Applicants are eligible if they, at the start of the program:
We haven't opened applications for our next program. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear when applications open.
You’ll receive a decision on your application no later than the week before the fellowship.
However, we're reviewing applications on a rolling basis, so if you’re accepted to the next stage, you will hear from us sooner.
No, it costs you nothing to apply – it's 100% free. And our program is 100% free.
Our donors support the fellowship because they expect us to improve the world by helping you solve the world’s most pressing problems.
We accept fellows from all over the world. You are eligible to apply regardless of your location.
No, you don't need to already have an idea for an impactful project.
We aren't looking to hear the ideas you've already had in our application. We're looking for your potential.
As a result, our program is designed to help you come up with ideas, as well as implement them.
We empower some of this generation’s sharpest thinkers to use their talents to address vexing social challenges.
We look for applicants who demonstrate:
Process overview: Application → Finalist → Interview → Fellow
You can preview the written application questions. You can submit your application in an hour, though it often takes longer.
Here's an overview:
Finalists will participate in a two-week program to help them research impactful project ideas, which are submitted at the end. All Finalists meet participants from around the world, receive a free book, and are awarded a certificate of completion.
Select Finalists will be invited to schedule an interview at a time of their choosing.
The Fellowship is a 8-week part-time program. The next cohort is yet to be scheduled. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear when applications open.
The Fellowship is a combination of online lessons, calls with your project group (groups of 3-5 students who discuss their projects), and 1:1 calls.
You can complete the independent learning, and 1:1 calls with other fellows at your own pace.
Weekly calls with your project group will occur in your timezone. When you're accepted, you will indicate your availability and we'll do our best to match you up with a group that is available at the same time and who shares your interest.
With flexible participation options, the Fellowship can be completed part-time alongside other programs and schoolwork.
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 part-time participants can still have a meaningful and impactful experience.
Participants who invest more time and effort into their projects often see the greatest results. Those who work on their projects full-time have a higher likelihood of securing funding and making a significant impact.
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.
Award winners will receive their scholarship funds 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.
The fellowship will be entirely in English. You don't need to be a native-English speaker; however, it is important you be able to converse with other fellows and instructors in English.
We plan to accept between 100 and 200 fellows for our July 2024 cohort.
We may decide to accept more or fewer applicants depending on the applications we receive.
It’s up to you!
We have a weekly curriculum of videos and reading, interactive group activities, and advisors available.
But it’s up to you to figure out what you need to learn to plan your impactful project and to increase your impact on the world.
Prizes are awarded based on which projects have made the most progress, show the most promise for impact, and were best presented in their Demo Day presentations.
There are three prizes on offer:
See our Prize Terms & Conditions
You’ll receive a decision on your application no later than the week before the fellowship.
However, we're reviewing applications on a rolling basis, so if you’re accepted to the next stage, you will hear from us sooner.
Unfortunately, due to unexpected commitments, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the February 2024 Non-Trivial Fellowship.
However, you can now apply to our July 2024 cohort. If you previously indicated interest in the July 2024 Fellowship, you will automatically be considered without needing to reapply.
Yes! As long as you’re eligible, we hope you re-apply for future cohorts.
Please subscribe to the newsletter to get updates on new fellowship cohorts, resources for starting an impactful project, and opportunities to get involved in the Non-Trivial network.
Unfortunately not. We received thousands of applications and won't be able to provide individualised feedback.
In general, we look for the dedication and ability to positively change the world. The best way to demonstrate that is to start making a change! So regardless of whether you'd like to re-apply, getting started solving the world's most pressing problems is a good start!
Unfortunately the decisions we've made so far are final. However, we hope you apply again in the future.
Your project should be designed to directly contribute to solving one of the world's most pressing problems, rather than some other goal (such as getting into university or learning about a new topic). However, we expect that working on an impactful project to frequently contribute to other secondary goals.
It’s up to you to come up with an impactful project that you’re excited about. But our program can help you come up with ideas and shape them into their most impactful form.
Whatever the category, if your project could have a big positive impact on the world, we’re excited to support it. For example, we're excited to support impactful projects that involve:
Absolutely! Many of our previous winners completed their project in a group (and many on their own).
As part of the program, we have sessions designed to help you find someone to work with who shares your interests.
What project you work on is your decision. However, we hope you'll to make a good faith effort to explore the highest impact projects for you.
Our program is designed to help you work out what you could do to have the biggest impact on the world. If you already know exactly what that is, the program won't be as valuable.
We expect many prize-winners to work on completely different problems and/or with different approaches than what they initially have in mind. This is because changing projects can demonstrate progress towards having more impact, or can help your project show more promise.
We reserve the right to not support any project we think would have a negative impact on the world.
Not for our upcoming cohort, but you can let us know you might be interested in the future.
You can submit an expression of interest or email our founder Peter (peter@non-trivial.org) with your CV/LinkedIn and why you might be interested.
Feedback is crucial to helping us improve – especially critical feedback.
To give us feedback, you can:
Please contact us so we can help you.
Note: We receive a high volume of inquiries and don't have the capacity to reply to every message. However, we read every message and greatly appreciate hearing about issues with the website and application.
