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What is the MLH Fellowship and what does it pay?
The MLH Fellowship is a fully remote, 12-week internship alternative where you earn a stipend and work on real open source projects. The stipend applies only during select programs.
Start with the credits that make the 12 weeks cheaper to run. Up to $120 in GitHub credits is the student card most fellows will want first, and the card shows who qualifies and how to claim. AI Perks tracks more student offers, so the full list is worth a look before your batch starts.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
How does the 12-week format work?
The program was designed to be remote from the beginning, so nothing about it is a workaround for a physical office. The Software Engineering track meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. A typical day starts with a Pod standup, where you share what you are working on and clear blockers.
Software Engineering fellows are matched to a real project from an MLH partner. That means your work lands in code other people use, not in a practice repo. Extra events such as a speaker series and hackathons run alongside the project work.
If hackathons are part of your plan, the Free AI Credits for Hackathons guide covers what to claim first. The Anthropic API card lists $20,000 in credits that can power a project prototype.
What is the MLH Fellowship stipend?
Fellows get an educational stipend to help offset expenses while they take part. It is offered only during select programs, so you cannot assume every batch includes one. The amount is not published, so check the current program page before you plan your budget around it.
The stipend is not a salary, and the program is not a classic internship. It sits closer to a funded learning placement with real project work attached. Because the amount is not public, the safer plan is to cut your own costs with free credits.
Career training is part of the package. That includes interview practice and tactical resume feedback from experts. The GitHub credits card helps you keep your tooling costs near zero while you build the portfolio those resume sessions will review.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
When do MLH Fellowship batches run?
Batches run year-round and start every few months. Here are the dates that are public today, 2 November 2026.
| Batch | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2026 Software Engineering | Started 18 May 2026 | Applications closed 30 April 2026 |
| Fall 2026 | 14 September to 4 December 2026 | Under way now |
| Spring 2027 | 25 January to 16 April 2027 | Listed |
Each batch is 12 weeks long. The Fall 2026 batch started on 14 September and runs to 4 December. The Spring 2027 batch is the next one listed, and its dates are on the public program pages.
Application windows and requirements change between batches, and they are not covered here. Before a start date arrives, line up your tools and credits so you are not paying for them mid-program.
Which tracks does the Major League Hacking Fellowship offer?
The program has three tracks. Software Engineering is the one with the partner-matched project. Production Engineering is for aspiring SREs who want the skills to keep systems running at scale. The Web3 track is for people who want to dive deep into blockchain technology.
The fellowship currently supports projects mainly in JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and Rust. Python is especially common on the SRE track, and Rust on the Web3 track. Your choice of track shapes which tools you will lean on.
Production Engineering work leans on cloud infrastructure. The Google Cloud card lists $350,000 in credits, which is a lot of room to practice deploying and monitoring systems.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Who is the fellowship for?
The program is open to both current students and non-students of any educational background. It began when students lost their internships because of COVID-19 fallout, and it still serves people who want hands-on experience without a traditional placement. MLH itself describes a community of 5 million software creators.
Eligibility details for the fellowship are published by MLH and change by batch, so they are not repeated here. For the credits side, each perk card shows who qualifies and how to claim. Open the card, read the conditions, then decide.
The Free AI Credits for Students comparison puts the student programs side by side if you want to see the whole field.
What free credits can you claim alongside the fellowship?
These three catalogue perks cover code hosting, AI model access and cloud infrastructure. Each row links to the perk's own card.
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub (students) | Up to $120 | Get this perk |
| Anthropic API | $20,000 | Get this perk |
| Google Cloud | $350,000 | Get this perk |
Total across the three cards: $120 + $20,000 + $350,000 = up to $370,120.
The GitHub figure is "up to", so your amount depends on what the card confirms for you. For a breakdown of what student tooling includes, see the GitHub student pack guide.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
How do you get set up before your batch starts?
Follow these steps to have your tools funded before day one.
Step 1: Get credits via AI Perks. Browse the catalogue at getaiperks.com, which lists free credits from many AI companies. Filter for student and education cards.
Step 2: Open the GitHub card. The GitHub credits card shows who qualifies and how to claim up to $120.
Step 3: Add AI model credits. The Anthropic API card covers $20,000 for building and testing features.
Step 4: Add cloud credits. The Google Cloud card covers $350,000 if your project needs hosting or infrastructure.
FAQ
Is the MLH Fellowship paid?
Fellows receive an educational stipend to help offset expenses, but only during select programs, so it is not guaranteed for every batch. The amount is not published. To reduce your own costs, check the student cards at getaiperks.com for free credits you can claim.
How long is the MLH Fellowship?
Each batch is 12 weeks and fully remote. Batches run year-round and start every few months. The Fall 2026 batch started on 14 September and runs to 4 December 2026, and a Spring 2027 batch is listed for 25 January to 16 April 2027.
What tracks does the MLH Fellowship have?
There are three tracks: Software Engineering, Production Engineering for aspiring SREs, and Web3 for people who want to go deep into blockchain technology. Software Engineering fellows are matched to a real project from an MLH partner. Projects mainly use JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and Rust.
What free credits can I use during the fellowship?
Three useful cards are up to $120 in GitHub credits, $20,000 in Anthropic API credits and $350,000 in Google Cloud credits. Each card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Is the MLH Fellowship only for students?
No. It is open to both current students and non-students of any educational background. The student credits in the AI Perks catalogue have their own conditions, which are on each perk card. Browse them at getaiperks.com before you decide what to claim.
Where can I find more student offers?
AI Perks tracks many companies and perks, including student and education cards. The AI Student Discount list covers verified offers, and the catalogue at getaiperks.com is the place to compare amounts and open each card.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Ready to fund your fellowship?
The fellowship gives you 12 weeks of real project work. The credits keep your tooling bill close to zero while you do it.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
Browse every student and education perk card at getaiperks.com.
