PILF Service Hours Q&A
Common questions about the Public Interest Law Fellowship Program:
You are required to perform 200 PILF public service hours while enrolled at UMass Law as a condition of your PILF scholarship.
Incoming 1L Students
- First Year - Not less than 50 hours by 8/1 of the end of first year
- Second Year - Not less than 75 hours by 8/1 of the end of second year
- Third Year - The balance of the hours remaining to total of 200 by the end of the third month of the student's last semester of law school
Part Time Students
- First Year - Not less than 25 hours by 8/1 of the end of first year
- Second Year - Not less than 50 hours by 8/1 of the end of second year
- Third Year - Not less than 50 hours by 8/1 of third year
- Fourth Year - The balance of the hours remaining to total of 200 by the end of the third month of the student's last semester of law school
Note: PILF public service hours do not count toward satisfaction of the Pro Bono Program graduation requirement.
- Additional pro bono hours beyond the 30 hours required for graduation
- Additional field placement hours beyond those required for classroom credit
- Additional summer stipend hours beyond those that are required
- Volunteering at a nonprofit charitable, civic, community, governmental, or educational organization
- 1Ls must file a plan by Feb. 1st of their first year with the Director of the PILF Program detailing how they will perform their required hours.
- Returning students must file a plan by October 1st with the Director of the PILF Program detailing how they will perform their required hours.
- You have until Aug. 1st of each academic year to complete the hours that are required for the academic year.
- In the year or semester that you are graduating, you must complete the hours by the end of the third month of your last semester.
Yes, your scholarship may be terminated.