Project Mentorship Program
About the program
Our program catalyzes impactful projects in AI governance and global security by pairing applicants with a qualified mentor and regular coaching.
Upcoming cohorts TBD
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The program will last 7 weeks. See “curriculum overview” section below for more information about the weekly program topic areas.
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Fellows are expected to complete about ~2 hours of readings per week, and to attend a 90-minute facilitated cohort call each week.
Mentors
Mentors TBD
Program Fee
Fellows can apply for one of two payment tiers:
Standard: $70
As a not-for-profit organization focused on reducing global risks from advanced AI, Polaris operates based on institutional and individual contributions. The fellowship fee helps compensate program facilitators and allows us to continue running impactful programs.
Grantee: $0
To support our mission of reducing global risks from advanced AI, applicants can apply to have their fellowship fee waived if they would otherwise be discouraged from applying. Applicants requesting to be considered as a grantee need only send us an email.
If a fellow completes the fellowship and is not satisfied, they can receive a full refund of their fellowship fee, no questions asked.
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Yes. If you completes the fellowship and are not satisfied with your experience, simply send us an email and you will receive a full refund of your fellowship fee, no questions asked.
Note that to request a refund, a fellow must complete the fellowship. (See our attendance policy below.)
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To receive a certificate of completion, our attendance policy requires you to not miss more than one week’s fellowship meetings.
(Fellowship meetings run for 90 minutes each week, at the same recurring time; fellows are placed in a cohort time slot according to their availability they give during the application process.)
If a fellow can’t attend their assigned time slot any given week, they are welcome to join another cohort’s timeslot. As long as you attend one fellowship meeting (does not have to be your regularly assigned group), you will be marked as having attended for the week. If your schedule changes, you can also permanently switch to another cohort’s weekly time slot.
To summarize: fellows can miss up to one week in order to be considered to have completed the fellowship and receive a certificate of completion.
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As a not-for-profit, impact-focused organization, we want to make our fellowships available to anyone whom’s impact-focused career would benefit. We never want money to be the reason why someone can't benefit from our programs. If you truly can't afford the fellowship fee, we invite you to apply to join the fellowship for free.
To apply for the fellowship for free, please send us an email when you apply, flagging that you would like to apply as a grantee.
Note that in line with our organizational mission, grantee applications will be assessed based on the expected impact participation in the fellowship will have on the fellow’s career impact. Please keep this in mind when writing your application as a grantee. (Explain the impact your career may have on, for example, reducing the global security risks associated with advanced AI development, and how this fellowship could help you achieve that impact.
If you feel you’re able to pay fellowship fee, then we hope you will apply as a standard applicant, knowing that there's no risk in doing so—if you don't find the fellowship valuable after completion, we'll give you a full refund, no questions asked.
Whatever your financial situation, then, there's no reason not to apply for the fellowship if it could help with your career/impact goals.