The Meta Research PhD Fellowship is a global program designed to encourage and support promising doctoral students who are engaged in innovative and relevant research in areas related to computer science and engineering at an accredited university.

The program is open to students in any year of their PhD study. We also encourage people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply, especially those from traditionally under-represented minority groups. Applications are evaluated based on the strength of the student’s research statement, publication record, and recommendation letters.

Winners of the Fellowship are entitled to receive two years of paid tuition and fees, a $42,000 annual stipend to cover living costs, various opportunities to engage with Meta researchers, and an invitation to the annual Fellowship Summit.

Rights to Research

Having funded over 200 students from around the world since the Fellowship program’s conception, we are proud to continue supporting exceptional PhD scholars in a variety of technology research domains. With the addition of close mentorship, the Meta Research PhD program aims to engage with our Fellowship winners, learn alongside them, and discover emerging opportunities in industry together.

Meta does not claim any right to work performed during or as a result of the Fellowship. All research conducted by the Fellow belongs to the Fellow. This excludes any work completed as a Meta employee, should the Fellow do an internship or consult during their Fellowship.

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible to apply for the program as long as you are:

• Enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university in the fall following the application cycle (i.e., Fall 2023)
• Engaged in research related to computer science and engineering in areas relevant to Meta, as specified in the Available Fellowships section

The program is open to students at all accredited universities around the world.

You would not be eligible if you are:

• Graduating before the fall following each application cycle
• Planning on working at another competitor company part-time while participating in the Fellowship
• A contingent worker at Meta. We cannot pay the CW wage and the stipend concurrently.
• A Meta AI Resident
• Planning on doing a part-time internship with a competitor during the academic year (fall/spring). You can do an internship at another company in the summer before Fellowship or in the summer between academic years during Fellowship. This includes internship extensions into the fall.

We will not be offering awards to candidates whose research is outside the specified research areas described in the Available Fellowships section. Please review each Available Fellowship description carefully to ensure you are aligned with the correct research area.

We are currently unable to provide funding for undergrads, graduates in different disciplines, or alternative funding such as small grants.

How to Apply

Applications Must Include

1. CV or resume. There is no page limit to the resume or CV. In this case, it may be worthwhile to have a longer CV to complement your achievements or any publications you would like to share.
2. Research statement. Statements of research should be 500 words or less and should clearly identify your area of focus, its importance to the field, and its applicability to Meta as it pertains to one of the Available Fellowships. Note that references or citations count toward the 500-word limit. To optimize the word count for research statements, references and citations should be added to CVs, which do not have a word or page limit.
3. Two letters of recommendation. One of the letters of recommendation needs to come from a PhD advisor or a research advisor. The other may come from another professor or an industry contact.

For application guidance from Fellows and Meta reviewers, see Application Tips below.

Application Process

• The 2023 application opens on August 3, 2022, at 9:00am PDT. Applicants may prepare to apply by creating a SurveyMonkey Apply account. During the application process, applicants will be asked to provide references’ contact information. Once the application is submitted, references will receive an email to upload their letters in SurveyMonkey Apply by October 6, 2022. Please visit SurveyMonkey Apply for more information on references and how to apply.
• Applications close on September 20, 2022. After the application deadline, changes to applications will no longer be accepted. There is no interview associated with the Fellowship review process.
• Winners are notified in mid-January 2023. Winners will be announced on the Meta Research blog. Due to the volume of submissions, we’re unable to provide individual feedback on proposals.

Funding Details

Payment

Tuition money will be paid directly to the school. The total stipend of $42,000 will be paid to Fellow via direct deposit, unless otherwise specified. Stipends must be paid directly to Fellows. Stipend payment(s) are sent once a tuition invoice is received for the respective fall term each year.

The award funds are delivered during the fall term of the awarded year(s) and conclude at the end of the Spring term. If a Fellow graduates in the middle of the academic year, they will receive their full tuition for the semester, and half of their stipend amount (in alignment with the semester).

Transferring universities during the Fellowship should generally not pose an issue with payment. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Use of Funds & Other Restrictions

• The $42,000 stipend cannot be redirected to the university’s lab as gift funding. Stipends must be paid directly to Fellows.
• Tuition and stipend/travel funds cannot be combined and paid to the university.
• Fellows do not receive equipment directly from Meta, but they are free to use their stipend to buy themselves a computer or any equipment necessary for conducting their research.
• Fellows cannot join Meta’s savings account plans (e.g. 401k, Health Savings Account, etc.) since they are not Meta employees.

Tax Information

Stipend awards are taxable and based on local tax laws (where Fellows are a resident). Tuition is sent directly to the Fellows’ university and is not considered personal income. Fellows will be asked to submit necessary tax information once accepting their award.

• Fellows who are U.S. citizens will use the 1099-Misc tax form.
• Fellows who are not U.S. citizens will receive the 1042-S tax document.

It is our policy that we do not advise Fellows on how to file their taxes. For additional guidance, Fellows should consult with a tax professional.

Conflicts of Interest

PhD students are welcome to apply for the Meta Research PhD Fellowship if their PhD is funded through other means. If an applicant is selected as a winner, we will review potential conflicts of interest and determine which funding they would have eligibility for (tuition vs. stipend, etc).

However, if a winner has accepted another offer, fellowship, or other multi-year award fund from a competing company or industry organization, they must disclose that information so we can determine if they are eligible to receive a Meta Research PhD Fellowship.

• Winners may be asked to decline funding from another company or industry competitor if they wish to accept the Meta Research PhD Fellowship. Funding in this context includes research projects, fellowships, internships, contractor work, and employment.
• Mandatory military employment or Meta contractor positions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Funding from a winner’s university or Meta internship or funding related to a teaching requirement is allowed.

If your question has not been answered here, please email [email protected]