Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program : A Complete Guide

Each and everyone is capable of achieving everything, if you provide them with the right resources.

As a beginner in the tech field, I was very eager to be a part of different communities to learn and interact with like minded people. I often found myself asking for advice and guidance from experienced people, attending meetups and workshops, networking and more. I got to meet and learn from a lot of people and even got the opportunity to work with a few.

In January 2020, I got the opportunity to be a part of the amazing Microsoft Student Partner Program. Being a Microsoft Student Partner, I got to be a part of such a great and helpful community, and it surely has been a wonderful experience ever since.

In August 2020, The Microsoft Student Partners Program was rebranded as the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program.

I often find myself getting questions and queries by a lot of people about what is the new Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program, what do they do, how do I become a part of this community, etc.

If you too have these doubts, then this might be the right place for you to get them all cleared! This blog will tell you about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program, its entire application process and requirements in order to become an MLSA.

So, lets’ begin.

What is the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program?

The Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program is a worldwide recognizable program which aims to sponsor undergraduate and postgraduate students in different areas and aspects of technology. The MLSA program enhances students’ employability by offering training in skills not usually taught in academia, including knowledge of Microsoft technologies.

Who are the MLSAs and What do they do?

Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors are global on-campus leaders who have a passion to help their peers, share technological ideas with them and develop technical and career skills for the future.

There are three milestones within the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program, Alpha, Beta and Gold, which come with their own specific benefits. Once an MLSA fulfills the requirements to reach a milestone, they are promoted to the next level and further unlock the respective benefits.

Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors are responsible to build a strong technical community in their campus and to share the knowledge they gain among the academic community by hosting different workshops, meetups, hackathons and mentoring fellow students by giving presentations and initiating projects.

All new Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors, only after completing the learning path are promoted to Alpha. After hosting their first event as a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador, they are further promoted to Beta. Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors are those who have done exceptional work for the community by hosting events, mentoring other students in the program and creating a strong network.

Perks and Benefits

Apart from the wonderful community, being a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador comes with a lot of other perks, benefits and opportunities.

These benefits include but aren’t limited to:

• Free access to Microsoft Certification Exams
• Free MSDN Subscription
• Access to Office 365, plus TechSmith Snagit and Camtasia screen capture and recording software
• Visual Studio Enterprise Subscription and $150 monthly Azure Credits
• Event Support
• Engagement with Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs)
• Student Partner Milestone badges
• Funded travelling and event opportunities
• Amazing swags like T-Shirt, pen drive, backpacks and many more
• Networking opportunities across the Globe

Now that you know enough about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program, let’s look at the application procedure!

How do I apply?

The application process is quite simple. You need to submit an application form available on the official Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Website which is evaluated quarterly i.e. in every 4 months.

The application consists of 5 sections, Personal Info, School Info, Written Sample, Additional Info and Technical Skills.

The first two sections of your application are “Personal and School Info” respectively. As the name suggests in these two sections you have to fill out your personal information and details about your academics respectively.

The most important section of the application is the third section, “Written Sample”. In this section you will be given essay questions which you have to answer either with a written sample or with a video made under 2 mins.

The questions are simple and based on your leadership skills and passion for technology. Try to be realistic and honest with your answers. Express openly about your community work and your willingness to help your peers out in different ways.

Note : Make sure you have submitted at least 1 video answer.

Here are some tips to write an awesome essay answer :

• Express about your community involvement and experience.
• Express your passion for technology to great depths.
• Talk about your journey in the field of technology and what inspired you to be a part of it.
• While choosing a topic for the question on how you will teach a technical concept to a student who is a complete noob at it, try to choose a simple topic that you are comfortable with and can talk about it comfortably as your mentorship and leadership skills will be evaluated here.
• Express your willingness to help others and to pass on the knowledge you have gained in your career.
• And most importantly, be honest!

The fourth section, “Additional Info”, will ask about your online presence and activity, like LinkedIn profile, GitHub Account, personal portfolio, any technical blogs or videos you have shared in the past etc.

The fifth and final section is the “Technical Skills” section. In this section you will have to choose the technologies you are interested in, whether you have worked with them or not. Choose the technologies in which you want to pursue your career.

Further you’ll see an optional section, people tend to omit this but this section can also be utilized. You can use it to share additional information about yourself, your achievements or something you think will benefit your application can be added here as well.

Make sure to take enough time to write your application, so don’t think of submitting it in a single day. Take your time, analyse your thoughts and then begin with your awesome application! Your essay questions play a major role in your application so don’t rush and try to express your true self as honestly as possible.

And you’re done! Go ahead and write the most amazing Microsoft Student Partner application ever!

Thank you for reading and I hope this blog helps you in writing your Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador application and cleared most of your doubts about the Program. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or reach out to me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

All the very best! Go forth and be awesome!