As of now, we are not considering any change in the schedule. We are hopeful that we will be able to start in August 2020. However, we are closely tracking all government advisories, and our primary concern remains the safety of our faculty and Fellows. Any programme related updates will be put up on our website, and our social media handles. All applicants will also be informed via email. Please do check these regularly.

We are extending the submission deadline for samples of work ONLY till 10 May 2020. Please note that you must have submitted a completed application by the deadline i.e., 26 April 2020 to be considered for admission. If you choose to avail the extension, please attach a word document in the application form providing a short description of your Sample of Work that you will send and an explanation for why you require the extension.

Write to us at ufp.info@iihs.ac.in with your specific concern/issue. Or reach us at + 91 99012 55788, 96064 84336 between 10 am and 6 pm. We will work with you to resolve it as best as possible.

The UFP is a scholarship-based, ten-month, full-time, residential, inter-disciplinary fellowship based at the IIHS City Campus in Bengaluru. It seeks to combine classroom-based teaching, site-based applied learning, work in live projects, and external internships to introduce the Fellows to diverse forms of urban practice. It is open to recent graduates and young professionals from varied educational backgrounds or practice domains.

It will include a 8 month classroom- based learning period at the IIHS Bengaluru City Campus, followed by a 2- month internship. Fellows will intern at organisations working on different aspects of urban change and development, such as public sector organisations, private consulting organisations, NGOs, think- tanks, community organisations, etc.

The UFP will be located in Bengaluru at the IIHS Bengaluru City Campus. During the internship, Fellows will be based in the cities where their internship organisations are located.

The UFP invites applications from candidates interested in understanding and working on the complex challenges facing our cities. Candidates must not exceed 30 years of age at the time of the fellowship’s commencement. Applicants should be born on or after 1 August 1990. We encourage you to apply if you are:

• A candidate with a Bachelors/ Masters/ M.Phil. degree in any subject or discipline, including the social sciences, humanities, planning, architecture, urban studies, development studies, environmental studies, engineering, commerce, management, journalism, law, media and the Arts.
• A candidate who has non-degree training and has undertaken certification programmes after their 10+2 schooling.
• A candidate who does not have formal education after their 10+2, but has substantial experience (either formal or informal) working on urban concerns and challenges, in sectors such as housing, education, public health, economic development, environmental concerns, water, waste, sanitation, etc..

We encourage applications from women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities. We encourage applicants from smaller urban centers.

Applicants must be Indian citizens. OCI Card holders are not eligible to apply at this time. In addition, citizens of Nepal with valid identity documents (Nepalese passport or Nepalese Citizen Certificate or Nepalese Voter’s Identification Card) are also eligible to apply.

The Urban Fellows Program at IIHS is part of IIHS’ commitment to create supportive teaching and learning environments, based on the principle of not discriminating against individuals on the basis of personal beliefs or characteristics such as caste, class, religion, region, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.  Fellows are also expected to aspire to highest standards of ethics in their personal and professional interactions.

Applicant should not exceed 30 years of age at the time of the UFP’s commencement. Therefore, applicants should be born on or after 1 August 1990.

The UFP is a scholarship-based ten month, full-time, inter-disciplinary and residential fellowship starting in August 2020 and ending in May 2021.

Fellows need to have basic proficiency in reading English and understanding written English texts. Support will be available for Fellows that have limited speaking ability in English and they are encouraged to apply.

The UFP invites applications from recent graduates and young professionals not exceeding 30 years of age at the time of the fellowship’s commencement. Applicants should be born on or after 1 August 1990.

• A candidate with a Bachelors/ Masters/ M.Phil. degree in any subject or discipline, including the social sciences, humanities, planning, architecture, urban studies, development studies, environmental studies, engineering, commerce, management, journalism, law, media and the Arts.
• A candidate who has non-degree training and has undertaken certification programmes after their 10+2 schooling.
• A candidate who does not have formal education after their 10+2, but has substantial experience (either formal or informal) working on urban concerns and challenges, in sectors such as housing, education, public health, economic development, environmental concerns, water, waste, sanitation, etc..

The Urban Fellows batch of 2020-21 is expected to have up to 36 Fellows.

