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Thiel Fellowship is sponsored by Thiel Foundation. A two-year program for young people who want to build new things instead of pursuing a traditional college education. It provides a grant and support from the Thiel Foundation's network of founders, investors, and scientists.
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The Thiel Fellowship gives $250,000 to young people who want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom. Two years. $250,000.
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 $250,000 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. ”
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
What cool stuff have you worked on in the past?
What is the most important problem facing your field?
What is the most important problem facing someone else's field?
What are you currently obsessed with that is totally unrelated to your project?
How do you feel about money?
What are you scared of?
Tell us something tangible you want.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Young people who want to build new things and are willing to skip or stop out of college. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $250,000 over two years. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for Thiel Fellowship are due December 31, 2026. This is an annual program. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Thiel Fellowship is funded by Thiel Foundation. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
The solicitation lists 7 required documents: Personal information (name, email, date of birth, country, city), Online profile links (LinkedIn, Twitter, GitHub, etc.), Education details, Description of current projects/companies, Project/company link, and Optional file uploads (up to 4MB for decks/materials), among others (the full list is in the Required Documents section on this page). Check the official notice for formatting and page-limit rules.
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