Google is sponsoring scholarships for underrepresented individuals in technology and business to participate in key industry conferences.

Women, people from low-income backgrounds, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups lack access to opportunities in tech and business, hence they are underrepresented in Google’s scholarships.

Google says the conference scholarships aim to eliminate financial hurdles, foster student connections, and provide networking and career exploration opportunities in tech.

The scholarships are available in various regions, including the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Africa. Eligibility and application details differ depending on the region.

These scholarships,  as stated, provide financial support to cover costs related to travel, accommodation, and conference registration, helping students present their research and engage with global experts in the field of technology. A virtual link is also made possible.

Why apply

Details inform that attending the international conferences in the field of computer science offers a number of benefits, especially for students aiming to build a career in technology. Some of the key advantages include:

A platform to present research at conferences
Opportunities to network with industry leaders, researchers, and experts
Financial support to help cover travel, accommodation, and registration costs
Exposure to the latest trends and developments in technology and computer science
This is meant to encourage diversity in the tech industry by supporting students who might otherwise lack the financial resources to attend such events.

Eligibility criteria for Africa region applicants

For students from the Africa region, the requirements include:

Being a full-time student enrolled at a recognized university in Africa
Having a paper(research document or academic article). Check for a list of areas.
Being the sole or joint first author of the accepted paper
Google employees and applicants from embargoed countries are not eligible for this scholarship

Eligibility criteria for APAC region applicants

Students applying from the Asia-Pacific region must meet the following criteria:

Be a full-time student enrolled at a recognized university in Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, India, or Southeast Asia.
Have a paper accepted for full publication at a prominent computer science conference where Google has research interests.
The paper must be accepted for oral or poster presentation in the main conference program (oral presentation is preferred).
Be the primary author of the paper.
Not be receiving any other industry-sponsored travel grant.

How to apply for the Google conference scholarship

Interested students must complete the scholarship application for their respective region. No deadline has been announced yet.

According to Google, people are encouraged to apply for the grant on time, as the payment completion timeline can be between 5-8 weeks. Once approved for a travel grant, the funds will be paid to the applicant’s university and the student may claim expenses using regular university procedures.