ASUS ROG Academy with Valorant is back for Season 2: How to apply

Top six participants chosen from the tryouts phase will receive admission into the program and will receive a stipend of ₹15,000 for three months.

The ROG Academy has been designed to mentor potential professional gamers to excel in the field and help them boost their career opportunities in the eSports industry. (ASUS ROG Academy)

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) is back with season two of their academy with Valorant. The first season saw 2,350 entries coming in from across the country to be a part of the academy and learn. The registrations for the second season kicks off on Monday, May 3, and will be on till May 10. Valorant is one of the top games for most e-gaming tournaments in India, including Asus' own ROG Showdown. The ROG Academy has been designed to mentor potential professional gamers to excel in the field and help them boost their career opportunities in the eSports industry. The program gives these budding gamers access to resources, mentorship, and training under the guidance of veterans from the circuit. As part of the training, the academy equips all participants with necessary gears and products such as tournament-ready gaming equipment and first-in-class high-quality technology.

ROG Academy: All you need to know

The ASUS ROG Academy is a year-long program that is divided into four sessions as per the quarter. This season, the curriculum is designed in partnership with AFK Gaming and The Esports Club.

How will you get picked?

The shortlisted team and players will go through an extensive selection process divided into different phases. At the end of it, six select players will become part of a three-month-long program designed to familiarise players with the various aspects of gameplay like teamwork, communication, analysing the opponents, tracking improvement, agent selection and skillsets, map breakdown, executes and more. The exercises, schedule, and the program will be designed keeping in mind the title and the existing skillsets of the players who will be a part of it.

Who is going to coach you?

The second season has Mansoor “Nabu” Ahmed, Director of The Esports Club coaching the participants. And there is Nikhil “Sieh'' Bhansali who is a broadcast analyst and caster with The Esports Club. Additionally, there will be regular guest sessions and special classes by top Indian professionals and other industry leaders and experts.

What are you going to get at the end of it?

The second season of the ROG Academy will culminate in the selection of the “Valorant” who will be picked by a bunch of panelists consisting of a representative from ASUS ROG, partners, and Valorant. ASUS ROG will be providing the whole team an ex-Gratia of ₹100,000 price to the final six players once they complete their three-month training successfully. The players will also receive monetary compensation of ₹15,000 as a stipend on monthly basis during the training. These six players will continue to represent the brand for an additional three months after the program is complete.

How to apply

You need to 16 and above to apply. Head over to the official ROG website (click here) from May 3 onwards to register. Applications are open till May 10. Those who are aged between 16 to 18 will need a letter of content from their parents to participate. You will be asked to answer some questions on an online form that will help the academy determine what type of player you are.

What's the selection process?

Once you have registered, you will have to go through a screening process that includes showcasing abilities in open tryouts. There will be a jury overlooking the process. From this tryout phase, six participants will be selected for admission into the program.