Every AI fellowship, AI grant and AI programme on this page is open now for 2026 and accepts applicants from Africa. Each links to our full guide, written from the organiser’s own announcement, with what it pays, who qualifies and how to apply. We update this page every month.
Want only the ones you qualify for? Answer five questions on the OpportunityLab Portal and we’ll match you by your level, field and age.
AI policy and governance fellowships
- HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education 2027: Leadership programme for senior education leaders in Africa, Asia and Europe. Deadline: 7 November 2026.
- GovAI UK Summer Fellowship 2027: £14,000 for three months of AI governance research in London, with visa sponsorship. Deadline: 22 November 2026.
- Internet Society Fellowship Program 2027: Up to USD 5,000 for an internet policy project, with mentorship. Deadline: 22 November 2026.
- Belfer Center Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship 2027–28: Up to US$80,000 at Harvard for AI and emerging-tech research. Deadline: 1 December 2026.
- HIIG Impact AI Fellowship 2027: A €5,000 stipend for a ten-week AI impact assessment programme in Berlin. Deadline: 15 January 2027.
AI research fellowships and jobs
- EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026: Paid AI research in Switzerland, open to any nationality. Deadline: 9 November 2026.
- Gates Foundation AI Fellows Program 2026: A 12-month AI fellowship in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa. Deadline: 11 November 2026.
- DAAD Heilbronn AI Fellowship 2026/2027: €2,800 a month for international AI postdocs in Germany. Rolling applications.
- Climate Risk Lab Data Science and Machine Learning Fellowship 2027: A paid one-year role in Cape Town. Rolling applications.
Funding for AI startups and projects
- Mozilla Human-Scale AI Incubator 2026: Up to US$500,000 equity-free for small, community-focused AI. Deadline: 20 November 2026.
- Cities Deliver 2026: AI grants of $500,000–$2 million from the Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation. Deadline: 29 November 2026.
- INSEAD AI Founder Sprint 2027: A free ten-week virtual programme to build your startup with AI, with no equity taken. Deadline: 1 December 2026.
- Sharjah Advanced Industrial AI Accelerator 2027: A US$100,000 prize pool for industrial AI startups, open worldwide. Deadline: 24 May 2027.
- RICH Hub Climate AI Innovation 2026: Scaling grants of up to $200,000 for African innovators. Rolling applications.
Free AI training and mentoring
- Skill RESET Nigeria 2026: Free digital and AI skills training in all 36 states and the FCT. Deadline: 8 November 2026.
- CMU-Africa Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Africa 2027: Free online AI training from Carnegie Mellon University Africa. Deadline: 15 November 2026.
- timbuktoo UniPods Mentor Network 2026: UNDP’s call for AI, tech and business mentors across Africa. Deadline: 15 November 2026.
More lists
- 14 paid fellowships and grants for people shaping AI and the internet (November 2026)
- Free AI and tech training in Nigeria
- Scholarships for Africans, open now
- Fellowships for Africans, open now
- Grants for small businesses and startups in Nigeria
Eligibility: who can apply, and what to check first
- Check where you need to be. Some fellowships are remote; others need you to relocate or hold the right to work, and a few sponsor visas. Each guide says which.
- No degree needed for some. Several AI policy fellowships accept people without a PhD or even a degree; research posts usually want a PhD.
- Apply only through the official page. Every guide links to the organiser’s own application page. OpportunityLab never charges for applications.
Last updated 4 November 2026.