Research Fellows Program at Microsoft Research India
Region: Asia-Pacific
Introducing nominations for the Research Fellows (RF) program!
The nominations must be done by the HOD of the Computer Science department on the basis of the research aptitude of the students. Here is a sample template for the same.
Please read the eligibility criteria and the nominations details below before you start the nominations process.
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- Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Fellows should support this mission and embrace opportunities to foster diverse and inclusive cultures within their communities.
- The final year B.Tech or M.Tech students must be nominated by their institute or university. Their nomination must be submitted by the HOD of the Computer Science department.
- Students must be enrolled at a university or an institute in India.
- A maximum of three nominations per institute or university will be accepted. If three students are nominated, then at least one nominee should help us increase opportunities for students who identify as part of a community that is underrepresented in the field of computing specifically those who identify as a woman.
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The below outlines the necessary information while submitting a nomination on behalf of your university. The .pdf file for these nominations must:
- Be on the Institute or University letterhead.
- Include the Name, Email, and Title of the HOD of the Computer Science department.
- Attest that the process to determine the 3 nominated candidates among the interested students was fair and non-discriminatory.
- Include the Name, Email, Institute or University, and Department for all nominees. Please ensure the candidates have applied (or are about to apply) with the same Email that has been mentioned in their nomination.
- Attest these candidates should be nominated on the basis of their research aptitude. Note: These students can be outside the CS department too.
- Attest that at the time of the nomination, the institute or university considers the nominees as final-year B.Tech or M.Tech students who would be graduating by July 2024 (having taken into account transfers, approved leaves of absence, etc.).
For any further queries about the nomination process, contact: msrinominations@microsoft.com. Please ensure you have read the FAQs below before reaching out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the location?
A. The Research Fellows will be working out of the Microsoft Research (Lavelle Road office) in Bangalore.
Q. I am a pre-final year student with all degree requirements complete already. Am I eligible to apply now?
A. No, you must be graduated at the time of joining.
Q. I graduated several years ago. Am I eligible to apply?
A. While this program is designed for people graduated within the past 3 years, anyone is eligible to apply.
Q. I am a PhD student/graduate. Am I eligible to apply?
A. No, PhD students or graduates are not eligible.
Q. I am not from a Computer Science background. May I still apply?
A. Yes! Research Fellows at Microsoft Research are from varying backgrounds, including and not limited to design, economics, electronics, linguistics, psychology, and social sciences!
Q. I am an international student. Am I eligible to apply? Am I eligible to be nominated?
A. Yes, we accept international applications. No, you are not eligible to be nominated.
Q. What is the difference between a referral, a letter of recommendation, and a nomination?
A. A referral is when you ask someone you know at the company you are applying to, for better visibility to the recruiter. For this particular role, we do not check referrals. A letter of recommendation is taken from someone who can strongly vouch for your work, for example the manager from your current company or a professor you have closely collaborated with. A nomination for this program is done only by the HOD of the Computer Science (CS) department where they think that you are one of best fits for this program from your university. Note: The HOD of CS need not necessarily know the candidate being nominated personally. Moreover, the HOD of CS is free to nominate people from other departments too.
Q. Will applying with a referral improve my chances?
A. For this particular role – Research Fellows, we do not check any referrals.
Q. Does a nomination guarantee an interview call?
A. Although a nomination will not guarantee an interview, nominated candidates will be given priority during the initial screening process.
Q. I got nominated by my institute. Do I still need to apply on the portal?
A. Yes, you must go through the exact same process as everyone else.
Q. I got nominated by my institute. Do I still need to fill the Microsoft form?
A. Yes, you must go through the exact same process as everyone else.
Q. I graduated recently. Am I eligible to get nominated?
A. No, only current final year students are eligible to get nominated.
Q. I am a final year student but I did not get nominated by my university. Am I eligible to apply?
A. Yes! We highly encourage everyone interested in the program to apply.
Q. I am from another department which is closely related to Computer Science. Can the head of my department nominate me?
A. No, only the HOD of the Computer Science department can nominate people, but they are free to nominate people from any department.
Q. What if my institute does not have a Computer Science department?
A. If your institute does not have a Computer Science (CS) department, then you can be nominated by the director of your institute. Please ensure that they include a statement in the PDF file attesting that your institute does not have a CS department.
Important dates
| 11th December 2023 | Applications open |
| 16th February 2024 | Deadline for university nominations |
| 16th February 2024 | Deadline for applications (both for MS form & Careers portal) |
| March – May 2024 | Interviews conducted |
| April – June 2024 | Offers extended to candidates |
| July 2024 | Research Fellows start at MSR India |