OpenAI Researcher Access Program (web)

Citation

OpenAI. “OpenAI Researcher Access Program.” Program page on OpenAI’s application portal (SurveyMonkey Apply), with an update dated Feb. 3, 2025. https://grants.openai.com/prog/openai_researcher_access_program/.

Read 2026-10-15.

Bottom line

OpenAI gives up to $1,000 of API (application programming interface) credit for research on responsible deployment, risk and the societal impact of AI.
OpenAI reviews applications four times a year, “in March, June, September, and December”. Credits last 12 months and “cannot be extended or renewed”.
OpenAI calls this “subsidized access”. It favors “researchers with limited financial and institutional resources”.

Background

The program description sits on OpenAI’s grants portal. The Apply button needs an account on that portal. OpenAI’s help article on the program (help.openai.com/en/articles/10139500) refused the download.

Key claims

Status: “[UPDATE 2/3/2025]: After making updates, applications for the Researcher Access Program are open again!” (Description)
Purpose: “We’re interested in supporting researchers using our products to study areas related to the responsible deployment of AI and mitigating associated risks, as well as understanding the societal impact of AI systems.” (Description)
Cost model: “If you are interested in an opportunity for subsidized access to enable a research project, please apply for API credits through this program.” (Description)
Priority: “We encourage applications from early stage researchers in countries supported by our API, and are especially interested in subsidizing work by researchers with limited financial and institutional resources.” (Description)
Size and term: “Researchers can apply for up to $1,000 of OpenAI API credits to support their work. Credits are valid for a period of 12 months and they can be applied towards any of our publicly available models.” (Description)
Review cycle: “applications are reviewed once every 3 months (in March, June, September, and December). Grants may take up to 4 weeks to credit to awardees after they receive their application decision.” (Description)
No renewal: “API credits awarded through this program expire after 1 year, and cannot be extended or renewed, so please ensure you complete your research within 1 year.” (Description)
Publication: “Before applying, please take a moment to review our sharing & publication policy.” (Description)
Use rules: “researchers are still bound to our Usage Policies and other applicable OpenAI policies, which require users to comply with the law and not to use our service to harm yourself or others”. (Description)
Areas of interest: Alignment, Fairness & representation, Societal Impact, Interdisciplinary research, Interpretability/transparency, Misuse potential, Robustness, and Other. (Description)

Evidence and method

The program’s own description. It states the offer, the cycle and the policies. It does not show the application questions, which are behind the portal account.

Limits

The page does not state who reviews or the criteria.
The page does not state the application questions.
The page does not state reporting or acknowledgement duties. It points to a “sharing & publication policy”.
The page does not state eligibility by institution type.
The update carries the date Feb. 3, 2025. The page gives no later date.

Source file: wiki/sources/OpenAI Researcher Access Program (web).md, updated 2026-10-15.