The MATS Research has officially opened applications for its Autumn 2026 fellowship cohort, offering aspiring researchers and field-builders an opportunity to work on some of the world’s most pressing challenges in AI alignment, transparency, governance, and security.

The fellowship connects participants with leading mentors from major AI organizations including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Redwood Research, and Alignment Research Center.

Applications for the Autumn 2026 cohort close on 7 June 2026.

MATS Autumn 2026 Fellowship: Supporting the Next Generation of AI Safety Researchers

The MATS (Machine Learning Alignment & Theory Scholars) Programme is designed to support individuals interested in reducing frontier AI risks while advancing research in technical alignment, policy, governance, systems security, and biosecurity.

According to the programme, around 80% of alumni are now working in AI alignment, transparency, and security-related roles. Fellows and alumni have collectively produced approximately 190 research publications over the past four years, with more than 12,000 citations.

Participants receive extensive support so they can focus entirely on impactful research and collaboration.

MATS Autumn 2026 Fellowship: Fellowship Benefits

Selected fellows will receive:

A $12,500 stipend
Up to $20,000 in compute support
Free housing and meals
Travel support
J1 visa sponsorship if required
Research management and mentorship support
Access to a global AI safety research community

The programme begins on 28 September 2026.

MATS Autumn 2026 Fellowship: Research Tracks Available

Applicants may apply to one or more of seven tracks depending on their interests and expertise:

Empirical AI Alignment
Theory
Strategy & Forecasting
Policy & Governance
Systems Security
Founding & Field-Building
Biosecurity

Each track contains multiple mentor-led streams focused on specialized research agendas.

MATS Autumn 2026 Fellowship: Multi-Stage Application Process

The fellowship application process is divided into three stages.

Stage 1: General Application

The first stage remains open until 7 June 2026 and typically takes one to two hours to complete. Applicants must provide:

Educational and professional background
Short responses tailored to selected tracks
Contact details for two references

Returning applicants from Summer 2026 may pre-fill portions of their application.

Stage 2: Central Evaluations

Shortlisted candidates will proceed to standardized assessments designed to evaluate skills relevant to specific tracks.

Examples include:

Research taste and technical implementation assessments for Empirical AI Safety
Writing and analytical reasoning evaluations for Policy & Governance applicants

Some tracks may skip directly to stream applications.

Stage 3: Mentor Stream Applications

In the final stage, applicants rank their preferred mentor streams and complete additional requirements such as:

Stream-specific short essays
Research proposals
Interviews
Work tests where required

Final offers are expected in late July or early August 2026.

Why the Fellowship Matters

As frontier AI systems become increasingly capable and globally influential, demand for experts in AI safety, governance, alignment, and security continues to grow rapidly. Programmes like MATS aim to cultivate a pipeline of researchers and practitioners equipped to address technical and societal risks associated with advanced AI systems.

The fellowship also provides an entry point for individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, including machine learning, governance, forecasting, cybersecurity, philosophy, and biosecurity.

For emerging researchers seeking to contribute to the future of responsible AI development, the MATS Autumn 2026 cohort presents a major opportunity to collaborate with some of the leading organizations and mentors in the field.

LEARN MORE & APPLY HERE

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding