 Hello friends, welcome to the career counseling initiative by Sentom Academy. Today we are going to tell you about the different admission criteria for Ashoka University, what are its fees, what are the salient and unique features of Ashoka University. So without any delay, let's begin. So Ashoka University was founded in the year 2014. It is located in Rajiv Gandhi Education City, which is in Sonipat, Haryana. When it was started, its flagship program called the Young India Fellowship was launched in the year 2011. In the Young India Fellowship, initially they selected 50 bright minds and give them full scholarship to give them a flavor of what Ashoka education means. It is run in collaboration with University of Pennsylvania, and Ashoka University's major focus is on the liberal arts approach and liberal arts basically covers all the core sciences, social sciences, as well as the humanities. So moving ahead, let's see in how many acres Ashoka University is situated. Ashoka University is spread over 225 acres. However, the foundation stone for a new 27 acre campus was also led in September of 2021. The NIRF rank of Ashoka University is 95 among all the universities in India. And some of the notable faculty who teach at Ashoka University are Jonathan Gil-Harris, Rata Bhanumeta, Dwight Jagard, Kenwin Smith, Anunay Chawbe, and so on. Moving ahead, let's see what are the different centers of excellence that have been set up at Ashoka University. So we have this info is Center for Entrepreneurship. Then we have Center for Climate Change and Sustainability. And we have Center for Social Impact and Philanthropy. And we have Trivedi Center for Political Data Center for Economic Data Analysis. There's a Center for Studies in Gender and Sexuality. And then we have the Center for the Creative and Critical. And there are many other centers which are, you can say, centers of excellence at Ashoka University. And they are doing research, though Ashoka University is a new university. So these centers are growing rapidly. The different programs offered by Ashoka University could be the undergraduate programs, the Young India Fellowship. So Young India Fellowship is for those who have already graduated. Then we have the graduate programs or you can call the Master's programs. Then we have the PhD programs. There is a Young Scholars programs. And then we have Global Education and Office of Summer Programs. So let us see about some of these programs. So in the undergraduate programs, there are different courses offered by Ashoka University. You can see there are courses offered in biology, chemistry, creative writing, economics, English, entrepreneurship, environmental studies, history, international relations, mathematics, media studies, performing arts, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, Sanskrit studies, sociology and anthropology, visual arts. So you can see that all this, you can say a part of liberal arts approach that we have courses from sociology and anthropology to economics, to entrepreneurship, to biology and chemistry, your sciences. Then we have performing arts and media studies also. So it's a very broad, you can say, course curriculum offered by Ashoka University. Moving ahead, let's see what's unique about Ashoka University that it also gives you a flavor of interdisciplinary majors because nowadays you can say any project or any research work requires interdisciplinary engagement. So Ashoka University offers you, for example, computer science along with entrepreneurial leadership. Then you have computer science and mathematics, economics and finance, economics and history. So isn't it wonderful that you can pursue economics and history simultaneously? Similarly, we have history and international relations, politics, philosophy and economics, politics and society, English and creative writing. So in a way Ashoka University is merging two different tools and offering it to its students. Now there's an option to choose minor courses also at Ashoka University that apart from the major subjects, you can also take some minor courses. For example, there are minor courses available in entrepreneurial leadership, environmental science, international relations, media studies, visual arts, performing arts and creative writing. Moving ahead, we can see that Ashoka University has a unique Young Scholars program. So what is Young Scholars program? It's a unique pre-college program. It is for talented high school students who are in class 9 to 12, like 9, 10th, 11th and 12th. It is a 5-day online program. So it's just a 5-day program and you'll get a certificate after the completion of this program. So there are 10 different disciplines that the students get to explore and the point is that to give an introduction to pedagogy of liberal arts and sciences to these students who are still in high school. However, the program fee for the year 2022 is 25,000 rupees. It's a 5-day program and 25,000 rupees is a program fee. The application fee is 500 rupees and the Young Scholars 5-day program for this year is the student between 16 May 2020 May. So moving ahead, let's see the different features of Young India Fellowship. So Young India Fellowship about basically was, you can say, the flagship initiative of Ashoka University, delivered in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania and initially started with 50 students, then it went to 100 and then it increased with time. Now we are again selecting 100 fellows. So 100 bright fellows will be selected at the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University. So it has 8 terms of 6 weeks each. So there are 8 terms of 6 weeks because it's a 1-year program and there are about 20 multi-disciplinary courses. 100 fellows are selected. There's a very unique critical writing program at Ashoka University. Then there is an ELM called experiential learning module there where you can get to intern with or work on some projects with many of the private companies or NGOs or some different organizations even with the government. Ashoka University has a mentorship program where these fellows will be mentored and they have a very focused residential experience. One quality facilities are available there. So many of these Young India Fellows have gone to, you can say, they are in different fields, right from law to commerce to arts to engineering to entrepreneurship. So there could be infinite possibilities after the fellowship also. So moving ahead, let's discuss about the master's program or the graduate programs at Ashoka University. So we have masters of arts in economics, master of arts in liberal studies, master's program in English, MSc master of science program in biology. Now all those, all the undergraduates who are graduating with bachelor's degree at the end of their third year or who have completed by that time at least 92 credits in their degree program. So they are also eligible for a program called post-graduate diploma in advanced studies and research program. So this is known as the Ashoka Scholars Program, a post-graduate diploma in advanced studies and research program. So after your third year or if you have achieved 92 credits, you can also offer this Ashoka Scholars Program. Now what are the PhD programs available at Ashoka University? So Ashoka University is also focusing on research. However, it's a new university. So of course, its research will be comparable with