Scholarships for Computer Science Students Focusing on Machine Learning in the United States
This comprehensive survey note delves into the landscape of scholarships available for computer science students in the United States who are focusing on machine learning, providing a detailed analysis of options from universities, tech companies, and professional organizations. The focus is on ensuring accessibility and support for students at various academic levels, particularly highlighting opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate studies, with an emphasis on PhD and master’s programs where machine learning is a significant component.
University-Specific Scholarships
Top-tier universities in the US, known for their strong computer science and machine learning programs, offer a range of financial aid options that can be leveraged by students in this field. While these scholarships are not always explicitly labeled for machine learning, their broad applicability to computer science and related disciplines makes them relevant.
MIT Scholarships
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) provides a variety of scholarships through its Student Financial Services, which can support undergraduate and graduate students. These scholarships are often need-based or merit-based and can be applied to any field of study, including machine learning.
For instance, the MIT Scholarship program includes provisions for low-income first-year students with a $2,000 First Year Grant to cover transition expenses, which can be crucial for new students entering machine learning programs. Details are available at MIT Student Financial Services, with applications typically requiring an annual Student Information Review Form.
Stanford University Scholarships
Stanford University, another leader in computer science and AI, offers numerous fellowships and scholarships through its financial aid office. These can be accessed by students in the Mathematical and Computational Science program, among others, and are suitable for machine learning studies.
The university’s approach includes connecting students with external scholarship opportunities, and details can be found at Stanford Financial Aid. Students are encouraged to consult the financial aid office for personalized guidance, as the university emphasizes a broad range of funding sources.
UC Berkeley Fellowships
The University of California, Berkeley, known for its strong data science and machine learning research, offers fellowships through its Graduate Division. The Jack Larson Data for Good Fellowship, for example, supports Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) students aiming to use data science for societal benefit, which can include machine learning applications. This fellowship awards $8,500 per term over two years, and further details are available at UC Berkeley Graduate Division Funding. Berkeley also has a vibrant machine learning community, with student organizations like Machine Learning at Berkeley providing additional resources and networking opportunities.
Company-Sponsored Scholarships
Tech companies, recognizing the importance of machine learning in advancing their technologies, offer targeted fellowships and scholarships, particularly for PhD and advanced graduate students. These programs often provide not only financial support but also mentorship and networking opportunities with industry leaders.
DeepMind Scholarships
DeepMind, a leading AI research company, has partnered with several US universities to offer scholarships for students focusing on machine learning. These are specifically for master’s students and target underrepresented groups to foster diversity in AI. At UCLA, the DeepMind Fellowship supports MS students starting in Fall 2025, with a deadline of December 18, 2024, covering full tuition, fees, housing, and additional living expenses, plus a $2,250 travel grant for conferences, detailed at UCLA CS GSA Fellowships. UC San Diego offers similar support through its DeepMind Fellowships, with details at UC San Diego DeepMind Fellowships, and New York University provides scholarships through its Center for Data Science, found at NYU CDS Financial Aid. These programs emphasize mentorship and conference attendance, enhancing students’ research exposure.
Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship
This global program, available in the US and Canada, supports PhD students in computing research, including machine learning. It provides tuition and fees for two academic years (2023–24 and 2024–25), with a $15,000 USD stipend for research, and a 12-week paid internship at Microsoft Research’s Cambridge, UK lab or the Microsoft Africa Research Institute. Details are at Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship, with applications typically requiring nomination by the university, and the program paused for 2023 but expected to resume.
Google PhD Fellowship
Google’s program recognizes outstanding PhD students in computer science and related fields, including AI and machine learning, offering a two-year fellowship with the possibility of extension to a third year. It connects students with a Google Research Mentor and supports research in areas aligned with Google’s AI principles. Applications open on April 10, 2025, with details at Google PhD Fellowship, and in the US, Canada, and Europe, students must be nominated by their university, making it competitive but highly rewarding.
Facebook Fellowship Program
Now under Meta, this program encourages PhD students in computer science and engineering, with a focus on areas like machine learning. It offers two years of paid tuition and fees, a $42,000 annual stipend for living and conference travel, and a paid visit to Facebook headquarters for the annual Fellowship Summit. Details are at Facebook Research Fellowship, with applications evaluated based on research statements, publication records, and recommendation letters, and the program is open to students in any year of their PhD, promoting diversity.
Intel Edge AI Scholarship Program
While historically offered, this program empowered developers interested in deep learning and computer vision through Udacity’s Nanodegree program, with 750 scholarships available after completing a 2.5-month fundamentals course. However, recent searches indicate it may no longer be active, with the last updates from 2020, so students should verify at Udacity Scholarships.
Professional Organization Support
Professional organizations in AI and machine learning provide additional opportunities, often in the form of travel scholarships for conferences, which can be crucial for networking and presenting research.
AAAI Student Scholar Program
The Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) offers a Student Scholar Program for its annual conference, providing partial travel support for full-time undergraduate or graduate students who are members of AAAI and have submitted papers or letters of recommendation from faculty advisors. For 2025, applications opened on December 10, 2024, with a deadline of December 17, 2024, and details at AAAI-25 Student Scholarship. This program is particularly beneficial for students presenting machine learning research, with preference given to those with accepted technical papers.
Additional Considerations
While the above list covers major scholarships, students should also explore general computer science scholarships that may apply to machine learning, such as those from the National Science Foundation or IEEE Foundation, which were mentioned in initial searches but require further specific investigation for machine learning focus. The competitive nature of these scholarships, especially for PhD programs, underscores the importance of strong applications, including research proposals and recommendation letters. Deadlines vary, with many in late 2024 or early 2025, so checking official websites regularly is advised.