uwc essay

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Thank you for choosing to apply to the United World Colleges. We are excited to have you as an applicant, and wish you every success!

This section contains important information regarding the application process. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and we will do our best to answer them as quickly as we can. Before applying, please check your eligibility . If you require any further clarifications regarding your eligibility please reach out to [email protected] .

Please allow sufficient time to complete your application. You can save the progress of your application at any time and come back to it later.

The deadline for the submission of applications is 14-November-2024 .

Documents and Information

To apply you will require the following documents:

Recent photograph of yourself
If you are an Indian citizen living in India, it is mandatory that you upload your Aadhaar card as proof of identity. Indian citizens living abroad have the option to upload their Aadhaar card, passport, or OCI card as proof of identity. Overseas citizens residing in India at the time of application have the option to upload their passport or Aadhaar card as proof of identity.
Grade 9 marksheet
Grade 10 marksheet (if available; mandatory for those currently in Grade 11))

You should be prepared with the following information:

Your top 3 preferences for UWC colleges
Information about the school you attend

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to fill your UWC application form, please review the How to Apply section

Parent/Guardian:

Speak to your parents/guardian about your application process.

You will need to provide details of parents/guardian
An email with a link will be sent to them
They will need to follow the link in a web browser and provide requisite information

Principal/Teacher:

Speak to your school principal/teacher about giving you a recommendation. If you are currently in Grade 11, you should talk to your Grade 10 teacher or previous school principal.

You will need to provide an e-mail address for the principal or teacher that you nominate
They will need to follow the link in a web browser and provide requisite information, including a written recommendation

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must fulfil all the following conditions:

Indian Nationals or PIO/OCI Cardholders or residents in India at the time of application
Born between 01 June 2007 and 01 September 2009 ( Note: Applicants who fall slightly outside of this age range but have exceptional applications may be considered.)
Currently be in Grade 10 or 11 (home school or alternatively schooled equivalents acceptable)

Application Process

You are applying to study at one of 18 United World Colleges for two years, which will see you gain an International Baccalaureate Diploma.

The Application

This is the first of two stages of the selections process. You will be asked to complete an application form. As part of the online application form you will be required to answer a number of questions about yourself, write seven short essays, submit your school marksheets and provide us with references from your school principal / teacher. These will then be assessed by us.

Selection Activities

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to interview with us. Typically the selections interview takes place at the UWC Mahindra College Campus.

Submit your Financial Assessment Form

Shortlisted applicants will also go through a financial assessment to determine their family’s ability to contribute to their education. All students attending a UWC are selected on demonstrated academic promise and potential as far as college funds allow. The financial situation of a family comes into play only once the candidates have been shortlisted. Scholarships are offered to students going by their merit rank order with demonstrated need for such financial help. Financial assistance is determined on the review of the Financial Assessment form which is required to be filled up by the parents / guardians of all applicants shortlisted for the interview.

Selection Criteria

Our students are selected based on their potential to build a better world. We look for merit based achievements in the context of " How has this applicant best made use of the opportunities available to them? ." Applicants will be assessed against the following UWC selection criteria and other criteria that the National Committee thinks relevant.

Each year, we look for applicants to join our schools, who bring the following:

Intellectual curiosity: You love learning about the world around you - both inside and outside the classroom. You have at least one academic area that you are passionate about, and would like to explore further. You are able to recognise global and local issues, and analyse them critically.

Active commitment to your own values and those of UWC: You share UWC's values and show a commitment to follow UWC's code of conduct. You have humility and the ability to listen to, and value, other people’s opinions. You appreciate that although others may have different points of view, they may also be right. You promote UWC's values in your daily life, and act as a global citizen of the world.

Social competence: You interact respectfully with others, understanding and appreciating their viewpoints and perspectives, and you are able to work within a team to find solutions to problems. You know how to express yourself appropriately in different situations and to different people.

Resilience, self-awareness and independence: You can look after yourself physically and emotionally during challenging situations, for example in a boarding school environment. You have developed good coping strategies, and you are not easily overwhelmed. You also know when to ask for help for yourself, and for others.

Personal responsibility and integrity: You can express and examine your own values, and you are ready to contrast and reflect on them in comparison to the values of others. The way you behave within your family and community reflects your values and beliefs. You can communicate your own needs and are mindful of those of others, demonstrating a sense of communal responsibility.

