2026-2027 Jump Trading PhD Fellowship

Jump Trading LLC offers fellowships to PhD students in select STEM fields at partner universities. Applicants must be focusing on one of the following research tracks:

  • Chemical, Biological & Biomedical Sciences: e.g., chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, biomedical engineering, pharmacology.
  • Mathematics & Statistics: e.g., pure and applied mathematics, statistics, probability theory, computational mathematics.
  • Physics: e.g., theoretical and experimental physics, astrophysics, optics, quantum science, and materials physics.
  • Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: e.g., deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, reinforcement learning, large language models.
  • Computer Science and Electrical Engineering: e.g., core computer science fields including algorithms, systems, architecture, programming languages, databases, human-computer interaction, as well as electrical engineering aspects such as circuits, embedded systems, and signal processing.
  • Earth Sciences: e.g., geology, climatology, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, environmental science, geophysics.

Eligibility:

  • Applicants must have at least one full academic year of PhD study remaining when the fellowship period begins (Fall 2026).
  • Must be enrolled at Illinois.
  • Must have a strong record of academic achievement and research productivity in one of the six research tracks specified above.
  • Students of any nationality or citizenship status are eligible.

Award Amount:

  • ~$50,000 stipend.
  • Full coverage of tuition and fees.

About the Funder: Jump Trading LLC is a proprietary trading firm with a focus on algorithmic and high-frequency trading strategies. The firm is based in Chicago and has over 1,600 employees in Chicago, New York, Austin, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Bristol, Mumbai, GIFT City, Sydney, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Paris. The company was founded in 1999 by two former pit traders, Paul Gurinas and Bill Disomma, both of whom earned their undergraduate degrees at UIUC.

URL: https://www.jumptrading.com/fellowship-program

Students must be nominated by their department, and each department may submit one nomination. A campus review panel assembled by the Graduate College will select finalists for consideration in the national competition. Those finalists’ materials will be sent to Jump Trading by October 31. Jump will invite select finalists for interviews and will then decide awardees.

Award
Varies
Deadline
09/28/2025
Supplemental Questions
  1. Please upload a 1-page cover sheet. Your cover sheet should have your Full Name, UIN, school email, phone number, date you began your graduate program at UIUC, anticipated graduation date, the research area chosen from the provided list, and your research proposal title. Also, include your advisor's name and email.
  2. Please upload your full CV (including publication list).
  3. Please upload your 2-page research statement.
  4. 1st Letter of Recommendation (Your Advisor): Two letters of recommendation are required for this application, including one from your current advisor. All letters of recommendation should be submitted by the letter writer directly to Blackbaud by the due date and time. Please input here your advisor's name and email.
  5. 2nd Letter of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation are required for this application, including one from your current advisor. All letters of recommendation should be submitted by the letter writer directly to Blackbaud by the due date and time. Please input here your letter writer's name and email.
  6. Please provide your estimated tuition and fees for the 2026-2027 academic year.
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