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Personal Finance for PhDs

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How to Find, Apply for, and Win a Fellowship During Your PhD or Postdoc

September 3, 2018 by Emily

Applying for fellowships is an essential component of your PhD training. My fellowship application advice is to apply for a few relevant fellowships as a prospective PhD student, whether you are coming from an undergraduate degree, master’s degree, job, or other fellowship. It’s also a great idea to keep applying for fellowships and grants throughout your PhD and postdoc for any years when you’re not already a fellow.

The advice in this article is on why, where, and how to apply for fellowships successfully. It has a particular focus on outside fellowships that are portable (you can use them at any institution), remunerative (they provide at least stipend/salary support), and broad (many research fields are eligible).

Fellowships at the graduate level are similar to scholarships at the undergraduate level in that they are awards that are given based on merit, and sometimes only a narrow slice of students is eligible. They are “free money” similar to scholarships and grants in the sense that they do not have to be repaid. What is different is that fellowships typically pay part or all of a PhD student or postdoc’s stipend/salary and may also include some money for tuition and fees. However, as a fellow you do have the responsibility of making progress in your research or else your fellowship is not likely to be renewed. PhD-level fellows are free to focus their attention solely on their research (in addition to classes in the early stage of training).

Further Reading:

• How to Find and Apply for Fellowships (with ProFellow Founder Dr. Vicki Johnson)
• How to Financially Manage Your NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
• Weird Tax Situations for Fellowship Recipients
• The Complete Guide to Quarterly Estimated Tax for Fellowship Recipients
• Fellowship Recipients Can Save for Retirement Outside an IRA

Why Apply for Fellowships

Regularly applying for outside funding is an expectation in graduate school (and often before and after) that should be made more explicit. Even if you are fully funded by your program or group, you will benefit from applying for fellowships throughout your PhD and postdoc. The only reason to forgo submitting at least one fellowship application in a given year is if you are already funded by an outside fellowship in the upcoming year.

Further Reading: Why You Should Apply for Fellowships Even If You’re Fully Funded

There are numerous reasons apply for fellowships regularly, some of which apply even if you don’t ultimately win a fellowship.

1) A Higher Stipend/Salary

Often, outside fellowships are structured to pay a higher stipend than what is typically paid to a graduate student or postdoc. This is especially true for the prestigious, competitive, national fellowships. Winning an outside fellowship that awards a higher stipend/salary is one of the very few ways a graduate student or postdoc can secure a significant raise within the same career stage. Even if the fellowship pays a stipend/salary lower than the baseline amount for the department, typically the department will supplement the fellowship stipend/salary up to or even above the baseline pay as a gesture of appreciation to the student or postdoc for winning the fellowship.

2) Greater Independence

Depending on the PhD’s stage and department, an outside fellowship may confer an increased degree of research independence. For example, a fellow may be able to set up a new collaboration, pursue a side project, or complete additional lab rotations when a graduate student funded by another means would not be given permission. This is because the fellow’s funding is not tied to working on any specific project the way a grant would specify.

3) Negotiation Power

Virtually all PhD students and many postdocs assume there is no room for negotiation in their funding package. However, there are two points at which negotiation is possible: Upon admission to a program and upon winning an outside fellowship (best if combined). If you are funding yourself through a fellowship, that’s money that your advisor/department does not have to spend on you (assuming they would have), and that money has now been freed up for other purposes.

After finding out that you have won a fellowship, you can tactfully ask your advisor or department chair if it is possible for you to receive an extra benefit. You could ask for an increase in pay, a one-time or yearly bonus, or one of the extra degrees of independence listed above.

4) Excused from “Work”

One aspect of PhD funding that is not necessarily widely discussed is the difference between being funded by a fellowship and being funded by an assistantship.

A research assistant, teaching assistant, or graduate assistant is virtually always an employee of her university (as well as a student). You can be sure of this status if you receive a W-2 at tax time. The graduate student’s stipend or salary is being paid for work she does: teaching, research, or another type of service.

A fellowship, on the other hand, is an award, and there is not supposed to be any work requirement tied to it, although in practice the PhD student must of course make adequate degree progress.

There is not much of a functional day-to-day difference between graduate students funded by research assistantships in which the research is included in their dissertations and graduate students funded by fellowships. In both cases, 100% of the graduate student’s time (less time spent completing courses) can be devoted to his dissertation.