Academic robustness: You have the potential to meet the rigorous demands of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

1. Check your eligibility

To apply to the UWC Committee of India applicants must fulfil all the following conditions:

Currently in Grade 10 or 11 (home school or alternatively schooled equivalents acceptable)

If you require any further clarifications regarding your eligibility please reach out to [email protected] or call us at 7208843286 / 7208843287 between 10 am to 6 pm on working days.

Application Deadline: 14-November-2024

2. Create an account

Click here to create your account
Use a valid personal email id to begin creating your account

3. Application fee payment

To initiate your application through this portal you must make your payment via credit/debit card, netbanking, wallet or mobile payment. All payments must be made by an adult with due consent of the cardholder/account holder

4. Personal and academic details

To make your application process easier, keep your personal details (i.e. address, passport number if available, proof of identity, photograph) handy
Keep a scanned and attested copy of your Grade 9 (mandatory) and 10 marksheets (if available)
Read about UWC campuses and finalize your preferences for UWCs
Have your school details ready

5. Parent Consent and School Recommendation

Speak to your parents and let them know they will also need to fill in a section of your form pertaining to parents
Speak to your chosen faculty member about writing you a recommendation and what they can expect
You are required to nominate only one parent/guardian and one teacher to fill in these sections of your application form

6. Plan Essays

Take a look at the essay questions and plan your responses
You can save your application in progress. Take time to prepare your responses and then resume your application

7. Recommendations

A recommendation request will go out to your teacher once you complete and submit the 'Academics' section of your application
A consent form will be sent to your parent/guardian for them to fill in and submit once you complete and submit the 'Family' section of your application
We recommend completing the 'Academics' and 'Family' sections of your application early in order to give your teacher and parent/guardian enough time to complete their sections
Ensure that you confirm with your selected faculty member, that they will be willing to write you a recommendation before you submit their details as part of your application

8. Submit application

Read through the details you have entered
Ensure that the documents you have uploaded are correct, attested, legible and in the right format
Confirm the details of your faculty members and parents that you have entered
Confirm the academic details you have submitted
Review your essay responses
Once you are sure of your application, click on the 'Submit' button to submit it
Your application will not be considered complete until we receive the parent consent and school recommendation

9. Follow up

Once you have submitted your application, you can follow up with your nominated faculty member for their recommendation and parent for their consent
You can see their progress from your application dashboard
Once they submit their recommendation and details your application will automatically be submitted
You will be notified of your application progress at your registered email address
You will get a confirmation email after you, your parent/guardian, and your nominated teacher/principal successfully complete and submit the application

Financial Requirements

You and your family's financial situation will not affect the selection process. We do have some financial aid available, to qualify for which, shortlisted candidates will need to fill in a financial assessment form that will help us assess the financial aid requirement.

Eligibility Requirements

Parental consent.

We will need one of your parents or guardians to fill out the parental consent form which is part of the application process.

Application Fee

The fee for applying to United World Colleges through the UWC National Committee India is INR 3,800. This fee is non-refundable even if your application is not successful. Please ensure that you have reviewed eligibility criteria and detailed instructions on the application process . Once the payment is made it cannot be refunded or transferred.

The deadline for submitting your application is 14-November-2024 . We will only assess your application if by that point:

You have filled out all sections of the application
You have submitted your marksheet(s)
Your parents/guardians have sent in their consent form
Your school principal/teacher has sent in their recommendation, and
You have clicked on 'Submit application' at the end of your application and have received a confirmation email from us

Want to know more?

Frequently asked questions.

Application essay for UWC ( United world college )

Hi I am currently working on my essay and would like reviews. Here’s the subject :[In English] Explain why you want to attend a UWC School, what you might contribute in relation to the UWC’s mission and values, and what you would hope to gain from the experience? Please excuse possible grammar mistakes english le ont my first language.

