The main program is a 10 to 12 week full-time research fellowship. Fellows work closely with one or more mentors on independent research projects while participating in workshops, talks, office hours, and the broader MATS community. Research directions are developed collaboratively with mentors, with increasing independence throughout the program.

3. Extension Phase

The extension phase typically begins approximately two weeks after the main program concludes. Fellows who demonstrate strong research potential during the main program may apply for a funded 6 to 12 month extension. Extension fellows continue developing independent research with ongoing mentorship and support, typically working from MATS offices or other approved research locations. In recent cohorts, roughly 80% of fellows who applied to the extension phase were accepted.

4. Post-program

MATS aims to accelerate researchers who will:

Seek employment at an existing alignment teams: (e.g., Aligned AI, ALTER, Anthropic, Apollo, ARC, CAIS, Cadenza, CLR, Conjecture, DeepMind, Encultured AI, FAR AI, Leap Labs, MIRI, Obelisk, Ought, Redwood Research, UK AISI);
Continue to pursue academic alignment research (e.g., Cambridge, UC Berkeley CHAI, MIT AAG, NYU ARG);
Apply to the Long-Term Future Fund or Coefficient Giving as an independent researcher;
Found impactful AI alignment organizations.

MATS alumni have gone on to publish safety research, join alignment organizations, including Anthropic and MIRI, and found an alignment research lab. You can read more about MATS alumni here.

Program FAQ

Application

MATS Program

Application

What is a track?

A track is a broad research area within MATS. Empirical, Theory, Strategy & Forecasting, Policy & Governance, Systems Security, Founder & Field-Building, and Biosecurity are our current tracks. Each track contains multiple streams. In Stage 1, you apply to tracks.

What is a stream?

Streams are organized around a research agenda, led by one or more mentors who guide fellows through related projects. In Stage 2, applicants apply to streams within tracks based on research that interests them.

How many streams and tracks can I apply to?

You may apply to as many tracks as you wish at Stage 1. At Stage 2, depending on which tracks you progress in, you may then apply to as many streams as you wish within those tracks; there is no cap. The process is comparable to applying to PhD supervisors.

Are the key dates flexible?

We want to be flexible for applicants who have urgent prior commitments. Based on individual circumstances, we may be willing to alter the time commitment of the program and allow fellows to leave early or arrive late. Please inform us of your availability in the application process.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants who will be 18 years or older before the program start date are eligible to apply. Both US and non-US citizens are eligible to apply. All backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome and prior AI safety experience is not required.

Is this program a full-time commitment?

Yes. The 12-week program requires fellows to commit 40 hours per week to their MATS research. For exceptionally strong candidates with significant concurrent responsibilities, the time commitment can be reduced to 20 hours per week on a case-by-case review. However, the program maintains an expectation of sustained, high-level engagement, including regular participation in core activities and most organized events. Candidates that require a J1 visa to come to the US are unable to participate part time; they can only work part time if they participate remotely or from the UK.

Can I update my application after submitting?

Yes, upon submitting you will receive a link that lets you edit your response. Please note that you will not be able to edit your response once the application period ends.

What is the policy on LLM usage?

LLMs may not be used to write any part of your application unless specific work tests or forms explicitly permit it. MATS monitors for LLM use, and applicants found to have used LLMs may be disqualified.

What should I know about references?

Depending on the evaluations of the tracks and streams you apply to in Stages 1 and 2, we will contact your references. We will send them a form with our own set of questions, so they will not have to prepare a reference letter.

MATS Program

Is MATS officially affiliated with UC Berkeley? Will I get a student card?

Although MATS sometimes supports UC Berkeley-based mentors, MATS is an independent program and is not formally part of UC Berkeley. As such, MATS will not be providing student cards to our scholars.

Where does the program take place?

The main program, or Research Phase, takes place in person in Berkeley, CA and London, UK. Historically, most fellows participate from Berkeley. London is typically chosen by fellows who want to co-locate with their mentor or who have a preference to work from the UK instead of US.Will this program be remote or in-person?

The main program, or the Research Phase takes place in Berkeley, CA and London, UK, with the majority of fellows participating from Berkeley. We strongly encourage in-person participation when possible, as a core part of the program experience comes from day-to-day interactions with your cohort and others in the broader AI safety ecosystem.

Can I participate remotely?

Decisions about remote participation are made on a case-by-case basis and depend primarily on mentor preferences, many of whom are open to the possibility, especially if you have family or other obligations that make in-person participation difficult. We strongly encourage in-person participation when possible, as a core part of the program experience comes from day-to-day interactions with your cohort and others in the broader AI safety ecosystem.

If you have difficulties in securing a visa to participate from Berkeley, we are likely to be able to support participation from our London office.The 6–12 month extension gives fellows the option to participate from Berkeley, London, or remotely.

Can I join the program from outside the US?

MATS is a scientific and educational seminar and independent research program, and provides J1 visas for non-American participants. Participants can also opt to participate from our London office; however, please note that visa support is not available for that option.

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What should I expect from my mentor?

During the main program, fellows should expect to meet with their 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.

Fellows will also receive support from MATS’ Research Management team, who work with mentors by tracking scholar research progress, unblocking scholar research, and assisting with grant applications and deadlines.

What training will the program offer?

Fellows develop as researchers by working with an experienced research mentor, interacting with other fellows, and receiving support from our Research Management team. Research managers meet weekly with most fellows and mentors and help with research strategy, research unblocking, and project coordination.

Other forms of training include workshops on different parts of the research process and seminars on a variety of AI technical safety and governance research.

What are the main deliverables of the research program?

Throughout the program, each fellow will work on an independent research project with input and guidance from your mentor(s). Depending on which stream you participate in, you may collaborate with other fellows in your stream.

Traditionally, fellows submit a Research Plan midway through the program and present their research at the Fellow Symposium at the end of the program.

How can I share feedback with the MATS team?

We welcome feedback. For feedback for the whole team (visible by all MATS staff), please use this form. For feedback that will only be visible to the Co-Executive Directors, Ryan and Christian, please submit here.

You can contact the MATS Board of Directors using this linked form (responses are only viewable by the Board). Please only use this if you feel your question or concern requires board-level attention.

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