TUM Germany PhD Fellowship 2025 in AI/ML (Fully Funded)

Description

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has announced the call for nominations for the prestigious Apple Scholars in AI/ML 2026 PhD Fellowship. This highly competitive opportunity supports outstanding doctoral students conducting cutting-edge research in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML).

The program, created by Apple, recognizes the emerging leaders in AI research from top institutions around the globe, and now TUM students have the chance to be nominated for this exclusive fellowship.

Degree Level

TUM Germany PhD Fellowship 2025 in AI/ML (Fully Funded) is available to undertake Fellowship, PhD level programs at Technical University of Munich.

Available Subjects

This opportunity is intended for exceptional PhD students conducting innovative research in any of the following fields:

Eligible AI/ML Research Areas

1. Privacy-preserving machine learning
2. Human-centered AI
3. AI for ethics and fairness
4. AI for accessibility
5. AI in health and wellness
6. Machine learning theory, algorithms, and architectures
7. Interactive agents and ML systems
8. Speech, natural language processing, and computer vision
9. Data-centric AI, knowledge retrieval, and ranking systems

Benefits

The Apple PhD Fellowship in AI/ML 2026 offers an exceptional package that includes:

1. Generous stipend for two academic years (Fall 2026 to Summer 2028)
2. $5,000 USD annual travel grant for conferences and research-related travel
3. Dedicated mentorship from an Apple researcher
4. Global recognition and access to advanced AI/ML research communities

Please note: This is not an internship or employment opportunity at Apple, though selected fellows may be invited to apply for internships separately.

Eligible Nationalities

Open to applicants of all nationalities.

Eligibility Criteria

The fellowship is open only through nomination by the TUM Graduate School. To be eligible, applicants must:

1. Be fully registered on the doctoral candidacy list of their school (in DocGS)
2. Be a full member of the TUM Graduate School by the time of application
3. Expect to be enrolled at TUM through 2026/2027 academic year
4. Be in their final 2–3 years of the PhD program as of Fall 2025
5. Not hold another equivalent industry-sponsored full fellowship during the period of the Apple award

Application Procedure

All applications must be submitted by the PhD supervisor to TUM Graduate School by August 1, 2025. Direct submissions from students are not accepted.

Submit applications in separate PDF files to:

Marina Schmidt – marina.schmidt@tum.de

Required Documents (PDF Format)

1. CV and list of publications
2. 200-word research abstract
3. 4-page research statement: past work + plan for next 2 years
4. 2 letters of recommendation (one from supervisor)
5. Transcripts (Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees)
6. Estimated tuition and fees for 2025–2026 (or bursary info if applicable)

Naming Convention:

“LastName, FirstName: Resume.pdf”

“LastName, FirstName: Research Statement.pdf”

“LastName, FirstName: Letters.pdf” (combine both letters in one file)

Selection Timeline

1. Deadline to apply: August 1, 2025
2. TUM will nominate 3 top candidates after internal review
3. Final selection by Apple based on merit and research quality