The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has released the call for nominations for the Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD Fellowship 2026. Apple established this esteemed program to assist exceptional PhD students engaged in cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence research. This extremely competitive fellowship provides mentorship from Apple researchers, a travel grant, and full financing for two academic years.
Candidates must be enrolled full-time in TUM Graduate School’s PhD program, preferably in the last two to three years of their studies by the fall of 2025. Up to three nominees will be chosen from each department and submitted to Apple. The deadline for internal applications is August 1, 2025.
A CV, research abstract, anonymized research plan, transcripts, and recommendation letters are required of applicants. The fellowship honors expertise in fields like data-centric AI, NLP, vision, privacy-preserving machine learning, and ethical AI. In addition to financial assistance, it provides chances for professional development and exposure abroad.
Host Country: Germany
University: Technical University of Munich
Opportunity Type: Fellowship, PhD
Eligibility Country: International Students
Financial Coverage: Fully Funded
Eligibility Criteria:
- must be completely listed via DocGS on their school’s doctorate candidacy list.
- At the time of application, you must be a complete member of the TUM Graduate School.
- Enrollment at TUM should continue through the 2026–2027 school year.
- As of fall 2025, they ought to be in the last two to three years of their PhD program.
- During the Apple grant period, no other comparable industry-sponsored full fellowship may be held.
Benefits:
- significant allowance for the two academic years of Fall 2026–Summer 2028
- An annual travel grant of $5,000 USD for conferences and travel connected to research
- Individual guidance from a committed Apple researcher
- Recognition on a global scale and affiliation with top AI/ML research communities
Deadline: 01 August 2025
