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Ethereum Foundation

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Ethereum Protocol Fellowship

A five-month Ethereum Foundation fellowship for developers moving into core protocol work, with mentors and stipends for some fellows.

Cohort 7 runs until November 2026. Cohort 8 dates have not been announced.

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Time left to apply

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00
Opened Apr 30Closed May 13

It closed on May 13. Watch for the next round.

Grant size
Size not published
No published ceiling
Paid in
Stipend
Paid in one go
Funding model
Round
Fixed application window, reviewed as a batch.
Typical decision
3 weeks
From submission to an answer

Checked Oct 1 against 7 sources. Confirm amounts and dates on epf.wiki before you apply.

01

About the program

The Ethereum Protocol Fellowship, formerly the Core Developer Apprentice Program, helps developers start contributing to Ethereum's core protocol: client implementations, testing and specifications, and protocol research. It does not cover smart contract or application development.

Each yearly cohort runs about five months. Fellows pick a project, often from ideas proposed by client teams such as Lighthouse, Reth, Erigon or Grandine, write a project proposal, post weekly development updates and present their work at an in-person event. Mentors from client teams give feedback, but you are expected to direct your own work.

Anyone can take part in the open program, but only selected applicants receive a monthly stipend, set individually with each fellow and paid in crypto or fiat after KYC. Cohort 7 is deliberately smaller than earlier cohorts, with a focus on depth of engagement with mentors.

02

What they fund

  • Execution and consensus client development
  • Testing and specifications
  • Core protocol research
  • Related protocol tooling

03

Who can apply

Check yourself0 of 4

Tick what applies to you. Saved on this device only.

04

How applying works

  1. Prepare

    Study the protocol with the EPF wiki and study group materials, and look through proposed projects.

  2. Apply

    Fill in the application form on epf.wiki during the application window.

  3. Interview

    Selected applicants are interviewed, and some are chosen for a stipend.

  4. Propose and build

    Write a project proposal with mentor input, then publish weekly updates and join the weekly standups and office hours.

  5. Present

    Show your project to the group and mentors at the closing in-person event.

05

Sources

Checked on Oct 1 against these pages. Programs change often, so confirm the details on epf.wiki before you apply.

  1. blog.ethereum.org/2026/04/30/epf-7
  2. github.com/eth-protocol-fellows/cohort-seven
  3. github.com/eth-protocol-fellows/cohort-seven/blob/main/program-guide/program-details.md
  4. github.com/eth-protocol-fellows/cohort-seven/blob/main/program-guide/faq.md
  5. github.com/eth-protocol-fellows/cohort-seven/tree/main/projects
  6. github.com/eth-protocol-fellows/protocol-studies/blob/main/docs/wiki/epf.md
  7. ps.ethereum.foundation/blog/epf6-recap

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