Now in its 26th year, the NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program remains one of the most generous corporate doctoral awards in accelerated computing, backing PhD students whose research is shaping the future of AI, robotics, graphics, and high-performance computing. The 2027/2028 cycle is open globally, with applications closing October 30, 2026.
About the NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program
Administered directly by NVIDIA, the program has awarded more than 220 grants worth approximately $8 million since launching in 2002. Each fellow receives up to $60,000 channeled through their university, plus mentorship from NVIDIA researchers, access to NVIDIA products and technology, and a mandatory in-person summer internship at an NVIDIA research office before the fellowship year begins. Internship offices are located in the United States, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Israel, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Funding Size
- Award: up to $60,000 per fellow for the 2027/2028 academic year
- Funds disbursed through the fellow’s university covering stipend, tuition, and required fees
- Includes mandatory paid summer internship at an NVIDIA research office in summer 2027
Who Can Apply
- PhD students from any country enrolled in computer science, computer engineering, system architecture, electrical engineering, or a related field
- Must have completed at least one year of doctoral studies at the time of application
- Must be actively conducting PhD thesis research and enrolled full-time for the entire 2027/2028 academic year of nine months
- Must not plan to graduate before May or June 2028
- Must be available for the mandatory in-person summer internship in summer 2027
- No immediate family members currently employed at NVIDIA
- Full-time NVIDIA employees are not eligible
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Geographic Eligibility
- Open globally
- Award is disbursed through the applicant’s university; the university must be able to administer the grant
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Autonomous vehicles and robotics
- Computer graphics and visualization
- Healthcare and biomedical computing
- High-performance and accelerated computing
Application Process
Applicants submit all materials through the NVIDIA fellowship submission portal. Recommendation letters, including a mandatory letter from the PhD advisor, must be uploaded and confirmed through the same portal before the deadline. All materials including letters must arrive by October 30, 2026.
Required Materials
- Completed online application form
- Research proposal of up to two pages plus bibliography
- Updated CV or resume
- Valid passport or national ID
- Recommendation letters including advisor letter, all submitted through the portal
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 30 October 2026
- Award notifications: 15 January 2027
- Summer internship: summer 2027
- Fellowship year: 2027/2028 academic year
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Selection Notes
- The research proposal carries the most weight in the review process; a clear research question and strong early results are essential
- Applicants should explicitly connect their work to accelerated computing and NVIDIA’s research areas