Yes. Applicants can come from anywhere in the world, and the Academy will work with you on the visa process.
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.
You do not need to have already started a company. You do need to be curious, ambitious, and excited to spend your time around other people who take their ideas seriously.
The Founding Class
The Academy’s first cohort will bring together 50 students in San Francisco.
The Founding Class is a special one-year fellowship with no tuition. After the Founding Class, the Academy plans to launch its full two-year program.
Applicant name TBC
Placeholder — pursuit TBC
Diwen Huang
Building a satellite ground station
Elle Liemandt
Placeholder — pursuit line goes here
Idhant Ranjan
Placeholder — a longer pursuit line, about this length
Applicant name TBC
Placeholder — pursuit TBC
Diwen Huang
Building a satellite ground station
Elle Liemandt
Placeholder — pursuit line goes here
Idhant Ranjan
Placeholder — a longer pursuit line, about this length
Applicant name TBC
Placeholder — pursuit TBC
Diwen Huang
Building a satellite ground station
Elle Liemandt
Placeholder — pursuit line goes here
Idhant Ranjan
Placeholder — a longer pursuit line, about this length
Applicant name TBC
Placeholder — pursuit TBC
Diwen Huang
Building a satellite ground station
Elle Liemandt
Placeholder — pursuit line goes here
Idhant Ranjan
Placeholder — a longer pursuit line, about this length
Who can apply
You can apply as a high school senior or as a college transfer student.
Applicants can come from anywhere in the world. You will need to have completed high school, or an equivalent qualification, by August 2027.
There is no minimum age. If you will be under 18 when the Academy begins, a parent or guardian will need to co-sign your enrollment and housing agreements.
For students coming from outside the United States, the Academy will work with you on the visa process.
Application timeline
Admissions decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
- Applications open September 22, 2026.
- Application deadline
- Final decision date
- The Founding Class begins September 15, 2027.
The application
We want to understand what you care about, what you have already pursued, and what you might do with the freedom and community the Academy gives you.
We encourage applicants to use AI as a tool to build, research, and improve their work. But when you tell us who you are and why you want to be here, we want to hear your voice.
- Application components to be confirmed
- Interview process to be confirmed
The Founding Class has no tuition.
Students in the Founding Class will not pay tuition.
- Housing cost and what is included
If you are admitted, our goal is to help make it possible for you to attend regardless of your financial circumstances.
Because the Academy is not an accredited college, federal student aid, federal loans, and 529 funds cannot currently be used toward the program.
Live and learn in San Francisco.
The Academy is a full-time, in-person program built around a residential community in San Francisco.
Living within the Academy residential community will be strongly encouraged, but not required.
Your work belongs to you.
You own 100% of the intellectual property you create at the Academy.
The Academy does not take equity in student companies, does not take a percentage of your future income, and does not receive a right of first refusal on what you build.
The Academy can help connect students with investors and other people across its network, but what you choose to build remains yours.
The Academy is not an accredited college.
The Academy is an independent educational program and does not award a college degree or college credit.
It is designed for students who want to spend this period of their lives pursuing ideas, learning alongside an exceptional community, and getting direct experience in the world.
Frequently asked questions
There is no minimum age. You will need to have completed high school, or an equivalent qualification, by August 2027.
If you will be under 18 when the Academy begins, a parent or guardian will need to co-sign your enrollment and housing agreements.
No. You do need to be curious, ambitious, and excited to spend your time around other people who take their ideas seriously.
Answer to be confirmed
Answer to be confirmed
Yes — we encourage applicants to use AI as a tool to build, research, and improve their work.
But when you tell us who you are and why you want to be here, we want to hear your voice.
Students in the Founding Class will not pay tuition. The Academy will also offer financial assistance, so that being admitted is what decides whether you can attend.
Housing cost and what is included
No. Because the Academy is not an accredited college, federal student aid, federal loans, and 529 funds cannot currently be used toward the program.
The Academy is built around a residential community in San Francisco.
Housing detail to be confirmed
No. Living within the Academy residential community is strongly encouraged, but not required.
Answer to be confirmed
No. You own 100% of the intellectual property you create at the Academy.
The Academy does not take equity in student companies, does not take a percentage of your future income, and does not receive a right of first refusal on what you build.
No. The Academy is an independent educational program and does not award a college degree or college credit.
Answer to be confirmed
Take the bet on yourself.
Applications for the Founding Class open September 22, 2026. Tell us what you want to work on, and we will tell you what HAA can do for it.
Apply to the Academy