# SPAR Spring 2026: 130+ research projects now accepting applications

**TL;DR: **SPAR is accepting mentee applications for Spring 2026, our largest round yet with 130+ projects across AI safety, governance, security, and (new this round) biosecurity. The program runs from February 16 to May 16. Applications close January 14, but mentors review on a rolling basis, so apply early. See the available projects [here](https://sparai.org/projects/sp26/?utm_source=eaf-lw&utm_medium=forum&utm_campaign=s26-spar-mentee-apps).

The Supervised Program for Alignment Research (SPAR) is **now accepting mentee applications for Spring 2026**!

SPAR is a part-time, remote research program that pairs aspiring researchers with experienced mentors for three-month projects. **This round, we're offering 130+ projects, the largest round of any AI safety research fellowship to date**[^b4lsdhjj8nc].

| Explore the 130+ projects | Apply now |
| --- | --- |

What's new this round
---------------------

**We've expanded SPAR's scope to include any projects related to ensuring transformative AI goes well, including biosecurity for the first time.** Projects span a wide range of research areas:

*   Alignment, evals & control: ~58 projects
*   Policy & governance: ~45 projects covering international governance, national policy, AI strategy, lab governance, compute governance, and more
*   Security: ~21 projects on AI security, securing model weights, and cyber risks
*   Mechanistic interpretability: 18 projects
*   Biosecurity: 11 projects (new!)
*   Philosophy of AI: 7 projects
*   AI welfare: 6 projects

Who are the mentors?
--------------------

Spring 2026 mentors come from organizations that include Google DeepMind, RAND, Apollo Research, MATS, SecureBio, UK AISI, Forethought, American Enterprise Institute, MIRI, Goodfire, Rethink Priorities, LawZero, SaferAI, and Mila, as well as universities like Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford, and MIT, among many others[^xrjrlemxnb].

Who should apply?
-----------------

SPAR is open to undergraduates, graduate students, PhD candidates, and professionals at various experience levels. Projects typically require 5–20 hours per week.

Mentors often look for candidates with:

*   Technical backgrounds: ML, CS, math, physics, biology, cybersecurity, etc.
*   Policy/governance backgrounds: law, international relations, public policy, political science, economics, etc.

Some projects require specific skills or domain knowledge, but we don't require prior research experience, and many successful mentees have had none. Even if you don't perfectly match a project's criteria, apply anyway. Many past mentees were accepted despite not meeting every listed requirement.

Why SPAR?
---------

SPAR creates value for everyone involved. Mentees explore research in a structured environment while building safety-relevant skills. Mentors expand their capacity while developing research management experience. Both produce concrete work that serves as a strong signal for future opportunities.

Past SPAR participants have:

*   Published at NeurIPS and ICML
*   Won cash prizes at our [Demo Day](https://demoday.sparai.org/)
*   Secured part-time and full-time roles in AI safety
*   Built lasting collaborations with their mentors

Timeline & how to apply
-----------------------

*   Program dates: February 16 – May 16, 2026
*   Application deadline: January 14, 2026. The program runs from February 16 to May 16.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we recommend you apply early. Spots are limited, and popular projects fill up fast.

| Browse 130+ projects | Apply now |
| --- | --- |

Questions? Email us at [spar@kairos-project.org](mailto:spar@kairos-project.org) or ask in the comments.

* * *

[^b4lsdhjj8nc]:  This constitutes a ~50% increase compared to our last round, Fall 2025, despite SPAR not having changed its admission bar for mentors. 

[^xrjrlemxnb]:   Note that some mentors participate in a personal capacity rather than on behalf of their organizations.