OpenAI Researcher Access Program
OpenAI · LLM API credits
$1KUp to $1,000 in OpenAI API credits
API credits for researchers studying responsible AI deployment, risk mitigation and societal impact, with priority to early-stage researchers with limited resources.
Key terms
- Must have an active affiliation with an academic/research organization, or be a nonprofit doing research
- Must be based in a country supported by the OpenAI API
- Reviewed quarterly (March, June, September, December); credits may take up to 4 weeks to arrive
- Credits valid 12 months; cannot be extended or renewed
Eligibility
- Where
- Worldwide
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed, seed, series-a, growth
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- No
- AI focus required
- Yes
- Students / researchers
- Eligible
- Nonprofits
- Eligible
Also required
- Research must relate to responsible AI, risk mitigation or societal impact
How to apply
Apply through the SurveyMonkey Apply portal linked from the program page.
- Benefit
- credits
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- Quarterly review
- Credit validity
- 12 months
- Deadline
- Quarterly review (Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec)
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-22 · source