Constellation Astra Fellowship 2026: Fully Funded In-Person Program Advancing AI Safety Research
- Omran Aburayya
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
If you're passionate about mitigating the risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence, the Constellation Astra Fellowship 2026 offers a unique opportunity to contribute to this critical field. Applications are now open for this fully funded, in-person program based at Constellation’s Berkeley research center. The fellowship is designed to accelerate AI safety research and talent development by providing fellows with the resources, mentorship, and community needed to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in AI governance, policy, security, and empirical research. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Location: Berkeley, California, USA
Host Institution: Constellation Research Center
Level: Postgraduate and early-career researchers
Target Group: Individuals motivated to reduce catastrophic risks from advanced AI
Fields of Focus: AI safety, technical research, security, governance, policy, strategy, field-building
Award Value and Coverage:
Competitive stipend
Research budget of approximately $15,000 per fellow per month for compute resources
Visa support for international applicants
Access to Constellation’s Berkeley research center and community
Duration: 3–6 months
Application Deadline: September 26, 2025
Start Date: January 2, 2026
Eligible To: Individuals with technical or domain-specific experience relevant to AI safety
📚 Fellowship Overview
The Astra Fellowship is structured into three main phases:
Orientation & Project Kickoff (Weeks 1–2):
Mentors present project ideas.
Fellows scope and initiate their research projects.
Research & Career Development (Weeks 2–12):
Fellows work closely with expert mentors and Constellation research managers.
Receive 1:1 career coaching and recruiting support from the Constellation talent team.
Placement, Incubation, and Extension (Weeks 12+):
Fellows publish research outcomes and present findings.
Receive support for placement into full-time AI safety roles or incubation of new initiatives.
High-performing fellows may qualify for a program extension of up to three months.
Fellows also have access to Constellation’s Berkeley research center, where they can collaborate with approximately 150 network participants and engage in AI safety-focused convenings, including shared daily meals, seminars, workshops, tabletop exercises, and conferences.
🎁 Fellowship Benefits
Stipend: Competitive financial support throughout the program.
Research Budget: Approximately $15,000 per fellow per month for compute resources.
Visa Support: Assistance with visa applications for international applicants.
Workspace & Community: Access to Constellation’s Berkeley research center and a community of AI safety researchers.
Mentorship & Research Management: Weekly mentorship from senior experts and research management support from Constellation’s team.
Placement Services: Connections to full-time AI safety roles at top organizations.
Incubation Services: Support for launching new AI safety projects, including business operations, communications, hiring, and fundraising.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
The Astra Fellowship is open to individuals who:
Are motivated to reduce catastrophic risks from advanced AI.
Bring technical or domain-specific experience relevant to AI safety, including technical research, security, governance, policy, strategy, or field-building.
Would like to transition into a full-time AI safety role or start an AI safety-focused organization.
Prior AI safety experience is not required. Many impactful fellows have entered from adjacent fields and quickly made significant contributions.
If you're interested but not sure you meet every qualification, you're still encouraged to apply.
📝 Application Procedure
To apply for the Constellation Astra Fellowship 2026, visit the official application page. The application deadline is September 26, 2025, and the fellowship is set to begin on January 2, 2026.
🚀 Final Thoughts
The Constellation Astra Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for individuals passionate about AI safety to contribute to critical research and transition into impactful roles within the AI safety ecosystem. By combining mentorship, career support, research resources, and community engagement, Astra ensures fellows are well-prepared to tackle some of the most pressing challenges posed by advanced AI technologies.