7 Prestigious AI Fellowships & Programs (June 2026)
Co-founder at King’s Cross Labs · ex-LinkedIn PM & Forbes 30 Under 30
If you're job hunting in AI right now, the window is narrow. Seven well-funded fellowships and programs are accepting applications this month. Some close in days. I pulled the deadlines, comp, and who each one is actually for so you can apply to the ones that fit before the door shuts.
Why this matters
Prestige signals rotate. Goldman Sachs. McKinsey. Google product roles. Each era had a default "this person is going places" credential.
That ladder is shifting again. Right now the signal is AI fluency, especially people who can implement it, not just talk about it. Fellowships from Anthropic, a16z, and Perplexity are how the next generation gets spotted early. First cohorts are historically the easiest to get into. Most people wait until the last week. Don't be most people.
These are fully funded, well-paid, and accepting applications this month. Ordered by deadline. Check which ones you still have time for.
Key insight: A fellowship line on your resume in 2026 is the new "ex-Goldman" signal. The programs closing this week won't wait for you to finish your cover letter draft.
The fellowships
a16z FDE Fellowship — closes June 26
- Duration: 8 weeks, starts July
- What you do: Ship AI inside real enterprises as a forward-deployed engineer or applied AI leader
- Location: SF hub
- Best for: Builders with enterprise AI experience
- Apply here
Vals AI Fellowship — closes June 30
- Duration: 3–6 months
- What you do: Work on the hardest open problems in AI evaluation
- Comp: $1K–2.5K/week + unlimited API credits, GPU budgets, and frontier model access
- Location: Remote or SF
- Best for: Researchers and engineers obsessed with AI eval
- Apply here
Anthropic Claude Corps — closes July 17
- Duration: 12 months, fully funded
- What you do: Placed inside a nonprofit to build real AI tools with Anthropic mentorship
- Comp: $85K + benefits
- Requirements: Under 2 years of experience, any background; US work authorization required
- Best for: Early-career builders who want to do meaningful work
- Apply here
I wrote a full breakdown of Claude Corps and how to stand out in this guide.
Listen Labs Future Founder Program — rolling
- Duration: Full-time role
- What you do: Real product ownership with mentorship from top VCs
- Comp: Salary + benefits
- Mentorship from: Pear VC, Sequoia, Ribbit, Conviction
- Location: SF based
- Best for: Engineers with founder ambitions who aren't ready to go solo yet
- Apply here
Perplexity Research Residency — rolling
- Duration: Full-time residency
- What you do: Research at the frontier of AI, shaping the future of the product
- Comp: $220K annualized base + full benefits + visa sponsorship
- Who qualifies: Exceptional researchers from any discipline — physicists, quants, cognitive scientists welcome
- Location: In-person SF or Palo Alto
- Best for: Deep researchers ready to move fast
- Apply here
DoorDash Research Fellowship — rolling
- Duration: 3 months, extendable to 6
- What you do: Applied ML on local commerce problems at industry scale
- Comp: Dedicated compute + housing stipend
- Cohorts: Summer and Fall 2026 both open
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Best for: ML researchers who want industry-scale problems
- Apply here
Amplify Partners Writing Fellowship — rolling
- Duration: 3 paid months
- What you do: Research and write deeply in a focus area you choose
- Who it's for: Technical people — devs, researchers — between things or wanting a creative pivot
- Best for: Developers or researchers who want to write
- Apply here
Save this and share it with someone job hunting right now. I share opportunities like this as I find them — follow @its.mikareyes on Instagram.
Here are some related guides to check out:
Frequently asked questions
- Are AI fellowships worth it for getting a job?
- Yes. Right now the strongest career signal in tech is AI fluency, especially in people who can implement it, and fellowships from Anthropic, a16z, and Perplexity are how the next generation gets spotted early. A fellowship line on your resume is becoming the new "ex-Goldman" credential. First cohorts are historically the easiest to get into, so applying early matters.
- Which AI fellowships pay the most?
- Among the programs covered, Perplexity's Research Residency leads at $220K annualized plus benefits and visa sponsorship, followed by Anthropic's Claude Corps at $85K plus benefits for early-career builders. Others like Vals AI pay $1K–2.5K per week with API and GPU credits. Comp varies a lot by whether it's a residency, a full-time role, or a short cohort.
- Which AI fellowship is best for someone early in their career?
- Anthropic's Claude Corps is built for early-career builders. It takes people with under two years of experience from any background (US work authorization required) and places them inside a nonprofit for 12 months with mentorship. Listen Labs' Future Founder Program fits if you have founder ambitions but aren't ready to go solo. Match the program to your stage rather than chasing the biggest name.
- Do I need an AI or research background to apply?
- Not always. Several programs explicitly welcome people from any discipline. Perplexity's residency invites physicists, quants, and cognitive scientists, Claude Corps takes any background, and Amplify's Writing Fellowship is for technical people who want to write. Read each program's "best for" line and apply to the ones that actually fit your experience.