Career Transition Grants

Funding to move full-time into AI safety or biosecurity. Build experience, produce useful work or test a career path.

Grant funding

Up to $200k

Grants made

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Funding awarded

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Avg days to decision

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What this is for

Career Transition Grants support people who are ready to spend a defined period working full-time on a transition into impactful AI safety or biosecurity work.

You might use the grant to:

  • Produce research, policy work, technical work or another substantial output
  • Build evidence that you can contribute at a higher level
  • Test an uncertain but potentially high-impact career path
  • Address a specific skill or experience bottleneck
  • Move into a role or establish a sustained independent contribution

We expect plans to change. What matters is that you can make progress, learn from evidence and produce something valuable even if your original path does not work.

This program is primarily for personal, full-time transitions. If your main request is to fund a new project or organization, a Seed Grant may be a better fit. You can still apply if you are unsure—we will help route the request.

What we look for

Evidence that you are already moving

We look for concrete recent action—not only an intention to enter the field. This might include research, writing, technical work, policy work, organizing, professional achievements or strong analogous work.

You do not need a conventional AI safety background, but we need enough evidence to judge your ability to carry out the proposed transition.

A grant that meaningfully improves the path

Your transition does not need to be impossible without BlueDot. We want to understand what funding would change: its timing, focus, ambition, quality or likelihood of happening.

Clear thinking under uncertainty

Career plans rarely work exactly as expected. We look for people who can prioritize, identify important uncertainties, notice when an approach is failing and adapt without losing sight of the ultimate goal.

A credible connection to catastrophic-risk reduction

We fund transitions where success could plausibly contribute to reducing catastrophic risks from advanced AI or biological threats. We want to understand the causal connection between the work you plan to do and the outcomes it could ultimately affect.

What you receive

Funding

A grant of up to $200k that allows you to focus full-time on the transition. CTGs generally start at $20k; smaller requests should go to Rapid Grants. We agree the amount and duration around your plan and needs.

Advising

Structured check-ins to review evidence, pressure-test decisions and adapt the plan when circumstances change.

Targeted connections

Where useful and where we can help, we may introduce you to people who can provide relevant feedback, expertise or opportunities.

Community

Connection with other people making serious transitions into AI safety and biosecurity.

What we expect from you

  • Upfront

    Full-time commitment

    This is not something to do alongside a full or part-time role.

  • Weekly

    Regular progress updates

    Brief updates on what you produced, what evidence you gathered, what changed in your thinking, progress against milestones and any decisions you need to make.

  • Ongoing

    Structured check-ins

    Conversations with your BlueDot point of contact to assess progress, revisit important assumptions and decide whether to continue, change or narrow the plan.

  • At the end

    Grant-end and follow-up reporting

    A short report covering what you produced, what you learned, how your plans changed and what you will do next. We may also ask for a brief follow-up after the grant so we can improve future funding decisions.

Application preview

The application takes around 45 minutes. You can prepare the main evidence before you begin.

What to prepare
  • Recent evidence

    Examples of relevant action, achievement or momentum that help us understand what you can do.

  • Accessible work samples

    Links to your strongest relevant work, or an explanation of the analogous evidence we should consider.

  • Milestones

    The outputs, tests and decision points you expect during the transition.

  • Theory of change

    How the proposed work could ultimately contribute to reducing catastrophic risks from advanced AI or biological threats.

  • A simple budget

    The amount and duration you are requesting, what it covers and what the funding would change.

What happens next

  1. You apply

    Complete the application form. It takes around 45 minutes and asks about your recent work, proposed transition, theory of change, milestones and funding request.

  2. We determine the right route

    We first assess whether the request is a good fit for a Career Transition Grant or whether another funding route would be more appropriate.

  3. We review the relevant evidence

    If the application is promising, we may review your work sample, ask a focused follow-up question, seek expert input or contact a reference. We only request additional information when it could materially affect our decision.

  4. We interview selected applicants

    Interviews focus on the most important remaining questions about your plan, reasoning and ability to execute.

  5. We decide and set up the grant

    If approved, we agree the amount, duration and any relevant milestones, then arrange payment so you can begin.

Frequently asked questions

Who should apply?
Apply if you:• Are ready to work full-time on a personal transition• Can point to evidence of relevant ability or recent momentum• Have a plausible plan for producing work, testing a path or moving into a contribution• Can explain how success could contribute to reducing catastrophic risks from advanced AI or biological threats• Believe funding would meaningfully improve the transitionPrior participation in a BlueDot course or community is not required. Our funding restrictions apply.
What funding restrictions apply?
We cannot send money to the following countries and territories: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo Republic, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, India, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Russia, Venezuela, Yemen. We cannot fund individuals or organizations where doing so would breach applicable sanctions.

Unsure whether a restriction applies? Contact us before applying.
Do I need to be unable to transition without funding?
No. We do not require the transition to be literally impossible without BlueDot. We do want to understand what funding would change—for example, whether it lets you begin sooner, work full-time, take a more ambitious path or produce stronger evidence before making your next career decision.
Do I need an AI safety work sample?
Relevant AI safety or biosecurity work is the most useful evidence, but strong analogous work can also be informative. If you do not yet have a work sample, you may still apply; explain what other evidence we should use to assess your ability.
Should I apply to Rapid Grants instead?
Rapid Grants offer up to $20,000 for useful work or exploration, including your time, living costs and other resources. Career Transition Grants generally start at $20,000 and offer up to $200,000 for a sustained, full-time personal transition. For requests under $20,000, apply to Rapid Grants. If you are unsure, apply to the route that seems closest and we can redirect you.
Should I apply if I don't know exactly how to contribute to AI safety yet?
Yes. We do not expect a fixed career plan or certainty about every step. We do expect a serious hypothesis, a way to test it and a plan that can produce useful work or information even if the original path does not work.
What if I secure a full-time role or my circumstances change during the grant?
Please let us know. Any remaining funds would be returned to BlueDot.
Will you fund a Master's or PhD?
Generally, no. For most people, a Master's or PhD isn't the most direct route to impactful AI safety or biosecurity work. There are exceptions. Mention it in your application if you think yours is one.
How is the grant structured?
The grant is a fellowship grant in support of your AI safety or biosecurity transition. It is not a salary or a contract for services. BlueDot is a UK entity, so we don't issue W-2s or 1099s, and the agreement explicitly states there is no employment, worker, or contractor relationship between us.

We can't give tax advice, so please check the tax implications with a qualified advisor in your country.
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