What do the Mozilla Fellowship, the Gates Foundation’s new AI Fellows, the Internet Society and Harvard’s technology fellowships have in common? They all pay people to shape how technology affects society: building open and people-first tools, researching how AI should be governed, reporting on AI, and applying it to health, education and climate. If that’s your work, or the work you want to do, this is a good season: we’ve rounded up 14 paid fellowships and grants open right now, listed by deadline.
Most are open to Africans, and several are open to every nationality. Where there’s a limit, such as needing the right to work in a country, we say so in the entry. Each one links to our full guide, with eligibility, benefits and step-by-step application tips.
Quick List: Deadlines at a Glance
| # | Opportunity | Where | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education 2027 | Hybrid, with a London residential | 7 Nov 2026 |
| 2 | EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships | Lausanne, Switzerland | 9 Nov 2026 |
| 3 | Gates Foundation AI Fellows Program | Abuja, Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Johannesburg | 11 Nov 2026 |
| 4 | Internet Society Fellowship Program 2027 | Online, with travel | 22 Nov 2026 |
| 5 | GovAI UK Summer Fellowship 2027 | London, UK | 22 Nov 2026 |
| 6 | Tarbell Fellowship 2027–28 (AI Journalism) | US, UK or Hong Kong newsrooms | 22 Nov 2026 |
| 7 | Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship 2027–28, Belfer Center (Harvard) | Cambridge, USA | 1 Dec 2026 |
| 8 | Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation 2027–28 (Harvard) | Cambridge, USA | 1 Dec 2026 (international) |
| 9 | Mozilla Fellowship 2027–2028 | Global / remote | 17 Dec 2026 (letter of intent) |
| 10 | HIIG Impact AI Fellowship 2027 | Berlin + remote | 15 Jan 2027 |
| 11 | DAAD Heilbronn AI Fellowship 2026/2027 | Heilbronn, Germany | Rolling |
| 12 | Climate Risk Lab Data Science and Machine Learning Fellowship 2027 | Cape Town, South Africa | Rolling |
| 13 | Internet Freedom Fund, Open Technology Fund | Remote | Rolling |
| 14 | FLOSS/fund | Remote | Rolling (reviewed quarterly) |
1. HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education 2027
Deadline: 7 November 2026
A fully funded, 12-month hybrid leadership programme from HP and UCL’s Institute of Education for senior education policymakers and organisational leaders leading AI change in education, with a one-week residential in London and a mentored capstone project. It’s open to applicants from Africa, Asia and Europe.
Read our full HP-UCL AI in Education Fellowship guide
2. EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships
Deadline: 9 November 2026
Paid postdoctoral research in AI at EPFL, with a full EPFL salary, up to CHF 5,000 a year for research and two host labs. It’s open to AI researchers of any nationality.
Read our full EPFL AI postdoc guide
3. Gates Foundation AI Fellows Program
Deadline: 11 November 2026
The Gates Foundation’s first Africa-based AI Fellows: a 12-month, full-time, salaried role applying AI to health and development. You need a relevant degree, 2+ years applying AI and the right to work in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia or South Africa (no visa sponsorship).
Read our full Gates AI Fellows guide
4. Internet Society Fellowship Program 2027
Deadline: 22 November 2026
A free fellowship for people working to keep the Internet open, secure and accessible, with a project stipend of up to USD 5,000, mentorship and travel. It’s open to applicants from every country.
Read our full Internet Society Fellowship guide
5. GovAI UK Summer Fellowship 2027
Deadline: 22 November 2026, 23:59 UK time
A three-month, full-time research or applied fellowship on AI governance and policy at the Centre for the Governance of AI, from 7 June to 27 August 2027. It pays £14,000 plus travel to London, and GovAI can sponsor temporary UK work visas. No degree is required.
Read our full GovAI UK Summer Fellowship guide
6. Tarbell Fellowship 2027–28 (AI Journalism)
Deadline: 22 November 2026
A year-long fellowship for journalists reporting on AI: two months of remote training, a summit, then a nine-month placement in a partner newsroom. It pays US$75,000–120,000 (senior fellows US$115,000–135,000). There’s no nationality bar, but it’s mainly for people with the right to work in the US, UK or Hong Kong; visa sponsorship is possible but uncommon.
