Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (MLSA)
What’s Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program?
The Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors community is for students who want to use tech to solve real-world problems with like-minded peers, establish themselves as mentors and leaders in their community, and amplify their impact.
Student Ambassadors get the opportunity to connect with other students around the world (from more than 102 countries ), foster their own online communities, get training and earn certifications, and tackle practical challenges, all while building key technical and soft skills to help them succeed. They can also make meaningful progress on the socially significant issues that they care about.
The global community of Student Ambassadors is the heart of the program, and upon acceptance, you’re immediately connected to every other fellow Ambassador via Microsoft Teams as well as with Microsoft mentors who are there to help you along your journey.
You can collaborate with other students who share your passion in dedicated Leagues focused on various technologies and social issues and apply your collective skills toward solving real-world challenges together. You’ll then have the opportunity to show off your work in local and global challenges like the Microsoft Imagine Cup and student hackathon events. And if you’re not yet sure what your passion is, it’s okay. As long as you’re willing to explore different things and try them out, you are definitely welcome in the community!
You’ll have support from Microsoft in the form of unique access to experts like Cloud Advocates and MVPs who can offer remote mentorship, guide your League’s efforts, and provide opportunities for you to be part of the team while you prepare for graduation. These experts are also here to help you plan and run your events as you help skill people in your own local communities.
Microsoft makes it easier for you to make progress on the issue or technology that means the most to you by providing tools to help you — like monthly Azure credits, free access to Microsoft 365 apps like PowerPoint and Excel, cloud services like OneDrive and Microsoft Teams, and development tools in Visual Studio and much more.
You can start building valuable career skills with self-guided online courses with Microsoft Learn. If there’s a topic you’re interested in, whether it’s Machine Learning, Python, Azure static web apps, or something else, master it at your own speed with these courses that provide step-by-step guidance. When you’re done, you can get access to a free certification exam!
There are numerous event opportunities:
- Attend virtual events held by subject matter experts from Microsoft and other organizations that focus on technical skilling and professional development
- Attend virtual events held by fellow Student Ambassadors who want to share their knowledge and passion with other students.
- In turn, you’ll pay it forward and share your knowledge and passion by hosting events and offering guidance to other students. By providing your expertise and empowering your peers, you expand your impact and separate yourself from the pack by becoming a leader in your local tech community. On average, each Student Ambassador-hosted event reaches 63 peers!
- Score opportunities to attend Microsoft-hosted events. You’ll be able to attend the annual virtual Student Ambassadors Summit consisting of tech demos, panel discussions, and networking opportunities all aimed at helping you build your skills and amplify your impact on the community. You might even be invited to share your knowledge as a speaker at other events like Microsoft Build!
- And of course, there will be social/team-building activities because what would a community be without those?
Overall, the program is exactly what you need as a student.
It offers a supportive community where you could be yourself, thrive, and work towards building something that's much greater. This community gives a chance to not only develop technical skills and soft skills but also have connections to cherish even after leaving the program.
If you’re into tech, if you’re into learning, if you’re into being part of student communities, just join this program.
So, are you ready to be a part of a global community where you can connect with peers, learn from practical experience, and teach others about the topics that drive you? Then apply to join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program today!
How to apply for the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador program?
In this section, you will get to know the whole application procedure and requirements for becoming an MLSA.
Eligibility: The applicant should be a minimum of 16 years at the time of submission and enrolled full-time in an accredited academic institution like a college or university. It doesn’t matter if you are a fresher or a final year bachelor’s student or a master’s student, you can apply! All you need is a passion for technology.
Responsibility: Being an on-campus leader, you’ll be responsible to build a strong technical community on your campus through hosting workshops, meetups, hackathons, mentoring fellow students, etc.
The Application form is open throughout the year, The selections are done on a quarterly basis. The main steps to follow while applying for this program are as follows:
STEP 1: Go to https://studentambassadors.microsoft.com/en-US/
Click on “Apply now” and Login with any of the mentioned options available.
STEP 2: Once you are logged in, read all the privacy and terms, and confirm your eligibility. Then, you will be introduced to a Personal Info section, fill in all the details carefully.