However, being funded by a fellowship makes an enormous difference in the day-to-day life of a graduate student who would otherwise be funded by an assistantship that requires non-dissertation-related work. That work requirement is typically 20 hours per week. Winning a fellowship excuses the graduate student from that work requirement, meaning that 20 hours per week can be devoted to research that furthers the student’s degree progress. This might very well shorten the time it takes for the student to complete his PhD.

5) CV-Booster

One of the unsung but most important benefits of winning a fellowship, particularly a prestigious national fellowship, is its effect on your CV. Once one fellowship committee has deemed you worthy of funding, that stands as a testament to your ability that is seen by every subsequent funding committee. Winning your first fellowship gives you momentum toward career success. Assuming you continue to be an excellent candidate, winning subsequent fellowships and grants becomes more likely.

6) Shows Initiative/Effort

In my opinion, applying for at least one outside fellowship concurrently with applying for graduate school is an unspoken requirement. Being able to say on your grad school application or in your interviews that you have applied for outside funding (even if you don’t ultimately win) shows the faculty members reviewing your application that you take initiative and are ambitious. Even once you are settled into a department and group in grad school, attempting to fund yourself will almost certainly be viewed favorably by your advisor, even if you are not awarded a fellowship.

7) Applying Forces You to Frame and Justify Your Research

Writing a fellowship application can be a wonder pause and possibly reset point in your research progress. You have to step back from your day-to-day work, think about the underlying motivations and aspirations for your project, and explain why they (and you) are worth being funded. This exercise alone is likely to benefit your research and experimental design.

8) Good Practice

The final benefit of applying for fellowships is that it’s good practice. If you stay in academia or research long-term, applying for grants is likely to become part of your regular work rhythm. You may as well start early, gain experience, and hone your message.

When to Apply for Fellowships

Most fellowship application deadlines are in the fall, though a few occur at other points in the academic year. Over each summer, you should create a list of the fellowships you plan to apply for in the upcoming academic year, including ones with deadlines later in the year. Create calendar reminders leading up to each fellowship deadline to ensure that your applications stay on track.

Where to Find Fellowship Opportunities

Your first stop for finding fellowship opportunities should be your research and/or program advisor (postdoc, graduate, or undergraduate). Ask him or her what fellowships you should consider applying to and what fellowships other students and postdocs at your same stage apply to. You can also ask your peers which fellowships they have applied to in the past or are applying to now.

Another great place to look are websites that maintain databases of fellowship opportunities. Your university or department may cultivate such a list. In the next section, I have provided my own list of broad fellowships to consider. Other great databases can be found at:

• University of Illinois
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Finally, try a simple Google search with keyword combinations of “fellowship” or “scholarship” along with anything particular to you, such as your field, research interests, career stage, demographics, standout qualities, etc. You may find a fellowship or scholarship that is tailored to you that your peers wouldn’t qualify for and therefore overlooked.

When looking for fellowship descriptions and listings, always consider both the large, well-known programs that fund a lot of fellows and lesser-known opportunities that may be a good match for you in particular, either because of your demographics or your research area. All of the advantages of fellowship funding apply to both types.

Fellowship Programs for Graduate Students and Postdocs

Below is a list of portable fellowship programs that are granted to a large number of fellows each year in a broad array of fields. These fellowships provide full or nearly full levels of stipend/salary support, often in addition to tuition and fees.

American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowships

• Fields: All
• Eligibility: US citizen or permanent residents; applicant must identify as a woman; current PhD students who will complete their dissertations between April 1 and June 30
• Award: $25,000
• Number of Awards: Not specified
• Deadline: November 15, 2023

American Association of University Women Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Eligibility: US citizen or permanent residents; applicant must identify as a woman; must hold a Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H. at the time of application
• Award: $50,000

Department of Defense Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation (SMART)

• Fields: Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering; Biosciences; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil Engineering; Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences; Computer and Computational Sciences and Computer Engineering; Cybersecurity; Data Science and Analytics; Electrical Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Geosciences; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Information Sciences; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering; Nuclear Engineering; Oceanography; Operations Research; Physics; Software Engineering
• Eligibility: Citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom; 18 years of age or older; Requesting at least 1 year of degree funding; Able to accept post-graduation employment with the DoD for every year of funding requested; Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; Enrolled in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or awaiting notification of admission for fall term.
• Award: 1-5 years of support; $30,000-46,000/year stipend, full tuition and fees, $2,500 health insurance allowance, $1,000 miscellaneous supplies allowance
• Deadline: December 1, 2023

Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF)

• Fields: Science & Engineering Track: Aeronautics, Astrophysics, Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Science, Materials Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics. Mathematics/Computer Science Track: applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, computer  engineering or computational science.
• Eligibility: Prospective and first-year graduate students; US citizens or permanent residents; full time uninterrupted study toward a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university
• Award: up to 4 years of support; $45,000/year stipend, full tuition and fees, professional development allowance of $1,000 per year
• Number of Awards: not stated; there are ~110 current fellows
• Deadline: January 17, 2024

Ford Foundation Dissertation

• Fields: Research-based programs, e.g., American studies, anthropology, archaeology, art and theater history, astronomy, chemistry, communications, computer science, cultural studies, earth sciences, economics, education, engineering, ethnic studies, ethnomusicology, geography, history, international relations, language, life sciences, linguistics, literature, mathematics, performance study, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, urban planning, women’s studies, and interdisciplinary programs
• Eligibility: Previous Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship recipient; Current PhD students who will complete their dissertations no later than fall 2024; Enrolled in an eligible research-based program leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree at a not for profit U.S. institution of higher education; US citizens, nationals, permanent residents, and DACA recipients; Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; asylees; and refugees; committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S.
• Award: 1 year of support; $28,000/year stipend
• Number of Awards:  ~36
• Deadline: December 12, 2023

Ford Foundation Postdoctoral

• Eligibility: Individuals who held a previous Ford Foundation Fellowship; Individuals who completed or will complete their PhDs or ScDs between 12/08/2015 and 12/08/2022; US citizens, nationals, permanent residents, and DACA recipients; Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; asylees; and refugees; committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S.
• Award: 1 year of support; $50,000/year stipend
• Number of Awards:  ~24

Graduate Fellowships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Diversity (GFSD)

• Fields: Astronomy, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Materials Science, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and their sub-disciplines, and related engineering fields (Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical)
• Eligibility: Prospective and current graduate students available for two summer internships; US citizens with the ability to pursue graduate work at a GFSD university partner
• Award: Up to 6 years of support; $20,000/year stipend
• Number of Awards:  Varies
• Deadline: December 29, 2023

Hertz Foundation

• Fields: Applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering
• Eligibility: Prospective and first-year PhD students; US citizens and permanent residents
• Award: Up to 5 years of support; $38,000/9-month stipend and full tuition; $5,000/year stipend for fellows with dependent children
• Number of Awards: 15 in 2023
• Deadline: October 27, 2023

Life Sciences Research Foundation

• Fields: Life sciences
• Eligibility: PhD or MD/DVM recipients (awarded less than 5 years ago); US citizens working in any geographic location and non-US citizens working in US laboratories; begun (or will begin) working in your postdoc lab between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2024; Postdoctoral training must be completed in a lab different from that of your graduate (thesis) lab
• Award: 3 years of support; $66,000/year for salary and $11,000/year for research
• Number of Awards: 18-27
• Deadline: October 1, 2023

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)

• Fields: Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering; Astrodynamics; Biomedical Engineering; Biosciences (includes toxicology); Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil Engineering; Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences; Computer and Computational Sciences; Electrical Engineering; Geosciences; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering; Oceanography; Physics; Space Physics
• Eligibility: Prospective and current (first or second year) PhD students; US citizens and nationals
• Award: 3 years of support; $3,400/month in stipend, up to $1,400/year in health insurance, and full tuition and fees
• Number of Awards: Up to 500
• Deadline: November 3, 2023

National GEM Consortium MS Engineering and Science Fellowship Program

• Fields: Science and engineering
• Eligibility: Senior or graduate of an accredited engineering or computer science program; Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.8/4.0; Agree to intern for two summers with sponsoring GEM Employer; under-represented students (American Indian/Native, African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino); US citizens or permanent residents
• Award: Employer Fellows: full tuition and fees; $4,000 living stipend per full-time semester up to 4 semesters; minimum $16,000 total stipend over the entire Master’s program; up to two paid summer internships. University Fellows: full tuition and fees; Associate Fellows: full tuition and fees; at least $8,000 stipend per year
• Number of Awards: ~180 in 2022
• Deadline: 2nd Friday in November

