Non-trivial | Start solving the world's most pressing problems

Start solving the world's most pressing problems

A 7-week online fellowship for pre-university students to start an impactful research, policy, or entrepreneurial project.

€500 Scholarship

World-class Cohort

Expert Guidance

Applications are closed for the February 2023 cohort.

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financially supported by

fellows are also eligible for

€5,000 in prizes for the most impactful projects

Most progress

We consider projects that have made the most progress towards solving an important problem over the fellowship

Most promise

We consider projects that show the the most promise in solving the world’s most pressing problems

Best presented

We consider projects that are presented in the most persuasive manner

View Prizes Terms and Conditions

Pilot Fellowship

The Pilot Fellowship happened on November 19 to December 22, 2022, with 10 fellows from different backgrounds, locations, and experiences.

Fellows rated it 8.5/10 as "extremely likely" to recommend the fellowship to a friend interested in impact.

Learn more about our Pilot Fellowship, read about our incredible fellows, and watch their project presentations during the demo day.

Learn More

"The fellowship has been integral in helping me make important decisions about my future career and how I can continue to make a positive impact."
Bhavika K.

How it works

Application

Apply now

~1 hour

Deadline: Jan. 29, midnight GMT

Tell us about yourself, and test yourself with our problem-solving quiz.

What we look for

World-changing ambitions

Fellows are dedicated to using their careers to make a large contribution to solving the world’s most pressing issues.

Exceptional academic merit

We empower some of this generation’s sharpest thinkers to use their talents to address vexing social challenges.

Pre-university students

Applicants who haven’t started university and are based in the EU or UK at the time of fellowship.

An example of the questions we'll be asking during the application process.

Video interview

~1 hour

Dates: Feb. 6 – 16

We'll get to know you more through a video interview.

Get to know each other

Speak with a facilitator about the answers on your application so far to understand your goals and answer any questions you have.

Critique ideas

Point out the logical and argumentative flaws in an article provided.

Deliberation

You’ll hear back from us within 2 weeks after the final interview.

How it works

Fellowship

Weekly sessions

Make progress each week in a small group by debating ideas, and helping each other start the most impactful project.

Real-world learning

Immediately apply what you’re learning to what you’re working on and get real-world feedback.

Discuss ideas in a small group

Stress-test your ideas and improve your portfolio project with the help of 4 other Fellows.

Peer and advisor guidance

Bounce around ideas with advisors and peers. Weekly check-ins for feedback, support, and advice.

Develop your project

Plan and test your project with the help of peers and advice from expert advisors.

Choose your impactful project

Our fellowship will guide you through the process of choosing an effective solution to an important problem in the world.

Research and prototype

Go from ideation to testing on an accelerated timeline, learning new skills to set you up for an impactful career.

Get practical advice

Work on your project alongside sharp peers. Attend office hours with advisors when you need advice.

Demo Day

At the conclusion of the program, you get the opportunity to pitch your project.

€5,000 in prizes

The best presentations receive prizes based on the promise of their idea, progress during the fellowship, and presentation.

Build or join a world-class team

Pitch your project and find collaborators from the entire fellowship cohort of like-minded and talented people.

Get constructive feedback

Present to experienced professionals and get constructive feedback to make your project more impactful.

Fellowship Program

Curriculum

Week 1-3

Choosing the most pressing problem

Explore which problems you could have the most impact by solving, and decide what you’ll work on.

Week 4

Work out your edge

Clarify your career plan, and where you can have the largest impact, so you can tailor your project to get ahead.

Weeks 5-6

Finding an effective solution

Narrow in on a potential solution for your problem. Research feasibility and develop and test a plan.

Week 7

Pitch your project or research idea

See how far you can get testing whether your project is viable then present your progress at Demo Day.

Weekly structure

1 hour

Online lessons

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

1 hour

Project groups

Group update meeting with a suggested agenda specific to the week’s topic.

1+ hours

Independent work

Research, plan, and prototype your high impact project — whatever is needed before you pitch it at Demo Day.

30 mins

Paired 1:1s

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

After the fellowship

Community

Remain a part of a community of fellows on a steep trajectory, together. A community means we can all accomplish more. Get help, find collaborators, and meet life-long friends.

Unique opportunities

We can help you leverage your project to get an impactful internship, funding, or job offer. However, these opportunities are earned and not guaranteed.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the Fellowship?

Applicants are eligible if they:

Are aged 14-20
Haven’t started university
Are predominantly based in the European Union or United Kingdom during the Fellowship
Obtain parent or legal guardian permission when they apply if they’re under 18.

What do you look for?

We empower some of this generation’s sharpest thinkers to use their talents to address vexing social challenges.

We look for applicants who demonstrate:

World-changing ambitions: Producing a meaningful improvement in humanity’s plight is not trivial – it will likely take decades of hard work. We look for those with the resolve to make a difference over the long term.
Critical-thinking: We look for applicants who are able to think deeply and analytically about complex problems. You can demonstrate this with the quiz and critical thinking tasks in our application.
‍Curiosity: How could you do the most good? The answer to this question is non-obvious and constantly changing. We look for the drive to determine how the world works, and what you can do to change it.

What can I spend the €‎500 scholarship on?

Award winners will receive a €‎500 scholarship at the end of successfully completing the fellowship. The scholarship is not contingent on attending university.

Recipients must use the scholarship for the purposes of educational and personal development. This means, for example, purchasing textbooks, courses, technology, tuition, tutoring, or supplementing unpaid internships.‍

Who is funding the Fellowship?

We’re grateful for all the support we receive to enable Non-trivial to fulfill our mission of helping you help the world. Since our founding in 2022, we’ve received over $1 million in donations.

The largest funder of our current work is Open Philanthropy, a major US-based foundation. They support our work because they expect us to improve the world by helping you solve the world’s most pressing problems. Open Philanthropy’s main funders are Cari Tuna and Dustin Moskovitz, a co-founder of Facebook and Asana.

2022 Future Fund Grant
In early 2022, Non-trivial received a $1 million grant from the Future Fund, which was primarily supported by FTX employees. In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy. In light of this situation, Non-trivial ceased spending any Future Fund money until further notice.

View all faqs

Don’t wait to change the world

Start your own project solving a pressing problem project. If you succeed, you’ll accomplish years of impact in months.

Steepen your trajectory

Use your project to demonstrate what you’re capable of to get an internship, improve a college application, or fund-raise to take your project to the next level.

Meet collaborators and mentors

Debate important ideas with other people who care deeply about figuring out how to make a big difference in the world.