Google Conference Scholarship for APAC Researchers: The Complete Guide to Getting Funded

Publishing research is one thing. Actually getting to present it standing in front of the right people, in the right room, at the right conference is something else entirely. For students and researchers across the Asia Pacific region, the cost of attending major international computer science conferences is often the single biggest barrier between their work and the global audience it deserves.

The Google Conference Scholarship exists to eliminate that barrier. If you are a full-time student at a university in the APAC region with a paper accepted at a leading computer science conference, this scholarship can cover your registration, flights, accommodation, and travel expenses so you can focus entirely on your research and the connections you make, not on your budget.

What Is the Google Conference Scholarship?

The Google Conference Scholarship (also referred to in some regions as the Google Travel and Conference Grant) is a funding program run by Google to support student researchers across the Asia Pacific who are presenting original work at recognized computer science conferences.

The scholarship is not a one-time annual award with a single deadline. It runs on a rolling, year-round basis, with applications reviewed continuously as conferences approach. This makes it more accessible than most academic funding programs, which operate on rigid annual cycles that frequently leave students scrambling to find alternative funding when they miss a single window.

Google’s motivation for running this program is straightforward: the company has a direct interest in cultivating a strong research pipeline from universities across APAC. Supporting student presenters at major conferences helps Google identify emerging talent, strengthen relationships with academic institutions, and contribute to the broader computer science research community in a region where it has significant and growing operations.

What the Scholarship Covers

If you are selected, Google covers your conference-related costs comprehensively. Here is what is included:

Conference Registration Fees Registration for leading computer science conferences can run anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand US dollars. This is fully covered under the scholarship.

Flights Return airfare to and from the conference location is arranged through Google’s designated travel agency. You do not book and reimburse the travel is managed on your behalf, which removes a significant logistical and financial burden.

Hotel Accommodation Your accommodation for the duration of the conference is covered. As with flights, this is typically arranged through the travel agency rather than a reimbursement model.

Travel Stipend In addition to the managed expenses above, you receive a travel stipend to cover incidental costs local transport, meals, and other out-of-pocket expenses that inevitably arise when you are traveling internationally for a conference.

What the Scholarship Does Not Cover It is worth being clear about the boundaries. The scholarship is specifically for conference attendance and presentation. It does not cover living expenses unrelated to the trip, personal travel before or after the conference, or costs associated with preparing or publishing your research paper.

One important administrative point: if you are approved, the funds are disbursed to your university, not directly to you. Your institution then handles reimbursement or payment through its own financial processes. This means you should communicate with your university’s finance or grants office early in the process, so you understand their internal timelines and requirements.

Who Is Eligible?

Google’s eligibility criteria are specific, and it is worth reading them carefully before investing time in your application. Here is who qualifies:

You Must Be a Full-Time Student at an APAC University

The scholarship is open to students enrolled full-time at a recognized university in one of the following regions:

Australia and New Zealand
East Asia: China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau
India and Southeast Asia: India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei

If your university is in one of these countries, you are in the eligible geographic zone. Part-time students are generally not eligible.

You Must Have a Paper Accepted at a Leading Computer Science Conference

This is the core requirement. The scholarship is not for students who want to attend a conference as observers or workshop participants it is specifically for students who have had a full paper accepted for publication at a recognized, peer-reviewed computer science conference.

Workshop papers, poster presentations, and extended abstracts do not qualify. Your paper must be accepted for full publication in the main conference proceedings.

The definition of a “leading” computer science conference is not exhaustively listed by Google, but in practice it encompasses the major venues recognized by the computing research community conferences with strong peer review processes and international standing in their respective subfields (systems, machine learning, security, human-computer interaction, programming languages, databases, and so on).

You Must Be the Primary Author and Presenter

You need to be listed as the primary or presenting author on the paper. If you are a co-author but not the one presenting, you are not eligible for this particular scholarship.

