In order to be considered for one of StudVent’s Gap Year Programs (Venture Year, Entrepreneurship Gap Semester, MBA Search Fund Accelerator, and others), students must fit the following criterion:

  1. Minimum Age and Maximum Age / Marital Status: A student must be at least 18 years old by September 30th, 2020 if joining the Autumn Gap Year or Gap Semester program. 
    • Gap Semester 2: January – May: Student must be at least 18 by December 31st, 2020.
    • Summer Accelerator: May-August: Student must be at least 18 years old by May 1st, 2021
    • Graduate/Postgraduate Venture Year program – student must be at least 18 years old by the first day of the program.
    • MBA Search Fund program – student must be at least 18 years old by the first day of the program.
    • Postdoc Accelerator. While we do not expect to see younger students as postdoctoral researchers, we do require that participants be at least 18 years old by the start of the program.
    • There is no age limit for any of our programs. We have known masters and PhD students in their 50s and even 60s.  Gap year students of all ages are welcome to join, if the “Student Status” benchmark in No. 2 below is met, and the participant is aligned with the rest of the profile requirements below.
    • There is no marital status requirement for our gap year students. If the “Student Status” as described in No. 2 below, and the participant is matching the requirements below, there is a “fit” and the student is welcome to apply.
  2. Student Status: A student must be enrolled or committed to an accredited college or university the following year, be taking a leave of absence, or have graduated within one year to be eligible for our programs. We do not discriminate between part-time and full-time university or college status, as student may have either at his or her university.
    • Undergraduate Gap Year or Semester:  Student must be a rising freshman, rising sophomore, rising junior, rising senior or have recently graduate and is less than one year out of college or university (also known as “First Year Out”).
    • Postgraduate Gap Year or Semester: Student must be either a current graduate / postgraduate student at the masters or PhD level, committed to a university but taking a gap year prior, or recently earned a degree within the past year.
    • MBA Search Fund Accelerator: Student must be a current MBA or postgraduate student, committed to an MBA or postgraduate program and either currently enrolled, taking a gap year, or recently graduated with the last year.
    • Summer Accelerator: Student must be a current university undergraduate, postgraduate, or professional student who is taking a gap year or semester, a freshly minted graduate within the past year, or a rising freshman or postgraduate student who is taking a gap year before s/he starts the university or college program.
    • Hedge Fund Accelerator:  Students must be a current MBA or postgraduate student, committed to an MBA or postgraduate program, and either enrolled currently, taking a gap year, or have earned a degree within the last year. In special circumstances, we will undergraduate students who are upperclassmen/women.
    • Postdoc Accelerator: Postdocs must be currently employed as a postdoc, taking a leave of absence, or have finished a postdoc assignment with the past year.
  3. Interest in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Information Technology. Students should have an interest and strong curiosity in the topics of business, entrepreneurship and/or technology. Another area of interest that is a good fit is Social Enterprise. These themes will be at the center stage of our Gap Year programs. Participants do not need to have decided upon any of these as a career path, but only to have an interest in them at this point, and a consideration of them for some future point in their life.   A desire to start one’s own business in the digital space is also a strong plus, but not a requirement. Participants do not have to come into the program with a business (or social enterprise) idea as they can find one in the process of the program.
  4. Geographic Location: A student may be based anywhere in the world, if the university that s/he attended, will attend, or just graduated from is accredited in that region. In some circumstances, students will submit proof of accreditation of their university or college. In addition, participation in a gap year, startup acceleration program must be legal in the host country where the student resides.
  5. Hardware and Internet Access. As Gap Year programs are delivered online, a student must have access to a laptop or desktop computer, be computer literate, and have access to high speed internet access at their place of residence. Also, the student must have a mobile phone, either Android or iOS, and have memory available to download and even test new applications. The Venture Year program will entail video conference calls, uploading and downloading of documents, graphics, audio, and other information that will require ample internet speed of 50 mbps on the download and at least 10 mbps on the upload.
  6. Software and Platforms: In addition, students must be have the following software packages available or be willing to download and install them by the start of the program. Also, student will have or gain access to a number of social media platforms:
    1. Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
    2. Adobe (.pdf)
    3. Adobe Cloud (graphics and creation)
    4. Slack
    5. Zoom
    6. Liveplan
    7. LeanStack
    8. Trello
    9. Chrome Browser
    10. An email program such as Googlemail or Protonmail
    11. Instagram
    12. Facebook
    13. Snapchat
    14. Whatsapp
    15. Twitter
    16. Linkedin
    17. Pinterest
    18. Wechat
    19. YouTube
    20. Vimeo
    21. Telegram
    22. Hootsuite (social media marketing learning and management)
    23. Duolingo
    24. edX, Future Learn, and Coursera
    25. Canvas
    26. WordPress
  7. The Gap Year Program requires students to have the following abilities, characteristics, and will:
    • Curiosity
    • Diligent work habits
    • Ability to be self-motivated
    • Possess a self-starter attitude
    • Ability and willingness to follow a semi-structured schedule
    • Sense of independence
    • Willingness to learn and an open mind
    • An interest in information technology, entrepreneurship, and business
    • The ability to have “private space” at home for weekly cohort, team and 1-1 meetings virtually via video conferencing
    • Be available to participate at least 35 hours a week in the FT program, and 10 hours per week in the PT program.
    • An inclusive and equitable stance and acceptance of the diversity of fellow students, advisors, mentors, guests, and other participants
  8. English: Students must have English speaking and reading skills required at the University level. The program will be delivered in English. However, English need not be one’s native language to participate.
  9. Hearing: At this time, we are not d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing enabled. However, we are working to be able to accommodate students with such disabilities with closed captioning and other technologies.
  10. Language Learning: Students must be willing to either continue with a current second language or learn a new one. A broad range of languages may be learned, including not only world languages but sign languages too.
  11. Mental Capacity and Health.  Our Gap programs are mentally and intellectually challenging and require a high degree of concentration and focus over a period of time.  Students should be have the mental capacity to participate, and should be mentally healthy as well. There is a high degree of independent work involved that requires focus and energy for long periods of time. Also, because of the nature of the program and current situation in the world, students may be working alone and in isolation. While there will be videoconference group and 1-1 communications throughout the typical week, these sessions will typically be short (1 hour or so) and spread out through the week. Unfortunately, Student Ventures doesn’t at present have the resources or expertise to counsel or offer therapeutic services for mental health-related challenges that students may be facing.
  12. Participation: A student will be the primary participant in the Venture Year program. He or she may have outside team members for their ventures as well. If these team members are also qualifying students, they may wish to enroll and join the Venture Year program too. However, only enrolled members will be able to participate in weekly sessions, partake in learning activities, and be rewarded for achievements by Student Ventures along the way. Parental participation in interactive activities is disallowed and is discouraged in general. Our Venture Year programs are meant to be individual learning and growth opportunities for adults who will foster their own self-discovery, talents, and capabilities further through acting independently and in cohorts of their peers.
  13. Time Dedication: Students must have a willingness and ability to work 35 hours a week in the full-time program, including weeknights and occasional weekends.
  14. Group Dynamics and Teams: Students must have a basic understanding of interpersonal and group level dynamics.