By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
USA, July 29, 2026 - OpenAI has announced a global student leadership program aimed at empowering undergraduate students to promote artificial intelligence (AI) learning and innovation on university campuses.
The programme. ‘OpenAI Student Collective” seeks to recruit undergraduate Campus Leads who will help fellow students explore OpenAI tools such as ChatGPT and Codex, organize AI-focused events, and build communities around responsible AI use.
Through the programme, the undergraduate Campus Leads will be provided with the necessary tools, training, funding, and support to promote the responsible use of AI in universities.
“Students have been among the first to find new ways AI can support learning, creativity, and problem-solving. As OpenAI builds more capable tools, we believe students will continue leading the way and bring others along with them,” the company stated.
“We’re looking for students excited to bring peers from every field together, help them gain confidence with OpenAI tools, and showcase what they create with a global community,” it added.
The initial rollout is open to students studying in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, Japan, and South Korea who have work authorization in their country of study.
Students studying in other countries, including Kenya, can register their interest by submitting an application and will be notified if the program expands to their region.
The applications will be open through August 10, 2026, and should be submitted through OpenAI’s student-collective website.
Successful applicants will receive a ChatGPT subscription and Codex credits for the duration of the program, along with funding, merchandise, and resources to organize campus events.
Participants will also gain access to training on OpenAI's latest technologies, mentorship from the OpenAI team, a global network of Campus Leads, and a cash stipend each semester. The company said that the students will also have an opportunity to visit OpenAI headquarters in June 2027.
To qualify, applicants must be at least 18 years old, be enrolled in an undergraduate college or university program as of August 2026, and expect to graduate after December 2027.
They must also be able to commit between four and six hours per week to the program from August 2026 through June 2027.
Undergraduate students across all academic disciplines have been encouraged to apply since the program is designed for students who are curious about AI, passionate about building communities, and interested in helping others gain confidence using AI tools.
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