THE NON-TRIVIAL FELLOWSHIP

Start a World-changing Project

Guidance, funding, and a world-class community to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

Program Details

Overview

The Non-Trivial Fellowship is an online program for ages 14-20 to start doing impactful research, policy or entrepreneurial projects.

You’ll get access to:
• Up to $15,000 in funding
• A $500 scholarship for all accepted applicants
• Guidance from facilitators at top universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Stanford
• Exclusive sessions with speakers having a global impact, like philosopher Peter Singer and AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio
• A world-class community of likeminded people who deeply care about the world

With flexible participation options, the Fellowship can be completed part-time alongside other programs and schoolwork.

Eligibility

Young people who are aged 14-20 and haven’t started university by the start of the fellowship (July 8, 2024). No standardised test scores are required.
You can apply no matter where you are in the world.

Timezones

The fellowship operates across all timezones. You’ll work with your project group and conduct your 1:1 meetings at a time convenient to you. The program is flexibly structured so that you can complete your independent learning at your own pace.

Key Dates

Applications close: April 28th, 2024
Late applications close: June 9th, 2024
Program dates: July 8 - August 30, 2024

Start Making A Tangible Change

At age 18, Mary Shelley started writing Frankenstein. Shelley and other prodigies shared a common trait: rather than waiting for permission, they took action. Our curriculum provides a foundation to help you identify critical issues, set long-term career goals, and develop innovative, effective solutions.

Note: you’ll be given the chance to work on impactful projects, but we cannot guarantee that you will have an impact. That’s down to you! 

Achieve something you're truly proud of

“Together with my group, we have worked on and started a project which will aid malnourishment and feed the world in a time of crisis- had I told this to me in 2022, I would never have believed it, as it did not seem within reach at all.”

Photo of Diana
Diana, future Zoology with Conservation student

Helpful facilitators

Meet once a week with your group and facilitator to get resources and advice to improve your project.

Project ideas

Guidance on how to find a pressing problem where you can make the biggest difference.

Demo day

Present your project and get feedback and up to $15,000 to support your next steps.

FLEXIBLE PARTICIPATION OPTIONS

Make An Impact
On Your Own Time

You're busy, so we've designed the program to work around your schedule.

The program requires a minimum commitment of 5 hours per week, which can be completed on a flexible schedule that works for you. Our team is dedicated to providing support and resources to ensure that all participants can still have a meaningful and impactful experience.

However, the more effort you put in, the more you will get out of the fellowship, so we encourage you to spend as much time as you have available on your project.

Meet lifelong friends and ambitious collaborators

“Everyone was incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, and driven in their respective fields, and it was truly inspiring to be surrounded by such motivated individuals.”

Photo of Dhruv
Dhruv (18), Imperial College London Undergraduate

Join A World-class Community

Fellows will be selected through a competitive process and join a global community of committed peers and alumni. You will then be matched in a group of fellows from a similar background, and will be paired every week with a new member who shares your interests. The fellows in your cohort and our alumni community will, we hope, go on to become your friends, advisors, collaborators, and co-founders.

Paired 1:1s

Get matched for a call with another fellow and work out how you could help each other accomplish your goals.

Cohort events

Change your and others’ minds in an anti-debate, challenge your forecasting skills in an estimation game, or relax with other fellows for a casual social event in the happy hour.

Discord discussions

Join a regularly active Discord to get support for whatever you’re struggling with or discuss topics you’re interested in.

Learn Cutting-edge Ideas To Change The World

Through our curriculum spanning philosophy, economics, math and more you will explore cutting-edge concepts for tackling the world's most pressing problems. We aim to help you discover crucial insights others are missing for a truly outsized positive impact.

We don't have all the answers - in fact, we're confident some of the cutting-edge ideas we cover will turn out to be wrong. Our goal is to equip you with the critical thinking skills to evaluate them independently and reach your own conclusions.

Chart your course to a flourishing future

“The Non-Trivial Fellowship is definitely the most useful thing I have done all year… I liked the worksheets because I feel as if I have learnt so much about new topics like effective altruism, philosophical schools of thought and AI. Now, I have a clear goal to work on AI and policy making and this is all down to Non-Trivial.”

Photo of Elo
Elo, future Computer Science and Philosophy student

Worksheets

A guided step-by-step process to help you plan your project and develop your idea.

Curriculum

Learn in your own time about the week's topics to help you with your project.

Project groups

Meet with other fellows who share your interest and help each other with your projects.

Don't Wait to
Change the World

Apply now to join a world-class cohort.

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Apply by
April 28, 2024
$500 scholarship
zero fees
Ages 14-20, worldwide
JUL 8-AUG 30, 2024
Flexible timing
$30,000 in Funding
View Program