YIF – Selection Process

Application Overview and Requirements

The online YIF application form is designed to be a reflective process, and helps the selection committee understand your candidature holistically. While one may be able to complete the entire application in a few hours, we recommend spacing your time towards the application over a few days, such that you are able to reflect on your journey and are in a position to submit an application that you believe represents you well.

The online application form has the following sections, not all parts are mandatory:

• Personal Information
• Academic Information
• Professional Information (as applicable)
• Non-Academic Engagement
• Essay Questions
• Survey
• Support at Ashoka (as applicable)
• Letter of Recommendation (optional during application submission)

Please note: 

• DOCUMENTS: Only a photograph and a government ID are mandatory during submission. However, all other documents including mark sheets and academic transcripts are required for candidates who are shortlisted for the writing test and interview.
• RECOMMENDATION: Registering the Recommender and submitting the Letter of Recommendation (LoR) are not mandatory at the time of application submission. Recommenders will have two weeks, from the time of being registered, to submit their LoR. Candidates may register their recommender even after submitting the YIF application, but must ensure that the LoR comes in by the chosen interview date (applicable if shortlisted for the online writing test and personal interview).

For any questions, please write to yifadmissions@ashoka.edu.in or sign up for any upcoming sessions with the Office of Admissions.

Selection Process: Class of 2023

The YIF selection process is designed to admit a diverse and outstanding class of individuals from India and abroad. The entire process is rigorous and holistic, and involves context specific review. We acknowledge that there are varying levels of access and privilege for different candidates, and as such, each applicant’s submission is reviewed in the applicant’s context.

 

 

The different stages of the application and selection process are as follows:

• Stage 1: Holistic Application Review

This is an elimination stage. Our holistic review involves careful and thorough reading of each application. We take into account the personal context and journey, academic records/professional background, interests and aspirations. We may also request a few candidates for a telephonic conversation if we need any clarifications before making a shortlisting decision.

• (Optional): Application for Financial Aid

Candidates may independently apply for need-based financial aid (upto 100%) if shortlisted for the Online Writing Test and Personal Interview. Candidates also get an opportunity to explore education loans. Please visit the fee and financing section to learn more about the philosophy and process to apply for aid.

• Stage 2: Online Writing Test 

Applicants get a window of approximately one week to complete the online writing test, which lasts for an hour. Candidates will be required to write two short pieces, over thirty minutes each (with an optional break in between): the first would require critical engagement with an excerpt of academic nature, and the second would be a response to a situational question. Through this stage, we would like to see how candidates think and engage with a problem statement.

• Stage 3: Personal Interview

Applicants will be given options from which to choose a convenient date and time range for a personal interview. YIF interviews are typically 25-40 minute conversations between the candidate and two panelists (faculty, leadership or alumni). Through this stage, we aim to get to know candidates in depth, and understand how they might benefit from the YIF and how their presence in the cohort might be beneficial to others. We expect candidates to bring forth the most authentic version of themselves.

Selection Timeline: Class of 2023

The YIF admissions process is split into two rounds. Each round accepts applications within a specified time-frame and selects Fellows from the pool of submitted applications in that round. Please note that you can apply only once in the admissions cycle and only in one round. In case you miss the early decision deadline, you can complete your application in the final round.

	Early Application Round I	Final Application Round II
Application Deadline (Rolling)	15 December 2021	26 March 2022
Online Writing Test (Rolling)	Early-December 2021 to Early-January 2022	Early to End-March 2022
Application for Financial Aid	12 to 19 January 2022	12 to 19 April 2022
Personal Interviews	End-December 2021 to End-January 2022	End-March to Early-May 2022
Offers to Selected Candidates	18 to 22 February 2022	End-May 2022
Offer Acceptance Deadline	8 March 2022	Mid-June 2022

 

Other Important Dates: Class of 2023
Offers to Waitlisted Candidates: Latest by mid-July, 2022
Last Date for Admissions: 10 July, 2022
Check-in on Campus: 2 August, 2022
Orientation Activities: 4 August, 2022
Programme Commencement (first day of classes): 8 August, 2022

Please Note:

(1) The above dates are subject to change. Please visit this page regularly to stay updated. We typically notify applicants of any change via email as well.
(2) The financial aid form will open once in each round, for candidates who are shortlisted to the online writing test and personal interview round. Please visit the Financial Aid section to prepare accordingly.

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The Young India Fellowship is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. We do not discriminate between applicants on the basis of ability, religion, caste, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, interests, or points of view. We aspire to build and sustain a learning community in which all students feel that they belong.