Join The Academy
We’re looking for people who are already in motion.
There is no single profile for an Academy student.
You might be building side projects, starting a company, conducting original research, organizing a conference, growing an online audience, working somewhere interesting, or taking on responsibility far earlier than people expect you to.
What we care about is agency: when something captures your attention, you do something about it.
The Founding Class Fellowship is expected to bring together around 50 students for a full-time, in-person program in San Francisco. The Academy is an independent educational program and does not award a college degree or college credit.
Meet some of the people applying.
Discover what they’re working on, what interests them, and why they want to join The Academy.
Who can apply
The Academy is for students who want to go all in on their own projects while finding the friendships, network, and student life that draw people to university.
You will need to have completed high school, or an equivalent qualification, by August 2027. Applications from students attending other colleges and universities are welcome, but you are not eligible if you have completed more than one year of full-time college enrollment after high school by that date.
Priority goes to graduating high school seniors.
International applicants are welcome to apply.
Application timeline
Early application deadline: November 5, 2026
Applying early does not commit you to attend.
Next step invitations: sent on a rolling basis
Selected applicants will receive details about the next stage of the application process.
Early admissions decisions: by late January 2027
Early applicants will receive their admissions decisions by late January.
Regular admissions deadline: January 15, 2027
Regular applications will be reviewed after early admissions decisions, provided places remain in the Founding Class Fellowship.
After January 15: rolling applications
If places remain after the regular admissions round, we will continue accepting and reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
The Founding Class Fellowship begins in September 2027.
The application
Show us what you have built and tell us why it matters. Your work might be software, a product, original research, a community, an audience, an event, or another project you drove.
Admission heavily weighted on proof of work.
You will provide:
- Your contact information.
- A link to a personal portfolio website showing what you have built.
- A short video.
- Your test scores.
- Your high school transcript.
Our admissions process prioritizes your work and portfolio rather than grades. However, transcripts and test scores are required for application records. We do not ask for recommendation letters or essays at this stage.
Your initial application is the first step. If you’re selected to move forward, we’ll follow up to learn more about you and your work, with details on what comes next.
Costs and financial assistance
There is no tuition for the Founding Class Fellowship.
Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own housing, meals and personal living expenses. Need-based scholarships for certain living expenses may be available for those who qualify.