Handshake AI Fellowship — Apply & Get Matched

Apply to the Handshake AI fellowship, verify your identity, and be matched to paid AI evaluation and training projects with project-specific training before any paid task. US work authorization is required. Projects, rates and requirements vary, and no work or matching is guaranteed.

This is a profile entry, not a job listing. The description is prepared by Sidequest from Handshake AI's public pages and expert terms; check them before creating a profile. The figure above is the span of Handshake AI's own opportunity pages on the date given below, not what a matched engagement pays.

This is a profile entry, not a job listing. Handshake AI runs a fellowship: rather than applying to one vacancy, you join and are matched to projects as they open.

What happens after you apply

Handshake's program page describes five steps.

Apply and verify your identity. Identity verification is the first step, before anything else.
Get matched to a project. Matching is based on your background. The page does not describe how the matching is done.
Take the training. Project-specific training comes before any paid task.
Contribute your knowledge and expertise. The work is AI evaluation and training.
Get paid. Handshake states fellows are paid hourly.

No interview and no AI screen. Handshake's program page describes identity verification and project matching, and mentions neither a live interview nor an automated screen. That is a real difference from other platforms on Sidequest, and it is stated here rather than assumed either way.

What is not promised

Being accepted into the fellowship is not an offer of work. Projects open in waves, matching depends on your background, and Sidequest has no influence over whether you are selected.

Pay

The band shown on this entry, $40–125/hr, is the span of the hourly rates Handshake itself lists against opportunities on its AI program page as of 6 September 2026; it describes that page, not what any matched project will pay. Handshake states that fellows are paid hourly and that no particular background is required for general evaluation work.

Eligibility

You must be based in the United States and hold valid work authorization. F-1 students may qualify through CPT or OPT; Handshake states that STEM OPT is not supported, and advises working with your Designated School Official to confirm your own eligibility. No prior AI experience is required for general evaluation work, while postgraduate and domain credentials open the specialist projects.