We welcome expressions of interest from early-career professionals who are already actively working in or studying cooperative AI, with a track record of strong work relevant to their career stage. We particularly value candidates who are impact-driven and ready to engage with practical challenges at an advanced level. This year, the programme places a stronger emphasis on practical projects than in previous editions.
Participants will have opportunities to present their own work and receive feedback, attend office hours with researchers, and build connections with others in the field – all alongside a small cohort of peers working at the frontier of cooperative AI. Dedicated sessions will focus on maximising the real-world impact of research, including career guidance and mentoring.
The Cooperative AI Foundation is committed to building a diverse and inclusive research community. We value the unique perspectives and contributions that individuals bring to the cohort. The Summer School is open to applicants from anywhere in the world. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and regions. Information about financial assistance can be found below.
Recordings from previous Summer Schools are available on the Cooperative AI Foundation's YouTube channel.
Submit
Speakers
Much like in our 2025 and 2024 Summer Schools, we expect a high calibre of speakers. Make sure to browse our 2025 Summer School highlights.
Programme Details
The summer school will take place between Wednesday 19 June and Sunday 23 June, beginning with a welcome reception on the evening of Wednesday 19 June. The full schedule will be announced by early April, when we will be making offers to applicants.
Expression of Interest
Please fill out this form to submit your expression of interest for the Cooperative AI Summer School by 23:59 AoE on 22 March 2026.
You will need to submit one piece of written work you authored in the last 2 years on cooperative AI or a closely related topic. This should be work where you are the primary author or a significant co-author. Acceptable formats include:
We're looking for work that reflects your own thinking and genuine engagement with cooperative AI or closely related topics. A thoughtful blog post or research proposal is just as valid as a published paper. Submissions that appear to be primarily AI-generated will not be considered.
What happens after you submit?
We will review all submissions and get back to you with one of the following:
We're committed to being transparent throughout this process and will provide everyone with a clear response.
Don't have written work on cooperative AI yet?
We recommend starting with our Introduction to Cooperative AI course to build foundational knowledge and engage with the field. Already completed our curriculum with strong engagement? Email us at summer.events@cooperativeai.org - you may be eligible for a direct invitation to apply.
Fees and financial support
The cost of the Summer School is GBP 275 for students and independent researchers, and GBP 550 for faculty and other working professionals. This includes a hotel room for the duration of the Summer School, dinner on the first night, and all breakfasts and lunches.
We aim to build a group that brings together a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and skills to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment. CAIF is committed to ensuring that no one who wishes to attend the Summer School is prevented from doing so due to a lack of funding. If you do not have an institution or employer that is able to cover the registration fee, you will have the opportunity to request your fee to be waived. You will be asked to upload a letter of support from your academic supervisor or equivalent. There will be bursaries available to cover additional costs (e.g. travel, visa, food) for those who would not be able to attend without financial support. Details of how to apply will be shared with successful applicants.
Sponsors
FAQs
The Summer School is in-person only, although recordings will be available on CAIF's YouTube channel.
Anyone (over the age of 18) can apply to the Summer School, and we especially encourage applications from under-represented backgrounds. We expect all applicants to have at least a basic grounding in AI and the relevant mathematical background to contemporary AI research.
CAIF is unable to provide any kind of formal academic credit for participating in the Summer School. We are, however, able to provide a digital certificate of participation for all attendees, which your institution may be willing to accept as a form of academic credit.
Yes. CAIF is committed to ensuring that no one is prevented from attending due to a lack of funding. If your institution or employer is unable to cover the registration fee, you will have the opportunity to request a fee waiver. Bursaries are also available to cover additional costs such as travel, visa, and food for those who would not be able to attend without financial support. Details on how to apply will be shared with successful applicants.
The Summer School will take place in Canada. The specific venue will be announced soon.
No. A room for the duration of the Summer School is included in the registration fee.
Yes. We will provide invitation letters for visa applications where needed.
The programme runs full days over the duration of the school. We will share more details about the schedule closer to the event.
You're still welcome to apply, but priority will be given to those who can attend the full programme, as it's designed to be attended in its entirety.
The Summer School is designed as an intensive, advanced programme for participants ready to engage with practical projects at a high level. Due to limited capacity, not everyone who submits an expression of interest will receive an application link. We view the Summer School as part of a longer journey in cooperative AI – one that often begins with our online course. This staged approach helps us invest our resources effectively while maintaining programme quality.
You can reach out to us at summer.events@cooperativeai.org.
