Google PhD Fellowship Program

For questions, please contact Joe Matope, Executive Director, Corporate Relations, at [email protected].

Sponsor: Google

Program: Google 2025 PhD Fellowship Program

Grant amount: Up to 2 year Fellowship; US $85K per year: $70K Cost of Education allowance towards tuition and fees and $15K stipend to be used for living expenses, travel and personal equipment (effective from 2025 for new recipients); Google Research Mentor

Summary:

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. Our research teams impact technology used by people all over the world and we encourage people of a wide range of backgrounds to apply. We currently offer fellowships in Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United States.

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:

• Computer Architecture
• Algorithms and Optimization
• Health Research
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Machine Learning and ML Foundations
• Machine Perception
• Natural Language Processing
• Privacy, Safety, and Security
• Quantum Computing
• Software Engineering and Programming Languages
• Systems, Networking, and Cloud Computing
• *Region-specific research areas that will be listed in application forms during the application window.

Students cannot apply directly to the program; they must be nominated by an eligible university during the application period.

Eligibility:

• Universities must be an accredited research institution that awards research degrees to PhD students in computer science (or an adjacent field).
• 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.
• Students who have completed graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins.

Universities may nominate up to four eligible students. Google strongly encourages nominating students from a wide range of backgrounds.

Full RFP: https://research.google/programs-and-events/phd-fellowship/

GW’s Internal Application and Selection Process: In order to be considered, please visit OVPR INFOREADY to submit the following materials by April 25, 2025.

• One-page summary with the following information:
• Description of research being completed by PhD student, including the category the research fits into (from list above)
• Candidate’s current curriculum vitae or resume

Fellowship application requirements after being internally selected by GW:

Applications must be submitted by an official representative of the university during the application window. Please contact your department or graduate school for more information on the internal nomination process.

• 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)
• 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...)"
• Transcripts of current and previous academic records

Timeline:

• April 25, 2025: GW internal submission deadline and materials due to OVPR INFOREADY.
• May 1, 2025: Selected internal applicant is notified.
• May 15, 2025: Application submission deadline.
• August 31, 2025: Notification of proposal decisions.

For questions, please contact Joe Matope, Executive Director, Corporate Relations, at [email protected].