GovAI Summer Fellowship 2026 Applied Track: £12,000 Stipend to Launch a Non‑Research Career in AI Governance

If you want a short, intense runway into practical AI governance work — not more lab notebooks — the GovAI Summer Fellowship Applied Track is one of those rare programs that pays you to build the exact skills employers actually ask for. Over three months in London you’ll get a £12,000 stipend, weekday lunches, a desk in GovAI’s office, mentoring, seminars, and a chance to do a real, portfolio-worthy project that proves you can perform in operational, communications, program, or policy-engagement roles.

This fellowship is built for people who want to take on hands-on projects: organize an influential event, run policy outreach, design a comms strategy for an early safety org, or write practical memos that influence live policy. It’s not for pure academic research. If you picture your next career move being in operations, policy engagement, program management, or communications within the AI governance space, this track is designed to set you up for that move.

Read on for everything you need to know: who should apply, what to prepare, how the selection process works, insider tips to make your application shine, and the exact link to apply before the 23:59 GMT deadline on 4 January 2026.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

This fellowship is more apprenticeship than scholarship. Over twelve weeks you’re paid a competitive stipend and given the physical space, mentorship, and network to produce something employers care about. You’ll spend the first two weeks refining a project with input from a mentor and the GovAI team. The remaining ten weeks are for execution, feedback cycles, and polishing deliverables you can point to in future job applications.

Beyond money and desk space, the fellowship gives structured professional growth: weekly seminars on AI governance topics, Q&A sessions with experienced practitioners, skill-building workshops (for example on stakeholder mapping, technical translation for policy audiences, or event logistics), and peer work-in-progress meetings. Those parts matter. The content you create is important, but your ability to speak confidently about why you made the choices you did — and to show you can work within a team and meet deadlines — will sell you when you leave.

GovAI will also help you think about follow-on careers. Fellows are encouraged to discuss next steps with the team and tap the GovAI network. For non-UK applicants, the organization can sponsor a three-month temporary work visa; expect to remain in your home country for some portion of the visa processing, and factor that into travel plans.

Who Should Apply

This is a good fit for people who want a practical route into AI policy and governance roles where research is not the primary duty. If you’ve worked in events, communications, program management, operations, fundraising, advocacy, or policy teams — or if you’ve led projects in startups, NGOs, media, or the public sector — you can make a strong case.

Imagine three candidates:

• A program manager at a tech nonprofit who has run multi-stakeholder workshops and now wants to specialize in AI governance engagement.
• A policy communications lead in government who wants to translate technical AI issues into clear, actionable advice for ministers.
• A startup operations manager who has organized large developer conferences and wants to pivot into building community infrastructure for AI safety.

All three would be excellent applicants because they have transferable, practical skills. The fellowship looks for people who already demonstrate quality of work and sound judgement: someone who knows how to prioritize tasks, deliver under tight timelines, and communicate clearly to diverse audiences.

GovAI explicitly encourages applicants from varied professional backgrounds — government, academia, industry, startups, media, and civil society — and the program has a tag indicating outreach to Africa, so candidates based in or working on African policy contexts should feel welcome to apply. There are no strict degree or nationality requirements listed, but you must be able to commit to being in London full-time for the fellowship dates (visa sponsorship is offered for those who need it).

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

This section is practical — not motivational fluff. If you want to make the selection committee sit up, follow these steps.

1. Lead with a project that demonstrates career intent. Your proposed project should do two things: produce a tangible deliverable (an event, a comms strategy, a set of policy memos, a stakeholder engagement plan) and clearly bridge where you are now and the role you want next. Don’t pitch something vague like “raise awareness”; pitch “deliver a one-day policy workshop for X audience and a one-page memo synthesizing recommendations,” and explain how that connects to job descriptions you’re targeting.

2. Show concrete evidence of quality. Past performance beats vague enthusiasm. Include links, attachments, or short summaries of previous projects: event programs you organized, fundraising campaigns you ran, policy briefs you authored, or editorial work you led. If you can show metrics — attendance numbers, media pickups, fundraising totals — do it.