The UFP is a scholarship-based ten month, full-time, inter-disciplinary and residential fellowship that will be delivered through 8 months of in- class teaching at the IIHS City Campus in Bengaluru, followed by 2 months of internship placements in locations where your particular internship organisation is located.

Tuition fee for the UFP 2020-21 costs is Rs 1.75 lacs (inclusive of GST) for the entire programme, payable in three installments over the year. There is a 10% discount for those making a single payment at the beginning of the programme. This fee includes all costs of travel for the UFP on exposure visits as well as expenditure on local and inter-city travel for UFP practica and applied projects.

Accommodation, room and board for the programme are free and available to all candidates who receive admission. For the eight month in-class teaching period, this includes housing, all meals, internet access, housekeeping services and laundry facilities. A detailed list of services available at the shared accommodation, as well as terms of residency, will be provided to all candidates who clear the first stage of the application process and are called in for interviews.

The UFP will not cover any other costs beyond those listed above. The costs that will not be covered include commuting costs to and back from the campus, other incidental costs such as dining out, additional purchases, etc.

The UFP is committed to providing scholarships to all candidates that receive admission, who are unable to pay the programme tuition, after a review of their financial needs. The programme is thus need- blind. Your selection and admission into the programme will not be affected by your ability to pay.

In addition to scholarships that cover tuition fees, there are a limited number of stipends available to cover daily living expenses for candidates with significant financial need. Applicants wishing to be considered for this will have a chance to indicate so in the admission forms.

Please note that all admitted Fellows will be asked to submit a Rs 20,000 deposit to secure their admission. This will be refunded upon successful completion of the Fellowship. Applicants in financial need may request a waiver of the deposit to be considered on a case by case basis at the time of admission to the UFP.

No, neither full- time nor part- time work will be allowed during the Fellowship period. The UFP is a full time, residential fellowship.

Living in Bengaluru will have additional expenses that Fellows will need to prepare for. Some of these are detailed below:

a) Food: Fellows who take up the subsidised housing option arranged by IIHS will be provided breakfast and dinner as part of their accommodation. In addition, IIHS offers a subsidised meal plan with lunch on all weekdays. However, the Fellows are responsible for any additional cost of groceries or any other food they may buy.

b) Transport: The cost of transportation in Bengaluru can vary greatly depending on the mode of transport as well as distance travelled. Fellows are responsible for any travel expenses incurred for the commute from residential quarters to the IIHS City Campus.

c) Typical modes of transport include public buses (managed by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation or BMTC); metro rail (managed by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd or BMRCL); autorickshaws; and private cab operators such as Uber and Ola.

d) Buses are usually the most economical way of travelling around Bengaluru. Bus fares are calculated on the basis of “stages” travelled, where each stage is around 2 kilometres length. At present, a 6-kilometre trip (3 stages) costs Rs. 14, while a 10-kilometre trip (5 stages) costs about Rs. 23. Monthly bus passes are available starting at Rs. 1,050 per month which includes non-AC bus travel on any route in the city.

These are approximate calculations – please refer to the BMTC website for details and more accurate estimates.

The metro-rail is another relatively economical travel option. However, the metro-rail in Bengaluru is not fully operational yet – only certain sections have been opened to the public and most operational stations are not very close to the IIHS BCC. At present, the closest operational station is Sampige Road Station on the Green Line, about 2.5 kilometres away. The Green Line runs in the north-west direction, from Sampige Road to Nelamangala. The other operational line is the Purple Line, running from Byappanahalli to M.G. Road. The closest station on this line to the BCC is M.G. Road, which is about 5 kilometres away.

Please see the BMRCL website for details on fares for both lines.

Autoricksaws are relatively expensive in Bengaluru. The minimum fare (between 5 AM and 10 PM)  is Rs. 25 for 1.9 kilometres and Rs. 13 for every additional kilometre. This means that a 5-6 km auto ride costs between Rs 64 and Rs. 77. Between 10 PM and 5 AM, there is an additional night charge which amounts to 1.5 times the meter fare.