STEP 3: Once you have filled in the personal information, you will be introduced to the academic information section, once you fill that, the most important part of this application comes: A written Sample.
Step 4: The Written Sample is the most important part of this application, where you have to answer the given questions.
This section is divided into three parts, as shown in the picture.
. INSPIRE
. TEACH
. PROMOTE
Each field has to be answered with either a video or a written sample. Please note: It is necessary to answer at least one question in the form of a video. You can upload your video on Google Drive, Microsoft SharePoint, or youtube to share it in the form of a link. Make sure that the link is visible to all.
Here is my answer to all these questions: (please take the idea and write your own answer because here you’ve to reflect on your true self)
If you were hosting a technical event, what steps would you take to increase awareness about your event and attract the targeted audience?
I will host an event with its promotion, Uniqueness, and harnessing the power of social media marketing. Use of social media platforms like LinkedIn and college media platforms, I can promote my technical event among various tech clubs and societies in my university as well as in other universities and colleges. Creating mini videos of what is the event about? Mouth publicity is a must in our friend circle. I can make a good digital poster for social media describing what they all gain from the event and share it on various social media platforms and societies at my university. we can Promote our event by giving sneak peeks of the event on social media by giving our target audience a glimpse into what they can expect during the event. These can include photos and videos of your program, contests during programs, or speaker’s detail, etc. we can create an event hashtag, leverage features on various platforms, Share teasers with relevant details on the event to build buzz, and provide further information about the event.
How would you take a technical concept and teach it to a friend or peer that has never heard of it?
I would first tell benefits and develop an interest in the topic to them so they can grasp it. I focus on the core so they can build up the basics of it. To explain to them about Git, GitHub, and various other technologies, I will use the presentation to explain them in an easy way and use analogy and well-understandable examples about the topic. If I have to explain Object-Oriented Programming to a friend who is an Automobile Engineer, I will relate the car to an object. The color of the car is an attribute. The speed is the method(function). If I have to explain Blockchain technology to a friend who is a CA, I will relate it to a ledger and explain it. Try to make out some hands-on for them along with a check that they are at the same pace as me and telling their queries if any and be always available for questions and further support.
How have you acted as an agent of change to inspire and influence your peers? Please detail a specific example.
I uploaded a video answering this question consisting of a small introduction about myself and my university along with how technology inspires me.
I have ever been curious about technology and its development and have a thirst for learning, that’s why I want to become a partner of MLSA. I myself believe that technology has the ability to increase our productivity. It has the power to solve various problems which we are facing even during the pandemic of covid, technology was enhancing our life.
We were using the AI portal for examinations, Microsoft Teams for teamwork, LinkedIn for getting jobs, skype for getting connected, and too using GitHub the world’s largest community of developers to discover, share, and build new things that is what excites me about technology which is improving our day-to-day life, helping us and opening new venues that are unimaginable
I want to help other students by learning and exploring new things so I can tell current trends and discover new things to empower more people
At last, I hope that being an MLSA will be a great opportunity for me since we should never stop learning because life never stops teaching
Tips to answer these questions:
1) Make sure your answers are honest and genuine, try to explain why you are passionate about technology, and what made you inspired in your best way.
2) Mention all your achievements including the projects you are working on/completed, what are the programming languages you’ve learned, and competitions/Workshops you have organized/participated in/won.
3) Take an example and explain how you would teach that topic to your peers.
4)If you are hosting an event, explain how would you plan on organizing it from the start, and how would you promote it to gather as many students as possible to attend the event.
STEP 5: Then comes the social media section, where you can include the links of all the social media platforms you use, as mentioned in the fields.
Do not hesitate to share the links of any of your blogs/YouTube videos etc. thinking there is nothing much in it or there is less content, nothing is less when you try to share your knowledge or ideas, what you share and how you share it, is important! :)
This is also where they will get to know more about you! :)
STEP 6: Once you have completed filling out the social media section, mention all the technologies you are interested in!
And if you think there is some additional information you want to add, you can add it in the next field asked in the Additional Information section, after the technologies list!
For example, I love cycling, so I mentioned my Incredible Cycling Tours and so on. Similarly, you can add anything you want to share, here.
And this completes the Application form!
