How To Apply For Udacity Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Nanodegree Scholarship 2020 | Edvicer

Milan Roy
Edvicer
Published in
5 min readAug 11, 2020

Udacity in collaboration with Microsoft is offering nanodegree scholarship in Machine Learning with Microsoft Azure. Applications will close on 30th June. This article will guide you with all the necessary details including how to apply, deadlines, prerequisites etc required to apply for this Udacity Nanodegree scholarship.

The Program

Microsoft and Udacity are collaborating to educate developers of all skill levels on Machine Learning concepts. Applications invite students 18 years of age or older who are interested in expanding their machine learning skills and expertise to enroll in the Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Scholarship Program.

In phase 1 of the program about 10,000 selected students would start the foundation course on 8th July, 2020. This course would go on till 10th September, 2020. This foundation course named as “The Introduction to machine learning on Azure with a Low-code Experience” is intended for learners who have programming knowledge in any language, preferably python, and are comfortable writing scripts. Having a knowledge of basic statistics will also help to understand and deploy the Machine Learning models in this course.

The top 300 students from the Introduction to machine learning on Azure with a Low-code Experience will be selected for one of 300 scholarships to the brand-new machine learning Nanodegree program with Microsoft Azure, designed and created with Microsoft.

Eligibility

Anyone 18 years of age and older is encouraged to apply. You must complete the application in full to be considered.

Scholarship recipients should be prepared to invest about 2–3 hours per week during the foundations course, which should run two months, and about 10 hours per week during the Nanodegree program, which should run for four months.

Please note, there are recommended prerequisites for the foundations course. Students with experience with basic Python programming (e.g., ability to read and write simple Python scripts; understanding of introductory concepts like variables, loops, modules, conditionals, data types, and functions). In addition, students should have some experience with fundamental statistics and algebra, including an understanding of data distributions (e.g., normal distribution) measures of central tendency and variability (e.g., mean and standard deviation) and basic linear equations. Udacity also recommends basic familiarity with fundamental machine learning concepts (such as feature engineering and supervised vs. unsupervised learning) and classic machine learning algorithms (such as linear regression and k-means clustering).

Timeline

Applications Open: Currently accepting applications.
Applications Due: June 30, 2020
Selected Applicants Notified: July 7, 2020
Foundation Course Start: July 8, 2020
Foundation Course End: September 10, 2020
Foundation Course Result: Date Not Available Yet
Phase 2 Start: Date Not Available Yet

Phase 1: Scholarship Foundations Course: Selected applicants can start the foundation course from July 8, 2020 and will have till September 10, 2020 to complete the foundational course. In the first phase of the Machine Learning Scholarship Program for Microsoft Azure, students will receive rigorous training, typically requiring 2–3 hours of work per week for 2 months. Students in the foundations course will be trained on key machine learning skills, receive a robust community experience supported by Udacity mentors and a dedicated Community Manager, and have a chance to qualify for a full Nanodegree program scholarship. At the end of the foundations course, Udacity will select 300 students to be awarded a full scholarship to a Udacity Nanodegree program. Selections will be made based on successful completion of lessons and quizzes in Phase 1 and student participation and support of classmates in the student community.

Phase 2: Full Scholarship for a Udacity Nanodegree program: 300 students in the program will earn a scholarship to the new machine learning Nanodegree program with Microsoft Azure. Nanodegree programs typically require 10 hours of work per week for the duration of the Nanodegree program. This program will offer world-class curriculum, integrated Azure labs for a smooth learning curve, a groundbreaking classroom experience, industry-leading instructors, thorough project reviews, and a full suite of career services.

FAQ’s

Where does the program take place?
The program takes place 100% online. Students can work from wherever they want to, as long as they have a working internet connection.

Are there specific class hours when I need to be online or can I go through the lessons and study whenever I want?
You can study on your own schedule so long as you complete the course within 2 months. That is to say, you’ll have complete access to the course directly in your classroom 24 hours a day. We understand that students have different schedules and will work on their course at different times and on different days. What’s important is that students make consistent progress each and every week and get through all the content before the end of the foundational and nanodegree period.

How is Phase 1 of this scholarship different from Udacity’s single course offerings?
Udacity’s single courses consist of lessons, videos, and quizzes. But they do not provide comprehensive staff support available to answer technical questions, review student projects, and provide guidance and help. Scholarship students in Phase 1 of this program will have access to an online library of resources administered by Udacity, as well as the student support team to help with any account issues. All students completing the foundational course will receive a certificate of completion from Udacity.

How will the full Nanodegree program scholarships be earned?
After the initial 2-month Phase 1 of the program ends, follow-up scholarships will be provided for a new machine learning Nanodegree program with Microsoft Azure. Students will be evaluated based on successful completion of lessons and quizzes in Phase 1 in addition to their active participation and support of classmates in the student community.

How many hours per week should I expect to spend on my coursework in order to succeed in this program?
Between instructional content, quizzes, and other course-related activity, we estimate that investing 2–3 hours/week will enable you to proceed through the foundations course at a successful pace, finishing before your 2-month scholarship ends in Phase 1. If you are awarded a follow-up Nanodegree program scholarship, you will have four months to complete the Nanodegree program, which requires approximately 10 hours/week of learning.

How will it help me?
As increasing services move to cloud functionality, the need for expertise on machine learning and cloud infrastructure increases. In fact, nearly 90% of companies rely on cloud computing. As Machine learning is becoming popular with cloud technologies, and Azure being the top cloud provider among Fortune 500 companies, the free course and Nanodegree program will enable a new generation of machine learning practitioners to succeed in their careers.

Will I definitely get a job based on these scholarships?
These scholarships do not guarantee you a job. But Udacity students often do get jobs after graduating from programs like these.

Who can be contacted in case of questions?
For general questions about the scholarship program and for user support (e.g. application process, timeline), please contact: scholarships-support@udacity.com.

Application

You can apply for this scholarship from here .
Meanwhile you may also take a look at free Coursera certifications or some awesome free courses from Udemy

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