Private taxicabs such as those operated by Uber and Ola are relatively expensive. Not accounting for surge prices, cabs usually charge a base fare between Rs. 35 and Rs. 40 with additional charges of Rs. 7-8 for every kilometre and Re. 1 for every minute. A 5 kilometre trip may cost between Rs. 90 – Rs. 100 while a 10 kilometre trip may cost between Rs. 140 -160.

These are approximate costs. Please check with relevant cab operators for better estimates and more details.

a) Other living expenses: Other living expenses which Fellows may want to prepare for include personal phone bills, eating out at restaurants and cafes, intercity travel (except exposure trips), personal leisure and recreation, memberships to gyms and fitness clubs, shopping for clothing and other essentials, and personal book purchases. None of these expenses are covered by the UFP.

b) Bus-Pass Partial Reimbursement Scheme: If they choose, Fellows will be reimbursed partially for the costs of obtaining a bus pass. Under this scheme, Fellows will be required to submit a proof of purchase to IIHS when they procure or renew a bus-pass, following which they will be provided a partial reimbursement for the same.

Please note that this scheme is available only for regular non-A/C buses. Volvo A/C and Pushpak buses of the BMTC Bus Services are not covered under this scheme.

In addition, a limited number of Fellows may be eligible to apply for a living stipend on a need-basis. Please see the FAQ on living stipend for more details.

You can apply online at www.urbanfellows.iihs.co.in

You can also send in your application forms by post/courier to:
The Admissions Committee
IIHS Bengaluru City Campus
No. 197/36, 2nd Main Road
Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru 560 080

Applications start from 16 March 2020. You can apply online at www.urbanfellows.iihs.co.in You can also download a copy of the application form. Applications close on 26 April 2020, 11:59 pm IST. You can send us your application by post/ courier to:

The Admissions Committee
IIHS Bengaluru City Campus
No. 197/36, 2nd Main Road
Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru 560 080

The online application form has four sections.
Section 1: Basic Personal Information
Section 2: Educational Qualifications
Section 3: Work | Internship | Volunteering Experience (if any)
Section 4: Supporting Information and Documents

• Personal Statement and Essays: This section consists of two shorter essay questions that need to be completed. The first is on your motivation to apply (up to 300 words) and is mandatory. For the second essay, two options are provided and you are required to respond to one. The first option requires you to choose one out of five problem statements provided and give your response to it. The other option requires you to write from the perspective of your work experiences (both options require you to write upto 400 words)
• Audio-visual material or other material of your own making that complements your application can be uploaded or sent in.
• Any other information you would like to provide (up to 200 words).
• A Sample of Work: One sample of academic or professional work that best describes your capabilities and interests. The sample may take any form: e.g. text, plans, portfolios, audio files and visual media. The sample of work should preferably be your individual effort. In case you include a work representing team effort, please specify details of your particular contribution and role.

No. Applicant should not exceed 30 years of age at the time of the UFP’s commencement. Therefore, applicants should be born on or after 1 August 1990.

No, you don’t need to complete the online application in a single session. The online application form has four sections. You have the option of saving your application at any point in time and coming back to it later. Your application will be associated with a unique username and password.  You will have to use your unique username and password to login in order to work on your saved application. The application is complete once you review your answers and press submit at the end.

No, you don’t need to upload academic transcripts/ mark sheets/ degree certificates at the time of filling up your application. In case you are selected as a Fellow, you can submit them later at the time of admission.

The following information is required during the application process:

1. Basic Personal Information
2. Educational Qualifications
3. Work | Internship | Volunteering Experience (if any)
4. Supporting Information and Documents:

• Personal Statement and Essays: This section consists of three shorter essay questions: one on your motivation to apply (up to 300 words), and two that focus on your descriptive and analytical ability (up to 400 words each)
• Audio-visual material or other material of your own making that complements your application can be uploaded or sent in.
• Any other information you would like to provide (up to 200 words).
• A Sample of Work: One sample of academic or professional work that best describes your capabilities and interests. The sample may take any form: e.g. text, plans, portfolios, audio files and visual media. The sample of work should preferably be your individual effort. In case you include a work representing team effort, please specify details of your particular contribution and role.

Yes submitting a Sample of Work is mandatory. Without this, your application will not be considered complete and the Admissions Committee will not process your application.

