The Cambridge ERA AI Fellowship 2026 is a prestigious, fully funded 10-week research program hosted in Cambridge, United Kingdom, designed to cultivate the next generation of talent dedicated to mitigating the risks posed by advanced (frontier) artificial intelligence systems. Running from July 6 to September 11, 2026, it brings together early-career researchers, professionals, entrepreneurs, PhD students, and motivated individuals from diverse backgrounds to tackle critical challenges in AI safety and governance through hands-on, high-impact projects.

University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship

Organized by ERA, a global network focused on understanding and reducing catastrophic risks from frontier AI, the fellowship emphasizes a balanced approach that combines technical solutions with governance strategies. It recognizes that safely developing and deploying powerful AI requires expertise not just in algorithms and model behaviors, but also in policy frameworks, international cooperation, corporate responsibility, and sociotechnical systems. The program is explicitly “talent-first,” meaning it prioritizes genuine commitment, clear reasoning, epistemic humility, and the ability to think from first principles over traditional credentials like prior publications or specific degrees.

Program Structure

Fellows are immersed in a collaborative “living-learning” environment in Cambridge. They share accommodation, work from a dedicated office space, and benefit from a vibrant community that includes daily interactions with peers, workshops, brainstorming sessions, and over 30 structured events throughout the program.

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship | Fully Funded Online Master’s Degrees

The fellowship is structured around three specialized streams to allow focused yet interdisciplinary work:

• Technical AI Safety: Concentrates on building safeguards into AI systems themselves, such as preventing harmful or unintended behaviors in advanced models.
• AI Governance: Explores policy-oriented solutions, including international coordination, regulatory mechanisms, responsible practices by AI companies, and addressing issues like autonomous agents or cybersecurity threats (e.g., preventing model theft).
• Technical AI Governance (TechGov): Bridges the two by using AI’s own technical features—architectures, algorithms, and interfaces to enable better governance and oversight.

Each fellow develops and completes an original research project under close guidance. Projects are scoped to be ambitious yet achievable within the 10 weeks, with support to ensure they are rigorous, decision-relevant, and clearly communicated. Examples of outputs from past cohorts include working papers, policy briefs, technical reports, code repositories with evaluations, replication studies, or even founding strategy documents for new initiatives. Fellows present their findings at a final Research Symposium and receive help tailoring outputs for maximum real-world influence.

Mentorship is a cornerstone: after acceptance, fellows are carefully paired with domain experts. They also receive dedicated research management support from the ERA team to sharpen skills, navigate uncertainties in the field, and maximize productivity. Additional perks include access to compute resources, introductions to leading organizations, and opportunities for career guidance, making the program especially valuable for those transitioning into AI safety roles or aligning academic work with high-impact goals.

Fully Funded Benefits

The program removes financial barriers so participants can focus entirely on research and growth. Key support includes:

• A competitive prorated stipend equivalent to a £34,125 annual salary for the 10-week duration.
• Full coverage of accommodation (shared housing in Cambridge).
• Meals during working hours.
• Travel expenses to and from Cambridge.
• Visa sponsorship and associated fees for international participants.
• In select cases, extra short-term financial assistance for career transitions or extensions.

Passport holders must ensure validity at least until March 2027 with a blank page for the visa vignette, but the ERA team actively assists with the visa process.

Eligibility and Who Should Apply

There are no strict academic or professional prerequisites; anyone 18 years or older with a strong motivation to contribute to AI safety and governance is welcome. The program explicitly encourages:

• Undergraduates or recent graduates exploring the field.
• PhD students seeking to pivot or deepen their thesis toward AI risk mitigation.
• Professionals from adjacent domains (policy, engineering, philosophy, or other technical fields) transitioning into AI safety/governance.
• Entrepreneurs or independent thinkers with unique perspectives on frontier AI challenges.

Application Process

Applications for the Summer 2026 cohort are currently open and close at 11:59 PM on April 12, 2026. The process is straightforward but thoughtful:

1. Submit an online written application. Short essay questions about your background, motivations, and ideas are estimated to take 2 hours.
2. Top candidates receive a Round 1 interview in mid-April.
3. Shortlisted applicants advance to a concise Round 2 interview in late April, with reference checks.
4. Final offers follow, after which accepted fellows collaborate with the team to refine project ideas and receive mentor matches.

The application form is available directly on the 👉 Official Site. Reviews occur on a rolling basis until the deadline, so early submission is advisable.