Schmidt Science Fellows

Schmidt Science Fellows Cohort

Supports postdoctoral researchers at the career transition stage with global fellowships for cross-field scientific growth.

Schmidt Science Fellows is a postdoctoral fellowship program funded by Schmidt Sciences and operated in partnership with the Rhodes Trust through a separate organization, Schmidt Science Fellows, headquartered at schmidtsciencefellows.org. The program selects a global cohort of recently completing PhD researchers who commit to pursuing their postdoctoral work in a scientific field fundamentally different from the field of their doctoral training. This mandatory scientific pivot — moving across disciplines rather than deepening within one — is the program's defining and non-negotiable design principle, intended to accelerate cross-disciplinary breakthroughs in fields such as AI, climate, and biomedical science.

For the 2027 cohort cycle, eligible candidates must complete PhD requirements between May 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. Individuals cannot self-apply: candidates must be nominated by their PhD-awarding institution, which must itself be an approved Nominating Partner Organization. Nominating Partner Organizations submitted nominee lists by May 15, 2026; applications opened to nominated candidates on May 19, 2026, with preliminary information due June 1, 2026 and the full application due July 13, 2026. Academic review runs August through October 2026 and final selection interviews take place in November 2026. Fellowship placements begin in July or October 2027.

Winning fellows receive a fully funded postdoctoral placement at a host research institution in a field separate from their PhD field. The award amount is not publicly disclosed. Applicants should engage their PhD institution early to confirm partnership status and initiate the nomination process, as all access to the application portal flows through the nominating institution. Contact information for the program is nominations@schmidtsciencefellows.org for institutional nominators and apply@schmidtsciencefellows.org for candidate applicants. This program is distinct from the Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Fellowships and the Schmidt Science Polymaths Award.