Google Conference Scholarships aim to promote diversity in technology and business by providing opportunities for underrepresented groups to attend key conferences in these fields. Google recognizes that diverse perspectives are crucial to developing world-changing tools. These scholarships enable individuals to network with peers and explore career paths in technology, thereby breaking down barriers that hinder their participation in these events.
Google Conference Scholarships are granted to the most deserving applicants following a rigorous application review process. Applicants will receive notifications about their status within the specified time frames for their respective regions. This ensures transparency and fairness in the selection process.
The Google Conference Scholarship covers conference registration, round-trip travel to and from the event, hotel accommodation for the specified travel dates, and a $100 USD stipend for additional travel expenses. It’s important to note that applicants should not make their own travel or hotel arrangements, as these are included in the scholarship and not reimbursed separately.
Eligibility
North America
The Google Conference Scholarship program in North America is specifically designed to provide career opportunities to historically excluded groups in the tech industry, including women, Black/African American/Caribbean/West Indies individuals, Hispanic/Latinx individuals, persons with disabilities, veterans, and Native American/First Nations individuals.
To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least eighteen (18) years old when applying.
- Be either a university student or an industry professional.
- Be a citizen, permanent resident of, or currently studying in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
- Be able to attend the entire conference.
- Not be a current Google employee, contractor, intern, officer, or director.
The program strives to award scholarships to new applicants each year, aiming to broaden access and opportunities for underrepresented individuals in the tech industry within North America.
Africa
The eligibility criteria for the Google scholarship for Africans attending international conferences are as follows:
- Applicants must be full-time students currently enrolled in a recognized university in Africa. They should also demonstrate a genuine need for financial support to attend the conference.
- To qualify, applicants must have a research paper accepted at a top-tier computer science conference. Google’s preference is to support conferences in areas aligned with their research interests, which can be found at research.google.com.
- Additionally, applicants must be either the sole author or a joint first author of the accepted research paper.
- Google employees are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Individuals who are residents of embargoed countries, ordinarily reside in embargoed countries, or are otherwise prohibited by applicable export controls and sanctions programs are also not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Application Process
To apply for the Google scholarship to cover conference fees, applicants should complete and submit the provided form before the deadline of the conference they intend to attend. It’s important to note that due to the prevalence of virtual conferences, applications are currently being accepted to cover conference fees.
Google reviews applications continuously throughout the year, following a rolling basis. Eligible applicants can expect to receive a response approximately four weeks after applying. To ensure timely processing, applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of the conference’s start date, as the payment process can take between 5 to 8 weeks.
Once approved for the travel grant, the funds will be disbursed to the applicant’s university, and the student can then claim their expenses through the university’s standard procedures.
For any inquiries or questions regarding the application process or scholarship, individuals are encouraged to contact Google at research-africa@google.com for further assistance.
Other Information
Here are some other information you should know regarding the Google Conference Scholarship application process:
- Confirmation of Application: You will receive an email confirmation immediately after submitting your application.
- Rolling Basis: Applications are not reviewed on a rolling basis; they are all assessed after the specified deadline.
- Notification of Selection: Successful applicants will receive notification via email at least one month before the conference date, pending verification of eligibility and compliance with terms and conditions.
- Deferral and Conference Selection: Scholarship deferral is not allowed, as candidates are chosen individually for each conference. If you choose to forfeit a scholarship for one conference, you may still be considered for others you applied to, so apply only to conferences you genuinely intend to attend.
- Conference Registration: Google will provide instructions for conference registration via email. If scholars purchase registration ahead of time, they can be reimbursed if selected.
- Guest Attendance: Scholarships are for selected recipients only; Google does not cover expenses for guests.
- Travel Dates: Travel dates for the conference will be communicated in the acceptance email. Scholars must be available for these specified dates.
- Adjusting Travel Dates: Scholars are not permitted to shorten their trip as they must attend the entire conference. If you choose to extend your stay, any costs incurred beyond the set travel dates are not covered by the scholarship, and you must make those arrangements independently.
- Booking Airfare: Confirmed scholars will receive instructions on booking round-trip airfare through Google’s travel agency, AmexGBT. Google may decline arrangements outside set parameters, and non-AmexGBT flights won’t be reimbursed.
- Air Travel Details: All flights will be round-trip economy class, including one carry-on bag and a personal item.
- Special Accommodation Requests: You can request special accommodations for airfare and hotels through AmexGBT to ensure an inclusive environment.
- Airports for Travel: Air travel is typically round-trip, departing from a major airport of your choice and arriving at the nearest major airport to the conference location, as determined by Google or its travel agent.
- Luggage and Ground Transportation: Scholars are allowed one personal item and one carry-on. Checked bag fees and ground transportation are not covered but can be paid for with the $100 stipend.
- Local Conference Attendees: If you’re local to the conference and don’t require air travel, Google will reimburse one round trip of ground transportation through options like Uber, Lyft, taxi, or public transit. Alternatively, you can get mileage reimbursement for using your personal car based on the IRS National Mileage Rate.
- Hotel Reservations: AmexGBT, Google’s travel agency, will make hotel reservations for you for the specified event dates. You cannot select your own hotel, and non-AmexGBT arrangements won’t be reimbursed.
- Stipend Payment: Selected scholars will be contacted by Plus Relocation via email to receive their stipend payment. They must submit requested information within 14 days to receive the stipend.
- Usage of Stipend: The prepaid stipend provided with the scholarship can be used for various miscellaneous expenses during the trip, such as ground transportation, meals, baggage fees, and more. No receipts are required for stipend usage.
- Forfeiture of Scholarship: You may forfeit your conference scholarship, and an alternative successful applicant may be chosen, under the following circumstances:
- Failure to Accept Quickly: If you do not accept the scholarship within three (3) business days of receiving the notification.
- Inability to Attend Entire Conference: If you cannot attend the conference for its entire duration, as specified in your application.
- Receiving Scholarships from Other Organizations: If you receive a scholarship from another organization, it’s important to promptly inform Google by emailing conferencescholarships@google.com.