Google Student Researcher Program 2026 Guide
The Google Student Researcher Program 2026 gives students a chance to work on real research projects inside Google teams. The focus is on scientific progress and on solving large-scale, real-world problems in areas such as machine learning, computer vision, and data science. The deadline for applications is 26 February 2026, and the call is open to students in several technical fields.
The program offers placements across research, engineering, and science roles. Student Researchers work with full-time staff on active projects, see how research ideas move into practice, and gain hands-on experience with real data and real systems.
Key date for the Google Student Researcher Program
- Application deadline: 26 February 2026
What the Google Student Researcher Program offers
The Student Researcher role is a paid placement on Google teams that work on research and applied science. Each project is designed to:
- Give direct experience in research work.
- Link academic study with practical problems.
- Support scientific progress across different fields.
Projects are described as exploratory and direct, and they cover many areas of computer science and related fields. Student Researchers help to shape and test ideas that respond to real large-scale challenges. This can include, for example, work on machine learning systems, language models, or tools that support better software at scale.
Students work closely with mentors and team members. They learn how to design experiments, write and test code, and present results with clarity.
Eligibility for student researchers
To be eligible for the 2026 intake, applicants should meet both the degree and skills requirements listed.
Applicants should be:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree in:
- Computer Science
- Linguistics
- Statistics or Biostatistics
- Applied Mathematics
- Operations Research
- Economics
- Natural Sciences
- Or have equivalent practical experience.
Applicants should also have experience in at least one area of computer science, for example:
- Natural Language Understanding
- Human Computer Interactions
- Generative Media
- Computer Vision
- Machine Learning or Deep Learning
- Algorithmic Foundations of Optimisation
- Quantum Information Science
- Data Science
- Software Engineering
- Or similar areas.
Preferred qualifications
While not required for every applicant, the following points are listed as preferred qualifications for the Google Student Researcher Program:
- Current enrolment in a full-time degree programme in the EMEA region, with plans to return to the degree after the placement.
- Prior experience as a researcher, either through internships, full-time roles, or work in a lab setting.
- A track record of contributing to research communities or projects, such as publishing work in major conferences or journals.
- Experience with one or more general-purpose programming languages, for example:
- C or C++
- Java
- MATLAB
- Go
- Python
- Or similar languages.
These points help show that a student is ready to join active projects and can work with both code and research questions.
What students can learn from this research role
This program gives students a chance to see how research questions are set, tested, and shared inside a large tech company. For example, a student might:
- Help design a new model for natural language tasks.
- Work with a team that studies user interactions with software.
- Support experiments that test how well a model works across different data sets.
Through this work, students can gain:
- Stronger coding skills from day-to-day project work.
- Better research skills, including experiment design and data analysis.
- Practice in working with people from different fields, such as engineers, scientists, and product teams.
This mix of skills can support future study, including further research degrees, or later roles in industry and applied research.
How to apply for the Google Student Researcher Program
To begin the application process, applicants need two main documents ready:
- An updated CV or résumé.
- A current transcript in English, which may be unofficial or official.
Steps to apply:
- Prepare the CV or résumé with clear details of studies, projects, and any research work.
- Obtain a recent transcript that shows current courses and grades.
- Go to the Google Student Researcher Program application form.
- Follow the steps on the page to enter personal details, education history, and skills.
- Upload the CV and transcript where requested.
- Check each part of the form before submitting.
For more detailed information about the role, applicants can read the official Google Student Researcher Program page.
Why this research program is helpful for students
For many students, it is hard to gain real research experience while still at university. The Google Student Researcher Program offers a clear path to work on real projects with strong teams. This helps students see how the ideas they learn in class connect with real tools and products.
The focus on social and scientific impact also means that many projects look at questions that affect large groups of people. Students may work with data sets, models, or systems that would be hard to access on their own. Over time, this can support stronger research careers and deeper subject knowledge.