National GEM Consortium PhD Engineering and Science Fellowship Program

• Eligibility: Senior, masters student, or graduate of an accredited engineering or applied science program; Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0/4.0; Agree to intern with sponsoring GEM Employer; under-represented students (American Indian/Native, African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino); US citizens or permanent residents
• Award: Employer Fellows: full tuition and fees up to the 5th year of the PhD; $16,000 stipend for one academic year, supplemented by university; a minimum of one paid summer internship. Associate Fellows: full tuition and fees; at least $16,000 stipend per year
• Number of Awards: ~240 in 2022

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)

• Fields:  STEM and STEM education
• Eligibility: Pursuing a research-based Master’s or Ph.D. at an accredited United States graduate institution, with a US campus; Completed no more than one academic year of full-time graduate study; Graduate students can apply only once either in their first or second year; US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents
• Award: 3 years of support; $37,000/year in stipend, $12,000/year to institution
• Number of Awards: 2,750
• Deadline: October 16-20, 2023 (date varies based on discipline)

Paul and Daisy Soros

• Fields:  Unrestricted
• Eligibility:  Prospective and current (first or second year) graduate students; immigrants and the children of immigrants age 30 or younger
• Award:  1 or 2 years of support; $25,000/year stipend, 50% of tuition and fees up to $20,000 per year
• Number of Awards:  30
• Deadline: 10/26/2023

How to Create a Winning Fellowship Application

You can’t throw together an excellent fellowship application in a weekend. They take a great deal of time and effort to conceive, write, re-write, and improve with feedback. Below are the steps you must follow to submit a potentially winning fellowship application.

1) Find Fellowships that Are a Good Match for You

You will dramatically increase your odds of winning a fellowship if you are selective about which ones you apply to. Don’t waste time applying to fellowship programs that have been cultivated for candidates with characteristics or research interests that you don’t share or for which you are unambiguously unqualified.

2) Read the Fellowship Application Components and Prompts Carefully

It may seem like all fellowship applications are similar, but there are actually overt or subtle differences among them. Most if not all fellowship programs will want to hear about your research or research interests (research statement) and also about you personally (personal statement), but the particular aspects of each that they are looking for may differ. It’s vital to fully answer the specific prompts for each different application. Make it easy for the evaluators to confirm that you have addressed every component of their rubrics, e.g., intellectual merit and broader impacts (for the NSF GRFP), career aspirations, etc.

You may be able to use similar points and even prose across your fellowship applications, but each application statement must be carefully tailored.

Early on, it’s also important to identify the various non-statement components of the fellowship application so you can gather them without rushing. These components may include letters of recommendation, test scores, and transcripts.

You may be required to receive your current university’s permission (nomination) to apply for a fellowship, so you need to be aware of the requirements and deadline for applying for that pre-selection stage.

3) Select and Notify the Writers of Your Letters of Recommendation

Give the writers of your letters of recommendation plenty of notice regarding the fellowship applications you request that they submit to (at least a couple months). It is helpful to share with them a spreadsheet or similar in which you can list all the different applications, their due dates, and submission links for each application season.

Different fellowship applications may require different types of letter writers, so you may need to reach out to faculty members or other mentors who are not your primary research advisors for one application or another.

Give faculty members who have never written you a letter of recommendation in the past an extra-long period of time to prepare the letter and offer to meet with them to discuss your application.

4) Begin Drafting Your Fellowship Application Materials Well in Advance of the Deadline

Once you are finished preparing, it’s time to start writing. Again, writing well in advance of the application deadline is imperative. You need to give yourself time for high-quality research, reflection, and crafting. Finish a draft, walk away from it for a few days or a week, and then come back with fresh eyes. At any stage you may ask for feedback: outline, sketchy draft, full draft, or the I-think-it’s-complete draft.

5) Write for the Proper Audience

As with any piece of writing, it’s vital to write for a certain audience. In the case of fellowship applications, you must understand, possibly by reading between the lines, what the evaluators of the fellowship applications are looking for. This is not to say that you will simply tell them what they want to hear, but rather that you will highlight the specific components of your application that you know they have to or want to see included. You should also use language that the evaluator will understand, which likely does not include obscure jargon.

