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Y Combinator Summer Fellows Grants 2026 vs OpenAI Residency 2026: Which is Right for You?
Compare these opportunities side-by-side to find the best fit for you.
Y Combinator Summer Fellows Grants 2026
Y Combinator’s Summer Fellows Grants provide selected undergraduate students with cash and cloud credits to pursue their own technical projects over the summer rather than traditional internship work.
86 days left86d left
Closes 3/28/2026Mar 28
Global
grant
student-grant
technical-projects
+3 more
OpenAI Residency 2026
The OpenAI Residency is a six-month research program in San Francisco that embeds talented individuals within OpenAI’s research teams to work on frontier AI problems with mentorship and real project contributions.
45 days left45d left
Closes 2/15/2026Feb 15
North America
research
ai-research
residency
+3 more
Side-by-Side Comparison
Funding
20000 USD
18300 USD
Education Level
Undergraduate
Not specified
Location Restrictions
Not specified
San Francisco
Industry Focus
Computer Science, Engineering, AI, Software Engineering
software engineering, research, mathematics, physics, neuroscience
Financial Benefits
$20,000 cash grant
~$18,300/month, relocation assistance
Mentorship
Access to advice and informal mentorship from YC partners
direct mentorship from experienced AI researchers and engineers
Networking
Invitations to YC’s AI Startup School and special events, Co-working sessions at Y Combinator’s office during the summer, Opportunity to present your project at a group demo day
Not specified
Program Location
hybrid
hybrid
Selection Criteria
Not specified
originality, rapid learning, strong technical foundations
Type
grant
research
Region
Global
North America