About IAPS

We encourage you to apply if you have an interest in our work and are considering a career in policy to address the lasting implications of frontier AI. We are interested in candidates from a broad set of professional backgrounds. When assessing applications, the primary quality we look for in candidates is demonstrated good judgement and a strong aptitude for understanding the implications of AI. Strong research and writing skills are a strong plus, but are not necessary, as not all fellows will be working on research-oriented placements. Policy or government experience (particularly in the US, but also in the UK or EU) are also a strong plus. 

No. The Fellowship is designed to train professionals from a variety of backgrounds and no technical expertise is expected. We have historically accepted fellows with varying work and educational experience. Showing a demonstrated interest and fluency in the AI topics that IAPS focuses on is a key part of the selection process.

No. This program is designed to accommodate people without prior experience in policy, though individuals with policy experience are encouraged to apply, and may be particularly suitable for the Applied track.

We expect to respond to initial applications by mid-October, at which point successful applicants will be invited to the next stage, comprising a written task and a short pre-recorded interview. The final stage will consist of a live interview in November. We expect to finalize selection by early December.

The Fellowship is a talent development program. We hope that fellows will gain skills and experiences through their participation that enable them to contribute to the most important problems in AI policy. We believe that addressing the implications of frontier AI will be difficult and will require a strong policy talent, and that IAPS is well suited to identifying, supporting, and training talent to enter the field.

We expect to select up to 45 Fellows in total, but exact cohort size will depend on the composition and quality of our applicant pool.

Once Fellows are selected, IAPS will work with fellows to understand their preferences for their project and mentor, and then work with our researchers and network to facilitate an appropriate match. Mentors will have the final say on choosing to work with a Fellow.

We typically embed Fellows into their supervisor’s workstream following a thoughtful matching process that takes into account the Fellows’s interests, career goals, and skillset. This approach gives Fellows an opportunity to more fully experience AI policy work, contributing to projects with real impact. For example, previous Fellows have contributed to landmark policy research published by IAPS and contributed to the organization of policy workshops. In cases where the Fellow has an especially strong project idea matched with the skillset to enable independent work, supported by a supervisor, then a limited number of independent project proposals will be selected per cohort. There is a chance to indicate this preference during the application.

We can provide part-time options for exceptional candidates who have day jobs or other commitments. However, the default is for fellows to undertake the program full-time, and the number of part-time fellows we typically have is limited.

Only candidates who have the right to work in the U.S. between February 22 and May 14, 2027 are eligible to apply for the D.C. track, as we are not able to sponsor visas for this Fellowship.

As a remote-first organization, IAPS has the systems and experience to fully support remote participation and are able to legally hire in many countries. However, due to administrative or legal constraints, there may be some exceptions. These vary by individual circumstance, and we’ll follow up directly if there are any limitations based on your location. If you have questions about eligibility for hiring in a specific country, feel free to contact us at fellowship@iaps.ai.

Fellows choosing to base themselves in D.C. will be supported with an additional $3k. Fellows in DC will also receive desk space in our office, as well as daily lunch at the office.

Fellows in London will receive an additional $3k. Candidates will have the option to indicate interest in a London-based track in the application. We have an IAPS hub and office space in London, which we will provide access to. However, there won’t be as much active programming relative to the D.C. track.

See above for a description of the two tracks. If you are uncertain which track is a better fit, or you are interested in both, you can indicate interest in both in your application, and we will make a determination which track you are likely to be best fit for. There may also be some opportunity to switch tracks after receiving an offer, if particular projects would be a uniquely good fit.

Yes, under exceptional circumstances we can shift the start date to a few weeks later than February 22, 2027, though in this case, fellows will miss some or all of the in-person programming in D.C. that will take place from February 22 to March 5, 2027.

The Fellowship will end on May 14 by default. We will offer the option for fellows to apply for an  extension during the Fellowship. During our last cohort, more than half of our Fellows extended their Fellowship between 4-12 weeks. 

Senior Fellows will receive $24,000 and Fellows will receive $18,000 as a stipend to work full-time during the three-month program. Fellows based in-person in D.C. will receive an additional $3,000 stipend. We can provide part-time options for exceptional candidates, who will be provided a pro-rated stipend. Fellows will also get access to healthcare benefits and a $500 professional development stipend for the duration of their Fellowship.

We provide invitation letters to support the visa process for the two-week D.C. residency. However, we cannot provide additional individual visa support. Fellows will need to obtain their visa for the two-week event themselves.