Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Google has yesterday announced an addition to their scholarship programs in Europe, the Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. This scholarship is designed for students with disabilities who are pursuing university degrees in the field of computer science at a university anywhere in the European Union, plus Switzerland and Israel.

Multiple scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic performance and demonstrated passion for computer science. A group of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students will be chosen from the applicant pool. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of researchers and engineers. The scholarship recipients will each receive a € 7,000 (or equivalent) scholarship for the 2010/2011 academic year.

In June 2010, all scholarship recipients will be invited to visit Google’s Engineering Centre in Zurich for an all-expenses-paid networking retreat. It will include workshops with a series of speakers, panels, breakout sessions and social activities, and will provide an opportunity to meet and share experiences.

Eligibility requirements
Candidates must be:

A student entering the final year of a Bachelor’s degree, or enrolled in a Master’s or PhD programme (or equivalent), in 2010/2011.
Enrolled at a University in Europe. Citizens, permanent residents, and international students with disabilities studying at a University in Europe are eligible to apply.
Studying Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or a closely related technical field.
A person with a disability. The term persons with disabilities is used to apply to all persons with disabilities including those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

How to apply
Please complete the online application and submit all requested documents by 15th March 2010. All application documents must be in English. Students may be invited for a phone interview following the initial review. We provide other interview opportunities for students who cannot use phones.

You will be required to submit the following:

Up-to-date copy of your CV.
Answers to the following short essay questions (suggested word count is 400-600 words per question):

Describe a significant technical project you have worked on. If you have worked on a major independent research project (such as research for a Master’s or PhD programme), please describe that work here. Give an overview of the problem and your approaches to the key technical challenges. If this was a group effort, specify your individual role and contributions.
What are you passionate about? Tell us which barriers you have had to overcome to be successful in your studies and in your life and how did you fulfill your passion? Feel free to think broadly and examine the many ways you overcame barriers and fulfilled your passion.

Academic transcripts.

Bachelor’s: A copy of your current academic record.
Master’s and PhD: A copy of your previous and current academic records.

Enrollment confirmation for 2010/2011 or confirmation of graduation date.

Please include with your application an official enrollment confirmation or a confirmation of your graduation date issued by an official authority of the university e.g. your departmental administrator or a professor.