If you’re a PhD candidate with a passion for pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and machine learning, Apple has just opened the door to one of the most prestigious research fellowships in the world.
Apple has officially launched the Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD Fellowship Program for 2026, a globally recognized initiative that supports brilliant minds conducting cutting-edge research in AI and ML. This opportunity is open to international doctoral students enrolled at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and the nomination process is now underway.
What’s the Apple AI/ML Fellowship All About?
The Apple Scholars in AI/ML fellowship celebrates emerging leaders in computer science and engineering. This initiative seeks to empower future innovators who are dedicated to creating intelligent systems that prioritize ethics, fairness, accessibility, and impactful real-world applications.
Focus Research Areas: Applicants must be working on research aligned with one or more of these focus areas:
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- Privacy-preserving machine learning
- Human-centered AI
- AI for ethics and fairness
- AI for accessibility
- AI for health and wellness
- Machine learning theory and architectures
- Interactive ML and agents
- Speech and natural language
- Computer vision
- Information retrieval and knowledge systems
- Data-centric AI.
Fellowship Benefits
Awardees will receive:
- A generous two-year stipend to support living and research-related expenses
- $5,000 USD travel grant annually for conferences and research trips
- One-on-one mentorship with a world-class Apple researcher
All monetary gifts are paid to the recipient’s university at the beginning of each academic year, contingent on continued eligibility and full-time enrollment.
Note: This fellowship is not linked to Apple internships or employment. However, Scholars may be invited separately to apply for internships at Apple.
Who Can Apply?
This opportunity is only open to TUM doctoral candidates, and applications must be submitted through the TUM Graduate School. The key eligibility criteria include:
- Applicant must be fully registered on the doctoral candidacy list (in DocGS)
- Must be a full member of the TUM Graduate School
- Should be entering the final 2–3 years of their PhD by Fall 2025
- Must not hold a similar industry-sponsored fellowship during the Apple Scholars tenure (Fall 2026 to Summer 2028).
The deadline to submit applications for the Apple Scholars in AI/ML 2026 PhD Fellowship is August 1, 2025.
