Applications for Cohort 4 are now open. The application period ends on November 23. Full details and the application form are available on the Decentralized Nodes website.
New Guidelines and Application Resources
Check the “Decentralized Nodes Processes & Rules” carefully. For the fourth cohort, changes to the selection process have been implemented based on feedback. These changes aim to increase diversity, support decentralization, and include as many operators as possible.
Based on user feedback, a new document has been published to simplify and clarify the application process. It is recommended to review the document before applying. The guide, “How to submit a good application,” contains relevant information on the technical and operational aspects of application evaluation, among other details.
Please make sure to submit your application before November 23, as this period ends soon! The period is shorter than usual to give the team more time to properly evaluate all the applications, especially with the holiday season approaching.
The most important changes that you will observe in Cohort 4:
- Apply with up to two nodes on Polkadot and up to four nodes on Kusama
- The term is increased to five months
- Flat minimum self-stake of 10,000 DOT on Polkadot and 250 KSM on Kusama for all nodes
- Set your reward destination freely to ‘Stash’ or ‘Staked’ without affecting your self-stake.
- Get a returning participant bonus: not selected participants of previous cohorts will receive additional points
- Updated “preferred setups page” to put more focus on diversity within the program
Important dates:
Applications close: November 23 at 23:59 CET
Selection announcement: In the week of Dec 15–19
Cohort launch: Jan 13, 2026
