New York City announced on Monday that it is doubling the size of its civil service fellowship program, raising the number of available slots from 200 to 400 and creating two cohorts each year. The expansion is aimed at helping recent graduates of the City University of New York launch careers within municipal government.
The program is administered by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. Commissioner Yume Kitasei said the city will now offer 400 fellowship positions, split into two intake periods annually, to provide more entry‑level opportunities for CUNY alumni.
Since its inception, the fellowship has placed recent CUNY graduates in a variety of city agency roles, giving participants practical experience while filling staffing needs across municipal departments. By increasing the cohort size, the city intends to broaden that pipeline and give a larger share of the city’s newest talent a foothold in public service.
Previously, the fellowship program offered 200 slots per year. The new structure will double that capacity, allowing twice as many graduates to be placed in city positions each year. The two‑cohort model means applications will be accepted twice annually, with each cohort beginning its placement cycle at different points in the calendar year.
City officials highlighted the importance of a steady flow of qualified staff to sustain and improve municipal operations. The expansion aligns with broader efforts to recruit locally educated talent and to strengthen the connection between the city’s higher education system and its workforce needs.
The Department of Citywide Administrative Services will oversee the recruitment and placement process for the expanded fellowship, continuing its role in matching graduates with municipal jobs and supporting their transition into public sector careers.