I had the chance to do the last four years of primary school in a school were diversity was present and most importantly celebrated through nationality parties, this has impacted me in many ways and is an essential factor to explain my attraction towards the UWC movement. I want to join a UWC school mainly because I want to learn and mature more in an environment where cultural diversity is celebrated, a place where I’ll be able to satisfy my thirst to discover other cultures. Moreover I want to have the global education the international baccalaureate and UWC offer while being surrounded by other teenagers who like me are willing to take a stand and be actors of their environment. The UWC movement has values and a mission I would like to live by. In order to contribute to the UWC community, I believe I have the requisite characteristics, like open mindness and sociability, that would help make my time in college productive. UWC is about growing up and learning about the other that’s why I’ll gladly share what I know of my culture.I am a people person and don’t think twice before helping others when it’s possible,I am particularly excited to contribute to various social services something I can’t do here although there are many opportunities. Lastly being a good listener I wish to be someone my peers could seek help from when needed during those challenging two years. From the experience ,I hope to achieve a deeper level of understanding so that I can become globally engaged. I hope to acquire the skills I’ll need to enter adulthood well prepared but also to be heard and take position to act so I’ll be able to make things move in my country and other under developed countries.

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"incredibly inspirational" ~one of my friends, jokingly

ULTIMATE INTERVIEW/SELECTION WEEKEND GUIDE – TIPS FOR THE UWC APPLICATION PROCESS

I have promised to do this for way too long now and never actually got around to it- but since I’m at home in lockdown and college doesn’t start until August, I’m finally writing up my tips for all things regarding the UWC application, interview and selection weekend. I think, since I got rejected the first time I applied and I went through the whole process twice, I probably have at least some useful insights to share. !DISCLAIMER! Remember that these are all based on my own experience going through the Austrian selection process- the one in your country might be different. These are all things I wish someone had told me before starting/during the application process, so I really hope that you’ll find some of these helpful😊

1. THE WRITTEN APPLICATION

Your first step towards your greater goal of attending a UWC! It may seem daunting, but this is the one thing in this whole process that you have complete control over, so really you should take full advantage of that fact! You can spend as little or as much time as you like writing and tweaking your application and have family or friends help you. Interviews, selection weekends, group activities etc. is where other people come in, but this step is under your control, so don’t stress yourself out too much! 😊 Here are my top tips for the written application.

1. Get your letters of recommendation early

Take it from someone who left it until it was almost too late. It doesn’t feel good to have to (politely) stress out your teacher/whoever is writing you a recommendation because the application submission deadline is soon, and it will definitely not make them feel any more inclined to write it for you if you’re forced to pressure them to do it quickly. Just figure out who you want to ask for recommendations as early as possible and make sure they have all the time they need to write you a great letter!

2. Don’t compare yourself to others

It’s so important to be honest with yourself. Know yourself, know how long it takes you to write an essay and how many times you might need to edit it to be satisfied. It doesn’t matter whether that one UWC youtuber said you should take 3 months to write the essays, or that maybe that one friend of yours who is really good at essay writing said they wrote them in one day. Just because you’ve read or heard somewhere that someone wrote it in 2 days doesn’t mean you should and just because you heard that someone took all summer to write them doesn’t automatically mean they’re good. Obviously, it’s easy to give the tip “Start early!” but I think it is more effective to just be realistic and honest with yourself. Personally, I wrote up my application and edited everything in the span of 1-2 weeks, and it worked for me that way. But, let’s say you tend to be a perfectionist and also want your mom, your best friend and your dad’s brother’s cousin’s daughter to read over your stuff, starting early is probably a good idea.

3. Don’t be afraid to contact your national committee

Applications vary from country to country so I can’t talk about any specifics, but generally, if there is anything at all that you are confused about, don’t be afraid to write an email to your NC! They will be happy to assist you, and there is no such thing as stupid questions (cliché but true in this instance). A personal example would be that the first time I applied, I wasn’t sure which things on the application should be answered in German and which in English, but instead of contacting my NC I just kinda did it and changed it again and after submitting was scared that I did it the wrong way. Don’t be like me! If something is unclear, ask for clarification. It will spare you a lot of stress.

4. Just send it!

Send off your application, even if you have doubts and think it may not be good enough. First of all: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! And second of all, I assure you that everyone hitting that submission button doubts themselves at least a little bit. I sure as hell did.

2. INTERVIEWS

So now you’ve made it to the interview- congrats! I know that this is a nerve-wracking part of the application process, but just try to see it as a way to share more about what kind of a person you are with the National Committee.

