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MATS Summer 2026 Program
webmatsprogram.org·matsprogram.org/program/summer-2026
MATS is a major AI safety fellowship program that has become a significant talent pipeline for the field, connecting emerging researchers with senior mentors at top safety organizations.
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Summary
MATS (Machine Learning Alignment Theory Scholars) Summer 2026 is a fellowship program running June-August 2026, connecting 120 fellows with 100 mentors from leading AI safety organizations including Anthropic, UK AISI, Redwood Research, and ARC. Fellows collaborate on AI safety research across streams including empirical alignment, interpretability, policy & strategy, technical governance, and compute infrastructure, with potential 6+ month extensions.
Key Points
- •Largest MATS program to date with 120 fellows and 100 mentors across multiple research tracks
- •Research streams cover empirical alignment, interpretability, policy & strategy, technical governance, and compute governance
- •Partner organizations include Anthropic Alignment Science, UK AISI, Redwood Research, ARC, and LawZero
- •Multi-phase structure: general application, evaluations (coding/work tests, interviews), admissions, main program, and optional 6+ month extension
- •Applications for Summer 2026 are closed; Autumn 2026 applications open late April
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[Program](https://www.matsprogram.org/team)
[Summer 2026](https://www.matsprogram.org/program/summer-2026)
# MATS Summer 2026
The Summer 2026 program will run from June through August. It will be largest MATS program to date with 120 fellows and 100 mentors. Fellows will be connected with mentors or organizational research groups, such as [Anthropic's Alignment Science](https://alignment.anthropic.com/) team, [UK AISI](https://www.aisi.gov.uk/), [Redwood Research](https://www.aisi.gov.uk/), [ARC](https://www.alignment.org/), and [LawZero](https://lawzero.org/en), to collaborate on a research project over the summer. Some fellows will be offered a 6+ month extension to continue this collaboration.
**Applications are now closed.** Applications for upcoming programs: Autumn 2026 will open in late April. [Sign up here](https://matsprogram.org/eoi) to be notified when the next round open.
[Apply](https://www.matsprogram.org/apply) [Expression of interest](https://matsprogram.org/eoi) [Summer 2026\\
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Streams](https://www.matsprogram.org/program/summer-2026#streams)
## Program phases
Key dates for the application and admissions timeline
1\. Applications
**General Application (December 16th to January 18th)**
Applicants fill out a [general application](https://forms.matsprogram.org/apply-s26) which should take 1-2 hours. Applications are due by January 18th.
**Additional Evaluations (Late January through March)**
Applicants that are advanced in the applications process go through additional evaluations including reference checks, coding tests, work tests, and interviews. Which evaluations you will undergo depend on the [mentors](https://www.matsprogram.org/mentors) and [streams](https://www.matsprogram.org/program/summer-2026#:~:text=4.%20Post%2Dprogram-,Summer%202026%20Streams,-Technical%20Governance) you [apply](https://www.matsprogram.org/apply) to.
**Admissions Decisions (Early April)**
Selected applicants are notified of their acceptance and anticipated mentor later in the application cycle.
Summer 2026 Timeline:
2\. Main Program
3\. Extension Phase
4\. Post-program
## Summer 2026 Streams
Filters
Empirical
Policy and Strategy
Theory
Technical Governance
Compute Infrastructure
MATS supports researchers in a variety of research tracks, which includes technical governance, empirical, policy & strategy, theory, and compute governance. MATS fellows participate in a research stream consisting of their mentor(s) and other mentees. You can specify which tracks and streams to apply to in the general application. Each stream provides its own research agenda, methodology, and mentorship focus. You can also view this list as a grid [here](https://airtable.com/app4HDoaiWyDr5Wf7/shrJG1laV6P9Sz0nw).
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