AIxBio Fellowship 2027 in Cambridge, UK (Fully Funded)

Applications are now open for the AIxBio Fellowship 2027, a fully funded 10 week programme in Cambridge, UK, for people working on biosecurity risks made worse by advanced AI. It is run by ERA in partnership with the Cambridge Biosecurity Hub and runs from 18 January to 26 March 2027. Fellows receive a £10,000 stipend, meals during working hours, and travel and visa support.

The programme is open to anyone aged 18 or older from any country, and prior formal research experience is not required. Applications close on Monday 19 October 2026 at 23:59 UTC. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Organiser: ERA, in partnership with the Cambridge Biosecurity Hub
• Degree Level: No specific degree level required. Graduate students, early career researchers, experienced professionals, engineers and founders can all apply
• Host Country: United Kingdom (Cambridge)
• Programme Dates: 18 January to 26 March 2027
• Funding Type: Fully funded
• Open to All Nationalities: Yes.
• Minimum Age: 18 years
• Application Deadline: Monday 19 October 2026, 23:59 UTC

What This Scholarship Offers:

Financial Support

• A £10,000 stipend to cover your living costs, so you can focus fully on your work for ten weeks
• Meals during working hours, which lowers your daily expenses
• Travel costs covered, so getting to Cambridge does not come out of your pocket
• Visa costs covered, with full visa sponsorship for international participants from most countries
• A dedicated project funding pot to support your research or project
• Compute resources where your work needs them

Guidance and Skills

• An expert mentor matched to your project, who challenges your assumptions and connects your work to what is already happening in the field
• A dedicated ERA Research Manager who helps you scope your project, set milestones and plan your research
• Workshops on research communication, writing and other skills, which help you present your work clearly and professionally

Career and Network Benefits

• Direct contact with researchers across biosecurity, frontier AI safety and policy, in academia, government and industry
• Introductions to the right people through talks, workshops and project feedback
• A real project to show for your ten weeks, such as an evaluation method, a screening tool, a policy analysis or a pilot
• A possible route to continue with ERA’s longer term in house Research Scholar positions, for particularly promising projects and fellows

Workspace and Community

• A dedicated workspace in ERA’s Cambridge office, alongside other people working on AI safety and biosecurity
• Regular talks, workshops, dinners and social events
• Connections with the wider Cambridge research community and ERA’s other programmes, such as ERA:AI and FASR
• Support from operations and community teams, including help with relocating to and living in Cambridge, and wellbeing support

Also Check: United Nations Young Professionals Programme

Fellowship Tracks:

1. Research Track

Turn an open biosecurity question into a tractable project and produce evidence, methods or tools that can change research or policy decisions.

Possible outputs:

• An evaluation method
• A safeguard study
• A policy analysis

2. Placement Track

Embed with a biosecurity team and own a real workstream in research, engineering, policy or implementation.

Possible outputs:

• A screening tool
• An evaluation workflow
• Analysis that supports a team’s decisions

3. Founding Track

Test whether a neglected biosecurity gap deserves a dedicated organisation, and what it would take to build one.

Possible outputs:

An initial tool or pilot, tested with potential users to see if a dedicated effort is worth pursuing

Eligibility Criteria:

• You must be 18 years or older
• There are no other formal eligibility restrictions
• Applicants from all countries are welcome
• Prior formal research experience is helpful but not required
• You should be motivated to reduce global catastrophic biological risks, especially engineered pandemics and biological threats amplified by advanced AI
• You must be able to attend in person in Cambridge, UK, full time, from 18 January to 26 March 2027
• If you need a visa, your passport must have at least one blank page and be valid until at least March 2027

The organisers encourage you to apply even if you are unsure you meet every criterion or feel your background does not fit neatly into a category.

Also Check: University of Science and Technology of China Winter Camp 2027

Selection Process:

Written Application

A short form asking about your background, the problems you care about and how you think about AI and biosecurity. The organisers care much more about the quality of your reasoning than polished writing.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by the ERA team, who explore how you reason about difficult problems and where the fellowship could best support you.

Work Test

Some mentors and placement organisations run short work tests. Depending on your track, you may be asked to complete between 0 and 3.

Important Notes:

• Write everything yourself. All written responses must be entirely your own. Help from other people or AI tools to generate or refine your text is strictly prohibited, and you may be disqualified if it is detected
• Passport check. Start renewing your passport now if it will not be valid until March 2027
• Missed the deadline? You can sign up to the mailing list on the official website to hear about future cycles

How to Apply:

1. Read the FAQs on the official website first
2. Check that your passport has a blank page and is valid until at least March 2027
3. Open the official application form on the AIxBio Fellowship website
4. Complete the written application, describing your background, interests and reasoning about AI and biosecurity
5. Submit before Monday 19 October 2026, 23:59 UTC

Also Check: The Global Leadership Challenge 2026: Free Virtual Leadership Program