1. Be yourself

I know what you’re thinking. Wow, how cliché, thanks, never even thought about this totally obvious thing! I agree, it’s cliché, but if you take away one thing from this whole blog post it should be this. Now, this should also be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, you shouldn’t try to act any different, for example if you’re usually a bubbly person-it’s okay, you don’t have to act all serious. If you’re a naturally funny person, you could include a little (appropriate) joke here and there even though we tend to think this is an extremely formal setting (which yes it kind of is, but again this may vary from national committee to national committee). However , “be yourself” doesn’t mean “stay in your comfort zone”. As an introvert, I know it can be hard to speak up, and I’m not saying you should change and act like an extrovert. What you have to make yourself realize is that this interview is about you. These people (the number of people interviewing you will vary) are sitting there to listen to you talk and occasionally ask some questions, they are trying to find out what kind of a person you are beyond those stiff essays from the application. If you’re an introvert, it’s fine to not talk loudly or whatever, but be confident about your opinions and don’t be afraid to talk about yourself! And even if you’re not, just act like you are confident and before you know it you will feel that way too (fake it till you make it). Believe me, I know it can feel super weird to just talk about yourself, but in some ways that is the point of an interview.

2. Don’t be scared of the interviewer(s)

They aren’t trying to trip you up. They will ask questions about your essays and things you indicated on your application in order to get an idea of who you are as a person. They might challenge something you said, but just stay true to your opinion, they don’t want to hear a certain answer they want to get to know you. If they ask you to elaborate on something, you should see it as a great opportunity to talk even more about something that you obviously already like discussing, since otherwise you (hopefully) wouldn’t have chosen it for your essay! In my case, the interviewers even made a joke here and there. The whole thing isn’t quite as formal as you might think.

3. Be passionate

I kind of touched on this earlier, but again: these people are there to listen to you talk. They will ask you questions about stuff you wrote on your application to find out more about you and whether or not you are a good fit for UWC (and whether or not UWC is a good fit for you.) They want to know what kind of a person you are, what makes you get out of bed in the morning and what things light up your eyes when you talk about them. No matter what you are passionate about, make sure they know it and feel it!

4. Don’t read too much into facial expressions

Seriously, don’t. During my interviews a lot of my stress came from me overthinking the interviewer’s facial expression. You don’t know what they’re thinking! They are just listening intently or taking notes, if one of them looks bored to death don’t let it affect you or discourage you. They are there to listen and take notes and maybe think of additional questions, but during the interview there is absolutely no time for value judgements anyway. Just do your thing and try not to read into it too much.

5. Be honest

This one is kind of similar to “Be yourself”. Don’t try to psychoanalyze the interviewers to answer in a way that you think will please them. They aren’t looking for a specific answer from you, they genuinely want to know your honest thoughts. If they phrase a question weirdly and you’re like ‘okay maybe I should answer it differently…’ No, stop right there! Stay true to what you think and what you believe in. Be honest in giving your opinions. Also, be ‘honest’ (maybe that is the wrong word) in terms of your feelings. UWC is an intense experience, that can be hard to adjust to and they want to make sure to send people who they think will be able to work through that and deal with it, which means they might ask you personal or emotional questions that could strike a chord. It’s okay to be emotional in that case, I was asked a very personal question and got teary-eyed. It’s totally fine to say “This is a hard question, please give me a second to think about it” or something along the lines of that.

6. Don’t try to find out what they asked the other people

When you’re sitting there waiting for your turn and someone who just had their interview comes out, don’t ask that person what questions they were asked. The questions you get are based on what you wrote in your application, so there’s no point since they most likely won’t even ask you that question. It will only make you more nervous.

3. GROUP ACTIVITIES/SELECTION WEEKEND

1. Arrive early

Of course, being early is always a good thing for these kinds of situations, but as an introvert this truly made a big difference for me. The first time I applied, I had really bad luck and ended up arriving late to the selection weekend. Picture this: 15 year-old, very introverted me opening the door to see groups of people seated at tables, already deep in conversation with one another and since I was the only person left, once I had arrived everyone got up and the activities started straight away. This led to me being super ‘stuck in my shell’ and stressed out from the get-go. The second time I applied, I made sure to be (maybe even too) early, which enabled me to be calmer since I wasn’t stressing about having to find my way in a big city I don’t know too well, I wasn’t stressing about whether or not I’d be late and make a bad impression, and I got to be the first one to sit down at the table and then have a chill introduction and conversation with the first person who arrived after me, and then the next etc.

