Convinced that the School’s success depends on its ability to identify high quality candidates an extensive selection procedure is put into practice. The School handles several key criteria in its selection procedure. The eligible candidates should:

• be between the age of 25-35 (as an exception, the age limit can be raised to 40 years for 20% of participants);
• be fluent in English/French and Russian;
• be actively involved in political and public life;
• be open to discussions and debates;
• have ambition and readiness to develop own career by acquiring relevant knowledge.

The School actively strives for gender balance. YSPS aims to ensure a strong representation of women.

The call for participation in YSPS activities is publicly announced and widely disseminated. YSPS website is also one of the main instruments for recruiting new participants.

Usually the level of competition for admission is high: 6-7 applicants for every place.