The Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026 is a competitive global program that supports exceptional PhD students, postdocs, and faculty researchers working on high-impact scientific and technological challenges. This fully funded opportunity is designed for scholars who want to collaborate directly with Microsoft Research labs on open research problems in AI, clean energy, societal impact, multimodal intelligence, and more. With its strong funding support and global reach, the program attracts top talent from universities across the world.

Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026-Overview

Host Organization: Microsoft Research (Global Research Labs)
Regions Eligible: Africa, Australia & New Zealand, Canada, Europe, India, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States
Degree Level: PhD Students, Postdoctoral Researchers, Faculty (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professors)
Funding Amount:, $17,000 USD for Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia & NZ, India, $27,000 USD for Europe, $47,000 USD for the US & Canada
Deadline: December 16, 2025 (11:59 PM ET)

Available Research Areas / Challenges

Applicants must choose one challenge while applying. Key areas include:

AI for Global and Societal Impact
Equitable Interactive AI Tools for Creatives
Global Employment & AI-Driven Workforce Analytics
Grounding AI in Global Majority Languages & Cultures
Disinformation & Misinformation Solutions
Scalable Reasoning and Model Adaptation
Generative AI Evaluation & Psychometrics
Post-Training Optimization of Retrieval Models
Test-Time Verification for Reasoning Models
Generative Models for Regulatory Genomics
AI for Clean Electricity Planning and Deployment
Reinforcement Learning Post-Training
Human-AI Collaboration & Collective Intelligence
AI for Creativity and Dynamic Experiences
Socially Intelligent AI Agents
Multimodal & Embodied Intelligence
General-Purpose Robotic Foundation Models
Robot Learning from Alternative Data Sources

These areas target high-impact challenges shaping the future of AI, robotics, societal systems, and scientific discovery.

Click Here for Detailed Research Challenges Microsoft Research Funding 2026

Eligibility Criteria

For PhD Students

Must be actively enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university.
University must be located in an eligible region.
Must submit two Letters of Recommendation.

For Postdocs

Must be employed at a degree-granting university.
Must provide confirmation from a faculty advisor/department supporting participation.

For Faculty

Must hold a terminal degree (PhD, DSc, etc.).
Must identify a PhD student to collaborate with.
Must be based at an eligible university.

General Requirements

Strong alignment with the selected research challenge.
Clear motivation for collaboration with Microsoft Research.
Proposals must be written in English.

Click Here for Detailed Microsoft Research Collaboration Program Eligibility

Application Process

Follow these steps to apply to the Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026:

Step 1: Visit the official website and access the call for proposals, guidelines, and submission portal.

Click Here to Visit the Official Microsoft Fully Funded Research Fellowships 2026

Step 2: Review the research challenges and select one challenge that aligns with your expertise and career goals.

Click Here for Microsoft Research Funding Research Challenges 2026

Step 3: Prepare the required documents

Step 4: Submit your Research proposal and upload all documents through Microsoft’s official application portal.

Click Here to Submit the Research Proposal for Microsoft International Research Funding 2026

Financial Coverage / Fellowship Benefits

The Microsoft Research Fellowship provides generous research support, including:

Unrestricted funding (USD 17,000–47,000 depending on region)
Travel support to visit Microsoft Research labs
Collaboration opportunities with world-leading scientists and engineers
Access to cutting-edge research environments and tools
Opportunities for joint publications and innovative project development
Flexible use of funds (as per university policies)

The fellowship creates a valuable bridge between academia and industry, offering exposure to advanced AI research and global innovation ecosystems.

Apply Now—Research with Microsoft

The Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026 is a rare opportunity for researchers worldwide to collaborate with one of the most innovative research labs. With strong funding, access to cutting-edge AI environments, and a focus on global impact, it offers a powerful platform to advance your academic career.

Click Here to Explore and Apply for the Microsoft Research Fellowship 2026

Also Check: List of Open Global Research Fellowships Worldwide 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is the Microsoft Research Fellowship fully funded?

Yes. Fellows receive unrestricted financial support plus travel funding to collaborate with Microsoft Research.

2. Can PhD students apply directly?

Yes. PhD students can submit their own proposals with two letters of recommendation.

3. Can I apply if my research is outside computer science?

Yes. The fellowship supports interdisciplinary fields, including energy, robotics, linguistics, social sciences, and biological modeling.

4. How competitive is this program?

Highly competitive, but strong alignment with the selected challenge significantly increases the chances.

5. Does Microsoft hire fellows after the program?

This is not a hiring program, but many past fellows later collaborated with or joined Microsoft Research.

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