Non-Trivial Summer Research Fellowship for High Schoolers
by Non-Trivial
Up to $1,000 Project Grant
A free online summer research program run by Non-Trivial for young people aged 14 to 20 who have not started university. Fellows spend 8 weeks on a research project and meet a facilitator once a week.
Mode
Online
Fee
Free
Participation format
Individual and team
Teams of 1 or more
Duration
8 weeks, plus an onboarding week and a presentation week
Time needed
10 to 15 hours a week for 8 weeks
Eligibility
Open to young people aged 14 to 20 who have not started university, living in any country except one under US (OFAC) sanctions. Applicants under 18 need a parent's or guardian's consent to apply.
- Age range
- 14 to 20 years
- Eligibility region
- Available nationwide across India
- Prerequisites
- Taking part in Research Foundations, from which Fellows are selected
- At least 10 hours a week during the Fellowship
- Able to talk with participants and facilitators in English
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Award
Up to $1,000
Fellows may apply for a need-based project grant of up to $1,000, for project costs or for paid work they give up to take part. Grants are not guaranteed. Three Research Scholars receive $10,000 scholarships and the other Scholars at least $2,000. For a Fellow under 18, the money is paid to the parent or guardian.
Certificate
Certificate of completion
Fellows who complete the Fellowship get a certificate of completion from Non-Trivial. To earn it, a Fellow has at least four video calls with the facilitator, submits a finished project before Demo Day, gives the Fellowship sufficient time and completes the exit survey before its deadline.
Career pathways
Fellows get university and internship application support through Non-Trivial's alumni network.
Key dates
- Registration closes
- 4 Jan 2027
- Dates
- 7 Jun 2027 to 13 Aug 2027
Early-bird deadline
Applications in by this day get special consideration for early acceptance.
Priority deadline
Research Foundations winter session
Runs to 28 February.
Research Foundations spring session
Runs to 4 April.
Research Scholars mentorship begins
For Fellows selected as Research Scholars.
Online · Online, with video calls and Discord
How to apply
- 1Apply online: questions about yourself, brainteasers and puzzles
- 2Selected applicants answer a second stage on how they want to make a difference
- 3Finalists take Research Foundations
- 4Fellows are selected from Foundations participants and told by the first week of May
- 5At the end of the Fellowship, selected Fellows are invited to become Research Scholars
Rules and guidelines
- Have at least four video calls with your facilitator
- Submit a weekly reflection by Sunday each week
- Spend at least 80 hours on the project over the Fellowship
- Submit a finished project before Demo Day
- Follow the Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy and Digital Safety Policy
About this opportunity
The Non-Trivial Summer Research Fellowship is a free online program in which young people start their own research on a problem that could make a substantial difference in the world. Fellows work alone or in a team for 8 weeks over the summer, plus an onboarding week and a presentation week.
It is open to young people aged 14 to 20 who have not started university, wherever they live. Applicants based in a country under US (OFAC) sanctions cannot take part. Applicants under 18 need a parent's or guardian's consent to apply. The program runs in English.
Fellows are chosen from those who take Research Foundations, a 5-week online program of 5 hours a week. One application covers both programs. In the Fellowship, each Fellow meets a facilitator once a week, works through weekly worksheets, joins Discord discussions and Q&A sessions with speakers, and presents the project at Demo Day. Past speakers include Peter Singer, Yoshua Bengio, Rachel Glennerster and Matt Clifford. The Fellowship takes 10 to 15 hours a week.
There is no fee to apply or to take part. Fellows may apply for a need-based project grant of up to $1,000. Fellows who complete the program get a certificate of completion. At the end of the Fellowship, judges rank the projects on progress made, potential impact and presentation quality, and selected Fellows become Research Scholars: three receive $10,000 scholarships and the others at least $2,000.
What your child will do
- Weekly worksheets to plan the project
- A weekly one-to-one meeting with a facilitator
- Discord discussions with other Fellows
- Q&A sessions with speakers
- A project presentation at Demo Day
Mentors and faculty
Each Fellow meets a facilitator once a week. Facilitators are Non-Trivial alumni, selected and trained as coaches and mentors.
Languages
Academic details
What's covered
Week 0: onboarding, meeting peers and the mentor. Week 1: building a network. Week 2: a deep dive into the problem. Week 3: refining ideas with feedback. Week 4: a proof of concept. Weeks 5 to 7: improving the project with regular feedback. Weeks 8 and 9: presenting the work at Demo Day.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply?
Young people aged 14 to 20 who have not started university. Applicants based in a country under US (OFAC) sanctions cannot take part.
Can students in India apply?
Yes. Non-Trivial says applicants are eligible regardless of their location.
What does it cost?
Nothing. It is free to apply and free to take part.
When is the deadline?
The final deadline is 4 January 2027. Applications in by 15 November get special consideration for early acceptance.
How many hours a week does it take?
10 to 15 hours a week during the Fellowship, and 5 hours a week during Research Foundations.
Does my child need a research idea to apply?
No. The program helps applicants find ideas, and no experience is needed.
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