Program eligibility

Eligibility

To apply to our program, you must be:

• Enrolled at an accredited college, university, graduate program or law school, or
• A recent graduate with a degree conferred in the last year

Do not apply if you are on academic hold or probation.

You must also:

• Have completed at least one year of post-secondary education.
• Be authorized to work in the United States.
• Be prepared to participate on a full-time basis (40 hours per week) for 12 weeks.

See answers to common questions about eligibility

Application details

Application forms

The application window has closed for 2021. In January, we will begin accepting applications for the 2022 program.

When you apply, we recommend completing each of our three application forms.

• Complete Metropolitan Council Urban Scholars application 
• Complete Hennepin County Urban Scholars application 
• Complete Multi-jurisdictional Urban Scholars application - live link will be available January 2022

See application timeline

Items to submit with your application

In addition to the application, you need to submit: 

• Your resume
• An unofficial transcript
• An application essay

Do not send any additional attachments, such as references, unless we ask for them.

Application essay

Your essay should be:

• One to two pages long
• Describe how you have exhibited each of our four qualifications in your work, school and personal life

Four qualifications 

The four qualifications we look for in candidates are:

• Cultural competency
  • The ability to understand, appreciate and interact with people from cultures or belief systems other than your own
• Altruism
  • Care about other people and their needs without regard for your own needs 
  • Think about other groups who have a stake or interest in various projects, initiatives or activities
• Teamwork and collaboration
  • Take a broad view of the team concept
  • Consider values, opinions and preferences of other group members in completing tasks and in decision-making
• Resiliency and adaptability
  • Shows resiliency in the face of obstacles, setbacks and other sources of stress
    • Get back up and move forward
  • Adapt well to changing conditions
  • Recognize when changes in priorities, direction or the pace of activities appear necessary