PAIE Scholars Program
A staged program for researchers in eligible low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa to build skills and develop rigorous evaluations of AI-enabled interventions for social good. Selected scholars receive training and may later compete for proposal-development support, mentorship, and pilot funding.
This captured cycle appears closed. Use this page for historical guidance unless the official source has reopened the program.
Captured cycle: This page is retained for historical guidance. Confirm whether the program has reopened before planning an application.
PAIE Scholars Program
The PAIE Scholars Program is a staged training and research-development opportunity from the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). It is intended for resident researchers based at universities in eligible low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa who want to evaluate AI-enabled interventions for social good. The program begins with training in randomized evaluation and evaluation of AI-enabled interventions. Scholars who complete the first phase can receive a training-completion award, and some may later compete for proposal-development support and pilot funding. These later stages involve further selection; they are not automatic parts of the initial award. Official program page
At a glance
| Detail | Program information |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) |
| Program focus | Training researchers to develop rigorous evaluations of AI-enabled interventions for social good |
| Intended applicants | Resident researchers in eligible low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa, with a primary university affiliation in an eligible country |
| Degree requirement | Completed PhD in economics or another relevant empirical discipline |
| Training award | US$1,000 after completing assigned training, passing the PAIE assessment, and submitting a qualifying revised concept note |
| Further possible support | Competitive proposal-development and travel grants up to US$10,000; separate competitive pilot grants up to US$75,000 |
| Application deadline | October 16, 2026, at 12 PM ET |
| Expected selection and start | Selections expected in early November 2026; training begins in November 2026 |
| Official page | PAIE Scholars Program |
What does the program offer?
The first phase combines online coursework, live workshops, and a proctored PAIE assessment. Its subject matter includes randomized evaluation and evaluating AI-enabled interventions. The program is designed to help scholars build evaluation skills and develop a research idea; it is not described as an unconditional research grant at entry. (J-PAL, program benefits)
A scholar who completes assigned training, passes the PAIE assessment, and submits a revised concept note that meets program requirements receives a US$1,000 award. All three milestones matter. The brief does not specify the detailed assessment or concept-note requirements, so applicants should consult the program page and any instructions sent during the program before planning around the payment. (J-PAL, training award conditions)
After training, a subset of scholars may receive a proposal-development and travel grant of up to US$10,000. This support is meant to take a preliminary idea toward a full pilot proposal; recipients may also receive research mentorship. The page does not specify how much of a grant may be used for travel or the exact terms of travel support. Applicants should verify the allowable costs and conditions with J-PAL rather than budgeting on an assumed travel allocation. (J-PAL, proposal-development support)
A later competitive review may award pilot funding of up to US$75,000. The pilot can serve several research-development purposes: testing feasibility, refining measurement, preparing implementation, collecting pilot data, or facilitating access to administrative data. The stated maximum is not a guaranteed amount, and the brief does not establish that all proposal-development grant recipients can or will progress to this review. (J-PAL, pilot funding)
Who should apply, and who is eligible?
This cohort is for researchers who are resident in a World Bank-defined low- or middle-income country in Asia or Africa and whose primary professional affiliation is with a university in an eligible country. The program page links to the definitive country list; the brief does not reproduce that list. Check the linked list directly before investing time in an application, and confirm that both your country of residence and university affiliation meet the stated conditions. (J-PAL, eligibility information)
Applicants must have completed a PhD in economics or another relevant empirical discipline. They must also have advanced quantitative-methods training, an interest in evaluating AI-enabled interventions, sufficient English proficiency, and availability to complete program requirements. These are published requirements, not optional preferences. (J-PAL, eligibility information)
The program may be a strong fit for an empirical researcher who can connect an AI-enabled intervention to a concrete social-good question and is interested in evaluating it rigorously. Applicants need a working concept note, but the program does not require a fully developed evaluation design or an implementing partner at this application stage. (J-PAL, application and eligibility details)
How to Apply
The application is online and asks about academic background, research experience, quantitative training, and interest in evaluating AI-enabled interventions. The published submission materials are a CV, one to three examples of research, brief statements, and a working concept note. (J-PAL, application requirements)
The concept note should describe your research idea and explain how it could lead to a randomized evaluation. It need not present a fully developed design, and an implementing partner is not required at this stage. Use the note to make the research question and the possible evaluation pathway understandable without implying that a partnership or implementation plan is already secured. (J-PAL, concept-note guidance)
A practical submission sequence is:
- Confirm that your country and university affiliation qualify using the World Bank-defined country list linked on the official page.
