Handshake AI Fellowship (a program of Handshake Inc.)
Handshake describes itself as 'the career network for the AI economy' — a three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ educational institutions, and 1 million employers, founded in 2014 by Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen, and Scott Ringwelski (originally Michigan Tech computer science students).
- Projects covered
- 4
Independent informational profile. No partnership with TTA Academy is implied.
Services for Handshake AI Fellowship (a program of Handshake Inc.)
Buy only the step you need — each service is sold separately.
Handshake AI Training
Handshake AI Training — professional guidance and support from TTA Academy.
Handshake AI Training + Exam + Support
Handshake AI Training + Exam + Support — professional guidance and support from TTA Academy.
Handshake AI Dynamo Assessment
Handshake AI Dynamo Assessment — professional guidance and support from TTA Academy.
Handshake AI SEAL Assessment
Handshake AI SEAL Assessment — professional guidance and support from TTA Academy.
Handshake AI Hedgehog Assessment
Handshake AI Hedgehog Assessment — professional guidance and support from TTA Academy.
Overview
Handshake describes itself as 'the career network for the AI economy' — a three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ educational institutions, and 1 million employers, founded in 2014 by Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen, and Scott Ringwelski (originally Michigan Tech computer science students). The Handshake AI Fellowship is Handshake's paid, remote AI-training and AI-evaluation program: fellows apply professional or academic expertise to create training content and evaluate AI-generated responses for accuracy and quality, working with what the company describes as 'leading AI research labs.' The Fellowship states it has made over $100M in payouts to over 100,000 fellows to date. No AI experience is required for entry-level roles; more specialized roles target professionals and graduate-level experts across specific domains (e.g. chemistry, philosophy, software development).
At a Glance
Work Type
Fully remote — the Fellowship is explicitly described as remote, part-time, and asynchronous work.
- Contract
- Independent contributor basis — fellows set up tax details (W-8 or W-9) and a Stripe payout method, consistent with contractor rather than employee status.
- Engagement
- Freelance / independent contributor. Handshake AI's own copy repeatedly frames this as project-based Fellowship work, not employment.
Locale
Which countries and languages this work is open to.
- Countries
- United States — explicitly required: 'must be based in the U.S. and have valid work authorization that can be supported by Handshake.'
- Languages
- English
Payout
Weekly. Handshake sends payouts by Wednesday afternoon for the prior Monday 12:00am PST–Sunday 11:59pm PST work week; funds then typically take about 48 hours to process and become available for withdrawal via Stripe.
- Methods
- Stripe (Stripe Connect payout, plus identity verification)
- Tax forms
- W-9 (US persons) or W-8 (non-US persons), required as part of Stripe payout setup before payment is released.
Eligibility
Must be based in the United States with valid work authorization Handshake can support; F-1 students on CPT/OPT (not STEM OPT) may qualify with school approval. Beyond location/work-authorization, entry-level roles (e.g. AI Trainer - Generalist) require no prior AI experience — just strong attention to detail and the ability to follow detailed instructions. Specialized roles (for PhDs, Master's-level domain experts, engineers, designers) carry their own higher qualification bars set per project. There is no single, universal exam — see application.assessment_process below.
- Technical
- Varies significantly by project — see individual project entries below., General requirement across all roles: a reliable device and internet connection sufficient for remote, asynchronous written/evaluation work (not explicitly detailed by the vendor beyond this).
Company Facts
Handshake describes itself as 'the career network for the AI economy' — a three-sided marketplace connecting 25 million knowledge workers, 1,600+ educational institutions, and 1 mi
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA (225 Bush Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104) — Handshake also has offices in New York, NY, the United Kingdom, and Bangalore, India.
- Founded
- 2014 (Handshake Inc., the parent company). The Handshake AI Fellowship is a newer program of the same company; its own specific launch date is not stated on the official pages fetched.
How It Works
- 1Register
- 2Qualification
- 3Project access
- 4Complete tasks
- 5Payment
A typical sequence. Each vendor decides its own process, timing and outcome.
How to Apply
Create an account at joinhandshake.com/ai/, complete profile setup, and verify identity. Applicants become eligible for rolling project matching based
Qualification
No single universal exam. When matched to a project, fellows may face a project-specific Assessment as part of onboarding — a knowledge quiz on the tr
Projects
Beginner Help
Common mistakes
Applying without US-based work authorization, or misunderstanding the F-1 CPT/OPT exception (STEM OPT explicitly does not qualify) — see official_policies for the exact rule.
Success tips
Set aside uninterrupted, focused time for an Assessment rather than attempting it in fragments — official guidance states processing/review takes time and rushing hurts results.
FAQ
Can I join Handshake AI Fellowship from India?
Officially, no — Handshake AI explicitly requires fellows to be based in the United States with valid work authorization
Do I need AI experience to apply?
No — the AI Trainer - Generalist role states 'no specific expertise required, just attention to detail,' and is open to
How much does Handshake AI pay?
It varies by role. The Generalist AI Trainer listing states 'up to $30/hr, depending on the project.' Handshake AI's gen
Is there an exam?
Not one universal exam. Many projects include a required Assessment during onboarding — a knowledge quiz, a practice tas
How and when do I get paid?
Through Stripe, after completing your W-8/W-9 tax form and payout setup. Payouts are sent weekly (by Wednesday afternoon
Is Handshake AI the same company as the Handshake job-search platform students use?
Yes — Handshake AI Fellowship is a program run by Handshake Inc., the same company behind the well-known Handshake caree