PAIE Scholars Program 2026: US$1,000 Award, Up to US$10,000 Research Support and Up to US$75,000 Pilot Funding
Researchers with a PhD in low- and middle-income countries across Africa and Asia can apply for the PAIE Scholars Program to develop rigorous evaluations of AI applications for poverty reduction. Successful first-phase participants receive a US$1,000 award, with subsequent opportunities for up to US$10,000 in proposal support and up to US$75,000 in pilot funding.
Overview
The PAIE Scholars Program is an initiative offered through Project AI Evidence (PAIE), an Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) initiative. It is designed to help researchers develop policy-relevant research on how artificial intelligence can fight poverty and drive social good. The program offers specialized training in randomized evaluation and AI-enabled interventions, a US$1,000 award upon successful completion of the first phase, potential research mentorship, proposal-development and travel grants up to US$10,000, and the possibility of competing for up to US$75,000 in pilot research funding.
Benefits
- US$1,000 award upon successful completion of the first phase and associated requirements.
- Specialized research training, live online workshops, and assigned modules in randomized evaluation methods.
- Potential proposal-development and travel grants of up to US$10,000 for selected scholars.
- Potential research mentorship from J-PAL affiliated professors and subject-matter experts.
- Opportunity to compete for up to US$75,000 in PAIE pilot funding for full research proposals.
Eligibility
- Must be a resident scholar based in an eligible low- or middle-income country in Africa or Asia.
- Must have completed a PhD in economics or another relevant empirical discipline.
- Must possess advanced quantitative training in areas such as statistics, econometrics, causal inference, experimental methods, or machine learning.
- Must demonstrate English proficiency and availability to complete program requirements.
- Does not require an implementing partner or a fully developed research project at the initial application stage.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit an online application before the deadline containing a curriculum vitae (CV), one to three research examples, written statements detailing their background and interests, and a working concept note outlining their research idea.
Deadline
The application deadline is October 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (ET).