The Pathfinder Fellowship is one of the most direct on-ramps into a career in AI safety available to university students today. Run by Kairos, a nonprofit dedicated to helping society navigate transformative AI, the program gives student organizers at campus AI safety and AI policy groups the mentorship, funding, and field-building skills to turn their university communities into genuine pipelines for the field.
About the Pathfinder Fellowship Program
Administered by the Kairos AI Project, Pathfinder is a selective semester-long fellowship that supports students who are actively building or leading technical AI safety or AI policy groups at their universities. The Fall 2026 cycle is now open with a July 28 deadline. Rather than focusing purely on individual research skill, the program invests in the student organizers who create conditions for others to engage with AI safety. Past Pathfinder fellows have gone on to roles at UK AISI, Redwood Research, Coefficient Giving, and Constellation, and have advanced to selective research programs including MATS, Astra, Generator, and Horizon. Fellows are paired with mentors who have worked at organizations including Anthropic, METR, and RAND.
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Funding Size
- Group activity funding available to all Pathfinder fellows for expenses including compute, speaker events, catering, and outreach materials
- Graduate student fellows may receive a personal stipend to offset organizing time
- Undergraduate students are not eligible for the personal stipend but are eligible for group funding
- Funding decisions communicated by September 2, 2026; expedited decisions available on request
Who Can Apply
- Students at any university worldwide who are actively organizing or building a technical AI safety or AI policy campus group
- Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible
- Graduate students may additionally apply for a personal stipend
- Individual applications only; group applications are not accepted
- No prior AI safety research experience is required, but genuine commitment to field-building is expected
Geographic Eligibility
- Open globally
- Fellows may be based at any university worldwide
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Technical AI safety and alignment field-building at universities
- AI policy and governance group development
- Campus community organizing and leadership development
- Career pathway preparation for AI safety and policy roles
Application Process
Applications are submitted online through the official Pathfinder portal at pathfinder.kairos-project.org. Each applicant must submit an individual application. The portal also offers a Pathfinder Support Grants track for experienced organizers who have previously completed the fellowship and need funding without the full mentorship component.
Required Materials
- Completed individual online application form
- Description of current or planned AI safety or AI policy university group activities
- Statement of goals and organizing vision for the semester
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 28 July 2026, 11:59 p.m. Anywhere on Earth
- Funding decisions: 2 September 2026 (expedited available on request)
Read Also: Anthropic AI Safety Fellowship 2026 – Apply Now
Selection Notes
- The program is selective; a clear and realistic plan for the campus group carries more weight than prior AI research credentials
- Applicants are encouraged to apply even if their group is new or still being established
- Graduate students should indicate stipend interest within the application