Top AI Safety, Governance, Security, and Policy Fellowships for 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our world at an incredible pace. As AI systems become more advanced, there’s a growing need for experts who can guide their development and use responsibly. This includes ensuring AI is safe, well-governed, and secure. Fortunately, several fellowships and programs are available for those looking to contribute to this important field. These opportunities offer funding, mentorship, and a chance to work with leading experts in AI policy, governance, security, and safety.
This article highlights some of the top fellowships open for applications in 2026, providing pathways for professionals, researchers, students, and emerging leaders to shape the future of AI.
Talos Network Artificial Intelligence Policy Leaders Programme 2026
The Talos Network Artificial Intelligence Policy Leaders Programme is designed for experienced professionals aiming to influence AI governance in Europe. The program seeks to build Europe’s ability to manage advanced AI systems safely and effectively. It supports individuals with backgrounds in policy, government, international organizations, academia, and industry.
Programme Tracks
The program offers two main tracks:
Placement Track
This track is for professionals with at least eight years of experience who wish to move into AI governance roles. Participants will receive a 12-month paid placement at an AI-focused organization. The compensation includes a base salary of EUR 5,000 per month for placements in Brussels, with adjustments for other locations. This track also provides career transition support, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
Training Track
This track is for senior professionals with at least twelve years of experience who want to integrate AI governance and safety into their current work. Participants will receive advanced AI governance training, support for strategic positioning, access to high-level policy networks, and career coaching.
Programme Components
The program includes a Virtual European AI Policy Bootcamp from September 10 to October 22, 2026, with weekly sessions compatible with full-time employment. It also features a Policymaking Summit in Brussels from October 3 to October 9, 2026, offering fully reimbursed participation in workshops and networking with senior policymakers.
Additional Benefits
Fellows gain access to one-on-one mentoring, career coaching, conference funding, coworking support, and connections within government, think tanks, industry, and European institutions. The program also offers strategic career planning and access to the Talos Network alumni community.
Black in Artificial Intelligence Safety and Ethics Fellowship Fall 2026
This 13-week remote fellowship is designed to support Black researchers, practitioners, and future leaders in AI safety, security, and governance. The program runs from September 8 to December 18, 2026.
Research Tracks
Participants can focus on one of three research areas:
AI Alignment
This track explores topics such as interpretability, oversight and control, agency research, and machine learning safety.
AI Security
This track covers cybersecurity, adversarial robustness, risk management, and threat detection in AI systems.
AI Governance
This track focuses on policy frameworks, standards, evaluations, and systemic risk analysis related to AI.
Programme Structure
The fellowship is divided into two phases. Phase one (Weeks 1-5) involves AI safety seminars, expert-led training, and skill development. Phase two (Weeks 6-13) focuses on mentor-guided research and capstone project development, with weekly supervision. Potential outputs include research preprints, technical articles, and grant proposals.
Benefits
Participants receive expert mentorship, AI safety training, research experience, professional development, and access to AI safety networks. The program also offers career preparation opportunities.
Secure Program Synthesis Fellowship 2026
The Secure Program Synthesis Fellowship is a joint initiative by Apart Research and Atlas Computing. It addresses the critical challenge of ensuring AI-generated software is secure and functions as intended. The fellowship runs from June to September 2026.
Focus Areas
Projects may involve:
Specification Elicitation
Developing methods to translate informal requirements into formal specifications.
Specification Validation
Creating tools to check the accuracy and completeness of specifications.
Specification-Driven Development
Building systems that generate and test code based on formal specifications.
Adversarial Robustness
Investigating weaknesses in AI-assisted software development.
Benefits
Fellows receive research mentorship, compute resources, API support, community engagement, travel funding, and opportunities for publication and collaboration. The program also includes participation in a Demo Day. The fellowship is fully remote, requiring 8-30 hours per week.
Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation Artificial Intelligence Fellowships 2026-2027
Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) offers prestigious fellowships focused on AI, international security, geopolitics, and strategic competition. These fellowships provide an academic year of research, faculty mentorship, and access to Stanford’s research community.
Open Fellowship Tracks
Two main tracks are available:
- Artificial Intelligence in Strategic Stability and Military Competition Fellowship: Focuses on the role of AI in international security and military strategy.
- Geopolitics of Artificial Intelligence Fellowship: Examines the global political implications of AI development and deployment.
Benefits
Fellows engage in research for one academic year, receive mentorship from faculty, and gain access to a network of Stanford researchers. They also participate in seminars and a collaborative research environment, with opportunities for professional development. Ideal candidates are researchers, scholars, security experts, AI governance professionals, and international affairs specialists. Applications close on June 8, 2026.
Constellation Visiting Fellowship Fall 2026
The Constellation Visiting Fellowship supports AI safety researchers with a research residency in Berkeley, California. The fellowship lasts for three to six months.
Benefits
This fellowship covers housing and travel expenses. It provides 24/7 office access and a collaborative research environment. Meals are provided on weekdays, and fellows gain access to over 100 researchers through talks and events. Visa support is also offered for international participants.
Program Requirements
Applicants must be working full-time on AI safety or closely related research. Applications close on June 12, 2026.
Coefficient Giving Navigators Incubator – Artificial Intelligence Security Cohort
The Navigators Incubator is a leadership development program focused on addressing global catastrophic risks, with its first cohort concentrating on securing transformative artificial intelligence. The program offers salary matching support, research funding, compute resources, and conference budgets.
What Participants Receive
Participants also benefit from networking opportunities, advisory support, and potential long-term project funding. The program duration ranges from six months to two years.
Focus Areas
The incubator supports work on AI model security, infrastructure protection, compute verification, AI integrity, AI control, and rogue deployment detection. Remote participation is available, alongside opportunities in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, London, and Tel Aviv. Ideal candidates include cybersecurity professionals, national security experts, AI security researchers, and technical founders. Applications are open and should be submitted as early as possible.
Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence Research Fellowship
The Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence (CHAI) at UC Berkeley offers a research fellowship for postdoctoral researchers focused on developing beneficial and human-compatible AI. Fellows collaborate with leading AI researchers and institutions.
About the Fellowship
This fellowship is for highly qualified researchers aiming to create AI systems aligned with human values. Fellows have the freedom to pursue original research across various AI disciplines.
Research Areas
Potential research topics include theoretical foundations of AI, probabilistic programming, long-term decision making, human-robot interaction, and multi-human value alignment.
Fellowship Benefits
The fellowship provides funding for two years, potentially renewable for a third year. It includes a competitive salary, visa sponsorship eligibility, and support for visa costs for fellows and dependents. Participants gain access to world-leading AI researchers and networks, with opportunities to supervise students and lead collaborations. Eligibility requires a PhD in a relevant technical field and a strong research record. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
These fellowships offer invaluable opportunities for individuals passionate about shaping the future of AI. By providing specialized training, research support, and access to influential networks, they empower participants to contribute significantly to AI safety, governance, security, and policy. With deadlines approaching for many of these programs, interested candidates should prepare their applications promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of these AI fellowships?
These fellowships aim to train and support experts in ensuring AI is developed and used safely, securely, and ethically, influencing its governance and policy.
Who is eligible for these fellowships?
Eligibility varies, but many programs target professionals, researchers, students, and emerging leaders with backgrounds in policy, government, academia, industry, and AI-specific fields.
What kind of support do these fellowships offer?
Support typically includes funding, mentorship, training, research opportunities, networking with experts, and career development.
When are the application deadlines for these 2026 fellowships?
Application deadlines vary significantly, with some closing as early as June 2026, so it’s important to check each program’s specific timeline.
