Application deadline: Three days remaining! MATS Summer 2026 applications close this Sunday, January 18, 2026 AOE. We've shortened the application this year. Most people finish in 1–2 hours, and we'll get back to applicants about first stage results by the end of January. Visit our website for details: matsprogram.org/apply.

TL;DR: This post is a follow-up to our shorter announcement that MATS Summer 2026 applications are open. It's intended for people who are considering applying and want a clearer sense of what the program is actually like, how mentorship and research support work in practice, and whether MATS is likely to be a good fit.

What MATS is trying to do

MATS aims to find and train talented individuals for what we see as one of the world's most urgent and talent-constrained problems: reducing risks from unaligned AI. We believe ambitious people from a wide range of backgrounds can meaningfully contribute to this work. Our program provides the mentorship, funding, training, and community to make that happen.

Since late 2021, MATS has supported over 500 researchers working with more than 100 mentors from organizations like Anthropic, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, UK AISI, GovAI, METR, Apollo, RAND, AI Futures Project, Redwood Research, and more. Fellows have collectively co-authored 160+ research papers, with 7,800+ citations and an organizational h-index of 40.

Fellows have contributed to research agendas like:

Approximately 80% of alumni now work directly in AI safety/security, and around 10% have gone on to co-found AI safety organizations or research teams. These 30+ initiatives include Apollo Research, Atla AI, Timaeus, Simplex, Leap Labs, Theorem Labs, Workshop Labs, and Watertight AI

What fellows receive

The initial program runs for 12 weeks (June–August 2026) in Berkeley, London, or remotely, depending on stream. Fellows receive:

Mentorship from world-class researchers and a dedicated research manager
$15,000 stipend and $12,000 compute budget
Housing in a private room, catered meals, and travel to and from the program covered
Office space and the community that comes from working alongside other fellows
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