TL;DR: The EPF effectively concluded its fifth cohort, Study Group 2025, and is making preparations for the sixth cohort (EPF6). Announcements regarding applications will be made soon, so stay tuned to the EF blog! In the meantime, enhance your understanding of the Ethereum protocol at EPF.wiki and subscribe to the newsletter for updates on notifications.
The Ethereum Protocol Fellowship completed its fifth cohort, concluding with EPF Day at Devcon in Bangkok. This milestone represented 5 months of immersive education, research, and contribution to the Ethereum core ecosystem by a group of skilled and committed fellows. Client developers and researchers welcomed new contributors, several of whom continued to collaborate with them long-term.
Furthermore, the second cycle of the Protocol Study Group finished after 2 months of in-depth education regarding the core protocol.
For more information about the EPF program, check out some of the previous posts and cohort repositories.
What’s new
With each cohort, we collect feedback and gain insights on enhancing the experience for both fellows and Ethereum developers. EPF5 introduced several significant changes that resulted in a highly productive cohort.
Before EPF5, we held the initial Protocol Study Group for 10 weeks leading into EPF5. During this period, participants engaged in a curriculum crafted to inform them about all facets of the protocol. This led to a much more streamlined onboarding process, as many fellows entered EPF with enhanced knowledge and resources.
Another major modification to EPF5 was the program duration, increased from 4 to 5 months, providing fellows an additional month to hone their projects and pursue broader goals.
Similar to prior cohorts, we hosted EPF Day at Devcon to wrap up the cohort. However, for EPF5, we also coordinated an additional EPF Day early in the cohort during EthCC in Brussels. This occasion allowed fellows to connect with each other and their mentors, as well as to present the projects they would be developing throughout the cohort.
EPF5 Stats
Applications for the fifth cohort commenced in May 2024. After evaluating over 300 submissions, 20 participants received initial stipends to engage in the fellowship while working on core R&D projects. Due to the program’s open nature, an additional 25 participants joined without prior permission. At the end of the 5-month duration and with over 500 weekly updates, the cohort concluded with 30 active fellows present at EPF Day in Bangkok.
EPF5 Projects
In total, fellows proposed and worked on 30 projects, collaborating with mentors from various client and research teams, including Grandine, Prysm, Lighthouse, Besu, Nimbus, Nethermind, Geth, Teku, RIG, and Reth. These projects not only signify a crucial learning opportunity but also represent significant contributions to the Ethereum core ecosystem. You can discover more about the results of the projects in the final reports and presentation recordings from EPF Day.
All resources related to the program can be accessed in the EPF5 repository, with most activities taking place in /development updates and proposals found in /projects. As an integral aspect of Ethereum’s open research, all EPF projects and materials are free and open-source.
Protocol Study Group Continues
The Protocol Study Group has returned for 2025! With a refreshed format, it begins with a 2-week intensive covering the existing resources, followed by 6 additional weeks of new lectures from core developers. Together, we have developed an even more comprehensive curriculum that focuses dedicatedly on each portion of the execution and consensus layer.
This is not merely a precursor program to the EPF but an extensive curriculum for anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of Ethereum’s core protocol. Materials and recordings from Study Group sessions are consistently available as a structured learning journey, together with a collaborative wiki constructed by independent contributors. Whether you are preparing for the fellowship or simply want to explore some aspect of Ethereum, epf.wiki offers all the resources you’ll require.
Next Cohort Soon™️
We are preparing for the sixth cohort of the Ethereum Protocol Fellowship. For those interested in engaging in Ethereum core development, stay tuned for the application announcement coming later in April, with a cohort commencing in June. To receive notifications, join the EPF mailing list.
In the meantime, you can prepare by ensuring a solid foundational understanding of the Ethereum protocol (epf.wiki and previous cohorts are excellent starting points), actively contributing to open-source projects, particularly existing initiatives within the Ethereum ecosystem, and contemplating the type of project you would like to undertake.
