Computer-science funding can recognize student leadership, support an incoming doctoral researcher, or back an established PhD project. Start with your academic stage. A fellowship requiring doctoral research is not an alternative application for a first-year undergraduate.
The selected routes below span those stages. They are not an exhaustive list, and funding is competitive rather than guaranteed.
Compare selected computing opportunities
Checked October 14, 2026. Full provider criteria apply.
| Program | Intended applicant | Published support/status | First step |
|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE Richard E. Merwin Student Scholarship | Eligible active IEEE Computer Society volunteers; final-two-year undergraduates or graduates in qualifying fields | Up to $1,000 per student; recurring April 30/September 30 deadlines, latest September date past | Read membership, academic and ambassador requirements |
| DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship | Eligible U.S. citizens/permanent residents entering full-time doctoral study using high-performance computing | $45,000 annual stipend, full tuition/fees and other support; 2027–28 applications open | Submit by January 7, 2027 under current instructions |
| NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship | Eligible active PhD researchers in relevant computing fields; international applicants included | Up to $60,000; 2027–28 applications open through October 30, 2026 | Check research fit and required prior summer internship |
Do not confuse the Merwin Student Scholarship with IEEE’s similarly named Distinguished Service Award. The student page describes educational-stage requirements and a student ambassador role. Student program.
Undergraduate leadership: document the actual contribution
Merwin applicants need at least three months of Computer Society membership, qualifying full-time enrollment, and specified academic performance. Winners serve as Student Ambassadors for one year and submit reports. Read the remaining-degree and previous-award restrictions before applying. Merwin eligibility and responsibilities.
A useful leadership example explains what you did for a student branch or chapter: the need, decisions, collaboration, and result. Do not equate an event’s entire attendance or output with your individual contribution.
The provider specifically excludes unrelated materials such as a CV and high-school transcripts. Follow its checklist rather than attaching everything you have. Merwin submission instructions.
Incoming doctoral study: build the course plan early
DOE CSGF has Science & Engineering and Math/Computer Science tracks. Its application asks for a Program of Study prepared with an advisor; applicants without a graduate advisor can seek help from a current or recent advisor. References and transcripts must reach the provider by the application deadline. DOE application instructions.
The program includes a minimum twelve-week on-site DOE laboratory practicum and may renew for up to four years. Consider that experience as part of the decision, not just the stipend. DOE program overview.
Do not assume a saved application is submitted. Track the portal’s final-submission and supporting-material status separately, and ask recommenders well before the deadline.
Established PhD research: check enrollment and internship timing
NVIDIA generally requires completion of the first PhD year before applying, active thesis research, and continued full-time enrollment throughout the award year. A preceding in-person summer internship is required. Funds are administered by the university, not paid directly as unrestricted cash. NVIDIA eligibility and payment.
Check your expected graduation date and availability before preparing a proposal. If you want to combine awards or have a potential conflict, ask the program and your university instead of assuming all funding can be stacked.
Explain a computing project with evidence
State the problem, method, your contribution, and what the result supports. Distinguish a proposed experiment from a completed evaluation. A hypothetical systems applicant could explain a performance tradeoff and the limits of a benchmark; a machine-learning applicant could discuss evaluation design without inventing accuracy numbers.
Protect confidential code, credentials, private datasets, and unpublished work. Ask your advisor or collaborator what may be shared. A technically impressive application should also be accurate and authorized.
Next step
Choose your current stage, read the appropriate provider’s full rules, and assemble its exact materials. Ask your department about separate institutional computer-science scholarships as another route.