- Review the online application’s questions and prepare responses on your academic background, research experience, quantitative training, and interest in AI-enabled evaluation.
- Assemble your CV and select one to three research examples that represent your work. Check the application for accepted file formats and any instructions about how to submit them.
- Draft a working concept note that states the research idea and how it could be evaluated through a randomized evaluation. A complete design and partner are not prerequisites according to the published guidance.
- Complete the brief statements requested in the form, check every field and attachment, and submit by the stated deadline. Save any submission confirmation for your records.
Timeline and deadlines
The official timeline says applications opened September 17, 2026 and are due October 16, 2026 at 12 PM ET. Scholar selections are expected in early November, and training begins in November. The deadline is a specific time, not simply the end of the date; applicants in other time zones should convert 12 PM Eastern Time carefully and submit ahead of it. (J-PAL, program timeline)
Initial training is tentatively expected to run for about three months, from November 2026 through January 2027. The expected weekly commitment is about four to ten hours, depending on prior training. Both the duration and weekly hours are described as tentative or approximate, so applicants should plan for the stated range while checking current program instructions for any schedule updates. (J-PAL, program timeline)
The page does not confirm dates for the assessment, revised concept-note submission, proposal-development decisions, or pilot-grant decisions. Do not infer those dates from the expected training window. Applicants should consult the official page and communications from the program for updates after applying or being selected. (J-PAL, program timeline)
Preparation and common mistakes
Optional preparation advice: Before starting the form, make a short eligibility checklist covering residence, university affiliation, completed PhD, quantitative-methods background, English proficiency, and availability. Confirm the eligible-country list directly because the brief does not name the countries. For the concept note, sketch the social-good problem, the AI-enabled intervention you want to study, and a plausible route to a randomized evaluation. The program explicitly allows applicants to apply without a fully developed design or implementing partner, so avoid delaying an otherwise eligible application while trying to secure or finalize those elements. This is preparation advice based on the published concept-note scope, not a selection rubric. (J-PAL, application guidance)
Common avoidable errors include treating the later grants as guaranteed, overlooking the conditions attached to the US$1,000 award, assuming a country is eligible without checking the linked list, or missing the noon ET cutoff. (J-PAL, program page)
Frequently asked questions
Is the US$75,000 pilot grant part of the initial award?
No. The program describes pilot funding as a separate opportunity following a further competitive review. It may provide up to US$75,000 for a pilot purpose, but neither eligibility for the initial cohort nor completion of training guarantees it. Proposal-development support of up to US$10,000 is also for a subset of scholars after training. (J-PAL, funding stages)
Do I need a partner or a complete randomized evaluation design to apply?
No, according to the published application guidance. You need a working concept note describing the idea and how it could lead to a randomized evaluation, but do not need a fully developed design or implementing partner at this stage. (J-PAL, application guidance)
How much time should I plan for during training?
The tentative initial phase lasts about three months, from November 2026 through January 2027, with an expected four to ten hours per week depending on prior training. Confirm the schedule if selected, since the page labels the duration tentative and the weekly figure approximate. (J-PAL, program timeline)
Where can I check whether my country qualifies?
Use the definitive eligible-country list linked from J-PAL’s official program page and check the residency and primary university-affiliation conditions together. The supplied information does not contain the country list itself. (J-PAL, eligibility information)
Are all grant details and later decision dates published?
No. The amount and terms of travel support within the proposal-development grant are unspecified in the supplied information. Dates for the assessment, revised concept note, and later funding decisions are also to be confirmed. Check the official page and program communications for current details; do not assume a travel allocation or decision schedule. (J-PAL, program page)
Official source
For the current application form, linked eligible-country list, and any updates to requirements or dates, consult the J-PAL PAIE Scholars Program page. The confirmed application deadline in the supplied program information is October 16, 2026 at 12 PM ET. The eligible-country list, travel-grant terms, assessment and revised-note dates, and later proposal and pilot decision dates remain details applicants should verify directly.