Research Fellowship
Spend 9 weeks & up to 6-month extensions in London doing high-impact AI safety research with expert mentorship.
Know someone who'd be great? Recommend and receive $1,000 if we accept them.
The fellowship
Why we run it, and what you get
AI might be the most consequential technology humanity builds. Whether it goes well depends in large part on how many talented people are working seriously on making it go well. The fellowship exists to grow that group.
Expert mentorship
Weekly 1-on-1s with established researchers providing methodological expertise, critical feedback, and strategic direction.
Research management
Pivotal's dedicated research managers help you scope projects, stay on track, navigate blockers, and plan your career.
LISA workspace
In-person co-working at the London Initiative for Safe AI. Lunch and dinner included weekdays.
Financial support
£6k–£8k stipend. Plus travel to London, £2,000 housing for non-London fellows, and the compute you need for your research to succeed.
Workshops & speakers
Q&A sessions with leading domain experts and hands-on workshops to sharpen your thinking and expand your network.
Extensions
Up to 6 months continued financial support, mentorship, management, and workspace for strong projects. 70–90% of fellows who applied received extensions in our last cohorts.
Application process
From application to impactful research
Apply
By May 3rdEvaluation
Decisions by May 22ndFellowship
Jun 29 – Aug 28Extension
Up to 6 monthsWritten application
You, your interests, mentor preferences.
1–2hVideo interview
Short recorded interview.
<10mWork task
Mentor-specific research exercise.
1–3hPersonal interview
With the team or your mentors.
30–45mMentors
Work with researchers shaping the field
Browse our mentors and find the best fit for your research interests.
Outcomes
Where fellows go
Past fellows went on to work at
GovAI, SaferAI, UK AISI, IAPS, AI Futures Project, Anthropic Fellowship, Timaeus, Google DeepMind, Cooperative AI Foundation, Beneficial AI Foundation, FLI, the Institute for Progress, among others.
Founded
PRISM Evals, Catalyze Impact, and Moirai — more to come, stay tuned.
Started PhDs at
University of Oxford, Stanford University, EPFL, Max Planck Institute, among others.
Published research
In top academic venues and policy forums. See some of our research →
Testimonials
What they say
"Pivotal helped me grow my professional network and launch my career in AI governance."
"I thought I would like it and it would be good for my career, but I actually liked it more than I thought and think it was better for my career than I thought."
"My first independent AI safety project since university. I was intimidated, but the team was supportive, and I surprised myself by how much I achieved."
"I think the Pivotal research fellowship accelerated my AI safety career by 15 months in expectation."
"The fellowship sharpened my thinking on AI security and helped me figure out where I can have the most impact in AI policy."
"I'm more bullish on starting projects or a startup compared to research since starting at Pivotal. [I am also] more confident now that AI governance is the most important thing."
"The fellowship allowed me to work with top AI safety researchers — a great privilege early in my career. People were surprised what can be accomplished in two months, including me."
"Tremendously educational, inspirational, and fun. I'd highly recommend joining — it was one of the most enjoyable work environments of my life."
FAQ
Common questions
Application
Anyone 18 or older. We've had fellows from ML, philosophy, policy, physics, biology. Your background matters less than motivation and ability.
If you're reading this, probably yes. Our fellowship is selective, but that alone shouldn't put you off. If your interests and background seem like a plausible fit, applying is often worth it. Here's a short post we wrote on this.
You need to apply to at least one mentor. That said, there's often room to shape the project together with the guidance of your mentor.
A written application (~1–2 hours), then for shortlisted candidates: a short video interview, a mentor-specific work task, and a personal interview.
Senior Fellows have significant experience, such as a PhD, industry track record, or strong publications, and receive £8,000 instead of £6,000. The fellowship experience is otherwise the same.
Fellowship
It's an in-person programme in London. We make rare exceptions for people with a strong independent research track record. If you can't fully be in-person, apply either way and flag it in the form.
The fellowship is full-time. Small side commitments are usually fine and you can mention them in your application.
Some mentors have fellows work in teams, others work one-on-one. Either way, collaboration between fellows is common and encouraged.
Usually a research paper, but we're open to blog posts, policy briefs, or other formats if they suit the project. In any case, you retain ownership over your research.
No, Pivotal will not employ you, but we'll have a stipend agreement. Meeting entry requirements is your responsibility — we have an info doc on entry requirements and can sometimes help with the process.
We cover travel to and from London. If you don't already live here, you'll get £2,000 towards accommodation on top of the stipend.
About Pivotal
The field needs more good researchers working on AI safety and governance. The fellowship is the main way we try to make that happen.
Yes, have a look at Work With Us or just get in touch.
Start your application
The 2026 Q3 fellowship is open for applications until May 3rd. We look forward to reading yours.