About this opportunity
J-PAL, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, runs the PAIE Scholars Program for researchers based in eligible low and middle income countries in Africa and Asia. The idea is simple and much needed. Local researchers are best placed to ask the questions that matter in their own contexts, so the program builds their capacity to run rigorous evaluations of AI applications that touch poverty, public services and social outcomes.
The program is a training route rather than a grant you spend freely. Selected scholars complete roughly three months of structured training from November 2026 through January 2027, drawing on selected modules from J-PAL 102x, which is part of the MITx MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy, plus the AI Evidence Playbook, the AI Evaluation Playbook and live online workshops. Expect to give about four to ten hours a week, depending on how much you have already studied. Plan for 6 to 10 hours of steady work each week rather than a burst at the end.
Money follows completion, not admission. Scholars receive a US$1,000 award conditional on finishing the training and meeting the program requirements, and the pathway does not stop there. Scholars who pass the PAIE administered proctored assessment and submit a revised concept note may be considered for proposal development and travel support and for research mentorship, which can then carry a full pilot proposal into a separate competitive review. Advancement between stages is competitive, and entry into the first cohort does not guarantee the later support.
You apply through the official J-PAL application form, and the form itself carries the full requirements and word limits. You do not need a contact inside J-PAL, and you do not need a finished research project or an implementing partner. A working concept note is enough to start a conversation.
What you receive
- Structured training in randomized evaluation and in the evaluation of AI enabled interventions
- Selected modules from J-PAL 102x: Designing and Running Randomized Evaluations, part of the MITx MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy
- The AI Evidence Playbook, the AI Evaluation Playbook and related reading materials
- Live online workshops on evaluating AI enabled interventions
- A US$1,000 award, conditional on completing the training and meeting the program requirements
- Consideration for proposal development and travel support and for research mentorship after you pass the proctored assessment and submit a revised concept note
Who can apply
- You have completed a PhD in economics or another relevant empirical discipline
- You are a resident scholar based in a low or middle income country in Asia or Africa, as defined by the World Bank
- Your primary professional affiliation is with a university in an eligible country. You may hold additional positions elsewhere, but the primary affiliation must stay in an eligible country
- You have advanced training in quantitative methods, such as statistics, econometrics, causal inference, experimental methods or machine learning
- You can show an interest in evaluating how AI enabled interventions affect social or economic outcomes
- You have enough English proficiency to complete the coursework, training and assessment and to prepare research outputs in English
- You are willing and available to complete all required program components
Who should not apply
- Researchers based outside low and middle income countries in Asia and Africa are not eligible
- The US$1,000 award is not paid to scholars who do not complete the training and meet the program requirements
- Selection into the initial cohort does not guarantee proposal development support, research mentorship or pilot funding
- The PAIE administered assessment is separate from the official MITx assessment and does not on its own produce an MITx certificate
Documents to prepare
- Curriculum vitae
- One to three research examples
- Statements of your research experience and of your interest in AI evaluations
- A working concept note. A fully developed intervention or evaluation design is not required at this stage, and you do not need an implementing partner
How to apply
- Read the official PAIE Scholars Program page on the J-PAL website and check the eligibility criteria and the linked list of eligible countries
- Prepare your curriculum vitae, one to three research examples, your statements of research experience and interest, and a working concept note
- Open the official J-PAL application form and complete every section, keeping to the requirements and word limits stated in the form
- Sign in with your Google account when the application form asks for it, then submit before 16 October 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time
- Wait for the selection notification. Scholars admitted to the training receive further instructions, including the final schedule, assigned coursework and expected time commitment, before the program begins
Selection process
- Applications open on 17 September 2026 and close on 16 October 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time
- Selected scholars are notified after the deadline, with training expected to run for approximately three months from November 2026 through January 2027
- Scholars complete the structured training and then sit a PAIE administered proctored assessment on the material covered
- Scholars who pass the proctored assessment and submit a revised concept note are considered for proposal development and travel support and for research mentorship
- Scholars who receive that support develop a full pilot proposal, which undergoes a separate competitive review
- Advancement between stages is competitive at every step
Sources and verification
- Official source , Discovered by the opportunity automation module.
Questions applicants ask
Do I need a relationship with a J-PAL affiliated professor or invited researcher to apply?
No. The program states that applicants do not need an existing relationship with a J-PAL affiliated professor or invited researcher.
Do I need a finished research project or an implementing partner?
No. You submit a working concept note, and you are not expected to have a fully developed intervention or evaluation design or an implementing partnership at the application stage.
Is the US$1,000 award guaranteed once I am selected?
No. The award is conditional on successfully completing the training and meeting the program requirements.
How do I confirm that my country is eligible?
Eligibility follows the World Bank classification of low and middle income countries in Asia and Africa, and the official J-PAL program page links to the definitive list of eligible countries.
How much time does the training take?
Expect roughly four to ten hours per week over approximately three months, from November 2026 through January 2027, depending on your prior training and familiarity with randomized evaluations.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
