Thiel Fellowship
Scholarship Sponsored by Thiel Fellowship
Overview
Description: The Thiel Fellowship is a two-year program that provides financial support to young founders who choose to pursue projects outside a traditional university setting. It targets individuals who want to build companies, nonprofits, hardware, media, or other ventures. Fellows receive structured support and funding to accelerate their work over a defined two-year period. The program emphasizes tangible progress toward a concrete vision rather than formal coursework.
- Focused on early-stage creators pursuing real-world projects.
- Two-year, cohort-style fellowship model.
- Emphasis on building and measurable progress over academic study.
Award Details
Award Value: Fellows receive $250,000 distributed across two years as a grant. The award is intended to fund project development, product work, and early operational expenses. The fellowship does not take equity in participants’ ventures, allowing founders to retain ownership of their projects. Funding is paired with access to a network and resources to support rapid development.
- $250,000 total, paid over two years.
- No equity is taken from recipients.
- Funds are intended for project acceleration and early operations.
Eligibility
Eligibility: Applicants must be age 22 or younger and must not hold a university degree. Candidates who are currently enrolled in school may apply, but selected fellows must leave their academic program to accept the award. Degree holders, including those with undergraduate or graduate degrees, are not eligible. The program evaluates individuals rather than existing companies, focusing on demonstrated progress toward a clear project vision.
- Open to individuals age 22 or younger without a university degree.
- Current students may apply but must plan to leave school if selected.
- Applicants are evaluated on personal progress and vision rather than formal credentials.
Project and Team Requirements
Project Expectations: Applicants do not need to have an incorporated company or a finished product to apply, but they must show meaningful progress toward a concrete idea. The fellowship supports a broad range of endeavors, including software, hardware, consumer products, media, and nonprofit initiatives. While many fellows are programmers, the program explicitly funds non-software projects and diverse disciplines. Applicants are reviewed and accepted as individuals; having a team is not required.
- An incorporated company is not mandatory; demonstrated progress is required.
- Projects across tech, hardware, media, and nonprofit sectors are supported.
- Applicants apply individually; teams are optional.
Location and Commitment
Commitment: Accepting the fellowship requires leaving university study for the duration of the award. Fellows are not required to relocate to San Francisco and may be based anywhere in the world. The program expects recipients to devote their primary effort to advancing their project during the two-year period. Support is structured to enable founders to focus full time on building and scaling their work.
- Acceptance requires leaving formal university study for the fellowship term.
- Fellows can remain based anywhere globally; relocation is not mandatory.
- Applicants should be prepared to commit full time to their project for two years.
Application Process
Application Timeline: Applications are accepted year-round; there is no fixed deadline. Prospective applicants are encouraged to apply whenever they have a compelling project and demonstrable progress. The program reviews individuals continuously and selects fellows based on the strength of their vision and early traction. Additional application details and submission instructions are provided by the fellowship during the application process.
- Applications accepted continuously with no set deadline.
- Apply when you have meaningful progress on a concrete idea.
- Selection is based on vision, traction, and potential impact rather than academic status alone.