3. Keep the scope tight. A three-month fellowship is not the time to build a new organization. Pick a focused deliverable that can be completed, tested, and iterated on. A strong proposal will identify milestones for weeks 1–2 (scoping), 3–6 (build), 7–10 (testing & feedback), and 11–12 (finalize + dissemination).

4. Demonstrate team fit and openness to feedback. GovAI values intellectual honesty and collaborative working. Use examples where you changed course after feedback, worked across teams, or admitted uncertainty and sought help. These stories matter more than claims of vision.

5. Prepare for the paid remote assessment. If selected you’ll do an automated assessment and then a paid remote work test. Treat the remote test like a job audition: deliver on time, format documents professionally, write clearly for non-specialist readers, and include a one-paragraph summary of the main recommendation up front.

6. Address logistics proactively if you need a visa. Mention your visa situation in the application and your willingness to follow the necessary steps. If you have travel constraints (like caregiving responsibilities or academic commitments), be honest and state how you’ll manage them.

7. Get a mentor’s voice in your application. If you can name a credible referee or include a short line from someone who can vouch for your ability to execute projects, do it. Even if GovAI doesn’t require letters at submission, a referee can help at later stages.

If you follow those steps, you’ll present as someone who won’t just benefit from the fellowship but will multiply its impact.

Application Timeline (Realistic, Backward from Deadline)

You have until 23:59 GMT on Sunday 4 January 2026. Don’t cram this. Start at least six weeks before the deadline; eight is safer.

• Weeks 0–2 (mid–November to early December): Decide your project and collect evidence. Draft a one-page project summary describing deliverable, milestones, and why it advances your career. Gather links or PDFs of past work.
• Weeks 3–4 (early–mid December): Write and polish the written submission. Have one or two trusted colleagues outside your immediate specialty read for clarity. If you need to explain technical issues, make sure a non-specialist can follow.
• Week 5 (late December): Final edits, formatting, and upload. Check filenames, ensure links work, and prepare a succinct cover paragraph you can paste into the application form.
• Week 6 (final days before 4 Jan): Submit at least 48 hours early. Confirm receipt. If anything goes wrong, you’ll have time to troubleshoot.

After submission, typical selection steps are: automated assessment (short), a paid remote work test for shortlisted candidates, and then a remote interview. Expect GovAI to communicate decisions in the months leading up to June so successful fellows can arrange visas and travel.

Required Materials and How to Prepare Them

GovAI’s public description emphasizes a written submission, followed by tests and interviews. Prepare the following items ahead of time:

• A concise project proposal (1–2 pages) that states: the problem you’ll tackle, the deliverable, why this project sets up a non-research career move, timeline with milestones, and how you’ll measure success.
• A CV tailored to project delivery. Keep it to 1–2 pages. Highlight relevant accomplishments — events managed, communications campaigns, project budgets, stakeholder lists.
• Work samples or links (up to 3). Choose items that demonstrate execution ability and quality: a program agenda you organized, a briefing note, a blog post for a high‑profile outlet, or a project report.
• Contact information for a referee or two who can speak to your execution skills (not necessarily formal letters at first).
• Availability and visa notes. If you require visa sponsorship write a brief sentence about your situation and willingness to follow processing steps.

Write everything with the audience in mind. The reviewers will be assessing for non-research skills: project management, communications clarity, judgement. Make your documents readable and outcome-focused. Use clear headers, bullets only when they add clarity, and a one-sentence summary at the top of longer documents.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

Reviewers are looking for signals that you will deliver value quickly and reliably. Here’s what distinguishes a strong application from the rest.

First, demonstrable outcomes. Applications that show real-world output — a successful event, a well-cited policy memo, a communications report with measurable engagement — carry a lot of weight. Show the product and the effect it had.

