Applications are now open for the Fully Funded GovAI Summer Fellowship 2026, Research Track in London (GovAI will sponsor 3-month temporary work visas)

Ednah Carrick December 17, 2025

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Closing Date: 4 January 2026

Applications are now open for the Fully Funded GovAI Summer Fellowship 2026, Research Track in London (GovAI will sponsor 3-month temporary work visas)

This is a three-month, full-time, in-person summer fellowship in London. Fellows work on a research project, receive close supervision, and engage with experts and peers through seminars and Q&A sessions. GovAI welcome a wide range of applicants, from early-career individuals to experienced researchers or policy professionals with established track records in adjacent fields.

About GovAI

GovAI is a nonprofit research organization focused on AI governance. GovAI conducts research on risks from advanced AI and advise key decision-makers in industry and government. GovAI also help address talent gaps by running fellowships and visitor programs.

About the Fellowship

Seasonal Fellows in the Research Track join GovAI to conduct independent research on a topic of their choice, with mentorship from leading experts in the field. Each fellow is paired with a supervisor from the GovAI team or network. They spend the first two weeks of the fellowship exploring the AI governance landscape, before settling on a research proposal with input from their supervisors. Their research could result in a report, white paper, journal article, op-ed, or blog post targeted at an audience relevant to AI governance. The Research Managers and its broader team will offer additional support in deciding what project and output would be most valuable for the fellow to work toward.

Alongside their research and weekly meetings with their supervisors, fellows will also have the opportunity to widen their professional network and upskill on AI governance. GovAI will organize a series of Q&A sessions with AI governance experts, seminars and workshops aimed at developing subject-matter knowledge and building relevant skills, and work-in-progress meetings that facilitate peer-to-peer feedback, as well as social events. Fellows will also be encouraged to discuss follow-on career opportunities with our team and network.

Qualifications and Selection Criteria

GovAI strongly encourages you to apply if you are interested in using your career to help decision-makers navigate the transition to a world with advanced AI.

GovAI is interested in candidates from a broad set of professional backgrounds, including those with experience in government, academia, industry, or civil society. There are no specific requirements for the role, although GovAI expect that the most promising candidates will typically have relevant graduate study, research experience, or professional experience in policy or related areas. Relevant areas of expertise include – but are by no means limited to – public policy, political science, computer science, economics, biosecurity, cybersecurity, China studies, and risk management (e.g. assurance and auditing).

When assessing applications, GovAI will be looking for candidates who have the following strengths or show positive signs of being able to develop them:

Quality of work: The ability to produce clearly written, insightful, and even-handed research. GovAI is particularly excited about strong reasoning ability, and clear and concise writing.
Relevant expertise: Skills or knowledge that are likely to be helpful for work on AI governance. GovAI thinks that relevant expertise can take many different forms. Note that we also do not have any strict degree requirements.
Judgement: The ability to prioritise between different research directions, and good intuitions about the feasibility of different research directions.
‍Team fit: Openness to feedback, commitment to intellectual honesty and rigour, comfort in expressing uncertainty, and a serious interest in using your career to contribute to AI governance.

Salary, Duration, and Location

Summer Fellows will join for three months, between 8 June and 28 August, in GovAI office in London, UK. Fellows will receive a stipend of £12,000, plus support for travelling to London. While in London, GovAI provide its Fellows with lunch on weekdays and a desk in its London office. This is intended to be a full-time and in-person role. GovAI is able to sponsor 3-month temporary work visas. For successful applicants who require a visa, note that you will need to remain in your country of visa application for some time while the visa application is underway.

Senior Candidates

GovAI realises that for senior professionals or academics, some of the above may present obstacles to your participation in the fellowship. For candidates with exceptional profiles, GovAI is sometimes able to make accommodations. If you would like to discuss this option, please email [email protected] with the subject line containing the words “senior candidate summer fellowship 2026,” a copy of your CV, and a brief explanation of the adjustments you would require to make your participation possible.

‍How to Apply and What to Expect

The application process consists of a written submission in the first round. Selected candidates will then complete an approximately 20-minute automated assessment that serves as a pathway to the second round, which includes a paid remote work test. In the final round, GovAI will invite candidates to a remote interview.

GovAI expects to reach out to Summer Fellowship candidates for the automated assessment shortly after submission, for paid work tests in January, offer interviews in February, and communicate final decisions to candidates in March. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you would need a decision communicated earlier than the standard timeline (this may or may not be possible), or have questions about the application process.

Addressing complex AI governance challenges requires many different skillsets and perspectives. GovAI welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. If GovAI mission excites you, GovAI encourages you to apply, even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed. Your unique combination of experience and motivation might be exactly what GovAI is looking for.