About

Microsoft recognizes the value of diversity in computing. The Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant aims to increase the pipeline of diverse talent receiving advanced degrees in computing-related fields by providing a research funding opportunity for doctoral students from groups under-represented in computing (women, African-Americans/Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and/or people with disabilities).

Provisions of the award

• The 2017 Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant recipients will receive funding up to 20,000 USD for academic year 2017–18 to help them complete research as part of their doctoral thesis work.
• Microsoft will arrange and pay for travel and accommodations to grant recipients to attend a two-day Microsoft Research workshop in Redmond, Washington, on November 13–14, 2017.
  • The workshop will provide grant recipients an opportunity to present their research, meet individually with Microsoft researchers in their research area and receive career coaching from Microsoft researchers.

Eligibility criteria

• PhD students must be enrolled at a university in the United States or Canada and doing dissertation work that relates to computing topics in which Microsoft Research has expertise (click on Research Areas at the top of the page for a full list).
• PhD students must be in their fourth year or beyond in a PhD program when they apply for this grant. The student must continue to be enrolled at the university in the autumn of 2017. Funding is for use only during their time in the PhD program; it cannot be used for support in a role past graduation, such as a postdoc or faculty position. The applicant will need to confirm their PhD program starting month and year, as well as their expected graduation month and year.
• Payment of the grant, as described above, will be made directly to the grant recipient’s university and dispersed according to the university’s policies.
• Applicants must attest that they self-identify with at least one group under-represented in computing. This includes: women, African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and/or people with disabilities.