Every year, TED begins a new search looking for the brightest thinkers and innovators to be part of the TED Fellows program. With nearly 500 visionaries representing 300 different disciplines, these extraordinary individuals are making waves, disrupting the status quo and creating real impact.

Through a rigorous application process, we narrow down our candidate pool of thousands to just 20 exceptional people. (Trust us, this is not easy to do.) You may be wondering what makes for a good application (read more about that here), but just as importantly: What exactly does it mean to be a TED Fellow? Yes, you’ll work hand-in-hand with the Fellows team to give a TED Talk on stage, but being a Fellow is so much more than that. Here’s what happens once you get that call.

1. You instantly have a built-in support system.

Once selected, Fellows become part of our active global community. They are connected to a diverse network of other Fellows who they can lean on for support, resources and more. To get a better sense of who these people are (fishing cat conservationists! space environmentalists! police captains!), take a closer look at our class of 2019 Fellows, who represent 12 countries across four continents. Their common denominator? They are looking to address today’s most complex challenges and collaborate with others — which could include you.

2. You can participate in TED’s coaching and mentorship program.

To help Fellows achieve an even greater impact with their work, they are given the opportunity to participate in a one-of-a-kind coaching and mentoring initiative. Collaboration with a world-class coach or mentor helps Fellows maximize effectiveness in their professional and personal lives and make the most of the fellowship.

The coaches and mentors who support the program are some of the world’s most effective and intuitive individuals, each inspired by the TED mission. Fellows have reported breakthroughs in financial planning, organizational effectiveness, confidence and interpersonal relationships thanks to coaches and mentors. Head here to learn more about this initiative. 

3. You’ll receive public relations guidance and professional development opportunities, curated through workshops and webinars. 

Have you published exciting new research or launched a groundbreaking project? We partner with a dedicated PR agency to provide PR training and valuable media opportunities with top tier publications to help spread your ideas beyond the TED stage. The TED Fellows program has been recognized by PR News for our “PR for Fellows” program.

In addition, there are vast opportunities for Fellows to hone their skills and build new ones through invigorating workshops and webinars that we arrange throughout the year. We also maintain a Fellows Blog, where we continue to spotlight Fellows long after they give their talks.

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Over the last decade, our program has helped Fellows impact the lives of more than 180 million people. Success and innovation like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it’s sparked by bringing Fellows together and giving them this kind of support. If this sounds like a community you want to join, apply to become a TED Fellow by August 27, 2019 11:59pm UTC.