AI Safety Fellowship 2026: Get a $5,000 Stipend
Have an idea for making advanced AI safer?
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) is accepting applications for its AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship 2026, a part-time programme designed to turn promising AI safety and governance ideas into real-world policy proposals.
Selected fellows receive a $5,000 stipend, mentorship, policy training and travel support for selected programme events.
But you'll need to move quickly: applications close on September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Programme: AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship
Organization: Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Status: Applications Open
Stipend: $5,000
Additional Merit Award: Up to $1,000 for one fellow
Format: Part-time / Hybrid
Time Commitment: Around 5 hours per week
Programme Dates: September 30, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Deadline: September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
What Is the FAS AI Safety Fellowship?
This isn't a typical AI course where you spend months watching lectures and collecting a certificate.
The fellowship is built around one thing: turning an AI policy idea into something that could actually be implemented.
Each fellow works as a part-time FAS affiliate and develops a policy proposal related to frontier AI safety, security or governance.
That can involve engaging decision-makers, building coalitions, identifying policy opportunities and creating a realistic path for adoption.
What Will Fellows Work On?
Selected fellows will develop and publish a policy memo addressing a specific frontier AI safety challenge.
Potential areas include:
- AI safety and reliability
- AI governance and regulation
- Cybersecurity
- AI risk assessment
- Critical infrastructure
- Transparency and accountability
- Compute governance
- Advanced AI capability thresholds
- Open vs. closed AI models
- AI security and catastrophic-risk governance
The important part is that your proposal shouldn't stop at identifying a problem. FAS wants applicants to think about how a solution could actually become policy.
Who Should Apply?
FAS encourages applications from people with different backgrounds.
The programme is particularly suited to early- and mid-career professionals who have relevant technical or subject expertise but relatively limited experience working directly in public policy.
Relevant backgrounds can include:
- Artificial intelligence research
- Academia
- Technology industry
- Law
- Cybersecurity
- National security
- Civil society
- Think tanks
- Related technical fields
You don't need to already be a professional policymaker. In fact, the programme is designed to help people translate existing expertise into practical policy impact.
How Much Is the Stipend?
Selected fellows receive a $5,000 stipend.
There is also an additional $1,000 merit award available to the fellow who produces the most specific and actionable policy memo and advocacy plan.
FAS also provides an additional travel stipend covering selected expenses connected with required in-person programme events.
✓ $5,000 stipend
✓ Potential $1,000 merit award
✓ Selected travel expenses supported
✓ Dedicated FAS mentor
✓ Policy entrepreneurship training
✓ Professional editing support
✓ Access to experts and policy networks
How Much Time Does It Require?
The fellowship is designed to be part-time.
Fellows are expected to commit an average of approximately 5 hours per week, or 20 hours per month, from September 30, 2026 through February 28, 2027.
Participants will also attend twice-monthly group check-ins and mandatory fellowship programming.
Two In-Person Events Are Planned
Although much of the fellowship is flexible, selected fellows should be prepared for two important in-person events.
A California retreat is tentatively planned for November 4–7, 2026. It will focus on mentorship, community building and developing fellows' policy projects.
A final Washington, DC capstone event is tentatively scheduled for the week of February 22, 2027.
Fellows will use the capstone to launch their policy memos and engage with policymakers, experts and other stakeholders.
What Is FAS Looking For?
A strong application needs more than saying, “AI could be dangerous.”
FAS is looking for applicants who can identify a specific AI safety, security or governance problem and propose a realistic solution.
Competitive applicants should be able to explain:
- What AI-related problem they want to solve
- Why the problem matters
- What policy change they are proposing
- Who has the power to implement it
- Which stakeholders need to be involved
- How the proposal could move from idea to implementation
How to Apply for the FAS AI Safety Fellowship
Step 1: Choose a Specific AI Problem
Avoid trying to solve every AI risk at once. Pick a focused issue you understand well.
Step 2: Develop a Practical Policy Idea
Think beyond research. Your proposal should have a credible pathway toward legislation, regulation, standards, procurement, institutional design or another governance mechanism.
Step 3: Identify the Decision-Makers
Ask yourself who could actually implement your proposal. A good policy idea needs the right institutions and stakeholders behind it.
Step 4: Explain Your Background
Show how your technical, academic, legal or professional experience gives you useful insight into the problem.
Step 5: Submit Through the Official Platform
FAS states that applications are accepted only through its linked application platform.
The deadline is September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Why This Fellowship Is Interesting Right Now
AI safety has quickly moved beyond being only a technical research problem.
Governments and institutions are also asking questions about model security, cybersecurity, transparency, critical infrastructure, compute and how increasingly capable AI systems should be governed.
This fellowship sits directly at that intersection between AI technology and public policy.
For someone who understands an AI problem but hasn't previously worked directly in policy, that makes it an unusual opportunity to test whether their idea can survive outside a research paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the FAS AI Safety Fellowship 2026 open?
Yes. Applications are currently open and close on September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
How much does the fellowship pay?
Selected fellows receive a $5,000 stipend. One fellow may also receive an additional $1,000 merit award.
Is the fellowship full-time?
No. It is a part-time fellowship requiring approximately 5 hours per week.
When does the fellowship start?
The programme runs from September 30, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Is this only for AI researchers?
No. FAS lists potential backgrounds including AI research, academia, industry, law, cybersecurity, national security, civil society and think tanks.
Is it specifically a student fellowship?
No. The programme is particularly suited to early- and mid-career professionals, so students should carefully review the official selection criteria before applying.
Final Takeaway
If you already understand a frontier AI safety problem and have an idea for what policymakers could actually do about it, the FAS AI Safety Policy Entrepreneurship Fellowship is worth checking out.
The $5,000 stipend is attractive, but the bigger value may be the chance to develop a serious policy proposal with mentorship, professional editing and access to people working in science and technology policy.
With applications closing on September 7, 2026, this isn't one to bookmark for later.
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