Apply for the fully funded Astra Fellowship at Constellation Institute. A 5-month in-person program in Berkeley, offering mentorship, research opportunities, and career placement for emerging AI safety leaders. Deadline: May 3, 2026.
Introduction
As artificial intelligence continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, ensuring its safe development has become a critical global priority. The Astra Fellowship, Constellation Institute’s flagship program, is designed to bring exceptional talent into the field of AI safety, providing access to world-class mentorship, cutting-edge research projects, and a supportive community of experts.
The fully funded, five-month, in-person fellowship is hosted at Constellation’s Berkeley research center. It aims to equip fellows with both the technical expertise and strategic insight required to reduce catastrophic risks from advanced AI systems. Participants gain hands-on experience advancing frontier AI safety projects, guided by leading mentors from top organizations such as Anthropic, Redwood Research, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.
Program Overview
The Astra Fellowship combines empirical research, strategy, and governance work in AI safety. Fellows are immersed in a collaborative environment where they can pursue high-impact projects, develop new initiatives, and gain career support tailored to the AI safety ecosystem.
Key focus areas include:
- Empirical AI safety research, including experiments and modeling to understand and mitigate risks.
- Strategy and governance, addressing policy, ethics, and organizational approaches for safe AI deployment.
- Mentorship and networking, connecting fellows to senior researchers and industry leaders.
- Placement support for full-time AI safety roles or launching independent initiatives.
Who Should Apply
The fellowship seeks individuals passionate about reducing risks from advanced AI, regardless of prior AI safety experience. Ideal candidates may:
- Have technical or domain-specific expertise relevant to AI research, strategy, or governance.
- Be motivated to transition into a full-time AI safety role or launch a new AI safety initiative.
- Demonstrate creativity, curiosity, and the drive to pursue novel ideas in a rapidly evolving field.
Notably, Astra has a strong track record of welcoming fellows from adjacent disciplines, enabling them to make significant contributions early in their AI safety careers. Over 80% of Astra’s first cohort now hold full-time roles at leading organizations, including the Center for AI Standards and Innovation and the UK AI Security Institute.
Mentorship and Community
Fellows benefit from close guidance by experienced mentors across research and strategy domains. Some of the program’s mentors include:
- Joe Benton – Anthropic
- Aryan Bhatt – Redwood Research
- Owain Evans – Truthful AI
- Neev Parikh – METR
- Buck Shlegeris – Redwood Research
- Jasmine Wang – OpenAI
- Tomek Korbak – OpenAI
The program also fosters a vibrant community through shared workspace at the Berkeley center, where fellows engage in workshops, weekly seminars, tabletop exercises, and informal networking over meals. This collaborative environment encourages knowledge sharing, innovative thinking, and long-term professional connections.
Fellowship Benefits
Astra provides comprehensive support to ensure fellows can focus on impactful work:
- Stipend: $8,400 monthly to cover living expenses during the program.
- Research Budget: Approximately $15,000 per empirical research fellow per month for compute and resources.
- Visa Support: Guidance for international applicants navigating complex visa processes.
- Workspace & Community: Access to Constellation’s Berkeley center, with over 300 weekly visitors and ongoing AI safety events.
- Mentorship & Research Management: Weekly 1:1s, small group meetings, office hours, and Slack collaboration with Constellation’s team.
- Placement & Incubation Services: Support for joining AI safety organizations or launching new initiatives, including guidance on business operations, hiring, fundraising, and communications.
How to Apply
The next cohort of the Astra Fellowship is open for applications until May 3, 2026, at 11:59 PM, Anywhere on Earth. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications early. While prior AI safety experience is not required, applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for learning, strong analytical skills, and a commitment to mitigating AI risks.
Why the Astra Fellowship Matters
AI safety is increasingly recognized as one of the most urgent challenges of our time. By training the next generation of researchers and strategists, the Astra Fellowship accelerates progress toward safer AI development and deployment. Fellows leave the program with the skills, connections, and opportunities to take on leadership roles, influence policy, and develop novel solutions for global AI safety challenges.
Conclusion
The Astra Fellowship represents a unique opportunity for motivated individuals to make a tangible impact in the AI safety field. With fully funded in-person training, expert mentorship, and robust research and career support, participants are equipped to advance their careers while contributing to the safe and responsible development of artificial intelligence.
Applications close May 3, 2026. Apply now and join the forefront of AI safety innovation.
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