The Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026 for for faculty,
PhD students, and postdocs ($17,000 USD stipend)Application Deadline: 2
December, 2025
Applications are now open for the 2026 Microsoft
Research Fellowship. The Microsoft Research Fellowship creates
opportunities for academic scholars (faculty, PhD students, and postdocs) to
collaborate with Microsoft Research on open research challenges that advance
scientific understanding, drive innovation, and deliver societal benefit.
In an era of rapid innovation, this fellowship brings
together academia and industrial researchers across disciplines to shape the
future through open research collaborations. Academic collaboration is
foundational to advancing scientific discovery, and today, it’s more critical
than ever. Academic institutions contribute deep domain expertise, novel
perspectives, and a culture of exploration. Microsoft Research’s global labs
offer deep technical expertise, cutting-edge academic inquiry, and real-world application.
By working together, we believe we can accelerate innovation, promote
responsible development, and address complex challenges that can best be solved
through interdisciplinary exploration.
Benefits
The Microsoft Research Fellowship is designed to create
meaningful opportunities for collaboration between academic researchers and
Microsoft Research. These opportunities will vary by research challenge and may
include working sessions, regular check-ins, asynchronous collaboration,
workshops, and other formats tailored to the nature of the research.
- Funding
amounts vary by the region a fellows’ organization/institution of
employment is located in.
- Africa
– $17,000 (USD)
- Australia
& New Zealand – $17,000 (USD)
- Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico – $17,000 (USD)
- Canada
– $47,000 (USD)
- Europe
– $27,000 (USD)
- India
– $17,000 (USD)
- Hong
Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan – $17,000 (USD)
- United
States – $47,000 (USD)
These stipend amounts include travel funding to support
in-person collaboration. Fellows may use this funding to visit Microsoft
Research principal investigators and collaborators at a Microsoft Research lab
or office.All payments will be distributed in March/April 2026. If selected,
Microsoft will work with respective departmental finance liaisons to transfer
funds.*Stipend rates are reviewed annually and benchmarked against
comparable fellowship programs in each geography to ensure competitive
alignment.
General Eligibility
- Microsoft
is seeking scholars in academia who are pursuing research and instruction
in academic venues across a range of disciplines.
- This
program accepts proposals from individuals based in the following regions:
Africa, Australia & New Zealand, Canada, Europe, India, Hong Kong,
Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States.
Student Eligibility
- Students
must be actively pursuing a PhD at an accredited institution
- Students
must be enrolled at a degree-granting university in one of the following
regions: Africa; Australia & New Zealand; Canada; Europe; India; Hong
Kong; Japan; Korea; Singapore; Taiwan; Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Colombi;
Mexico; Puerto Rico; or the United States.
Faculty Eligibility
- Proposals
submitted by eligible faculty should also identify a student to be
involved in the collaboration. If selected, both the faculty member and
student will be named as Fellows. See “How to Apply” for more details.
- Faculty
must have received their terminal degree (e.g., PhD, DSc). A terminal
degree is defined as the highest-level college degree that can be achieved
within your academic discipline or professional field.
- All
faculty members and students listed in the proposal must be employed or
enrolled at a degree-granting university located in one of the following
regions: Africa; Australia & New Zealand; Canada; Europe; India; Hong
Kong; Japan; Korea; Singapore; Taiwan; Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Colombi;
Mexico; Puerto Rico; or the United States.
Postdoc Eligibility
- Proposals
submitted by eligible postdocs should attest to support from a faculty
advisor or department chair supporting postdoc’s participation in this
collaboration with Microsoft through the Fellowship program.
- Postdocs
must be employed or enrolled at a degree-granting university located in
one of the following regions: Africa; Australia & New Zealand; Canada;
Europe; India; Hong Kong; Japan; Korea; Singapore; Taiwan; Argentina;
Brazil; Chile; Colombi; Mexico; Puerto Rico; or the United States.
Application Timeline:
- Call
for proposals: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
- Proposal
submission deadline: Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET
- Proposal
notifications sent by: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
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