How to Apply for the ARI Research Fellowship (Step-by-Step Guide)
Applications for the ARI Research Fellowship are now open. This guide walks you through the full application process on aribd.org/apply, with screenshots from the live form so you know exactly what to expect.
What is the ARI Research Fellowship?
ARI (Arbitrary Research Institute) is a non-profit research organization in Bangladesh. The fellowship is a volunteer programme — not a paid internship — built around real mentorship:
- Weekly meetings with your supervisor
- Team-based projects with co-authors when contributions warrant it
- Certification and a reference letter on completion
- A serious path toward publishing at conferences and journals
Eligibility: 3rd-year or 4th-year undergraduates, graduates, or Master's students who can commit 5, 10, 15, or 20 hours per week.
Before you start — prepare these
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| CV | PDF only, max 5 MB |
| LinkedIn URL | Required — helps us learn about your background |
| Motivation letter | Written in the form (min. 400 characters). Must cover: why research, your interest area, why this supervisor, target venue |
| Research interest | Short paragraph (min. 50 characters) on a topic your supervisor works on |
| Supervisor choice | Review all four supervisors on the Team page first |
Read each supervisor's profile at /team before applying.
Step 1 — Programme overview
Open aribd.org/apply. The first screen explains how the fellowship works: weekly meetings, topic assignment or co-development, authorship norms, and what ARI provides (certification, reference letter — no salary).
Click Continue when you have read the details.
Step 2 — Choose your supervisor
You will see all available supervisors with their designation, affiliation, and research areas. Click the card for the supervisor you want to work with — the border turns green when selected.
Tip: Pick the supervisor whose research closest matches your interests and whose motivation letter you can write convincingly. We specifically look at why you chose them.
Click Continue after selecting one supervisor.
Step 3 — Submit your application
The final step collects your personal details and written materials.
Fill in:
- Full name, email, phone
- University and semester/year
- Academic level (3rd year, 4th year, graduate, or Master's)
- Weekly availability — be honest; this helps supervisors plan
- CV upload (PDF)
- Research interest — a focused paragraph on a problem or area
- Motivation letter — the most important part of your application
Writing a strong motivation letter
Scroll down to the motivation letter field. ARI provides guidance directly in the form:
Your letter must address:
- Why you want to do research — what drives you beyond grades or résumé building?
- Your area of interest — be specific, not generic
- Why this supervisor — show you read their profile and understand their work
- Target venue — which conference or journal are you aiming for? (e.g. NeurIPS, ACL, ICML, a domain journal)
We read every motivation letter before scheduling interviews. Take your time.
Check the originality confirmation — your motivation letter must be your own work, not AI-generated — then click Submit Application.
After you submit
You will see a confirmation screen. You will also receive an email confirming that your application is under review.
Your chosen supervisor and the ARI team receive your full application with CV attached. If there is a fit, your supervisor will contact you directly for an interview.
Quick checklist
- Read supervisor profiles at /team
- Prepare a PDF CV (≤ 5 MB)
- Write your motivation letter offline first, then paste it in
- Double-check your supervisor selection
- Submit at /apply
Questions?
- Notices & events: /notices
- Contact us: /contact
- AI conference deadlines: /deadlines — useful when stating your target venue
Good luck — we look forward to reading your application.
— ARI Team