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Palantir Opens Applications for 2026 'Meritocracy' Fellowship, a Paid Alternative to College

The defense software company is promoting a paid route from high school into tech jobs with opaque hiring outcomes.

Overview

  • Applications are open for the second New York cohort, scheduled for August through December 2026 with stipends of about $5,400 per month.
  • The inaugural class drew over 500 applicants and 22 fellows are participating, beginning with humanities-style seminars before joining engineering and customer teams.
  • CEO Alex Karp and company materials describe the fellowship as a direct alternative to a four-year degree that challenges U.S. universities.
  • Palantir says “more than a handful” of current fellows are likely to receive full-time offers, but it has not publicly disclosed firm totals.
  • Eligibility requires recent high school graduation without current college enrollment, with interviews emphasizing technical process, high agency, maturity, and “true diversity of thought.”