The Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (QIF) South Korea is an annual research competition run by Qualcomm Technologies. Graduate students enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at a South Korean university submit an original research paper in one of three themes — edge AI, autonomous driving, and agentic AI. Qualcomm engineers screen the submissions, up to 30 teams advance to a final round with a presentation and poster session, and up to 15 winning teams are selected. Alongside the award, participants engage with Qualcomm researchers for technical feedback on their work. The program has run in Korea since 2020.
Benefits & funding
- 4 million KRW scholarship per winning team, paid to the team’s affiliated university.
- Up to 15 winning teams selected each cycle.
- Ongoing interaction with Qualcomm researchers: technical guidance and discussion of research topics and ideas.
Eligibility
- Graduate students enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at a South Korean university during the 2025–2026 academic year.
- Submissions must address one of the three research themes: edge AI, autonomous driving, or agentic AI.
- Open regardless of nationality; the requirement is enrollment at a South Korean university.
Can you apply?
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South Korea
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Master Enrolled · PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Choose one of the three research themes.
- 2Prepare and submit an original research paper by the deadline.
- 3Qualcomm engineers screen the submissions; up to 30 teams advance.
- 4Finalists present their work in a presentation and poster session.
- 5Up to 15 winning teams are announced in November.
Program timeline
Paper submission deadline
Aug 15, 2026
Up to 15 winning teams announced
November 2026