Building on the success of the current funded programme, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI) has announced further funding for up to 2,000 additional scholarships to increase the diversity of students studying AI and data science postgraduate conversion courses.
What the funding is for
The aims for this next round of scholarship funding are to:
- increase the diversity of people entering the UK AI and data science workforce
- increase industry support to diversify the UK AI and data science workforce
- increase the supply of digitally skilled workers by converting graduates who did not study a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate degree.
Funding for these additional scholarships is expected to be delivered between April 2023 and March 2025.
The scholarships will be worth £10,000 each.
Target groups
Scholarships will be targeted at students who are underrepresented in the UK’s AI industry.
Eligibility criteria for scholarships for prioritised students has been expanded since the initial round of funding to include students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The scholarships will continue to be prioritised for black, female and disabled students and their intersections.
The scholarships may also be used to support other underrepresented groups including:
- carers
- care experienced students
- estranged students
- Gypsy, Roma, Traveller students
- refugees
- children from military families, veterans and partners of military personnel.
Increasing industry support for scholarships
Organisations are being encouraged to play their part in creating a future pipeline of AI talent by co-funding AI scholarships. Industry investment is being encouraged to complement government funding for these scholarships.
We have awarded a contract to Group GTI who will support organisations to develop strong relationships with higher education providers who are interested in taking part in the programme.
Higher education providers who wish to bid for government funding for scholarships will be required to provide evidence of the funding and resources that all partners and stakeholders will commit towards the delivery of scholarships as part of their bids.
Find out more about how Group GTI can support you as part of this programme
Eligibility
To be eligible to bid for funding, providers must:
- be based in England and be registered with the OfS in the approved (fee cap) category
- offer postgraduate conversion courses in AI and data science in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.
How to apply for funding
We will be allocating and delivering the government funding to higher education providers through an open competition later this year. Guidance on the process for submitting bids will be published in autumn 2022.
Eligible providers are encouraged to email [email protected] to register their interest.
