AI for good fellowships and scholars programs
Fellowships fund people rather than organizations: a stipend or placement for an individual to spend months on AI work with a social purpose. They are the most accessible entry point on ImpactOpen for early-career researchers, students and professionals who do not run a nonprofit.
Read the fine print on who pays. Anthropic Claude Corps is unusual in funding both sides: the fellow is placed and the host nonprofit receives a grant and credits, which makes it worth a look for US nonprofits as well as candidates. Schmidt AI in Science and Cohere Labs Scholars are paid research positions with staggered or annual deadlines. The AVPN AI for Good Fellowship, by contrast, is a paid leadership course rather than a funded fellowship, so budget for it as training.
ITU's AI for Good Scholars program recurs every spring ahead of the Geneva summit and funds travel for participants from developing countries, making it one of the better-kept secrets for Global South applicants.
Open now
- Anthropic Claude Corps — placed fellow plus $10K and credits for US host nonprofits; cohorts expected Jan and Aug 2027
- Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship — paid postdocs at Oxford, UCSD, Toronto, Imperial and others; deadlines staggered through Oct 2026
Coming soon
- Cohere Labs Scholars Program — paid eight-month ML research apprenticeship, expected to open Fall 2026
Recently closed and recurring
- Bolder Futures Fellowship: AI for Social Good — Micron, 12-week paid remote fellowship, cycle closed
- AI for Good Fellowship 2026 — AVPN Academy, Asia-Pacific leaders, paid program, 2026 cohort underway
- AI for Good Scholars Program — ITU, mentorship plus funded travel to Geneva, recurs annually each spring
Always confirm details and deadlines at the official source before applying. Hand-verified by ImpactOpen.