Why 3,000 Hours?
SI is specifically funding working professionals, not fresh graduates. The scholarship is designed for people who've already started their careers and want to advance them. The work experience requirement is the filter that makes this possible.
3,000 hours is roughly 1.5 years of full-time work at 40 hours per week. But it doesn't need to be full-time, and it doesn't need to come from a single job. Part-time work, freelancing, and multiple employers all count — within the limits.
What Counts as Work Experience
SI is specific about this. Not all paid activity qualifies.
The 3 Employer Maximum
This is the rule that trips up the most applicants. Read it carefully.
Your 3,000 hours must come from a maximum of 3 employers (organizations or companies). Hours from a 4th employer cannot be counted — even if you need them to reach the 3,000-hour threshold.
If you've worked at 5 companies, pick 3. The other two cannot contribute hours to your application.
If your best 3 employers together give you fewer than 3,000 hours, you don't currently meet the requirement.
Strategy: pick the 3 employers that give you the most hours AND tell the strongest professional growth story.
How to Calculate Your Hours
Use actual working hours, not calendar time. Leaves of absence, maternity or paternity leave, and unpaid gaps do not count. Official holidays are generally not counted either.
Job A: 2 years full-time = 4,000 hours (1 employer). You already meet the 3,000-hour minimum from a single job. You don't even need employers 2 or 3.
Job A: 3 years at 20 hrs/week = 3,120 hours (1 employer) — meets the requirement on its own.
Meets the requirement.
This example actually meets the 3,000-hour minimum from 3 employers alone. But if it didn't, the 4th employer's hours would be completely ignored.
The Document Template
SI provides a mandatory work experience form. You cannot create your own format, and you cannot use templates from previous application years.
Download the current year's SI Work Experience Form from the official SI website.
Fill in your details, then send to each employer. Each form covers one employer — maximum 3 forms.
Each form must be signed by an HR manager, department head, or organizational leader, and stamped by the organization.
Combine all forms into one PDF, in reverse chronological order (most recent job first).
Maximum 5 pages total, excluding any instruction pages. Do not include the instruction pages in your submission.
The Stamp Problem
This is a genuine pain point. Many organizations — especially tech companies and Western-style orgs — don't use stamps. Here's how to handle it honestly.
SI does not make exceptions for documentation gaps. If you can't produce a valid, properly signed and stamped document, that employer's hours cannot be counted toward your total.
Official organizational letterhead plus an authorized signature can sometimes substitute for a stamp. Check SI's current FAQ before relying on this.
A notary public can certify the document. This is a reliable fallback when an organization has no stamp.
Digital signatures from authorized signatories may be accepted. Verify this with SI directly for the current application cycle.
Don't assume any alternative is acceptable. Check SI's current FAQ or contact SI directly for their position on stamp alternatives in the year you are applying.
Who Can Sign the Form
The signer must have organizational authority. A colleague or peer cannot sign on your behalf.
Eastern European Countries
Citizens of these six countries have a lower threshold: any documented work experience qualifies, with no minimum hours.
Leadership Experience (Separate from Work Hours)
The application asks about leadership experience separately from work hours. These are two different things, documented differently.
Common Mistakes
These are the documentation errors that get applications rejected or marked down. Avoid all of them.