Scholarship overview

  • Degree level

    Postgraduate taught

  • Value

    Full Home rate tuition fees and a UKRI stipend

  • Number of awards

    8

  • Academic year

    2026/2027

  • Tuition fee status

    Home, Overseas

  • Mode of study

    Full time

  • Available to

    Prospective students

  • Application deadline

    17/04/2026

  • Additional information

    Scholarship page

    scholarships@imperial.ac.uk

  • Available to applicants in the following departments

    • Chemical Engineering
    • Computing
    • Earth Science and Engineering
    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    • Mathematics
    • School of Public Health

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, candidates must have attained the condition below by 11:59pm (UK Time), Friday 17th April 2026:

 

Have an offer of admission to study a postgraduate course in the one of the courses listed below.

 

Faculty of Engineering

• MSc Artificial Intelligence Applications and Innovation

• MSc Artificial Intelligence

• MSc Machine Learning and Process Systems Engineering

• MSc Applied Machine Learning

• MSc Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning)

• MSc Computing (Security and Reliability)

• MSc Computing (Visual Computing and Robotics)

• MSc Computing (Software Engineering)

• MSc Computing (Management and Finance)

• MSc Computing

• MSc Renewable Energy with AI and Data Science: Geology and Geophysics

• MSc Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning

• MSc Geo-Energy with Machine Learning and Data Science

Faculty of Natural Sciences

• MSc Applied Mathematics (Scientific Computing and Machine Learning)

• MSc Digital Chemistry with AI and Automation

School of Public Health

• MSc Health Data Analytics and Machine Learning

NOTE: Some departments have application rounds for the postgraduate taught courses, with fixed application dates throughout the year. For more information on application rounds and the deadlines, please go here.

Application fee:

If you’re applying for a postgraduate course at Imperial, you may need to pay an application fee. For information on application fees and to check if you're eligible for an application fee waiver, please go here.

 

Please note: This scholarship is not available to continuing students.

Course specific information

Please note that only the courses listed above are eligible for this scholarship.

Application process

Applicants are required to complete the scholarship application form. Applicants will be assessed on academic merit or potential through the standard admission process. Through the scholarship application form, applicants will be asked to submit a statement on how they meet the criteria listed under the 'Additional information' heading.

The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Outcome of Award

The successful candidates will be notified by email no later than 31st July 2026. If you have not heard from us by this date, please assume you have been unsuccessful.

This award is for students starting in the academic year 2026-27 and cannot be deferred. All scholarships are awarded subject to students accepting award Terms and Conditions. Please note that the award is conditional upon you receiving an unconditional offer to study at Imperial by September 2026.

Additional information

Thank you for your interest in applying for the government funded Spärck AI Scholarship programme, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Spärck Jones. This will provide full funding (tuition fees and stipend) for each chosen scholar to undertake a Master's course paired to the programme at one of the nine partnered universities.

 

If selected, you will join a dynamic world-class cohort of ambitious, adaptable individuals who demonstrate leadership potential, resilience, and a clear vision for the future of AI. You’ll be empowered to drive innovation and contribute meaningfully to the UK’s AI ecosystem—emerging as part of the next generation of AI leaders. Through industry exposure, mentorship, and structured cohort activities, you’ll gain the skills and networks needed to shape responsible, high-impact AI development across research, government, and industry.

 

Throughout the year, you’ll take part in a range of activities designed to build connections within your cohort and with professionals across the AI landscape, acting as a prestigious community of future AI leaders. Towards the end of your Master’s course, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for a work placement with one of our industry partners in an AI-related field.

 

We are looking to recruit candidates from a broad range of backgrounds, who can demonstrate how they meet some of the following characteristics. Upon receipt of your application, assessors will consider these qualities as part of the selection process, recognising that candidates may demonstrate them in different ways and through varied experiences:

 

Strengths:

• Curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving

• Comfort with ambiguity and change

• Strong communication

• Entrepreneurial mindset and leadership potential

• Teamwork

 

Motivations:

• What it means to be part of a government-funded scholarship and how you would leverage this opportunity

• Why you want to be part of a cohort-based programme

• Your motivation to contribute to the AI ecosystem in the UK

 

The first cohort of Spärck AI scholars will begin their studies in October 2026. This is backed by £17.2 million in government funding and delivers on a recommendation of the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

 

Companies signed up to participate in the scholarship programme include PolyAI, Quantexa, CausaLens, Flok, Beamery, Darktrace and Faculty.

Contact

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at scholarships@imperial.ac.uk.