FAQ

Candidates must be 19 years old or younger as of December 31, 2011. The ideal candidate has ideas that simply cannot wait. She or he wants to change the world and has already started to do it in some fashion. We want fellows who dream big and have clear plans, who take risks and learn from mistakes, who think long-term and like to tinker. Inspire us.

Yes. We encourage candidates from around the world to apply. Foreign candidates are responsible for obtaining their own visa into the United States. If you receive a fellowship you must be up for navigating this challenge.

No—neither the Thiel Foundation nor any of its affiliates receive any equity in return for the fellowship grants.

Our most important goal is to give each application our full attention to ensure that we find the right people to become fellows. Because we don't know how many people will apply, it's too soon to tell how long it will take to select them.  Last year, we announced the fellows in May.

• December 31, 2011 — Applications are due by midnight, GMT–12. (Midnight GMT-12 is the same as 4:00am January 1st PST, 7:00am January 1st EST, or 12:00 noon January 1st GMT.)
• Candidates must be 19 or younger as of December 31st, 2011.
• The application consists of questions and essays. Applicants who make it to further rounds may be asked to submit updates, recommendations, school transcripts, assessment scores, and other information. All fees for mailing transcripts or other requests are at your expense.

The Thiel Foundation helps fellows to design their own paths; each fellowship will be a unique experience. We expect that each fellow will grow and develop over two years, and so the nature of the work may change substantially as the fellows’ goals shift and mature.

• The Foundation will match fellows with mentors.
• Fellows who have already started a business will be encouraged to work on that directly and the Foundation will help teach them about business development, fundraising, pitching, and hiring.
• If a fellow isn’t sure about first steps, the Foundation may suggest a brief internship with a Bay Area company to meet people and see how businesses operate.
• Other activities may include cohort and Thiel Foundation meetings, conferences, presentations, and other networking and professional events. Most activities occur in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.

We encourage fellows to move to the San Francisco Bay Area for the opportunities and resources that the area provides, such as mentors in our network, other like-minded entrepreneurs, and many learning and cultural opportunities. However, fellows are welcome to work on their projects from any location.

We ask fellows to take two years away from college so that they can fully focus on their projects without the time and expense of college. Fellows may take or audit classes that are specific to their project areas, though all class participation through a university or college must be approved by the Thiel Foundation.

Fellows are paired with mentors who have business, vision, or industry expertise, subject to both fellow and mentor approval. Fellows schedule meetings once a month to go over action items from the last month and set new goals and discuss challenges. We believe that mentoring is a very important part to becoming a successful leader. We encourage all people, whether fellows or not, to seek out mentors.

Grant awards are distributed in monthly installments beginning on the fellow's start date. Compelling spending plans that require a greater percentage of the grant during initial stages will be considered.

We expect fellows to think about how they want their work to shape the world ten years from now, not just three months from now. Over the two years of their fellowship, we expect them to immerse themselves fully in their projects, while keeping in mind their longer-term goals, and to develop the following skills both on their own and through the fellowship.

• Being Mission Driven Leaders – Understanding not just what they’re doing but why they’re doing it and who is served in the process.
• Thinking Big – Taking risks in the name of progress and innovation.
• Learning to Learn – Acting in a resourceful manner and knowing how to tap into networks, organizations, and other resources for support.
• Problem Solving – Knowing what questions to ask and how to plan to solve them.
• Service Oriented – Looking to have a huge effect on the lives of others through their science and tech projects.

We are looking to the fellows to bring breakthroughs to the world, and so we have very high expectations. Fellows must:

• Develop a plan:
• What do they want to accomplish over the next ten years, two years, six months, week?
• What do they need to learn or do to advance their agendas?
• What kind of a team will they need to build?
• Meet with mentors regularly:
• Schedule a monthly meeting with mentors.
• Keep a written agenda, meeting minutes, and action items.
• Complete action items each month and promptly discuss any challenges with mentors.
• Potentially intern or work:
• Be professional (arrive on time, dress appropriately, be respectful, etc.)
• Contribute through meaningful activities and projects.
• Update the Thiel Foundation as requested:
• Meet with the Foundation quarterly to go over goals, accomplishments, and what kind of support might be needed.
• Contact the Foundation at any time with specific needs or requests so that we can facilitate growth throughout the program.
• Attend a majority of Fellowship retreats and socials.
• Focus most of their time pursuing science and tech innovation through the fellowship, but:
• Have fun. Sometimes those moments of relaxation and fun are when we have some of the biggest ah-ha! moments. Take the time to get to know the other Thiel Fellows and enjoy the new paths being forged.
• Make mistakes. The Foundation and mentors will help the fellows work through any challenges.

The fellowship is chance to explore many different paths as fellows determine how to realize their long-term visions for changing the world. Entrepreneurship may be the right focus for many fellows, but it may take some fellows several years to solidify their project focus, flesh out their research, develop prototypes, or build teams. Fellows can also spend time in internships or work opportunities, with Foundation approval, to get experience and learn how startups work. Ultimately, we want to ensure that each fellow is working on something that will meaningfully advance science and technology, and change the world for the better over the next decade.

Start dates can vary based on the fellows’ individual situations and commitments. For the 2012 Thiel Fellowship, we expect that fellows will select a start date that falls between June and September, inclusive. All grant recipients are considered Thiel Fellows, even if they have not yet started their fellowships.

Of course. If an idea isn’t working, or something more compelling arises, it may make sense to change a project. Should a fellow decide to pursue other ideas, the Foundation will discuss this with him or her and help make a decision.

All fellows must forgo all other employment or educational enrollment during the two year fellowship, except as approved by the Thiel Foundation. In some cases, an internship may help a fellow learn about an industry before working on a project, and the Foundation will be happy to discuss this.

Absolutely. A core component of the fellowship program is the opportunity to build valuable, lifelong connections.

If a fellow decides to leave the Thiel Fellowship and return to school during the two-year fellowship, he or she will forfeit the remainder of his or her fellowship. After their fellowships end, fellows can go to school if they choose.

The Thiel Foundation strongly encourages, though does not require, all Thiel Fellows to move to the Bay Area for the cohort collaboration, mentoring, networking, conferences, and other opportunities that arise on a regular basis. We believe that moving to the Bay Area is the best way to maximize the benefits of one’s fellowship.

All fellows are responsible for their own housing and living expenses, though mentors will have a great deal of knowledge about how to live and work in the Bay Area.

Grant awards are distributed in monthly installments beginning on the fellow's start date. Compelling spending plans that require a greater percentage of the grant during initial stages will be considered. The grants can be used for anything, including living or business expenses. Parents are welcome to support their children; however, it is not expected. In fact, we believe that as a life accelerator it is best for fellows to learn about boot-strapping on a limited budget.

If you are under 20, we encourage you to apply to the Thiel Fellowship. The Fellowship does not review applications from people who are 20 or older.

We also fund revolutionary early-stage science and technology research through Breakout Labs.