The AI Safety Research Fellowship is a full-time programme for research on technical AI safety, AI governance, and related policy questions. Pivotal Research Ltd runs the cohort at the London Initiative for Safe AI from 18 January to 30 April 2027.
Fellows develop a project with an established researcher through weekly one-to-one mentorship, research management, workshops, and an in-person peer environment. Pivotal says it runs fellowship cycles in Q1 and Q3.
Benefits & funding
- Fellows receive a £6,000 stipend; Senior Fellows with substantial prior experience receive £8,000.
- Pivotal covers travel to and from London and provides £2,400 toward housing for fellows who do not already live there.
- Weekday lunch and dinner, workspace at LISA, research management, workshops, and required compute are included.
- Fellows retain ownership of outputs, which are usually research papers but may also be blog posts, policy briefs, or other suitable formats.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old; the programme states no nationality, residency, or degree requirement.
- Applicants should be committed to the safe development of AI; Pivotal accepts backgrounds including machine learning, philosophy, policy, physics, and biology.
- The programme is full-time and normally in person in London; rare remote exceptions may be made for applicants with a strong independent research record.
- Each applicant must select at least one mentor, and is responsible for meeting UK entry requirements if attending in London.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Submit the written application by 16 September 2026, describing your background, interests, and mentor preferences; Pivotal estimates 1–2 hours.
- 2If shortlisted, complete a recorded video interview lasting under 10 minutes.
- 3Complete a mentor-specific research exercise, estimated at 1–3 hours.
- 4Attend a 30–45 minute personal interview with the Pivotal team or prospective mentors.
Program timeline
Application deadline
Sep 16, 2026
Decisions by this date
Dec 10, 2026
Program starts
Jan 18, 2027
Program ends
Apr 30, 2027