Applicant & Student Guide: Navigating the Bridges Portal

Welcome to Bridges, the portal for the Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program. This guide walks you through everything you can do here, from your very first application to life inside the program. The portal adapts to where you are in your journey, so the menu you see changes as you move from applicant, to accepted student, to active participant.

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Getting Started

1. Create your account and sign in at lotep.org. You sign in with your email

address; a one-time code may be sent to confirm it is really you.

1. After signing in you land on your Dashboard (the "Dashboard" link, always

the first item in the top navigation bar). Your dashboard is your home base — it shows your next steps, any open opportunities, and announcements.

1. Take a moment to complete your Profile (the "Profile" link in the top

navigation). Accurate contact details matter because the portal emails you about reviews, interviews, payments, and decisions.

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Your Dashboard and My Tasks

Two links sit at the top of every page and are the fastest way to stay on track:

• Dashboard — a summary of where you are and what is open right now.
• My Tasks — your personal to-do list. Whenever the system needs something

from you (finish a draft application, make a payment, sign a document, schedule an interview) a task appears here. A small number badge next to "My Tasks" tells you how many items are waiting. Make a habit of clearing My Tasks; it is the single most reliable way to avoid missing a deadline.

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Applying to a Cohort

1. Click Apply in the top navigation to open the Opportunities page. This

lists every cohort and staff position currently open for applications.

1. Choose the cohort you want and start your application. Your application is

saved as a draft so you can stop and come back later.

1. Work through the form section by section — typically personal details, essays,

and short answers. Upload any documents the form asks for.

1. Review everything, then submit. Once submitted you cannot keep editing, so

check your essays and uploads first. If a required field is missing the portal tells you exactly what is blocking submission.

1. Track everything from the Applications link in the top navigation (your "My

Applications" page). Open any application to see its current status and the next step the portal is waiting on.

Tip: a draft application shows up in My Tasks until you submit it, so you always have a one-click path back to finish it.

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After You Submit: Reviews and Interviews

You do not need to do anything while your application is being reviewed — staff read it and score it behind the scenes. The portal moves your application through stages such as submitted, under review, and interview. You will be notified when something needs you.

If you are invited to an interview:

1. Open your application from the Applications page. When interview

self-scheduling is available you will see open time slots.

1. Pick a slot that works for you and confirm it. The portal books it and shows

you the meeting link.

1. If none of the offered times work, use the option to request a different time;

your interviewer is notified and will propose a new slot.

1. Add the interview to your own calendar so you do not miss it, and join via the

meeting link at the scheduled time.

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If You Are Accepted: Payment and Enrollment

When you are accepted, new steps appear on your application and in My Tasks.

Paying your program fee:

1. Open your accepted application. You will see the payment options offered for

your cohort (for example, paying in full or in instalments).

1. Choose an option and follow the instructions to confirm your payment, uploading

proof of payment where the portal asks for it.

1. Your payment then shows as awaiting confirmation until staff verify it. Once

confirmed, that task clears.

Signing documents:

• If there are agreements to sign, a Documents link appears in your top

navigation with a red badge showing how many are outstanding. Click it to open your pending documents, read each one, and sign electronically. Signed copies remain available for you to view or download.

Enrollment checklist:

• Accepted students get an Enrollment Checklist link in the navigation. Work

through it to finish enrolling — it gathers the remaining steps (profile, documents, payment) in one place.

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Once You Are in the Program

After you are enrolled, your navigation switches to the in-program view with new links:

• My Profile — your student profile and details.
• Calendar — program events and sessions. You can usually export these to your

own calendar app.

• Assignments — tasks set by your facilitators and instructors; open each one

to read it and submit your work before the due date.

• My Progress — your graduation progress, so you can see how you are tracking

toward completing the program.

• Announcements — official news from program staff for your cohort, city, or

family. Check this regularly.

• Certificates — certificates you have earned; you can view and download them

here.

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Getting Help

• Policies & Guides — the "Policies & Guides" link in your navigation opens the

Document Center, where this guide and other policies and how-to documents live. Read these to understand the program's rules and processes.

• Support — the "Support" link opens the in-app Support Tickets system. Open a

ticket whenever you are stuck, have a question, or hit a problem; staff reply inside the same ticket so the whole conversation stays in one place.

• If you cannot sign in or reach the Support page, email [email protected].

Best practice: keep your contact details current, clear My Tasks promptly, and use a Support ticket rather than guessing — it creates a record and gets you the fastest answer.