6) Seek Input from Advisors, Peers, and Past Winners

To create a competitive fellowship application, you need outside eyes and expertise. You can get feedback and tips from:

1. Your Research and/or Academic Advisor(s)

Your undergraduate or graduate advisor is the best person to read your statements and give you feedback from his or her perspective as a career researcher who has advised other fellowship applicants and winners. He or she may even be overseeing the project you have proposed in your application, in which case the feedback will be even more specific and useful. Your advisor is likely also writing you a letter of recommendation, so it’s a great idea to give him or her full awareness of what you’re proposing.

2. Other Research and/or Academic Mentors

You may reach out to other faculty or staff members at your current or past institutions to read and provide feedback on your fellowship application. Your university may even designate a specific faculty or staff member as a mentor for certain fellowship applications. Your current institution may hold workshops and seminars to guide you in your applications, which you should make every effort to attend.

3. Your Peers Applying for Fellowships

Forming a reading group for one or more specific fellowship applications is among the most powerful steps you can do to take your application from ordinary to extraordinary. Your group should be composed of your peers of a similar stage and field who are applying to one or more of the same fellowships. You should agree on deadlines for producing outlines and drafts of your statements and read one another’s work at one or more of the stages to help one another improve the ideas and writing therein.

4. Prior Fellowship Winners

You can learn from the past awardees of the fellowships you are applying to. The first network to tap is your personal one: your friends and (older) peers from your college or graduate school who have previously won the fellowship you are applying to. You can also search for advice from fellowship winners online. Ask these winners to share their tips with you, in particular anything that is unique to that one fellowship. Some past winners may even share their statements with you as a model, but if you do read them be quite careful to avoid even inadvertent plagiarism.

7) Finalize Your Fellowship Application

Once you have incorporated the feedback you receive from your mentors and peers, it’s time to finalize your statements and application. Follow all formatting specifications precisely, and even beyond that format your statements so that they are easy to for the evaluators to read.

Be sure to proofread the final version of your statements carefully. While you can complete this step yourself, it is probably even better to ask a friend or family member who has not yet read your statement to go through it with fresh eyes to catch any grammatical, spelling, or formatting mistakes. You might even be able to use your university’s writing center for this step.

Again, don’t wait to the last minute to load your application materials into the application portal. Do this a couple of days in advance of the deadline so you can be sure you have prepared all the materials properly. Finally, you’re ready to submit!

The main advice in this section is to give your application plenty of time and careful attention and to ask for feedback from anyone willing to give it to you!

How to Be an Excellent Fellowship Applicant

This last subject is arguably the most important one of this entire article. Submitting a large number of marvelously written fellowship applications will not propel a weak applicant to success. That is to say, prior to and concurrently with searching out and applying for fellowships, you should also take steps to increase your strength as an applicant.

Of course, fellowships vary in what they look for in a candidate. But there are commonalities:

• Research experience with demonstrated results and/or deliverables (e.g., papers, posters, presentations, patents)
• High grades and test scores
• Strong and detailed letters of recommendation
• Community service
• Stand-out experiences
• Career commitment to research, teaching, service, etc. (whatever is in line with the ideals of the fellowship program)

It’s a great idea to keep track of accomplishment or activity you participate in throughout your college years and beyond with a few annotations about your contributions to draw upon when preparing fellowship applications.

At the end of the day, what makes you an excellent fellowship applicant has a great deal of overlap with what makes you an excellent undergraduate or graduate student or postdoc, effective researcher, and personable individual. Effort you put toward making yourself a stronger fellowship applicant will benefit many other areas of your life as well.

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Reader Interactions

September 23, 2020 at 10:10 pm

Just a note about the SMART fellowship: that range for the stipend is a little misleading. PhD students will get that max. value if they accept the full terms (i.e. full year worth of funding). Stipend should be same as/competitive with other federal grants, i.e. CSGF, NDSEG, GRFP, ~$3300/mo. One major benefit to SMART is the job security after graduation.

October 5, 2020 at 7:48 am

Thanks for the clarification!

