Fully-funded fellowship from the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy for professionals from varied backgrounds who want practical AI policy skills.
From the site: The IAPS AI Policy Fellowship is a fully-funded program for professionals from varied backgrounds seeking to strengthen practical policy skills for securing a positive future in a world with powerful AI.
Why I recommend it: Free to apply and funded if accepted, and it is explicitly open to career changers rather than only policy insiders. Check the current cohort dates before you plan around it.
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity's answers on who qualifies, what the application asks for and how the interview process runs for its free career program for underrepresented students.
From the site: SEO USA CAREER | Apply & FAQ | An internship with SEO Career can change your life. Find out if you qualify and apply.
Why I recommend it: Read the FAQ before the application form — it tells you what the interview actually tests, which is not what the form implies.
A fellowship from a16z for aspiring forward-deployed engineers — people who sit with customers and build software directly against their problems.
Why I recommend it: The forward-deployed engineer role is one of the fastest-growing job titles in AI — this is a paid-attention way in before the market floods.
A program from Listen Labs for people who want to start a company: you work on a real idea with support from the Listen team, with no cost to take part.
Why I recommend it: Apply if you already have a company idea you keep coming back to — programs like this reward a specific problem over a polished resume.
A paid AI research fellowship at DoorDash for summer and fall 2026, working on machine learning problems inside a large operating business.
Why I recommend it: Applied AI inside a logistics company teaches you constraints a lab never will — and the posting names its terms up front, which is a good sign.
Sep 18, 2026CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, UC Berkeley
Application to join UC Berkeley CITRIS's Tech Policy Working Group: research lab-style weekly meetings, lightning talks, skill-building workshops, and an end-of-semester showcase for students working on a technology policy problem. Applications close 11:59 PM Friday, September 18, 2026.
Why I recommend it: No policy coursework required, and the deadline is September 18. Built for Berkeley students, but they invite others to email — worth one message if you want real policy research on your resume.