Trump administration unveils over $100 million push to train American STEM researchers

The Donald Trump administration is set to announce more than $100 million in new education initiatives aimed at strengthening the pipeline of American researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as tighter immigration policies reduce the flow of foreign scientists into the United States and Washington intensifies its focus on the artificial intelligence race with China.

The programme, which Trump is expected to unveil at a White House summit on Thursday, will fund fellowships for American citizens pursuing PhD programmes in science and engineering, with the stated aim of increasing the number of highly trained US researchers.

The push comes amid growing concern over the impact of federal policies on postgraduate research. International students accounted for nearly 40% of science and engineering PhD students in 2024, while admissions to doctoral programmes fell 15% from the previous year.

Young Scholars programme to return

As part of the initiative, the administration is bringing back the National Science Foundation's Young Scholars programme, which was discontinued in 1996.

The programme will receive $30 million in government funding, alongside another $50 million from outside sources, including Wall Street quantitative trading firm Jane Street, according to a White House official.

Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the investment would help ensure that the United States continues to lead the world in scientific discovery.

"The Trump Administration is committed to empowering American STEM students and enabling them to pursue opportunities at the frontier of science and technology," Kratsios said.

The administration's July report, Science: A New Golden Age, has called for a broader overhaul of the US research system, including new funding models, greater use of artificial intelligence in scientific work and stronger support for researchers and scientific talent.

AI research gets fresh computing boost

Trump's summit will also focus on expanding the computing capacity available for scientific research.

The Department of Energy is set to gain access to $100 million in computing credits through a private donation, according to a White House official. The resources are intended to support scientific discovery and come as the administration seeks to use AI to accelerate research.

The move forms part of the wider Genesis Mission, a government effort launched by Trump in November 2025 to use artificial intelligence for scientific discovery. In July, the administration announced more than $5 billion in federal commitments to expand the initiative, with more than 15 federal agencies involved.

The White House has also been promoting greater access to advanced computing resources as part of its broader vision for what it calls a "Golden Age" of American science. Earlier this month, the US and 16 other countries endorsed the Kyoto Vision for a Golden Age of Science, which called for greater investment in scientific talent, fellowships, computing infrastructure and AI-enabled research.

Research system hit by cuts and uncertainty

The new investment comes after more than a year of disruption for US doctoral programmes, which have faced cuts, freezes and uncertainty surrounding the federal research grants on which they heavily depend.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the country's biggest producers of STEM PhD graduates, experienced an approximately 20% decline in federal research funding this year. At Johns Hopkins University, which trains large numbers of biomedical researchers, federal funding dropped by nearly 45%.

The Trump administration has also sought to reduce funding for the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, the principal federal backers of scientific and medical research. New limits on graduate student loans could further restrict the ability of students to pursue PhDs after completing their undergraduate studies.

The changes have fuelled concerns that the US could weaken the research pipeline feeding universities, laboratories and American technology companies even as Washington seeks to expand its scientific and technological capabilities.

Push to rebuild early-career research workforce

Trump is separately expected to announce an initiative aimed at increasing the number of early-career researchers at the NIH.

More than 10,000 federal employees with STEM PhDs left the government during the administration's first year through layoffs, voluntary departures and retirements. Roughly 1,100 of those departures were at the NIH.

In July, Kratsios proposed an overhaul of the federal system for funding scientific research. The plan would place greater emphasis on cutting-edge areas such as AI while giving industry partners and individual researchers more influence over a process traditionally dominated by academic institutions.

The administration's latest measures are therefore aimed not only at attracting more American students into advanced scientific training but also at reshaping how research is funded and conducted.

Foreign talent restrictions add pressure

The effort to expand the domestic STEM workforce comes alongside a crackdown on international students, whose presence has historically been an important part of the US research ecosystem.

Earlier Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security proposed charging foreign students $70,000 for a popular postgraduate work visa, along with another $30,000 for a special extension available to those in STEM fields.

The measures could make it more difficult and expensive for international graduates to remain in the US after completing their studies, adding to concerns about the future supply of researchers for American universities and companies.

Trump to honour technology leaders

The White House summit will also feature awards for prominent figures from the technology sector.

Trump is expected to present the National Medal of Science to SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and Advanced Micro Devices chief executive Lisa Su. Michael Dell and Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella are also scheduled to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, according to Reuters.

The awards and new research initiatives form part of the administration's wider effort to position American science and technology for what it describes as a new era of AI-driven discovery, while shifting greater emphasis towards domestic talent and private-sector participation.