[…] Further reading: How to Find, Apply for, and Win a Fellowship During Your PhD or Postdoc […]

[…] How to Find, Apply for, and Win a Fellowship During Your PhD or Postdoc […]

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Google PhD fellowship program

Google PhD Fellowships directly support graduate students as they pursue their PhD, as well as connect them to a Google Research Mentor.

Nurturing and maintaining strong relations with the academic community is a top priority at Google. The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional and innovative research in areas relevant to computer science and related fields. Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology. Google’s mission is to foster inclusive research communities and encourage people of diverse backgrounds to apply. We currently offer fellowships in Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, India, Latin America, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United States.

Quick links

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Program details

Application status, how to apply, research areas of focus, review criteria, award recipients.

Applications are currently closed.

Update on 2024 Announcement : Decisions for the 2024 application cycle, originally planned for July 2024, will now be announced via email in August 2024. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as we work to finalize decisions.

• Launch March 27, 2024
• Deadline May 8, 2024
• Awardees Notified By Aug. 31, 2024

The details of each Fellowship vary by region. Please see our FAQ for eligibility requirements and application instructions.

PhD students must be nominated by their university. Applications should be submitted by an official representative of the university during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Australia and New Zealand

Canada and the United States

PhD students in Japan, Korea and Taiwan must be nominated by their university. After the university's nomination is completed, either an official representative of the university or the nominated students can submit applications during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

India and Southeast Asia

PhD students apply directly during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Latin America

The 2024 application cycle is postponed. Please check back in 2025 for details on future application cycles.

Google PhD Fellowship students are a select group recognized by Google researchers and their institutions as some of the most promising young academics in the world. The Fellowships are awarded to students who represent the future of research in the fields listed below. Note that region-specific research areas will be listed in application forms during the application window.

Algorithms and Theory

Distributed Systems and Parallel Computing

Health and Bioscience

Human-Computer Interaction and Visualization

Machine Intelligence

Machine Perception

Natural Language Processing

Quantum Computing

Security, Privacy and Abuse Prevention

Software Engineering

Software Systems

Speech Processing

Applications are evaluated on the strength of the research proposal, research impact, student academic achievements, and leadership potential. Research proposals are evaluated for innovative concepts that are relevant to Google’s research areas, as well as aspects of robustness and potential impact to the field. Proposals should include the direction and any plans of where your work is going in addition to a comprehensive description of the research you are pursuing.

In Canada and the United States, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

What does the Google PhD Fellowship include?

Students receive named Fellowships which include a monetary award. The funds are given directly to the university to be distributed to cover the student’s expenses and stipend as appropriate. In addition, the student will be matched with a Google Research Mentor. There is no employee relationship between the student and Google as a result of receiving the fellowship. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If students wish to apply for a job at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

• Up to 3 year Fellowship
• US $12K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Google Research Mentor
• 1 year Fellowship
• AUD $15K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Up to 2 year Fellowship (effective from 2024 for new recipients)
• Full tuition and fees (enrollment fees, health insurance, books) plus a stipend to be used for living expenses, travel and personal equipment
• US $10K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• Yearly bursary towards stipend / salary, health care, social benefits, tuition and fees, conference travel and personal computing equipment. The bursary varies by country.

Early-stage PhD students

• Up to 4 year Fellowship
• US $50K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Late-stage PhD students

• US $10K to recognise research contributions, cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
• US $15K per year to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Southeast Asia

• US $10K per year for up to 3 years (or up to graduation, whichever is earlier) to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Is my university eligible for the PhD Fellowship Program?

Africa, Australia/New Zealand , Canada, East Asia, Europe and the United States : universities must be an accredited research institution that awards research degrees to PhD students in computer science (or an adjacent field).

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open to universities/institutes in India, Latin America (excluding Cuba), and in eligible Southeast Asian countries/regions (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).

Restrictions : All award payments and recipients will be reviewed for compliance with relevant US and international laws, regulations and policies. Google reserves the right to withhold funding that may violate laws, regulations or our policies.

What are the eligibility requirements for students?

