to match you with positions that align with your passions and experiences.
Do I have to fully commit to JVC in order to move forward from here?
Nope! This stage requires completion, not full commitment – although we do hope that it helps you feel more connected to our mission! Applicants officially become Jesuit Volunteers if they accept a placement offer and sign our Program Agreement. The moment you fully commit to JVC is the moment you sign this Program Agreement.
Can I request a specific agency or geographic location?
We understand how important it is for our volunteers to serve in a location and type of service that matches their passions and priorities. If you are interested in a certain city or type of role, there will be plenty of opportunities to communicate your preferences; however, please know that this is not guaranteed. We try our best to take your preferences into account but encourage all applicants to enter the process with an openness to serving wherever there’s a need. We call this openness apostolic availability and you’ll hear us refer to it often.
Stage 4: Matching
Based on your responses in the Pre-Matching surveys, you will receive a short list of positions that the Admissions Team feels you could be a great fit for. This is when you tell us your top choices for a chance to interview with them.
What type of positions are available?
With over 100 positions spanning 16 fields of service, odds are high that we have something you’d be a great fit for. Our service fields (also called “Apostolate Groups”) include categories like Healthcare, Education, Legal Services and Shelter & Transitional Housing, and many more.
We look forward to learning more about your preferences and matching you with an agency that inspires you.
Are my matches determined by an algorithm?
Nope! Real people who REALLY care about accompanying you on this journey will be making these decisions. The Admissions team knows our agency partners like the back of their hands and will use this knowledge to pair you with positions that hopefully inspire you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Admissions team if you have questions!
How many positions will I be matched with?
Generally, you’ll receive 5 position options to consider. Those who apply after our first and second deadlines may receive fewer placement options.
Will I be able to interview with all my top choices?
It is highly likely that you will earn an interview with at least one of your top choices for an interview. We cannot guarantee an interview with all of them because agency interviews are granted based on interviewer capacity (Think: they will be interviewing other applicants who were matched with them as well).
Stage 5: Agency Interviews
Once you’ve told us your top choices, the Admissions Team will confirm which agencies you’ll be interviewing with. It is your responsibility to prepare for these, so be sure to do your research! You will have approximately 2 weeks to complete all interviews in this stage.
How are Agency Interviews scheduled?
Within 2 weeks of receiving confirmation, your agency interviewer(s) will reach out to you directly to coordinate your interview. We highly encourage responsiveness and flexibility, as if you were communicating with any other job recruiter. Make sure to check your spam/junk folders and check your voicemail regularly in this stage, as messages from agencies often land in there.
Are interviews conducted in-person or virtually?
All interviews are conducted virtually, either by video or over the phone. The agency interviewer who contacts you will clarify this and may offer additional materials to aid in your preparation.
How many interviews can I expect to have?
Applicants who apply by the first deadline can expect to receive anywhere between 2-4 interviews with different agencies. Those who do not apply by the first deadline may receive fewer placement matches, and thus have fewer interviews.
Stage 6: Feedback
Once you’ve completed your interviews, you’ll be prompted by our portal to submit feedback for each agency that you interviewed with. The Admissions Team will use this feedback to determine which agency placement offer to make.
How will the Admissions Team use my feedback?
As you submit feedback for every agency you interview with, each of those will be doing the same for you! Ultimately, final placement offers are made based on mutually strong feedback from both the applicant and the agency. This means that both you and the agency must rank each other highly for a placement offer to be possible.
How is feedback submitted?
We use a “Yes, No, Likely” system to understand your willingness to serve at each agency. You’ll be asked to share whether you’d accept a placement offer from each agency if it was on the table, to which you would respond “Yes, No, or Likely.” There will also be a free-text space for you to elaborate on your responses, and the Admissions Team will rely on this heavily.
Stage 7: Offers and Onboarding
Applicants only receive one placement offer to serve with JVC & an agency partner and will have 4 days to accept. This may not seem like a lot of time, but our expectation is that you have been discerning JVC since the beginning of our process. If you choose to accept, you will sign a contractual program agreement that fully commits you to JVC. At this point, you officially become a Jesuit Volunteer!
Are placement offers guaranteed?
Most applicants who make it to this stage will receive a placement offer, although this is not guaranteed. This is because matches are made based on mutually strong feedback, and agencies are interviewing more than 1 applicant for each of their roles (sometimes anywhere from 5-10). So, while you can have a fantastic interview, you are also competing with other strong applicants.
What if I’m not happy with my offer?
Those who are unsatisfied with their offers can choose to either reject it and withdraw or be re-matched with a new batch of agencies in the next round.
What if I’m still considering another option when I receive a placement offer?
We recognize and respect that you may have been applying to other things throughout our application process. Should you choose to accept a placement offer and sign our Program Agreement, our expectation is that you will no longer pursue other opportunities for the 2026-27 term. Your contractual commitment will be shared with your agency immediately upon your acceptance.
When are placement offers typically made?
This depends on which round you participate in. Offers starts in mid-February and continue until mid-July. Once you submit your application, the specific dates for all application rounds will be emailed to you
What happens once I accept a placement offer?
Upon signing our contractual program agreement, we kindly ask that you remove yourself from all other admissions and hiring processes. This is because your agency will be notified of your acceptance and officially removed from our matching process. They will be counting on you from here on out to uphold your commitment to them, so it is important that you do!
