How To Land The MLH Fellowship
If you are looking forward to early opportunities to get into the tech industry, the MLH Fellowship is one of the best places to start. In this article I will be going over what it is and how you can become a MLH Fellow.
What is the MLH Fellowship?
Well, imagine a remote internship on steroids. It’s a 12-week program that hooks you up with top-notch companies and mentors in the industry. You’ll be working alongside other talented students from around the globe, and working on real-world projects.
But wait, it gets even better. As a fellow, you’ll receive a sweet stipend while you dive headfirst into exciting projects. They offer a variety of tracks including Software Engineering, Web3 and Site Reliability Engineering. These are subject to changes depending on the sponsor companies for the season. More information can be found on https://fellowship.mlh.io/.
The MLH Fellowship isn’t just about coding in isolation, though. They know that collaboration is key. They’re all about open-source contributions and getting involved in the global developer community. You’ll have the chance to contribute to projects, share your knowledge, and collaborate with other coding wizards worldwide.
And guess what? It’s not just about the technical stuff. The MLH Fellowship believes in giving back. That’s why they organize workshops, speaker sessions, and hackathons throughout the program. You’ll learn from industry professionals, gain essential soft skills, and even build connections that could land you a dream job in the future.
Once you complete the fellowship, you’ll not only have a shiny new set of skills and an impressive project portfolio, but you’ll also join a tight-knit community of MLH alumni, mentors, and industry insiders. It’s like having a secret society of tech superheroes to rely on for advice, networking, and maybe even future job opportunities.
So How Do I Become A Fellow?
Applying for the MLH Fellowship is an exciting journey that puts your skills and determination to the test. The application process may seem daunting at first, but fear not, I’ve got your back! Here’s a sneak peek into what you can expect.
First things first, APPLY EARLY. By early I mean atleast a month or two before the start of the session. This increases your chances of getting accepted by a mile. I applied for the Summer A 2023 batch (May - Aug) all the way back in October 2022.
The first step of the process is the online application form. This is where you will have to write essays. This is probably the most important thing in your application. With the acceptance rate being just a bit over 2%, this program is highly competitive and you have to show them that you’re truly interested and capable of succeeding in the program. This matters a lot so make sure your essays are filled with passion and excitement for the fellowship program, and technology in general. This is where most students receive their rejection email as they are “not passionate enough”. Take your time and make sure to highlight your previous projects, relevant experiences, and any cool hacks you’ve built. Remember, this is your chance to shine!
Once you’ve submitted your application, the MLH team gets to work reviewing it. They’re looking for candidates who are eager to learn, collaborate, and push boundaries. If your application stands out, you’ll receive an invitation to the next stage — a personal interview. This is just a general screening interview to get to know you better. It is always a good choice to wear formal or semi-formal for the interview and make sure the lighting is good and there’s little to no disturbance in the background.
After this you are moved to the next step — the technical interview. Now, don’t panic! The technical interview is your chance to showcase your coding skills and problem-solving abilities. You will be asked to explain your approach to the project you submit in your initial application. The key thing here is that your project shouldn’t be picked directly from a YouTube tutorial or anything of that sort. Another important aspect is documentation. Make sure your project is well documented and the commit history is not just 1 push. Also, you will be asked questions regarding your thought process, challenges you faced and potential updates for the future. Here are a few questions I was asked when I gave this interview:
- “Why did you choose to build this?”
- “What were the challenges you faced while building it?”
- “What updates do you wish to add in the near future?”
Be confident, think out loud, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The interviewers want to see your potential and how you tackle challenges.
If you impress the interviewers, congratulations! You’ll receive an acceptance letter, welcoming you to the MLH Fellowship. This is when the real adventure begins. You’ll be matched with a team and an industry-sponsored project that aligns with your skills and interests.
However, if things don’t go the way you planned, don’t let that demotivate you! Take it positively and let it drive you to get accepted in the next batch! Work harder, polish your essays, add new features to your project, work on your interview preparation, and apply again! In the words of Yoda, “The greatest teacher, failure is.”
So, whether you’re a student, a recent grad, or just someone eager to dive into the world of tech, the MLH Fellowship is your chance to level up your coding game, work on real projects, and make connections that could shape your career. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to join the MLH family and take your tech skills to new heights!
TL;DR
- Apply Early (atleast a month before the start of the session)
- Spend a lot of time on the essays. Even the extra questions like “Is there anything else you want us to know about you?”. These matter a lot.
- Wear formals/semi-formals during interviews.
- Make sure the lighting is good and there’s no disturbance in the background.
- Your project submission shouldn’t be copied off of YouTube tutorials. (they’ll know)
- Make sure to add good documentation.
- Quality of commits > Quantity of commits, but at the same time, your project should have a good commit history.
- Be prepared for typical interview-like questions, nothing too different.
Good luck and Happy Hacking!!