Frequently Asked Questions

  • Our tentative timeline for applications and the MATS Winter 2024 program is:

    Application release: October 20 (for most streams)

    Application due date: November 10, 11:59 PT (Neel Nanda’s stream), Nov 17, 11:59 PT (other streams)

    Stipend: Accepted scholars will receive USD 12k from AI Safety Support for full-time participation over the Training and Research Phases of MATS (10 weeks, combined). Scholars who only complete the 4-week Training phase of Neel Nanda’s stream (Nov 20-Dec 22) will receive a stipend of USD 4.8k for time spent.

    Program Start: January 8. The Winter 2024 Cohort consists of three phases. Program takes place in-person in Berkeley, California and has a time commitment of 40 hours per week.

    Training phase: January 8 - January 21. A 2-week training program. Scholars are expected to complete the Alignment Safety Fundamentals Alignment Course before the training phase starts.

    Research phase: January 22 - March 15. A 2-month educational seminar and independent research program.

    Extension phase: Possible ongoing 2-4 month extensions for select scholars, potentially in Berkeley, California or London, UK.

    We want to be flexible for applicants who have winter exams or start school earlier. Based on individual circumstances, we may be willing to alter the time commitment of the scholars program and allow scholars to leave or start early. Please tell us your availability when applying.

  • We want to be flexible for applicants who have winter exams or start school earlier. Based on individual circumstances, we may be willing to alter the time commitment of the scholars program and allow scholars to leave or start early. Please tell us your availability when applying.

    The in-person scholars program can be 20 h/week for very promising applicants with concurrent responsibilities, although we expect a strong involvement in the program and participation in most organized events.

  • Applicants who will be 18 years or older on January 8, 2024 are eligible to apply. Both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply. All backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome.

  • MATS itself cannot provide any funding; however, AI Safety Support has offered to provide a stipend totaling USD 12k for completing the program. Scholars who additionally complete Neel Nanda’s 4-week Training Program are expected to receive the prorated amount of USD 4.8k for time spent.

  • Scholars who are rejected from Neel’s training phase will receive the USD 4.8k stipend from AI Safety Support for time spent. We encourage those who do not proceed to the main research phase to reapply in the next cohort.

  • MATS participants may have to pay taxes on their grants based on the rules of the countries in which they are a resident for tax purposes. The grants should be regarded as “private grants from a non-profit entity (AI Safety Support, not MATS) provided to individuals for the purpose of independent research and participation in a US-based educational seminar program.”

  • The Research Scholars Program will be in-person in Berkeley, CA Jan 8-Mar 15. For exceptional applicants, we may be willing to offer the program online.

    Neel Nanda’s stream also has a compulsory online training program Nov 20-Dec 22.

  • MATS is a scientific and educational seminar and independent research program, and therefore scholars from outside the US can apply for B-1 visas (further information here). Scholars who come from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Designated Countries can instead apply to the VWP via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which is processed in three days. Scholars accepted into the VWP can stay up to 90 days in the US, while scholars who receive a B-1 visa can stay up to 180 days. Please note that B-1 visa approval times can be significantly longer than ESTA approval times, depending on your country of origin.

  • There is an option to apply with your own research proposals. This option is likely to be more selective than applying under a mentor; however, we are willing to accept outstanding applicants.

  • During the scholars’ program, you should expect to meet with your mentor for at least one hour per week, with more frequent communication via Slack. The extent of mentor support will vary depending on the project and the mentor. Scholars will also receive support from MATS’s Technical Generalist staff, who will serve as teaching assistants and may assist with research mentorship.

  • In the past, we have offered applicants who were successful under multiple mentors the choice of who to work with. In the case that an applicant is borderline accepted with one mentor and much more preferred by another, we will take this into account when considering the applicant's preferences.

  • MATS aims to have a strong emphasis on education in addition to fostering independent research. We plan to host some newly developed curricula, including an advanced alignment research curriculum, mentor-specific reading lists, discussion groups, workshops on model-building and rationality, and more. We plan to help scholars build their alignment research toolbox by hosting seminars and workshops with alignment researchers and providing an academic community of fellow alignment scholars and mentors with diverse research interests. MATS’s main goal is to help scholars, over time, become strong independent researchers who can contribute to the field of AI alignment.

  • Besides working on your research project with your mentor, you will be required submit a Scholar Research Plan (SRP) midway through the program and give a brief presentation on your research at the Scholar Symposium at the end of the program.

    Additionally, scholars interested in the extension program will be required to submit a grant application midway through the program in order to finance housing, daily expenses, office space, etc. after the research phase.

  • To get into the extension program, you need endorsement from the MATS executive and external funding. The MATS executive (and likely funders) will request an endorsement from your mentor(s) and usually defer to their judgment.

    MATS will be holding workshops and seminars to assist scholars submitting grant applications.

  • Yes. However, you will still need to secure your own funding to cover wages and compute unless otherwise determined by the MATS executive.

  • MATS will help coordinate funding for scholars for the extension program as scholars will need to secure funding in order to cover daily living expenses, housing, and office rent. MATS will coordinate office space and support staff for scholars, but otherwise scholars will be accountable for their research progress to external funders.

  • Please feel free to send the MATS executive team (Ryan, Christian) any feedback (including anonymous) regarding the MATS program!