Better Futures Fellowship is a 9-week program for people deciding whether better-futures work should become their focus
Better-futures work is research and fieldbuilding aimed at improving how good the future is, conditional on humanity surviving. Most longtermist effort goes into making sure there is a future at all; this fellowship is about the other half — making that future go well. It pairs a five-week facilitated discussion course, drawn from Forethought Institute's Better Futures research program, with a four-week project phase in which every fellow ships a public output.
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Applications for Fall 2026 are now closed. Applications for the next round (Winter 2027) open on 9 November 2026 and close on 6 December 2026. The Fall 2026 and Winter 2027 rounds run at the same time. Register your interest and we'll let you know when they open.
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| Format | Remote |
|---|---|
| Structure | 9 weeks: a 5-week discussion course + a 4-week project phase |
| Cohort size | 4–8 fellows plus a trained facilitator |
| Time commitment | ~5 hours/week (weeks 1–5), ~5–10 hours/week (weeks 6–9) |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | Certificate upon completion |
| Track record | 2,361 applicants, 1000+ participants, 173 trained facilitators · 8.97/10 average recommendation - across 11 iterations of various AI safety courses |