A ‘Sample of Work’ includes any academic or professional work that is representative of your capabilities and interests. The sample may take any form: e.g. text, plans, portfolios, audio files and visual media. The sample of work should preferably be your individual effort. In case you include a work representing team effort, please specify details of your particular contribution and role.

Shortlisted candidates will be intimated as per these dates:

• Late May: Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to set up interview times and dates. Interviews will be on the phone or via Skype (phone interviews will be conducted only in exceptional circumstances)
• June: Selected and wait listed Fellows will be informed

The selection process is listed below:
Step 1: Review of applications by the Admissions Committee.
Step 2: Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and informed about their date of personal interview (over Skype or Phone).
Step 3: Interview of shortlisted candidates by the Admissions Committee.
Step 4: Successful candidates will receive an offer to become a Fellow Batch of 2020-21.
Step 5: Fellows have to accept the offer and pay the deposit amount within a week of the offer.

No. The Admissions Committee will look through all complete submitted applications and shortlist a pool of candidates for interviews. We will inform shortlisted candidates and set up interview slots with them. Interviews will be on the phone or via Skype (phone interviews will be conducted only in exceptional circumstances) Interview slots would be of 30 minutes duration. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to set up interview times and dates in late May.

Yes you can send in your application by post to:
The Admissions Committee
IIHS Bengaluru City Campus
No. 197/36, 2nd Main Road
Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru 560 080.

For any queries regarding the application process, please write to ufp.info@iihs.ac.in.

All Fellows are guaranteed a 2 month internship as a part of the UFP. These internships will be across a diverse set of organisations ranging from public institutions, to private firms and practices, social movements, non-governmental organisations, research think-tanks, development sector organisations and design and architecture firms. Some Fellows will have the opportunity to intern on live IIHS projects such as Land Records Management, Water and Sanitation Implementation Plans for State Governments, Climate Change and Adaptation and Food Security.

Yes, all Fellows are guaranteed internships as a part of the Fellowship.

IIHS is committed to finding placements for the Fellows when they complete the Fellowship. However, there are no guaranteed placements.

The Fellowship will include core ‘commons’ courses, elective courses, site- based practica assignments and skill labs. The details of each are summarised below:

Core ‘Commons’ Modules: These will be the core classes of the Fellowship. There are six core concepts:

• Ecology
• Identity
• Economy
• Governance
• Infrastructure
• Planning

Elective Modules: There will be four modules of elective courses. In 2019-20 the elective modules will include a section from among:

• Southern Urban Theory
• Housing Policy and Practice
• Climate Change and Cities
• Digital labor markets and the future of work in Indian cities
• Media and the Cities
• Urban Sanitation
• Urban Risk and Resilience
• The Urban Missions
• Urban Health
• The Practice of Economics in the Urban
• Urban Mobility

Applied Practica will allow Fellows to apply their knowledge on site-based problem cases that will be located in Bengaluru.

Skill Labs:

• Framing the Inquiry/Research Design
• Writing the City
• Methods in Primary Research
• Survey Design
• Interviews
• Media Practice and the City
• Working with Spatial Data
• Urban Data Analysis
• Word Lab
• From Narrative to Argument
• Working with Spatial Data
• Advanced Skill Lab – Camera and Editing
• Data Visualisation
• Course on Research Methodology and Stata

Fellows will be taught the following skills as a part of the Skill Labs:

• Oral and Public Communication
• Quantitative Analysis
• Qualitative Methods
• Project and Financial Management
• Writing for Digital Media and Academic Writing
• Theatre and Voice
• Media and Film
• Research Design

An average week in the life of an Urban Fellow will include of classes and practica assignments between Monday and Friday. During the week Fellows can choose to participate in the cultural events (film screenings, theatre, talks) that are regularly hosted at the Bengaluru City Campus. Fellows will have their weekends to explore the city and/ or to complete pending work.

Yes, prospective candidates are welcome to visit the Bengaluru City Campus.

We are located at:
No. 197/36, 2nd Main Road
Sadashivanagar
Bengaluru 560 080. India

You can also meet our faculty by signing up for the scheduled webinars. Click here for the schedule

The details of the faculty of the UFP is available here.

You can know more about IIHS at www.iihs.co.in