HIIG Impact AI Fellowship 2027 Opens: €5,000 to Investigate AI’s Real-World Impact
When an AI tool promises to help society or protect the environment, who checks whether it actually does? The Impact AI Fellowship 2027 invites you to explore that question through a real case, with applications now open at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) in Berlin, Germany.
Rather than ending with classroom exercises, this ten-week fellowship takes you through an assessment of an existing AI application and into lead authorship of a case report. For a journalist, researcher or practitioner who wants to move from discussing responsible AI to investigating its effects, that combination offers a practical reason to apply.
The opportunity is also designed to accommodate some existing commitments. Much of the work can be remote, although two Berlin workshop weeks and advance preparation need space in your calendar.
01 From an “AI for good” claim to evidence you can examine
You will follow one real AI application from its stated purpose to an evidence-based assessment. The fellowship gives that work a clear progression, with guidance from the Impact AI team throughout.
Understand the method
Explore how HIIG assesses an AI system’s effects on people, society and the environment, with workshops and expert guidance.
Follow a real case
Prepare interviews, gather technical and organisational evidence, and analyse what the application actually changes in practice.
Lead a case report
Bring the findings into an assessment across 25 criteria, with lead authorship of a report and opportunities for further collaboration.
This progression may feel particularly relevant if your work already involves questioning claims or understanding how organisations operate. HIIG welcomes applicants from academia, journalism, civil society, public institutions and companies engaged with AI, sustainability or the public interest.
A master’s degree is required; an academic publication record is not. Relevant experience is beneficial, alongside readiness to learn a demanding research method, work independently and contribute to an interdisciplinary group.
My recommendation is to show how you have investigated a question carefully. An interview-based investigation or evaluation project could provide useful evidence, if you explain your actual contribution. These are preparation suggestions rather than additional eligibility rules.
02 What would participation look like for you?
The programme offers flexibility around a firm research commitment. Before deciding whether it fits alongside your work, consider these three parts together:
€5,000
For the complete ten-week fellowship
This total includes applicable tax or social-security costs in fellows’ countries of origin. It is a fellowship stipend, rather than a monthly payment.
Berlin: two essential weeks
Both workshop weeks require full-time, in-person attendance. Travel and accommodation support is considered individually, within HIIG’s available capacity.
Remote work: room to discuss
Other weeks may be remote and part-time by individual agreement. Regular check-ins, research outputs and the earlier preparatory session remain compulsory.
That arrangement may help you participate alongside employment, provided the assessment remains achievable. Health insurance, visa costs, meals and other remaining expenses are normally your responsibility; exceptional additional assistance may be considered.
I would discuss your availability and travel budget before accepting an offer. That conversation can help you plan the research time realistically and understand what support would be available for your circumstances.
03 Turn your interest into one focused application file
Apply through the online form on HIIG’s official call page and combine your documents into one file. You do not need to arrive with a fully developed AI case: proposing a project is optional.
The document limits leave room for a focused explanation of your experience and what you hope to learn:
| Document | Limit | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| CV — required | 4 pages | Relevant academic and professional experience. |
| Motivation letter — required | 2 pages | Your AI expertise, organisational background and organisational motivation where applicable. |
| AI project description — optional | 2 pages | The case you would like to assess, if proposing one. |
- Understand the research approach. Read HIIG’s Impact AI Method FAQ to see whether the assessment work suits your interests.
- Check your availability and prepare the documents. Explain why this method would be useful in your work, keeping within the limits above.
- Combine the documents into one file and complete the embedded application form on the official Impact AI Fellowship call. That page also provides access to the information sessions.
- Review and submit before the deadline. Keep your application record. Selected fellows will enter a fellowship contract covering participation and outputs.
04 A few distinctions before you decide
Do I need to bring my own AI project?
No. HIIG helps fellows identify and connect with suitable cases. If proposing one, its method focuses on operational AI applications, rather than prototypes or research ideas.
Can I participate entirely from home?
No. Both Berlin workshop weeks are compulsory. Remote and part-time arrangements concern the other weeks and need to support the agreed research objectives.
Are nationality restrictions or an English-test score specified?
The published call lists neither a nationality restriction nor an IELTS/TOEFL threshold. Applicants should still establish that they can meet the programme’s research, communication and travel commitments.
05 The application deadline comes before the preparation phase
The last date to apply for the Impact AI Fellowship 2027 offered by HIIG is 15 January 2027. A closing time and timezone are not specified.
Online information sessions are advertised for 10 November 2026 at 10 a.m. and 17 November 2026 at 3 p.m., without registration; the call does not label their timezone.
The mandatory preparatory session is 11 May 2027. The fellowship runs from 16 August to 22 October 2027, with compulsory Berlin workshops on 16–20 August and 4–8 October.
If the work appeals to you, begin by reserving those commitments, identifying the experience your motivation letter can build on, and sketching a realistic participation budget.
