Our story
Nooops started as a student project for the Amal Fellowship. We kept seeing friends lose scholarships, admissions and jobs, not because they were not good enough, but because an online form went wrong: a file was too big, a requirement was unclear, the portal crashed, or the deadline passed while they were still collecting documents.
So we asked students what goes wrong, and built a free way to get ready before opening the portal.
What our research found
We surveyed 129 students about their online applications:
- 59% had abandoned an online application.
- 48% had missed a deadline.
- 81% needed someone's help to apply.
The main problems were preparing documents (file size, PDF conversion, uploads), long forms, unclear requirements and portal errors. Most students apply from a smartphone.
We then tested our prototype with 70 students from 5 universities, and changed the design based on what they told us.
Our approach
Nooops has two parts:
- Application Ready Kit (self-help): one short guide per application that lists every document, format and size limit before you start, plus free tools: the Document Toolkit, the Answer Bank and the Application Tracker. The tools work on your own device, so your files never leave your phone.
- Application Buddy (peer support): trained student volunteers who help when you are stuck. A Buddy guides you; you do every step yourself. Buddies never fill or submit forms, and never ask for passwords, OTP codes, CNIC numbers or documents.
Every guide is checked against the official website and shows when it was last checked. If something has changed, anyone can report it and an editor fixes it.
Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 4, Quality Education: fewer students lose a university place or scholarship because of a form.
- SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth: fresh graduates apply for internships and jobs correctly and on time.
- SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities: students without a helper at home get the same guidance, free, in English and Urdu.