MATS Residency 2027 Winter Intake for AI safety researchers

What is the MATS Residency?

The Residency funds people to pursue ambitious, longer-term AI safety research that does not fit neatly in academia or industry. Priority areas include safe automation of alignment research, safety cases, evaluations and technical AI governance, and safety for agentic and multi-agent systems. Residents work in a hybrid format and spend at least a third of the programme in person at offices in London, Berkeley or Washington, DC.

Who should apply?

Applications are judged on the quality and seriousness of the work, not on credentials. You do not need a PhD, a researcher job title, a publication record or prior AI safety experience. The Residency is open to applicants internationally and provides visa support for those relocating from abroad.

What does the application include?

Everyone submits a short profile, a track choice, two references, one representative work sample and two short written responses. Tracks add a research or project plan, a statement of why the Residency is right for you now and, for the Incubation track, an early-milestone plan with governance and publication considerations. Disclosed use of AI tools in preparing the application is allowed.

Key dates

The 2027 Winter intake opened on 25 August 2026 and closes on 31 October 2026, Anywhere on Earth. Outcomes are expected by the end of November 2026, with interviews or paid work tests in early December 2026 and a start in early 2027. The next window opens in March 2027.