External Funding Resources
Securing funding for graduate education demands initiative and persistence in pursuing research grants and scholarships. Below is a curated list of private and public funding opportunities for doctoral research, particularly in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and related fields. These fellowships and grants offer financial support, research funding, and networking opportunities to help graduate students further their studies and advance their careers.
| Program | Application Deadline | Academic Specialty | Eligibility Criteria | Funding (summary) | Status / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship | Paused since 2023 (no 2025 NA call) | Computing research aligned with Microsoft Research (AI/ML, systems, etc.) | Historically: PhD students; often university‑nominated (region‑specific cycles) | Historically: tuition/fees + stipend for 2 years | Program paused globally in 2023 while MSR retools; some regional/campus pages remain for history. |
| Google PhD Fellowship | 2025 decisions by Nov 2025; next cycle details coming in 2026 | Computer Science & Data/AI (NLP, ML, systems, HCI, theory, etc.) | Global; NA typically university‑nominated; varies by region | Up to 3 years support (tuition/fees + stipend, varies by region) | Applications closed for 2025; monitor for 2026 call. |
| IBM PhD Fellowship Awards | Faculty nominations typically in Nov (campus‑specific) | AI/ML, hybrid cloud, security, semiconductors, data systems | Full‑time PhD; within ~2 years of graduation; faculty‑nominated | Stipend + tuition support (varies by region) | Active; 2025 program covers Fall 2025–Spring 2026. |
| Amazon Research Awards (ARA) | Fall 2025 CFP: Oct 1 – Nov 5, 2025 (11:59pm PT) | Multiple calls incl. Agentic AI, Automated Reasoning, Responsible AI, etc. | Faculty PIs; PhD students supported via PI; some tracks welcome student co‑authors | Unrestricted grant + AWS credits | Active; also ‘Think Big’ spring CFP (Mar–May typical). |
| Intel PhD Fellowship (limited‑submission) | Varies by invited universities | Fields aligned to Intel (AI/ML, systems, semiconductors) | Invited U.S. universities only; campus‑screened nominees | Tuition + stipend (historical); Intel mentor | Program exists at selected universities; confirm with your Graduate School. |
| Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (North America) | Typical: early Dec (e.g., Dec 2 in 2024); 2025–26 window TBA | Teams of two PhD students; AI/ML, CV, audio, wireless, systems, HW/SW | Participating universities only; proposal‑based (teams of 2) | $100,000 per winning team + mentorship | Active; check partner‑school list and 2026 dates in fall. |
| NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship | Sept 15, 2025 (3pm PT) for 2026–27 cycle | GPU‑accelerated computing; AI/ML; graphics; robotics; HPC | Global; PhD post‑1st year; preceding NVIDIA internship required | Up to $50,000 | Active. |
| OpenAI — Residency (not a PhD fellowship) | Cohorts announced periodically; rolling by call | Applied AI/ML, alignment, safety (industry training) | Researchers/engineers transitioning into AI; not degree‑funding | Paid 6‑month program; not tuition funding | Alternative to fellowships; not a PhD tuition fellowship. |
| Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) — Science Programs | Varies by RFP (not a general PhD fellowship) | Biomed data science, imaging, single‑cell, neurodegeneration (PI‑led) | PI‑driven grants; students supported via labs/centers | Center/PI grants (no direct PhD fellowship application) | Monitor specific RFPs; coordinate with PI for student support. |
Google DeepMind Scholarships (university‑administered) | Institution‑specific (e.g., Oct 19, 2025 UK masters via Martingale) | AI/ML; often equity‑focused scholarships at partner universities | By university nomination/application; PhD at select institutions | Tuition + stipend (university‑specific) | Active via partner universities; check your department. |
| Open Philanthropy AI Fellowship | Cycles vary; check site for 2026 | AI/ML with emphasis on reducing catastrophic risks; alignment/safety | Full‑time PhD students in AI/ML | $40k stipend + $10k research + tuition/fees annually (to end of 5th PhD year) | Active; competitive and field‑specific. |
| NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) | Field‑specific: Nov 10–14, 2025; refs due Nov 7, 2025 | All NSF fields incl. CISE/Stats/Math; strong fit for Data/AI | U.S. citizens/nationals/permanent residents; early grad/undergrad seniors | Fellowship (3 yrs) with stipend + cost‑of‑education allowance | Active. |
| NIH NRSA F31 Predoctoral Fellowships | Standard due dates: Apr 8, Aug 8, Dec 8 | Biostatistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, AI for health | U.S. citizens/permanent residents in biomedical/behavioral PhD programs | Stipend + tuition/fees; duration varies by IC | Active; IC‑specific details apply. |
| DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) | Next cycle historically Jan; 2026–27 timeline TBA (opens late Oct 2025) | Computational science/HPC across science & engineering; ML for simulation | U.S. citizens/permanent residents in computationally intensive PhD fields | Full tuition/fees + $38k stipend + travel/professional development | Active. |
| DoD National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) | Typically Aug–Nov; FY2026 expected Aug 1–Nov 1, 2025 | Defense‑relevant STEM incl. AI/ML, cybersecurity, data science | U.S. citizens/nationals; no service obligation | Full tuition/fees + ~$38k stipend (3 yrs) | Active. |
DoD SMART Scholarship‑for‑Service | Opens Aug 1; closes first Friday in Dec (Dec 5, 2025) | DoD STEM incl. Data Science/AI, CS, EE, Stats | U.S. citizens; service commitment; internship at DoD lab | Tuition/fees + stipend + health + book allowance | Active (service obligation). |
| DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) | Nov 5, 2025 (2025 Solicitation 2) | Thesis research at DOE labs (computational/data sciences included) | U.S. citizens/permanent residents; PhD candidacy required at application | Travel + living stipend for extended DOE‑lab research visit | Active. |
| NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) | Annual fall call (e.g., NSTGRO25 due Nov 8, 2024); watch for 2026 | Space tech: autonomy, robotics, AI/ML, sensing; campus + NASA Center | U.S. citizens/permanent residents enrolled in MS/PhD; faculty PI required | Stipend + tuition + research costs/travel | Active; check NSPIRES for current cycle. |
| NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship (Graduate) | FY2025 pre‑apps closed Oct 31, 2024; next cycle TBA | Graduate research in oceanography, marine biology, maritime archaeology; data/AI welcome | U.S. citizens pursuing MS/PhD; project relevance to NOAA mission | Tuition + stipend + travel (multi‑year) | Active; watch next NOFO timeline. |
NIST Graduate Measurement Science & Engineering (GMSE) / PREP | Institutional; rolling/partner‑university dependent | Data science, ML, computational statistics, cybersecurity, metrology | U.S. citizens/permanent residents via partner universities | Tuition scholarship + stipend; NIST guest researcher role | Active via partner institutions. |
U.S. Dept. of Education — FLAS (Title VI) | Campus deadlines vary (e.g., UNC: Jan 31, 2025 for AY25–26) | Foreign language + area studies; data science linked to regional/social science research | U.S. citizens/permanent residents; grad & summer fellowships | Stipend + tuition benefits (amounts vary by year) | Active; campus‑managed competitions. |
| Meta Research PhD Fellowship (status) | Paused as of 2023; no open 2025 global call | CS/AI across Meta research areas (when active) | PhD students (historically open globally) | Tuition + stipend (historical) | Program not accepting new applications currently; monitor Meta Research site. |
| ARCS Foundation Scholar Awards (by city chapters) | Chapter deadlines vary (fall) | STEM at member universities; some data/AI eligible | U.S. citizens at ARCS member institutions | Multi‑year scholarships (amount varies) | Active via local chapters. |
| Hertz Fellowship | Oct 31, 2025 target for 2026 cycle (confirm on site) | Applied physical/biological/engineering sciences; mathematically rigorous work | U.S. citizens/permanent residents | Tuition support + generous stipend (multi‑year) | Active; highly selective. |