Scholarships

🎓 IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship 2026 – Up to $10,000/Year for Math PhD Students in Developing Countries

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April 26, 2026
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What if some of the world’s greatest mathematical minds came together to fund the next generation of mathematicians from developing countries? That is exactly what the IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship Program is all about — and applications for 2026 are now open.

This extraordinary fellowship is funded by winners of the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics, widely regarded as one of the most valuable science prizes on the planet. Their generosity has created a powerful opportunity for brilliant mathematics students in the developing world to complete their PhD degrees without worrying about financial barriers.

If you are a talented math student from a developing country, or if you are a professor who knows such a student, this could be the most important opportunity you apply for this year. Read on to learn everything about the IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship 2026.

🎓 Fellowship Overview

The IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship Program is administered by the International Mathematical Union (IMU), with the assistance of FIMU (Friends of the IMU). Its mission is straightforward but powerful: to support outstanding PhD students in the mathematical sciences from developing countries, so they can complete their doctoral degrees and go on to build careers in mathematical research and teaching.

The fellowship was made possible through generous donations from the following Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics winners: Ian Agol, Jean Bourgain, Simon Donaldson, Alex Eskin, Dennis Gaitsgory, Christopher Hacon, Martin Hairer, Maxim Kontsevich, Vincent Lafforgue, Jacob Lurie, James McKernan, Takuro Mochizuki, Daniel A. Spielman, Terence Tao, and Richard Taylor.

The program is managed by the IMU’s Commission for Developing Countries (CDC) and is open to students who are pursuing a PhD in a developing country — including their own home country. This is a rare and meaningful initiative that keeps talent rooted in the developing world while giving it the financial support to flourish.

The 2026 application deadline is May 30, 2026 (23:59 CET).

🎓 Benefits / Funding

The IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship provides meaningful and flexible financial support for PhD students. Here is what is covered:

💰 Up to $10,000 USD per year in grant funding
📅 Duration: Up to 4 years, or until PhD completion — whichever comes first
📚 Tuition Fees — covered as needed
✈️ Travel Expenses to the institution of study
🏠 Housing Costs — covered as part of the grant
🍽️ Basic Living Expenses — so students can focus fully on their research

Important Notes:

Continued support each year depends on satisfactory academic progress, as documented in annual reports
The fellowship is not compatible with any other active scholarship, so students must not hold another grant simultaneously
Fund transfer is subject to the IMU’s ability to legally send funds to the student’s personal bank account in their country

🎓 Eligibility Criteria

This fellowship has a unique nomination-based system. Individual students cannot apply directly — they must be nominated by a qualified university professor. Here is the full breakdown:

Requirements for Nominators (Professors):

Must hold a PhD and be a university professor in mathematics
Must be actively supervising Master’s or PhD students at the time of nomination
It is strongly advised that the nominator has already mentored or worked with the nominee
Individual PhD candidates cannot apply on their own — a nominator is required

Requirements for Student Nominees:

Must be a citizen of and resident in one of the IMU-defined developing countries (check the official IMU list)
Must be enrolled in a PhD program at a recognized university or research institution within a developing country
Must have an outstanding academic record in the mathematical sciences
Must already be accepted (or pre-accepted) into a recognized doctoral program
Must have a confirmed thesis advisor and an active research project
Must be genuinely aspiring to a career in mathematical research and teaching

Important Restriction: Students who are enrolled in a joint graduate program that involves institutions in countries outside the IMU’s definition of developing countries are not eligible for this fellowship.

🎓 Who Should Apply (or Be Nominated)

You should be nominated for this fellowship if you are:

A highly motivated mathematics PhD student based in a developing country
Studying fields such as pure mathematics, applied mathematics, computational mathematics, or related disciplines
Already accepted into a PhD program and working with a thesis advisor
From a country in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Eastern Europe that qualifies under the IMU’s developing country definition
Committed to building a career in mathematics research or academia in your home country

Professors should nominate a student if they are:

Supervising a genuinely exceptional student with outstanding mathematical potential
Working at a university in a developing country or aware of such a student
Confident the student has a strong academic record and a clear research direction

Who should NOT apply:

Students pursuing their PhD outside a developing country
Students who are already receiving another scholarship or fellowship
Students enrolled in joint programs with institutions from non-developing countries
Self-nominations — the process requires a qualified professor as nominator

