Oxiana Fellows Incubator FAQ: 3rd cohort

Application form (click here)

Deadline to apply: December 11th, 2022

Why does Oxiana Fellows exist?

In Uzbekistan, where the founders of Oxiana Fellows are from, many brilliant young people are not reaching their full potential because they lack opportunities for self-discovery, and are not aware of their own talents and potential. They struggle to find their authentic selves, have a hard time articulating their future goals and motivation, and don’t come across as creative.

As a result, they often miss out on international educational programs which look for students with strong self-awareness and motivation. They frequently go into university specializing in something their parents or teachers told them to study, with little idea of why they are doing so. The sad outcome of this is that otherwise brilliant young people lose their spark and don’t reach their full potential.

Our unique mission is to help junior high school students discover their calling, creativity, and strengths through agile project-based learning in order to find direction in life.

What is the Oxiana Fellows Incubator?

The Oxiana Fellows Incubator is a one of a kind 6 month-long project-based program designed to help 9th graders from across all of Uzbekistan engage in exploration, learn to embrace challenges, become independent and creative thinkers, set ambitious goals and run projects to get themselves closer to those goals.

What we focus on:

Creativity: We teach our fellows the tools to be more creative and think outside the box
Growth mindset: We believe anyone can get better at anything with enough commitment
Proactivity: We believe that embracing challenges and overcoming obstacles is the only path to success; there are no easy roads
Integrity: We believe in honesty and strong moral principles
Authenticity: We believe that every student has great untapped potential, and we can help them find it within their authentic self .

What are the benefits of participating in the Oxiana Fellows Incubator?

International team of mentors: you will be working closely with a team of mentors that have global experience, vast international careers, and expertise across a number of important fields, such as economics, psychology, art and film making, and technology.
Motivated peer group: you will be a part of a cohort of other bright and motivated students from all over Uzbekistan. You’ll learn with each other and from each other, and will have an opportunity to build connections that will last a lifetime.
Project-based learning: you’ll get a chance to do something you likely have never done before. The Incubator is designed to help you turn your idea into action.
Higher chances of success in competitive international programs and scholarships: we believe that graduating from the Incubator will open up many doors to these students, including international education programs (eg, Rise Challenge, YYGS), scholarships (eg, UWC), and study abroad opportunities (eg, FLEX).

What is the cost of the program?

There is no fee for participating in the Incubator. This is a volunteer-run program.

Who’s eligible?

9th graders in Uzbekistan who are curious, hard-working, and can communicate in English. We’ll consider exceptional younger applicants too.
We won’t consider applications from university students, students in their last year of secondary school or lyceum. 10th grade students will be considered but priority will be given to 9th graders. 9th grade students from other countries will be considered but priority will be given to applicants from Uzbekistan.
We don’t require proof of english, like IELTS or TOEFL. If you were able to read and understand this entire post, then you should apply. If reading this was difficult, then you should focus on improving your English skills first and apply again when we do our next Incubator.
We expect you to have a stable internet connection so you can participate fully in Zoom with video and microphone (on a phone, tablet, or laptop).

When does it start and how much work will I have to do for it?

The program runs from January to June. We expect fellows to attend weekly Zoom seminars (1-2 hours per week) and spend another 4 hours per week on the program outside of the weekly Zoom seminars.

How is the Incubator structured?

The Incubator has three components: Weekly workshops, 1:1 mentorship, and project competition.

Weekly workshops

Mentors will host weekly Zoom workshops that will introduce fellows to new concepts and skills that they can apply in their projects. Participation in these weekly workshops is mandatory. If the participant misses more than 3 sessions without reasonable explanation, the participant will be suspended.

1:1 mentorship

Throughout the program students will have access to mentors who will guide them through one on one meetings. Mentors are there to provide support with the individual projects, personal coaching, and career advice.

Project competition

Fellows are expected to develop a personal project during the Incubator that will build on an area of their calling, push them to grow into new areas, and have social impact. At each stage of developing their project, they’ll be given feedback by mentors and peers, and score points in the Incubator competition.

What happens at the end of the Incubator?

Fellows that complete the requirements of the program (weekly attendance, project assignments) will receive graduation certificates. The fellows who win the project competition will be eligible to receive continued 1:1 mentorship and a letter of recommendations from the mentors of Oxiana Fellows.

We expect the fellows to continue working on their projects over the summer, after the Incubator ends. Continuing to work on these projects will bolster the fellows’ chances in the various applications during the next academic year (eg, Rise Challenge, UWC, FLEX, ASSIST).

How do I apply?

Our application process consists of two rounds:

Fill out the online application with basic personal information and responses to two essay questions
15 minute video interview with those whose applications get selected

Those who get selected after the two rounds will need to provide proof of parent authorization to participate in the program.

I am interested in getting involved as a Mentor. Can I contact you?

We would love to have a more diverse set of mentors involved! Your involvement would also help extend the program to more students in the future. Please email us at oxianafellows@gmail.com and introduce yourself!

I am not in 9th grade. Can I apply?

You can apply, but priority will be given to applicants in 9th grades.

My English level is intermediate or lower. Can I apply?

If you were able to read and understand this entire post, then you should apply. If reading this was difficult, then you should focus on improving your English skills first and apply again when we do our next Incubator.

I am not from Uzbekistan. Can I apply?

You can apply, but priority will be given to applicants from Uzbekistan.