Oral presentations are given preference over poster presentations in the selection process. If your paper has been accepted as an oral presentation, your application is in a stronger position. That said, do not assume a poster presentation disqualifies you apply regardless and let the committee evaluate.

You Must Not Be Receiving Travel Funding from Another Company

If a company (other than your own university or a non-commercial research grant) is already funding your travel to the conference, you are not eligible for the Google Conference Scholarship. The program is specifically intended to support students who would otherwise lack access to corporate-level travel funding.

How the Application Works

The application process is designed to be straightforward, but there are a few important logistics to understand before you start.

Rolling Applications, Not Annual Deadlines

Unlike most scholarship programs, the Google Conference Scholarship does not have a single annual deadline. Applications are accepted year-round, and Google reviews them on a rolling basis relative to upcoming conference dates. This means you can apply as soon as your paper is accepted, regardless of what time of year it is.

Apply at Least One Month Before Your Conference

While there is no hard annual cutoff, Google requires that applications be submitted at least one month before your conference date. This gives the team enough time to process your application, arrange travel through their agency, and coordinate with your university. Submitting later than one month out significantly reduces your chances of having everything in place before you need to travel.

In practice, apply as early as possible after your acceptance notification. If your conference is in March, apply in December or January, not February.

Regional Application Portals

The scholarship is administered through three regional portals, each covering a different part of APAC:

Australia and New Zealand portal
East Asia portal (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau)
India and Southeast Asia portal (India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei)

Select the portal that corresponds to the country where your university is located, not the country where the conference is being held.

You Can Apply for Multiple Conferences in One Year

If you have multiple papers accepted at different conferences in the same year, you can apply for the scholarship for each one separately. There is no explicit rule limiting you to a single award per year, though selection is competitive and each application is evaluated independently.

What to Include in Your Application

When you are ready to apply, gather the following documents and information before you start filling out the portal form:

Conference Acceptance Letter Official documentation from the conference confirming that your paper has been accepted for full publication. This is the most important document in your application.

Paper Details The title, abstract, author list, and confirmation of the presentation format (oral or poster).

Proof of University Enrollment A current letter or certificate from your university confirming that you are enrolled full-time in a recognized degree program.

Conference Details The conference name, dates, and location. Make sure the conference dates are clearly stated so Google can verify the one-month lead time.

Tips for a Strong Application

The scholarship is competitive, and the quality of your application matters beyond just meeting the eligibility criteria. Here is how to make yours stand out:

Apply immediately after your acceptance notification. Waiting weeks or months after your paper is accepted reduces your lead time unnecessarily. As soon as you have your acceptance letter in hand, start your application.

Be precise about your role. Clearly state that you are the primary author and the designated presenter. If there is any ambiguity about authorship or presentation roles, clarify it explicitly rather than leaving it to interpretation.

Communicate with your university’s finance office early. Since funds go to your institution, not to you, delays in your university’s internal processes can create problems even after you are approved. Alert your grants or finance office as soon as you apply, so they are not surprised when approval comes through.

Check the official portal for current guidelines. Google updates its scholarship program periodically. Application requirements, eligible regions, and portal links can change between cycles. Always verify the current details directly through Google’s official scholarship pages before you submit do not rely solely on third-party guides.

Why This Opportunity Is Worth Pursuing

For researchers in the APAC region, the financial barriers to international conference participation are real and significant. Travel, accommodation, and registration costs for a major international conference can easily reach USD $2,000–$5,000 or more when you account for long-haul flights from countries like India, Indonesia, or Australia. Many students simply cannot absorb these costs, even when their research is strong enough to be accepted at a top venue.

The Google Conference Scholarship removes those costs entirely, and it does so without the complex multi-stage application processes that characterize many academic funding programs. If your paper is accepted and you meet the eligibility criteria, applying is straightforward. The investment of time is low. The potential return presenting your research on a global stage, connecting with Google researchers and industry leaders, and building a professional network that follows you throughout your career is substantial.