🎓 Available Fields / Programs

The fellowship is open to PhD studies in the mathematical sciences broadly, including:

Pure Mathematics (Algebra, Analysis, Topology, Number Theory, Geometry)
Applied Mathematics (Mathematical Physics, Fluid Dynamics, Optimization)
Computational Mathematics and Numerical Methods
Probability and Statistics
Mathematical Biology and Modeling
Data Science and Discrete Mathematics
Any recognized doctoral research area within mathematics

The student’s PhD program must be hosted at a recognized university or research institution located in a developing country as defined by the IMU. There is no restriction on specific subfields — what matters most is the quality, motivation, and potential of the nominee.

🎓 Required Documents

All documents must be submitted in English and in PDF format only. Here is the complete checklist:

From the Nominating Professor:

✅ Letter of Nomination (written by the professor)
✅ 2 Letters of Recommendation (from academic referees)
✅ CV of the PhD Supervisor

From the Student Nominee:

✅ Proposed Research Project (research plan/proposal)
✅ Letter of Motivation and Future Plans
✅ Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the student
✅ Official letter of acceptance (or pre-acceptance) into the PhD program
✅ Certified transcripts — BSc degree or equivalent
✅ Certified transcripts — MSc degree or equivalent (if applicable)

Make sure all academic certificates are certified copies. Documents submitted after the deadline or in non-PDF format will not be accepted.

🎓 Application Process

The application process for the IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship is nomination-based and fully online. Here is how it works:

Step 1 – Professor Identifies a Qualifying Student A mathematics professor reviews their current or past students and identifies a highly talented individual from a developing country who is enrolled or about to enroll in a PhD program.

Step 2 – Prepare All Required Documents Both the nominator and the nominee prepare their respective documents well in advance. All must be in English and PDF format.

Step 3 – Submit via the Official IMU Grants Portal The nominator logs into the official application system and submits all documents on behalf of the student. The application portal is available at: 🔗 https://grants.mathunion.org/

Step 4 – Wait for Review by the Selection Committee The Breakout Selection Committee — chaired by the CDC Secretary for Policy and including four members representing South America, Africa, and Europe — reviews all nominations and selects the most deserving candidates.

Step 5 – Award and Annual Reporting Successful students receive up to $10,000 per year. They must submit annual progress reports to maintain continued funding for up to 4 years.

🎓 Important Dates

Event	Date
📅 2026 Application Opens	Earlier in 2026
⏰ Application Deadline	May 30, 2026 (23:59 CET)
📋 Results Announced	After review by Selection Committee
🎓 Support Duration	Up to 4 years

⚠️ Do not miss the May 30, 2026 deadline — this is a hard cutoff and late applications are not considered.

🎓 Why Apply / Why This Fellowship Matters

The IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship is not just another scholarship. It carries deep meaning and real impact:

🏆 Funded by mathematical legends — Terence Tao, Richard Taylor, Simon Donaldson and other Breakthrough Prize winners are directly supporting your education
🌍 Designed for the developing world — unlike many scholarships that pull talent to the West, this one supports you to grow and contribute within your own country
🔬 Builds local research capacity — the fellowship’s goal is to strengthen mathematics in developing nations, which creates lasting impact beyond the individual
💡 Flexible funding — the $10,000/year covers tuition, housing, travel, and living costs, making it one of the most practical PhD grants available
📣 Prestigious recognition — being selected as an IMU Breakout Fellow is a major career credential that opens doors in the global mathematics community
🤝 Connected to the global math community — as an IMU fellow, you become part of an international network of mathematicians and researchers

This fellowship is proof that the world’s brightest mathematical minds believe in the potential of developing countries to shape the future of mathematics.

🎓 Official Source

Apply and explore full details at the official IMU CDC page:

🔗 IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship – Official Page

🔗 Submit Your Application Here

📧 For queries: cdc.info@mathunion.org

🎓 Fellowship Summary

Detail	Information
🏛️ Offered By	International Mathematical Union (IMU) / CDC
💰 Funding	Up to $10,000 USD per year
🎓 Degree Level	PhD (Doctoral)
📚 Field	Mathematical Sciences
🌍 Eligible	Students from IMU-defined developing countries
📅 Deadline	May 30, 2026
⏳ Duration	Up to 4 years
🔗 Official Website	mathunion.org/cdc/grants/BGF