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, one-year 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 can apply if you have no more than two years of full-time college after high school. Applications from students attending college are welcome, but priority goes to graduating high school seniors. There's no age limit, and international applicants are welcome.
Not ready to apply for the Founding Class Fellowship? There will be other classes in future years. Join our newsletter at the bottom of this page to hear when applications open.
Applying to college this year? Apply to both. If you're admitted to both, ask your college about deferring for a year.
Application timeline
Early application deadline: November 5, 2026
Applying early does not commit you to attend.
Next step invitations: sent on a rolling basis.
We review applications as they arrive, so applying early helps. Selected applicants will receive details about the next stage of the application process.
Early admissions decisions: by late January 2027
Regular admissions: If there are still spots available after early admissions, we will open a round of regular admissions in early 2027.
The Founding Class Fellowship runs from September 2027 to August 2028.
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 is 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, if you have them (SAT, ACT, AP, IB, A-Levels, national exams or olympiads)
- Your high school transcript, in any language. A plain translation is fine; it doesn't need to be certified for round 1 applications.
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 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. We aim for every admitted student to be able to attend, whatever their family's finances. You don't need to mention financial need in your application; we'll work out travel, housing, and living cost assistance with admitted students.