KIF’s application portal www.kashimibrahimfellows.com went live for the third time on 1^st March, 2021 for KIF’s 2021/2022 admissions with a submission deadline of 19^th March.

2. The application portal for KIF has the following features;
   1. It enables applicants register and make submissions on the platform.
   2. Automated plagiarism and grammar checks.
   3. Automated scoring and ranking of applications as well as various authorisation levels which allow for further reviews/assessments of applications by the Steering Committee and KIF’s Governing Board.

3. Of the 5002 persons who registered on the portal, 4,501 started their applications but only 1,042 made submissions before the deadline of 19^th March. The portal screened the applications for plagiarism and grammar with 451 essays making it to the next stage.

4. The second stage of assessments by two independent editors was concluded on April 15. The 451 essays that made it to the second stage were assessed using the following criteria;
   • Use of English
   • Persuasiveness of Argument
   • Demonstration of Leadership/Public service qualities – as an important part of the application is the Personal Statement where applicants can demonstrate their leadership skills, what they have accomplished and what their goals are for the future as we want to see people who have had a track record of imbibing change and are looking forward to making change as they move forward.
   • 214 of the 451 essays scored 52% and thus made it to the third stage.

5. In the third assessment stage, from April 16, the Steering Committee (SC) reviewed the 214 essays with each essay being assessed by two members of the Committee. The SC’s assessment was based on the following criteria;
   • Persuasiveness of Argument (Essays)
   • Demonstration of Leadership/Public service qualities (Personal Statements)
   • Strength of CV (CVs)
6. 108 applicants who scored 60% and above were asked to send in 3 minutes video submissions of themselves, providing answers to the questions below.
   • What is your name, Age and State of Origin?
   • What makes you an ideal Kashim Ibrahim Fellow?
   • If selected, what Ministry, Department or Agency would you like to work with and why?
7. 100 videos were submitted and the Steering Committee on Saturday 22^nd May, 2021 reviewed the videos submitted and selected the top 50 of them for the consideration of the Governing Board. These are candidates who scored about 62% and above. 50 applicants provided a sufficient pool for the Governing Board’s selection of 24 Fellows.

8. At its 18^th June 2021 meeting, the Governing Board selected 24 candidates who will form the fourth cohort of Fellows expected to resume the programme in August. They comprise of 12 Females,12 Males, 8 Kaduna State Indigenes, 16 from other States – Kwara, Taraba, Abia, Oyo, Cross River, Kano, Osun, Borno, Edo, Kogi, Katsina, Lagos, Sokoto, Nasarawa.