Palantir says exceptional talent can come from any background. Its Meritocracy Fellowship is built on that idea. It mixes a short and intense study programme with real software engineering work inside the company. You do not get a seat in a classroom for years. You get a seat on a team.
This guide explains how the programme works and who it is aimed at. It also lists what you should check before you apply.
Last Information Checked: 18 October 2026
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
| Company | Palantir Technologies |
| Programme | Meritocracy Fellowship |
| Part one | Five week programme on ideas, history, technology and politics |
| Part two | Placement on a forward deployed engineering team or an internal software team |
| Qualifications asked | The call says academic credentials are not the main test |
| Earlier cohorts | Listings aimed them at graduating high school students and sixth form graduates |
| Earlier locations | New York City and London |
| Deadline | Not stated in the call |
What the Fellowship Is
The Palantir Meritocracy Fellowship looks for people with strong ability, curiosity and drive. It says it cares less about school names and papers. It cares more about what you have built and what you have achieved.
Palantir says it wants people who take responsibility, think for themselves and solve real problems. It wants applicants to show their skill through results.
How the Programme Works
Part one is a five week programme. Fellows study ideas that shaped the West. These include history, philosophy, technology and politics. They ask questions about the West, its future, the role of America and Palantir’s own mission. They meet thinkers, visit institutions and work with other fellows on practical solutions.
The speakers come from engineering, mathematics, history, journalism, science, public service academia and business. Fellows also learn from Palantir staff in engineering, product security deployment and operations.
Part two is real work. After the first five weeks, fellows join one of two kinds of team:
- A forward deployed engineering team
- An internal software development team
Fellows work next to experienced professionals. Depending on the team, they may talk with customers, look into operational problems, work with real data, build software and improve it using feedback.
Palantir says this is not a usual internship with small tasks. Fellows get responsibility close to that of full time software engineers. They show their ability through the quality and impact of their work.
Fellowship Benefits
- A five week programme with ideas, history and technology led by thinkers from many fields
- Visits to institutions at the front of knowledge and public life
- Work with other talented fellows on practical solutions
- Learning from Palantir staff in engineering product security deployment and operations
- A placement on a real engineering team
- Real responsibility close to a full time software engineer
- Hands on experience in software engineering deployment and product development
- Experience in solving complex problems inside organisations
- Earlier Palantir listings also said fellows who excel get a chance to interview for a full time job
Who Should Apply
The fellowship is for people who like hard challenges and take their own initiative. They want to build things and solve problems.
Palantir especially welcomes people who:
- Built something on their own
- Learned skills outside the usual school path
- Overcame a hard challenge
- Feel that a normal university does not test their ability
- Were underestimated because of their background or an unusual path
The main idea is simple. You should be ready to prove your ability with real results and not only with qualifications or a famous school.
Key Dates
- Application deadline: Not stated in the call
- Programme dates: Not stated in the call
- Where to check: The official Palantir Meritocracy Fellowship page
How To Apply
- Open the official Palantir Meritocracy Fellowship page.
- Read the latest eligibility rules.
- Check the programme dates and the location.
- Check any pay or support that Palantir lists.
- Follow the application instructions on the page.
- Prepare proof of what you have built or achieved.