All regions

• Students must remain enrolled full-time in the PhD program for the duration of the Fellowship or forfeit the award.
• Google employees, and their spouses, children, and members of their household are not eligible.
• Students that are already supported by a comparable industry award are not eligible. Government or non-profit organization funding is exempt.
• Past awardees from the PhD Fellowship program are not eligible to apply again.
• Grant of the Fellowship does not mean admission to a PhD program. The awardee must separately apply and be accepted to a PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) at an eligible institution.
• Grant of the Fellowship will be subject to the rules and guidelines applicable in the institution where the awardee registers for the PhD program.

Nominated students in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States, East Asia and Europe.

Universities should only nominate students that meet the following requirements:

• Africa: Incoming PhD students are eligible to apply, but the Fellowship award shall be contingent on the awardee registering for a full-time PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) within the academic award year of the Fellowship award, or the award shall be forfeited.
• Australia and New Zealand : early-stage students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).
• Canada and the United States : students who have completed graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins.
• East Asia: students who have completed most of graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins. Students should have sufficient time for research projects after receiving a fellowship.
• Europe: Students enrolled at any stage of their PhD are eligible to apply.

Direct applicant students in India, Latin America and Southeast Asia

• Latin America : incoming or early stage-students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).

What should be included in an application? What language should the application be in?

All application materials should be submitted in English.

For each student nomination, the university will be asked to submit the following material in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file:

• Student CV with links to website and publications (if available)
• Short (1-page) resume/CV of the student's primary PhD program advisor
• Available transcripts (mark sheets) starting from first year/semester of Bachelor's degree to date
• Research proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee''s work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: What impact would receiving this Fellowship have on your education? Describe any circumstances affecting your need for a Fellowship and what educational goals this Fellowship will enable you to accomplish.
• Transcripts of current and previous academic records
• 1-2 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)

Canada, East Asia, the United States

• Cover sheet signed by the Department Chair confirming the student passes eligibility requirements. (See FAQ "What are the eligibility requirements for students?")
• Short (1-page) CV of the student's primary advisor
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)
• Research / dissertation proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
• Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. (A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?)

Students will need the following documents in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file in order to complete an application (in English only):

• Student applicant’s resume with links to website and publications (if available)
• Short (one-page) resume/CV of the student applicant's primary PhD program advisor
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the applicant's work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
• Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
• Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: What are your long-term goals for your pathway in computing research, and how would receiving the Google PhD Fellowship help you progress toward those goals in the short-term?

How do I apply for the PhD Fellowship Program? Who should submit the applications? Can students apply directly for a Fellowship?

Check the eligibility and application requirements in your region before applying. Submission forms are available on this page when the application period begins.

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia: students may apply directly during the application period.

Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States : students cannot apply directly to the program; they must be nominated by an eligible university during the application period.

How many students may each university nominate?

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open directly to students with no limit to the number of students that can apply from a university.

Australia and New Zealand : universities may nominate up to two eligible students.

Canada and the United States : Universities may nominate up to four eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage additional nominees who self-identify as a woman, Black / African descent, Hispanic / Latino / Latinx, Indigenous, and/or a person with a disability.

Africa, East Asia and Europe : Universities may nominate up to three eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage the additional nominee who self-identifies as a woman.

*Applications are evaluated on merit. Please see FAQ for details on how applications are evaluated.

How are applications evaluated?

In Canada and the United State, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

A nominee's status as a member of a historically marginalized group is not considered in the selection of award recipients.

Research should align with Google AI Principles .

Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

How are Google PhD Fellowships given?

Any monetary awards will be paid directly to the Fellow's university for distribution. No overhead should be assessed against them.

What are the intellectual property implications of a Google PhD Fellowship?

Fellowship recipients are not subject to intellectual property restrictions unless they complete an internship at Google. If that is the case, they are subject to the same intellectual property restrictions as any other Google intern.

Will the Fellowship recipients become employees of Google?

No, Fellowship recipients do not become employees of Google due to receiving the award. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If they are interested in working at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

Can Fellowship recipients also be considered for other Google scholarships?

Yes, Fellowship recipients are eligible for these scholarships .

After award notification, when do the Google PhD Fellowships begin?

After Google PhD Fellowship recipients are notified, the Fellowship is effective starting the following school year.

What is the program application time period?

Applications for the 2024 program will open in March 2024 and close in May 2024 for all regions. Refer to the main Google PhD Fellowship Program page for each region’s application details.

A global awards announcement will be made in September on the Google Research Blog publicly announcing all award recipients.

