If you’re under the age of 22 and working on a cool project or company, the Thiel Foundation wants to hear about it through their “ Thiel Fellowship Program”. The Fellowship is a two-year program for young people who want to construct new things. The grant is not an incubator or accelerator, therefore it’s complementary to other programs that fit your project. Thiel fellows skip going to college or drop out to receive a $100,000 grant and support from the Thiel Foundation’s network of founders, investors, and scientists.
The Thiel Foundation supports science, technology, and long-term visions regarding the future. The Thiel Fellowship was founded by technology entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel in 2011.
Eligibility:
- Candidates must be between 20 and 30 years.
- You don’t need to have incorporated a company or built a full product yet, but at a minimum, you’ll need to demonstrate meaningful progress toward an interesting concrete vision.
How to Apply To Become A Fellow:
If you want to apply for The Thiel Fellowship, you are required to create your account. The link is:
https://thielfoundation.submittable.com/submit/45338/apply-for-the-thiel-fellowship
Financial Aid and Award Money:
Your $100,000 is a grant. So long as you’re working, you can use the funds however you want, the Fellowship does not take any ownership stake in your project.
Application Deadline:
There is no application deadline. They accept rolling applications and review them as they come in. If you’re working on something cool, you can apply.
Link for More Information:
Is The Thiel Fellowship Only For Software Engineers?
Luckily, the scholarship isn’t just for engineers—some are programmers. However, other grant recipients have started media companies, nonprofits, consumer products, and built hardware. The main goal of the fellowship is to support millennials who are filled with dreams that they’d like to share with the world.
Do You Need A Team To Apply?
The answer is no. Individuals are welcome to apply for the grant, but most fellows build a team during their fellowship. When you have a group of like-minded people working towards a common goal, things get completed faster.
Final Thoughts On Thiel Fellowship
This scholarship is perfect for people who have loads of ideas and the will to bring them to life. Sometimes all you need is a support system around you to make your dreams come true. The standard educational route of going to college doesn’t work for everyone. So, it’s nice to know that there’s a program out there to support people who think differently. Plus, everyone knows that real experience comes from being out in the field—the hands-on approach is the best. With that said, if you think this grant is a good option for you, give it a try!
