Application Tips

It’s not only applications with the most impressive qualifications or experience that catch our attention. Instead, it’s the people who show that they understand the programme, are hungry to become a Fellow, and are critically engaging with the world around them.

Here are our top tips on writing a stand-out application…

Give yourself time

Applications can take a while to complete, especially this one, which requires self-reflection and critical thinking. Please give yourself enough time so that you aren’t rushing it last minute.

We recommend drafting and saving your answers in a separate text document, so that you don’t lose any work. For example, Google Docs, which is free to use – and has the added benefit of built-in grammar and spelling checks. 

Formatting your answers

Use paragraph breaks to avoid presenting us with one block of text. This makes it much easier for us to read, and demonstrates that you’re a clear communicator

CVs

CVs should be easy to read and two sides of A4 tops. Often the best are only one side. Remember, at this stage we want a topline understanding your education; career trajectory; and interests and projects that fall within it. 

Please attach a PDF. You can ‘save as a PDF’ on Word or ‘download as PDF’ on Google Docs.

Use the space

The best applications make use of the word limit. You don’t have to go the max, but we want you to use the space to give us a full sense of who you are, your experience and your values. If you only submit one or two lines it doesn’t give us the impression that you’re hungry for the opportunity. 

Avoid generic language…

We admire passion, drive and a commitment to social change. But we love to see you showing it through tangible experiences or ideas rather than telling it through generic statements.

…and generic issues

This isn’t to say that you have to write about a really obscure social issue, but we want to see that you’ve really thought about what you’re writing and demonstrate critical analysis and lateral thinking.

We want to see that you’re comfortable going beyond the headlines and diving a bit deeper into social issues.

Tone

This is a chance for us to get a flavour of who you are. The best applications are the ones which show your personality and offer a candid snapshot into your experiences, but are clearly written, avoid jargon and maintain professionalism. 

Make sure to include links to any blogs, portfolios, projects that you’ve been involved in. 

Accessibility

If you need extra assistance completing your application or have any other questions, get in touch on recruitment@yearhere.org

Otherwise, we look forward to reading your application. 

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