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Application Materials

Interested in applying to the ACE program? Learn how below:

Coach Endorsement

You will be required to submit one coach endorsement with your application. Your endorsement can come from your head coach, position, or assistant coach. You will be asked to provide your coach’s name and email address when you start your application. Completing this endorsement should take your coach no more than 10 minutes. This is not a “traditional” recommendation letter. Instead, your coach will share observations regarding your role as a positive contributor to team culture. They will also share whether you have demonstrated maturity, humility, open-mindedness, and a willingness to learn outside your comfort zone as a part of the team. We believe these are important qualities for our participants to bring to their ACE experience.

Passport

You will need a current, valid passport (passport must be valid for 6 months past the first day of classes of the next academic year) and a legible, pdf color scan or copy of the photo page of your passport to apply for ACE.  Please note that ACE will not pay for the cost of applying for or renewing your passport. If you do not have a passport or your passport needs to be renewed, please begin the process of obtaining or renewing your passport immediately. If you are accepted, you must have a valid passport by the time you are accepted into your ACE program at the end of February. We strongly encourage you to request “expedited service” on your passport to ensure you receive your passport in time for the application deadline. Visit the US Passports and International Travel Website for more information on how to apply for or renew your passport.

Short-Answer Responses

You’ll be asked to respond to the three questions below using complete sentences on the application. All questions can be answered in 500 words or less. As you respond to the application questions, we encourage you to share your genuine, personal reasons for applying to ACE. We’re not looking for “perfect” answers—just authentic ones that reflect your own experiences, values, and motivations.

Below are the questions for the 2024-2025 application:

  • Motivation: Why ACE? If you applied to ACE in previous years, how has your interest in ACE changed or developed since your last application?
  • Civic Engagement/Public Service: Think about a person who best exemplifies to you how to live a life of public service and be civically engaged who you would hope to emulate. This person could be a friend, teammate, family member, coach, historical figure, or someone in the public sphere. Please briefly describe who this person is and why you chose them. Give an example of a specific time when you made a decision, took action, approached a situation differently, etc. because of their impact on you.
  • Perspective: Reflect on a time when you engaged meaningfully with someone whose perspective or background differed from your own. What did you learn from the experience, and how do those lessons shape your approach to your ACE experience?

Ready to start your application? Go to the ACE application portal.