Thiel Fellowship is a grant from the Thiel Foundation that funds young innovators who choose to skip or stop out of college to pursue their ideas full-time. Founded by Peter Thiel in 2011, the program provides $200,000 over two years along with mentorship, networking access, and connections to investors, partners, and scientists through the Thiel Foundation's extensive network.

Fellows chart their own path — pursuing ventures, research, or creative projects in any field. The fellowship is open to young people typically under 23 who want to build something new and are willing to forgo traditional academic paths to do so. No specific deadline is published; applications are evaluated on a rolling basis.

The Thiel Fellowship gives $200,000 to young people who want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom. Two years. $200,000.

Some ideas can’t wait. Founded by technology entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel in 2011, the Thiel Fellowship is a two-year program for young people who want to build new things. Thiel Fellows skip or stop out of college to receive a $200,000 grant and support from the Thiel Foundation’s network of founders, investors, and scientists.

A different path for everyone “Knowledge that is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind. ” College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new. Each of our fellows charts a unique course; together they have proven that young people can succeed by thinking for themselves instead of following a traditional track and competing on old career tracks.

Freedom to get stuff done “My grandmother wanted me to have an education, so she kept me out of school” Pursue ideas that matter instead of mandatory tests. Take on big risks instead of big debt. How you spend your two years in the Fellowship is up to you — we’re here to help, but we won’t get in the way.

“That major that she majored in don't make no money / But she won't drop out, her parents'll look at her funny” The hardest thing about being a young entrepreneur is that you haven’t met everyone you’ll need to know to make your venture succeed. We can help connect you — to investors, partners, prospective customers — in Silicon Valley and beyond.

“Thanks to the Thiel Fellowship, access to some of the nation’s most successful businesspeople is quick and easy. ” “Thiel’s fellowship pays kids a stipend that liberates them to work on ways to improve the world, rather than saddling them with debt. They get mentorship, workshops, connections to resources, and an alumni network without a formal alma mater.

” “Not long ago, dropping out of school to start a company was considered risky. For this generation, it is a badge of honor, evidence of ambition and focus. ”