Writing Apprentice

Writing Apprenticeship

Location: Gurgaon

About Athena

Athena is India’s largest and fastest-growing organization in the premium undergraduate study-abroad space. Founded a decade ago by two Princeton graduates, Poshak Agrawal and Rahul Subramaniam, Athena is headquartered in Gurgaon with offices in Mumbai and Bangalore, and has catered to students from over 26 countries.

Athena’s vision is to help students become the best version of themselves. Through our transformative and holistic life-coaching programs, we encourage students to embrace both depth and breadth—sciences and humanities—and apply their knowledge to address local and global challenges.

Our flagship program has guided students to secure admissions into the world’s most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Cambridge, MIT, Brown, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Chicago, among many others.

With a legacy as pioneers in the study-abroad process and a culture rooted in creativity, openness, and growth, Athena offers the perfect platform for individuals looking to build a lasting career in education and consulting.

Learn more: Athena Education

About the Role

As a Writing Apprentice at Athena, you will work closely with our Writing team to bring creativity, structure, and individuality to students’ college essays and creative projects.

This apprenticeship is designed for early-career candidates who have a strong flair for writing and editing and are looking to build hands-on experience in a highly creative and dynamic educational environment. You will learn how to understand a student's story, identify compelling narratives, and translate their experiences into powerful written pieces.

Key Responsibilities

As a Writing Apprentice, you will support the Writing team across different aspects of the student essay and creative process, including:

• Work closely with experienced writers to understand students' backgrounds, experiences, interests, and aspirations and help translate these into compelling narratives.
• Support the ideation, outlining, editing, and refinement of college essays for applications to leading global universities.
• Review drafts for content, structure, clarity, grammar, tone, and overall storytelling.
• Brainstorm creative approaches and narratives that help bring out each student's individual voice.
• Assist students with creative projects such as theatre scripts, book writing, storytelling, and poetry.
• Support the team in conducting creative workshops focused on writing, communication, and storytelling.
• Contribute to internal and external writing requirements, including company communication and public relations content.
• Support the team with student interactions and counseling wherever required.
• Learn and gradually take greater ownership of writing projects based on performance and readiness.

Key Skills & Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).
• Bachelor's or Master's degree, preferably from a leading institution in India or abroad.
• Candidates from English Literature, Liberal Arts, Humanities, Journalism, Creative Writing, Communications, or related backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
• Prior internships or experience in writing, editing, publishing, journalism, content, or creative projects would be an advantage.
• Strong organizational skills, adaptability, and eagerness to learn.
• A proactive, detail-oriented, and collaborative mindset, with eagerness to master the art of client management.

Why Join Us?

• Impact: Shape the journeys of some of the country’s brightest students – the pioneers of tomorrow. Your work will contribute directly to helping ambitious students articulate their stories and aspirations as they apply to some of the world's leading universities.
• Learning & Growth: Work alongside experienced writers and mentors while developing your skills across college essays, storytelling, editing, creative writing, and student mentorship.
• Culture: Join a young, dynamic, and multicultural team from across the globe. We are ambitious, adventurous, and sometimes funny.
• Community: Work in an environment that values intellectual curiosity, independence, and creativity – plus, we love sharing food!
• Stipend & Conversion Opportunity: The apprenticeship is an opportunity to understand Athena's Writing function deeply, develop professionally, and demonstrate your ability to take on greater ownership. Receive a competitive stipend during your tenure!

This is more than an internship – it’s an apprenticeship. Perform well, and you can secure a full-time opportunity with Athena.