2. Don’t be afraid to talk in group activities

After I received my rejection the first time round, I also received an email with feedback and insight as to why I didn’t make it into the final selection. It said something along the lines of: “We often had the impression that you wanted to say something but in the end you didn’t. We know that you have opinions, and we would have loved to hear them more often.” If you are a naturally ‘charismatic’ person you probably don’t have to worry too much about this, but for my fellow quieter peeps: just dive head in! Make a conscious mental note to SAY SOMETHING, to force yourself if you have to, during group activities, to contribute in any way, don’t be scared of what the other applicants might think of what you’re saying because, frankly, they don’t matter that much. Say what you’re thinking, if you are playing a group game and you have an idea for a strategy that might work, propose it to the rest of the group! It might not work, but that’s not what matters. What’s important is that you are contributing and trying to get the whole group to succeed by providing ideas and that you can show that you can work with others. UWCs are all about sharing ideas and brainstorming together, trying new things and tweaking what doesn’t work to try and find solutions to problems. That’s what they are trying to ‘simulate’ in these group activities, so speak up when you have an idea, even if it’s just a small one.

3. “Who wants to start?”

You do! Or at least I think you should. At least once or twice. On my first selection weekend, we had activities in small groups where we would get some sort of an ethical dilemma and had to do a ranking for example. In the end we would all go around in a circle and share our ranking with the group. What happened was, everyone ended up kind of having very similar rankings and I always ended up saying mine last, so I was left pretty much awkwardly repeating what we already heard 5 times. I learned from that experience, and during my second selection weekend, when it was time to share our ranking and one of the ‘evaluators’ asked “Who wants to go first?” I just went and said “I can go!”. For people who don’t want to seem too dominant this may seem daunting, but I promise you, in practice it’s not as bad as you think. It shows you are not afraid to say what you think and you don’t need to run your rankings by the other people first.

4. Stick to your opinion

In group activities and games, it may be that you suggest something and everyone is on board right away. But, it’s also very possible that the others in the group are skeptical of your idea and quietly look at you with confused looks. If this happens, don’t despair! The worst thing to do in that situation is drop your shoulders and quietly say “But we can do something else too”. Instead, calmly try to explain what you were thinking and why this might work or how you arrived at the conclusion that this might at least be a step in the right direction compared to the last thing you all tried to do. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” In those games, it’s good to have everyone contribute new ideas, even if the idea itself isn’t the solution, someone else might bounce off of it and think of something new and so you will arrive at the finish line much faster. Obviously, don’t be unnecessarily stubborn and insist on your idea because you think it’s the very best- remember that it’s a group effort and you have to compromise.

Just don’t instantly give up on something you said just cause people aren’t agreeing to it right away.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE FUN!

The selection weekend is your first opportunity to experience the UWC spirit, and you will truly meet some great people there who share the same values as you. You will have great conversations over dinner, question your own beliefs over challenging discussions and just get to hang out with really interesting people. Above all, it should be an enjoyable time, and even though I was very anxious during my first application process, I still had so much fun and I hope you will too.:)

BEING REJECTED If you are rejected but you are not too old yet, APPLY AGAIN NEXT YEAR! In the Austrian system, you are allowed to apply twice.

If you are 15 and get rejected, APPLY AGAIN NEXT YEAR, and I cannot emphasize this enough. I’ve heard before that people think “Oh, if I didn’t make it this time then why should I get in next year?” but just look at me- I didn’t even get into the final selection the first time I applied. People evolve, things happen, you change. A year is a time where a lot of stuff can happen, you can collect new experiences and work on yourself, so don’t just write it off. Also, if you are applying a second time it is definitely a positive, since the National Committee will see how much you want this and how dedicated you are.

5 thoughts on “ULTIMATE INTERVIEW/SELECTION WEEKEND GUIDE – TIPS FOR THE UWC APPLICATION PROCESS”

yES STELLA new blog post finally!! p.s. from another recent grad, cannot stress the last apply again point enough. some years UWC simply might not have a scholarship available for the school you want to go to = aka why you might not get a spot! some of the most important people to me are those who reapplied, and i cannot imagine what life would’ve been like had they not done so 😉

yes fully agree!! now don’t mind me, i’m just over here waiting for a new blog post on thenotoriusdreamer 😉

Pingback: Applying to UWC for a second time – what made all the difference? – Stella's Chronicles

can you send me the pdf form

Hi, sorry but I’m not sure what form you are referring to?

How can I give my application to UWC my best shot?

An application to study at a UWC school is the first step in a life-changing experience. Not just life-changing for you, but also for those whose lives you will impact during and after your time as a UWC student.