Serve in India
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who should apply?
Do I need to know the language?
Does AIF pay for my living expenses?
What does AIF require?
How does NGO placement work?
How does the application process work?
Can I speak to a Service Corps Alum?
Will I get to travel while I am there (what is the vacation policy)?
Do fellows travel for their projects?
Will AIF support language training before or during the fellowship?
What happens if a fellow gets sick? What health facilities and support exist?
What happens during orientation, midpoint and endpoint?
What are some examples of successful Service Corps Projects?
What are Service Corps alumni doing now?
Who should apply?
We accept applications from American citizens who have completed their undergraduate studies up to the age of 35. AIF prioritizes both professional experience as well as a strong commitment to India’s development. Ideal candidates can come from a variety of backgrounds, both professional and academic, however skill sets are most closely examined during the selection process. AIF places Fellows with NGOs who have expressed need for certain skill sets in order to accomplish specific projects. Skill sets can vary from monitoring and evaluation, grant writing, web knowledge, medical skills, etc.
Do I need to know the language?
It is not a requirement for Service Corps Fellows to speak the language however it is considered a valuable skill in the selection process and taken into consideration when placing Fellows with NGOs. Appropriate language abilities are very useful and tend to enable the Fellows to integrate more with their NGO and their communities, and are usually required in rural placement settings.
Does AIF pay for my living expenses?
AIF provides round trip ticket to India, insurance coverage, and a monthly stipend to each Service Corps Fellow. The stipends cover: rent, utilities, transportation to and from work, language classes, personal stipends, food. The Service Corps Fellows are asked to live simply and cost effectively on par with the local staff of their organizations. This often means that Fellows are encouraged to have roommates, live with less furniture than they are used to, to take public transportation whenever available and to cook for themselves. The monthly stipends have a maximum limit and occasionally urban placements can exhaust those limits. When applying for Service Corps it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages to urban and rural placements as AIF can not increase the urban maximum amounts for stipends.
• Fellows are expected to complete a work-focused 10-months, engage with multiple challenges, and take a lot of initiative in the structuring and completion of their projects.
• Fellows are expected to attend all fellowship related events and reunions including the orientation program, midpoint conference and endpoint.
• Fellows are also expected to work a complete workweek in accordance with the host NGOs typical work schedule, which often involves working on Saturday.
• Each year AIF requires that its fellows contribute to AIF related materials such as newsletters, blogging, photos, etc.
• The AIF field staff also requires monthly reports from fellows on the progress of their work, and more detailed reports at midpoint and endpoint on what they are gaining from the experience.
How does NGO placement work?
During the selection process we will note potential fellows’ skill set and requirements and match them with NGOs that are appropriate, i.e., who have an expressed need that the fellow’s skill set could fill. We then provide the fellow with three options for placements while at the same time providing NGOs with fellow CVs to review. Both the NGO and the Fellow tier their preferences and AIF does the final placement. Fellow and NGO preferences are taken into careful consideration and we do our best to give all parties their first or second choices.
How does the application process work?
From mid-October to January 1st we will be accepting online applications. Your written application and letters of recommendation are read and assessed by three groups of readers; one set that is India-based, one set that is America-based, and a set of AIF staff during the month of February. If the application is strong we will schedule a face to face interview with Service Corps staff, alumni and/or supporters in March. Acceptance notifications will be sent out in early April.
Can I speak to a Service Corps Alum?
If you would like to speak with an alumnus please contact a Service Corps staff member and specify what area of work and what region you are particularly interested in. AIF staff will provide you with an alumni contact.
Will I get to travel while I am there (what is the vacation policy)?
Each fellow can ask for up to 2 weeks of vacation time during the duration of the ten-month fellowship pending approval from the host NGO. The costs of vacation and personal travel will be borne personally by the fellow.
Do fellows travel for their projects?
This depends entirely on the project. Some projects require travel to villages in surrounding areas for fieldwork and some are more office-based. In addition, a few placements will require constant travel to various NGO offices and/or field sites. When selecting preferences for projects, fellows should think carefully about whether they would like to travel extensively or whether they prefer to be based in one place.
Will AIF support language training before or during the fellowship?
AIF provides an optional small stipend for fellows to apply towards language classes. This covers language classes taken in India after arrival.
What happens if a fellow gets sick? What health facilities and support exist?
Health and safety are very region-specific. When a fellow arrives at his/her NGO, he/she will complete an orientation, which includes information on local health facilities for the fellow. The NGO will also help a fellow in case of ill health. If a serious health condition arises, AIF will intervene and ensure that the fellow has full support. In addition, all Fellows are covered under a health insurance policy (for emergencies that involve hospitalization) throughout their time in India.
What happens during orientation, midpoint and endpoint?
Orientation is a two-week program designed to achieve a few key objectives. First, the orientation aims to provide an overview of political, economic, and societal aspects of development in India. This is important to give the fellows context for their NGO projects and the chance to interact with some experts in those fields. Second, the orientation is a chance to ease the fellows into their time in India. It is also a chance for the group to get to know each other, meet the AIF staff, and have discussions about what life in India will be like.
Midpoint and endpoint are less structured and focus more on reflection and fellow learning. Midpoint allows fellows to get together for a break and discuss their projects; focusing on the challenges they are facing and discussing potential solutions with other fellows. Endpoint wraps up the time in India with reflection, feedback, and thoughts on returning home and what’s next.
What are some examples of successful Service Corps Projects?
• Helped develop a dal procurement, processing and marketing operation in Udaipur
• Assisted NGO with creating innovative teaching kits for government schools
• Helped put together programs for HIV positive and HIV affected children
• Worked to manage 25 documentary/animation films and photo essays in Bangalore and Delhi schools
• Worked to complete a detailed assessment of a group of restored water tanks in rural Tamil Nadu
What are Service Corps alumni doing now?
We have over 170 Service Corps alumni, and they have followed several paths. Some have gone on to graduate studies including Masters and Doctoral work in areas such as Urban Planning, Public Health and International Development. Alumni have also gone on to professional schools including law, education and medicine. Several have chosen to remain in India and have joined the NGO sector on full-time basis. Others have returned to jobs they held before the fellowship period. While others pursue new professional paths, often working in the non-profit sector both here in the US and abroad.