Quad Fellowship: Schmidt Futures

On September 24, 2021, Quad partners Australia, India, Japan, and the United States announced the Quad Fellowship: a first-of-its-kind scholarship program designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists. Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative, will operate and administer the fellowship program in consultation with a non-governmental taskforce, comprised of academic, foreign policy, and private sector leaders from each Quad country.

This program will sponsor 100 exceptional American, Japanese, Australian, and Indian master’s and doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to study in the United States. The fellowship will develop a network of science and technology experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration in the private, public, and academic sectors, in their own nations and among Quad countries. The program will build a foundational understanding among Quad Scholars of one another’s societies and cultures through cohort-wide trips and robust programming with each country’s top scientists, technologists, and politicians. 

Benefits

The Quad Fellowship offers a unique combination of financial benefits, cross-cultural exchange, networking, and content programming. Each Quad Fellow will receive a one-time award of $50,000 which can be used for tuition, research, fees, books, room and board, and related academic expenses (e.g., registration fees, research-related travel). All Quad Fellows are eligible to apply for separate demonstrated needs-based funding of up to $25,000 to cover costs related to completing graduate-level studies

Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application

Be citizens or legal permanent residents of Australia, India, Japan, or the United States

Have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a STEM field by August 2023

Have a demonstrated record of superior academic achievement at the undergraduate level

If applicants are currently enrolled in a Master's or PhD program in the United States, they may apply if they will be enrolled in a qualified academic program during their time as a Fellow (i.e., August 2023 - May 2024)

There are three components of the application process:

Online application requesting three essays, background demographic information, and three letters of recommendation. At least two letters of recommendation must come from professors who can speak to the candidate’s academic abilities; one may come from either a professional contact or another academic contact.

Expert review designed to assess proficiency in the applicant’s STEM field.

Final-round panel interview designed to assess interest in the intersection of STEM and society, capacity to bridge differences, and an orientation towards results.

Final decisions will be announced in October or November 2022.

Last Date to apply: 30.06.2022