Read our full Tarbell Fellowship guide
7. Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship 2027–28, Belfer Center (Harvard)
Deadline: 1 December 2026
A ten-month research fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School on AI, cyber, quantum and how emerging technology affects governance and democracy. Stipends are up to about US$70,000 for doctoral candidates and US$80,000 for postdocs (PhD within about five years).
Read our full Belfer Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship guide
8. Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation 2027–28 (Harvard)
Deadline: 1 December 2026 for international applicants
A joint track of the Nieman Foundation and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, for journalists working on technology and the future of news. It pays US$90,000 over nine months. You need 5+ years of full-time journalism; non-US journalists apply through the international track of the Nieman application.
Read our full Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship guide
9. Mozilla Fellowship 2027–2028
Deadline: 17 December 2026 for the letter of intent
Ten fellowships for technologists, researchers and changemakers building people-first technology: Embedded Fellows receive US$100,000 and Independent Fellows US$125,000, including a project budget. Open worldwide.
Read our full Mozilla Fellowship guide
10. HIIG Impact AI Fellowship 2027
Deadline: 15 January 2027
A ten-week programme (16 August to 22 October 2027) assessing the real-world impact of an AI-for-good project, with a €5,000 stipend and two in-person weeks in Berlin. Open to all nationalities.
Read our full HIIG Impact AI Fellowship guide
11. DAAD Heilbronn AI Fellowship 2026/2027
Deadline: Rolling
Funded AI research stays of one to twelve months at TUM, Max Planck, Fraunhofer and other Heilbronn institutions, paying €2,800 a month. For international postdocs and final-year PhD candidates.
Read our full DAAD Heilbronn AI Fellowship guide
12. Climate Risk Lab Data Science and Machine Learning Fellowship 2027
Deadline: Rolling (fellowship starts February 2027)
A paid, one-year fellowship applying data science and machine learning to climate risk, for recent MSc, Honours and PhD graduates.
Read our full Climate Risk Lab Fellowship guide
13. Internet Freedom Fund, Open Technology Fund
Deadline: Rolling (concept note first)
Grants of US$10,000–900,000 (most often US$50,000–200,000) for technology and research that helps people get around censorship and surveillance. Individuals and organisations can apply regardless of nationality, except in US-sanctioned countries.
Read our full Internet Freedom Fund guide
14. FLOSS/fund
Deadline: Rolling; applications are reviewed at the end of each quarter
Unrestricted funding of US$10,000–100,000 a year for maintainers of widely used free and open-source software, backed by Zerodha. Individuals and organisations anywhere can apply.
Read our full FLOSS/fund guide
Eligibility: What These Fellowships Look For
- A clear idea of the change you want to make. Mozilla, the Internet Society and OTF fund people with a specific problem and a plan, not just a strong CV.
- Evidence you’ve already started. A tool you built, research you published, stories you reported or a project you ran counts for more than ambition alone.
- Public interest over profit. These programmes back work that serves people and communities: open source, digital rights, safe and fair AI.
- The right stage. Some are for doctoral candidates and postdocs (Belfer, EPFL, DAAD), some for experienced journalists (Tarbell, Nieman-Berkman), and some need no degree at all (GovAI, Tarbell).
Tips for a Strong Application
- Start with the closest deadlines. Six close in November, so prioritise HP-UCL, EPFL, Gates, Internet Society, GovAI and Tarbell now.
- Check the work and visa rules first. Gates needs the right to work locally, and Tarbell mainly places people who can work in the US, UK or Hong Kong. GovAI and DAAD support visas.
- Write for a non-specialist. Reviewers often come from policy, journalism or civil society. Explain what your work changes for real people, in plain language.
- Show your links to communities. Many of these programmes want to fund perspectives from the Global South, so make yours visible.
- Never pay to apply. None of these programmes charges an application fee.
Want to see only the opportunities you qualify for, ranked by your own goals? Try the OpportunityLab Portal; it’s free, with no sign-up needed to see your matches.