Second, appropriate ambition. Propose a project that’s neither trivial nor overreaching. If you promise a national policy overhaul in 12 weeks, you’ll sound unrealistic. If you propose an evidence-based briefing for a specific regulator, with a pilot workshop and a stakeholder map, you’ll sound practical and strategic.

Third, alignment between project and career goals. The reviewers want to see that the fellowship is a stepping stone. If your proposal shows how the deliverable provides concrete experience matching job descriptions you aim for, that’s persuasive.

Fourth, clarity of communication. If your materials read like well-edited briefing notes, you signal you can translate complex ideas for policymakers — a highly prized skill.

Finally, team fit and humility. Names matter less than behaviors; describe moments where you integrated feedback, mitigated risks, or changed tack after testing an idea. Those stories sell you as someone who will thrive in a mentor-driven environment.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them)

Many applications get rejected for avoidable reasons. Here are common pitfalls and practical fixes.

Mistake: A diffuse project without clear deliverables. Fix: Define one primary deliverable and two supporting outputs. State how each will be evaluated.

Mistake: Overly technical language. Fix: Assume the reviewer is intelligent but not specialized in your niche. Start with a one-sentence summary that tells someone outside your subfield what you will do and why it matters.

Mistake: Underestimating time and scope. Fix: Break your plan into weekly milestones. If a milestone is vague (“engage stakeholders”), specify how many and which stakeholders, and the method of engagement.

Mistake: Submitting late or last-minute. Fix: Finish two days early. Test all links and attachments. Save copies as PDFs. Track the confirmation email.

Mistake: Failing to explain career relevance. Fix: Explicitly connect your project to the job roles you want after the fellowship. Mention specific tasks you’ll be able to do that you can’t yet.

Mistake: Poor presentation of work samples. Fix: Put a one-line caption above each sample explaining context, your role, and the outcome. If a sample is behind a login, provide a short extract or PDF.

Avoid these mistakes and you’ll substantially lift your odds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of projects are acceptable? GovAI’s Applied Track welcomes non-research projects that clearly prepare you for practical roles in AI governance — think events, policy memos, communications planning, stakeholder mapping, or program management prototypes.

Do I need a formal degree or PhD? No formal education requirement is stated. The fellowship prioritizes relevant professional experience and evidence of high-quality work.

Will GovAI pay for my return travel and visa costs? They provide support for travel to London and can sponsor a three-month temporary work visa. Confirm details with the fellowship team if you’re shortlisted, and plan for some visa processing time in your home country.

Is the role full-time? Yes — this is intended to be a full-time, in-person placement between 8 June and 28 August 2026.

Can I apply if I live in Africa? Yes. The program has outreach tagged for Africa and encourages applications from diverse geographies. Note visa logistics and plan accordingly.

What happens after the fellowship? Fellows are encouraged to discuss follow-on opportunities with the GovAI team and connect with the network. The fellowship is explicitly a career accelerator for non-research paths.

How competitive is it? Exact acceptance rates aren’t published. Treat this as selective: prepare a focused, well-documented application and use the paid work test as an opportunity to showcase execution ability.

How to Apply (Next Steps)

Ready to apply? Do these five things in order.

1. Draft a 1–2 page project proposal that is outcome-oriented and scoped to three months.
2. Prepare a 1–2 page CV highlighting execution-focused achievements.
3. Collect up to three work samples and short captions explaining your role and results.
4. Complete the written submission on the application form and submit before 23:59 GMT on Sunday 4 January 2026.
5. If shortlisted, be ready for a 20-minute automated assessment and a paid remote work task. Treat the remote task like a job test: be timely, concise, and professional.

Ready to apply? Visit the official application page and submit your materials here: https://airtable.com/appGDXpQ7LiC3Qhdh/pag7E1Rea0n0xsixr/form

If you have questions about visa sponsorship or logistics, prepare a succinct question and contact the fellowship organizers through the application portal or the GovAI website linked above. Good applications are clear, evidence-driven, and realistic — make yours that way, and this summer could be the career pivot you’ve been planning.