Deadline: rolling basis | Apply here
Eligibility: Students 22 years old or younger willing to drop out of college to work on a unique project.
Thiel Fellowship 2018
The Thiel Fellowship gives $100,000 to young people who want to build new things instead of sitting in a classroom.
Two years. $100,000,- Some ideas just 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 $100,000 grant and support from the Thiel Foundation’s network of founders, investors, and scientists.
A different path for everyone
College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new.
Each of Thiel fellows charts a unique course; together they have proven that young people can succeed by thinking for themselves instead of competing on old career tracks.
Freedom to get stuff done
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.
Thiel network is yours
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.
The Fellowship can help connect you — with investors, partners, prospective customers — in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What makes Thiel Fellows different?
- Grant, not equity
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.
- Build your team
You can’t do it alone. Whether you need programmers or salespeople, our network helps you build your team. And since every new business will face common challenges, they provide in-house expertise in engineering, marketing, and design.
- Tight-knit class
All of the Fellows are 22 or younger. Every one of them has stopped out of college to work on a unique project. You’ll be surrounded by peers who understand what you’re trying to accomplish.
- Get money
It’s going to take money. You will be introduced to investors from the start, and they help you to communicate with them so you can get the capital you need on terms that work.
- Non-exclusive
Want to apply to a startup accelerator like Y Combinator or Techstars? No problem. The Fellowship isn’t an incubator or accelerator, so it’s complementary to any other program that fits your project.
- Learn things
The Fellowship will help you cut through the clutter and learn what you really need — from books, meetings, and guest speakers like Aaron Levie (CEO of Box) and Keith Rabois (Partner at Khosla Ventures).
- Fellow profiles
Five years since the first Fellowship class, Thiel Fellows have started more than 60 companies that are together worth over $1.1 billion, and have created hundreds of jobs in the course of tackling problems ranging from telemedicine and human longevity to solar energy and clean water.
Interested in applying for the Thiel Scholarship 2018? Register your participation by following the registration link and taking he suggested steps.
For more opportunities, check our opportunities section and subscribe to our weekly newsletters.