How can I ask additional questions?

Due to the volume of emails we receive, we may not be able to respond to questions where the answer is available on the website. If your question has not been answered by a FAQ, email:

Africa: [email protected]

Australia and New Zealand: [email protected]

Canada and the United States: [email protected]

East Asia: [email protected]

Europe: [email protected]

India: [email protected]

Latin America: [email protected]

Southeast Asia: [email protected]

See past PhD Fellowship recipients.

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How to Become a Research Fellow

Step 1: Understand the job description and responsibilities of a Research Fellow

What does a research fellow do.

A Research Fellow develops the strategy and vision to position a project from inception through completion; creates teams and collaborations that understand the project's direction. Communicates direction through words or actions to inspire team members to reach goals. Being a Research Fellow also responsible for planning and budgeting. Requires a PhD in their field of specialty. Additionally, Research Fellow typically reports to a top management. The Research Fellow manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. To be a Research Fellow typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function.

A research fellow is an academic research position at a university or a similar research institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members.

A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator.

In contrast to a research assistant, the position of research fellow normally requires a doctoral degree, or equivalent work experience for instance in industry and research centers.

Some research fellows undertake postdoctoral research or have some moderate teaching responsibilities.

Research fellow positions vary in different countries and academic institutions.

Step 2: Learn best tips to become a Research Fellow

Best tips for those who want to become a research fellow.

Here are some tips to become a Research Fellow.

Create and study the efficacy of project-oriented, experiential, and research-based, curriculum, that broadens our ideas of what ECS is and does.

Moving ECS from traditional applications to socially and environmentally responsible focus.

Research Involving Existing Facilities and Resources.

The best professional sources for reporting what’s happening on the ground are not always journalists.

There’s a huge value in having language skills.

Step 3: View best colleges and universities for Research Fellow

Best colleges and universities for research fellow.

• Butler University
• Carroll College
• High Point University
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Rollins College

Step 4: Think about whether is it worth to be a Research Fellow

Is being a research fellow worth it.

Research × Research Research Candidate Discovery Preclinical Development Clinical Development Regulatory Review and Ongoing Monitoring Our People, Our Culture – The MRL Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program Our R&D Process What We're Working On Pipeline Clinical Trials Invent with Us Discover Where Our Research Happens.

Our People, Our Culture – The MRL Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program.

Careers × Careers Careers Search Jobs Our Divisions – Research & Development – Manufacturing & Supply – Human Health – Animal Health – Global Support Functions Diversity & Inclusion Compensation & Benefits Veterans Opportunities Student Opportunities How We Hire MSD Careers Talent Community Events.

Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program aims to be a best-in-industry experience for postdoctoral researchers, providing an academic focus in a commercial environment.

With the resources, reach, and expertise of a large pharmaceutical environment at your fingertips, MRL postdocs are positioned to excel in an institution committed to breakthrough innovation in research and discovery.

Step 5: Prepare relevant skills for being a Research Fellow

What skills do you need to be a research fellow.

This role is not a beginner's role, as such, there are many skills required.  It is vital to the role to command: Budget Administration, Project Management, Research Design, Scientific Research, Strategic Planning.  Management isn't easy, if it were, everyone would have the competenticies to execute the role with success.

Post award considerations Additional information Working with industry Fellowship assessment process Choosing the right fellowship Fellowship FAQs What to expect as an MRC fellow Skills needed to win support Career profiles Additional career support Research staff development Researcher co-investigator (RCoI) Flexible working policies.

Spending & accountability Facts & figures Pay and spend data All published transparency data Annual report Delivery plan Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research.

Skills & careers How MRC supports research careers Explore career and funding options Studentships Fellowships Skills needed to win support Career profiles Additional career support.

Overall assessment of potential for success in research environment.

Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various stands of knowledge and apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations.

Step 6: View average salary for Research Fellow

How much does a research fellow make.

The average salary range for a Research Fellow is from $163,276 to $210,962. The salary will change depending on your location, job level, experience, education, and skills.

Average salary for Research Fellow jobs

• Senior Research Fellow
• Actuarial Fellow

Step 7: Find relevant Research Fellow jobs, and apply.

Looking for research fellow jobs.

Here are some Research Fellow jobs in the United States.

Step 8: Explore Career Path of Research Fellow