let's say top notch institutes in India, let's say Indian institutions of science or ITs. It will take time of course, but the PhD programs have begun and it offers PhD programs in biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, history, physics, psychology, sociology and anthropology. Moving forward, how a student can get admitted to Ashoka University, especially in their undergraduate programs. So there's this SAT exam. Everybody, it's a very common exam. So many of you may know about this exam. So Ashoka University accepts SAT scores and since SAT is an admission test for American universities. So for international students, for example, a student from India was giving SAT. SAT is offered four times a year and SAT is a three-hour exam and it has two sections. The first section is about evidence based reading and writing and the second section is on mathematics and the mathematics test is both calculator as well as non-calculator based. There's no negative marking in the SAT exam and I think the highest score possible in the SAT exam is 1600. Apart from the SAT exam, there's another exam which is also for, which is called ACT or American College Testing exam. Ashoka University also accepts ACT scores. Now American College Testing is a standardized test. It is used for college admissions in the US and this test comes questions in English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning. However, Ashoka University also conducts its own admission test, which is known as the AAT or Ashoka aptitude test. So let's see what are the different features of Ashoka aptitude test exam. So Ashoka aptitude test is a 19 minutes duration test and there are about a total of 50 multiple choice questions that consist of 25 problem solving questions and 25 critical thinking questions. So the focus is on critical thinking and problem solving. There are four rounds of this test in a year. Apart from the Ashoka aptitude test, there's also on the spot SAT for that the student is given about half an hour and those who have already given the SAT or the ACT exam, they can also give this AAT exam. It's recommended that they also give this Ashoka aptitude test exam and the higher of the scores will be considered. So between your SAT and Ashoka aptitude test exam, whichever you got the highest marks that will be considered for admission. So moving ahead, let's see what are the undergraduate fees. So Ashoka University, you can say it's a costly university. The first year fee tuition fee is 8,67,000. In the second year, it could be 9,10,000. In the third year, 9,55,000 by the fourth year. The tuition fee alone is 10 lakhs and then you have some residence fees. So you can say cumulative, you can say that around 44 lakhs, one has to shell out to pursue undergraduate programs at Ashoka University. Now, if you compare it with let's say fees with Delhi University, of course, Delhi University fees are low compared to Ashoka University. However, Ashoka University may give you some worldwide, you can say some global exposure. They have collaborations with different universities and of course, there are certain need-based scholarships that are also given provided. So anybody who's not able to let's say pay these fees, then they are also given scholarships. So the financial aid provided by the university tends to breeze the gap between the cost of the program and your ability to pay. So if you can pay 44 lakhs comfortably, that's okay. If you are facing difficulty in paying this 44 lakhs fee, then you have to apply for these need-based scholarships and based on your background, they will give you the required assistance. There's also a College Board India Scholars Program, which is in partnership with Ashoka University. So those who have scored more than 1,300 in the site exam, they are basically recognized as top performers and these top performers, who's the, if their family income is less than 8 lakhs per year. So they receive a full tuition fee scholarships and tuition fee is the main component of Ashoka, you can say Ashoka undergraduate program. So you will be given a full tuition scholarship to pursue undergraduate program at Ashoka University, but for that you have to score more than 1,300 in the site exam and also your family incomes will be less than 8 lakhs per year. Moving ahead, one can, though there are many, so many videos available on the YouTube, one can go watch those videos and see what is the campus like and go visit the university also. And you can also visit this URL where you can get a virtual tour of the campus, it's iview.com slash Ashoka University, you can go to this link to have a virtual tour of the Ashoka University. Moving ahead, let's see what are the different clubs and societies run by the students at Ashoka University. So there's this edict, it's Ashoka's student newspaper, then we have this ABC Ashoka's Broadway club, then we have this Slam poetry club, Abhinaya is the dance club, Meri Dastan is the story telling society, Kildar is the theater society, the big bag theory, entrepreneurial venture, and there is a film society. So like any happening campus, it has all you can say different clubs right from poetry to dance, just storytelling to theater to entrepreneurship. So let's move ahead and see just there's also one unique program, you can say one unique platform provided by Ashoka University called Ashoka X. Now what is Ashoka? Ashoka X is an online learning platform where different online courses are offered. So we have let's say there's so many massive open online courses like Itami, Coursera. So on a similar you can say no Ashoka is also providing some online courses. Those who will complete these courses there will be given certificates, the faculties are they can say very excellent at these programs. However, of course you have to these programs will come at a cost. So you pay that and go through these online learning platform of Ashoka X to get certified. One benefit of this of going through Ashoka X is that many of the students maybe they can't afford high fees at the campus of Ashoka or many of them maybe not access Ashoka is not accessible. For example, it's at Sonipan many of them may not be at Sonipan. So anybody anyone the benefit of online education is that you can get it anywhere even if you are outside the country or so far away from Sonipan you can go through those these courses. So it's a very you can say especially in this digital world it's a welcome initiative by Ashoka University. Now let's see some of the notable alumni of Ashoka University. For Ashoka University you can say it's a young university so this alumni are so very young. So let's see some of the alumni who have been well while they are still young. So Jai Raj Bhattacharya is the co-founder and CEO of Convay Genius which is an electric company. Prithika Pandey is a writer is a writer she is the Commonwealth's short story prize winner. Tanu Bhojwani is a co-author of a book called Art of Bittfulness. He co-authored this book with Nandan Millikani who's the co-founder of Infosys. Uttakar Samitab is the founder of Network Capital. Prabhat Kumar is the co-founder of MicroX Labs and Samarth. Natasha Jareen is the co-founder of Centre for Applied Research and People's Engagement. Likewise there are so many alumni who are being well after passing out from Ashoka. So that's all guys if you found it useful please comment and give your options. Thank you.