Another method to become a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador is to get yourself nominated.
You can also ask a present MLSA to nominate you for this program before you actually apply yourself.
Here, your nominator needs to first fill in his/her information.
and then add the nominee information in order to nominate you. Post this you will get a unique link to apply for this program in your mail to apply for the program.
Hope you were able to fill it out properly, if you have any doubts/questions, do put them in the comments below, and I will answer them, Or you can contact me through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com .
It is a great place to learn new skills, connect with people, create content, get mentorship, and much more while empowering each other. Learning becomes exponential in collaboration, and we learn so much from peers across the globe. It’s really a very wholesome experience.
No matter what the result will be, give your best, and work hard!!
Note: If an application is rejected, the Applicant can reapply for the program.
Also, if you are thinking can Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors apply for Imagine Cup? YES! If you have a unique technology solution that you’d like to enter for the Imagine Cup, all Microsoft Student Ambassadors are welcome to register for it, if you would like to know more about Imagine Cup, you can check here, https://imaginecup
Best Wishes! :)
Learn Student Ambassador Milestones
There are certain milestones that can be achieved by Student Ambassadors. The first 2 are self-paced, so you get to determine when you want to attain the next level, while the 3rd one is by nomination only and is reserved for outstanding Ambassadors who go above and beyond in serving their community. With each milestone you reach, you are awarded additional awesome benefits.
**Only for Student Ambassadors**
New Student Ambassadors
You are a new Ambassador once your application is accepted for this program.
- Now you need to Watch the Orientation Video, Read the Welcome post, and Explore the Student Ambassadors Program Handbook, which includes the Student Ambassadors Onboarding Checklist, Watch your inbox for a Town Hall invite.
- Sign-up as a Mentee for the Peer Mentorship Program to receive program guidance, support, and insights from experienced Betas and Golds
- Familiarize yourself with Student Ambassadors Projects, smaller communities of Ambassadors, and mentors formed around specific topics, by reviewing the Overview Guide and tuning into past and upcoming events and opportunities in the Ambassadors Projects channel on Teams.
- Complete a Learn Path to advance to Alpha. Start your Technical Onboarding.
- You’ll receive access to the Amazing Community on Microsoft Teams and get an opportunity to connect with Professionals/Mentors etc. in this community, Access to Microsoft 365 as a New MLSA.
Apart from this, There are 3 milestones you can achieve to avail the benefits-
Alpha Ambassadors
- Now you can Unlock your benefits: Visual Studio Enterprise, $150 monthly Azure credits, M365, and LinkedIn Learning benefits.
- You should Complete your Technical Onboarding during your alpha milestone.
- Showcase Microsoft technologies by hosting and reporting an event, Cloud skill challenge or actively participating in a Social Impact League Project which will help you advance to the beta milestone.
- You can also Explore the Workshop-o-Matic kits to help get you started with skilling up your local communities.
Beta Ambassadors
- Continue to get the Microsoft certification exam, Receive your Beta Swag kit. (This includes the benefits of Alpha as well)
- Sign-up for the Peer Mentorship Program as a Mentor to share your wisdom and experience with fellow Student Ambassadors
- Continue your journey to be considered for Gold by skilling on MS Learn, Hosting events, and contributing to your community by using your sharing ID, participating in Projects,
Gold Ambassadors
- Once you’ve gone above and beyond in earning your badges and serving your local community, and have been an active participant in the program for 1 year, you will become a Gold MLSA.
- Receive your exclusive Gold Swag kit. (This milestone includes the benefits of Alpha and Beta Milestone).
- Now you need to host events to share your knowledge with others, Contribute to your local, regional, and Ambassador communities by inspiring others and sharing your passion.
- Help guide and mentor other Student Ambassadors and students in their community.
- Gain consideration and nomination for special events, speaking engagements, and joining the Microsoft MVP upon graduation.
More details are in the below picture!
This program sponsors all undergraduate and postgraduate students in terms of technology and all the events they do in this community. Once you are an ambassador, you are introduced to the amazing community and you can start hosting events!
One of the most special things I love about this program is, that we get to learn so much and grow our career and technical skills, and whatever we learn, we share it among our peers by hosting events.
