The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a new package to expand the UK’s artificial intelligence talent pipeline, unveiling the Spärck AI master’s scholarships and an expansion of the Turing AI Fellowships. Announced by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle on 9 June 2025, the measures are presented as part of the government’s Plan for Change and the forthcoming Digital and Tech Sector Plan under the Industrial Strategy.
Named in honour of computing pioneer Karen Spärck Jones, the Spärck AI scholarships will fully fund at least 100 master’s‑level places for UK and international students across nine universities. Scholarships will cover tuition and living costs and are structured to provide direct pathways into highly skilled roles through placements, mentoring and collaboration with employers.
Participating universities are Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, Southampton, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester and Bristol. Institutions will co‑design and co‑fund the scheme with government, aligning study programmes with current AI research priorities and labour‑market demand.
Industry partners signed up to support the scholarships include PolyAI, Quantexa, causaLens, Flok, Beamery, Darktrace and Faculty. Opportunities will also be available through the government’s AI Security Institute. DSIT says scholars will have access to work placements and mentorship arrangements intended to accelerate early‑career experience.
Applications for the Spärck AI scholarships will open in spring 2026, with the first cohort due to start in October 2026. The programme is backed by £17.6 million and implements a recommendation from the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan. Ministers highlight the potential for the scheme to widen participation by removing both tuition and maintenance costs for talented students from lower‑income backgrounds.
Government is also creating ‘Turing Pioneer Fellowships’ as part of an expansion to the Turing AI Fellowships. Aimed at established professionals across science, the humanities, academia and industry, the awards will provide research funding and connections to mentors, experts and industry leaders to apply AI to specific challenges in their fields. The fellowships are framed as a mechanism to bring specialist expertise into government and the wider AI sector.
According to DSIT, applications for the Pioneer Fellowships open in mid‑July 2025, with fellows expected to be in post by autumn 2026. The package is supported by £25.2 million and is likewise presented as delivery against the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Ministers situate these talent measures within a broader national skills drive trailed by the Prime Minister during London Tech Week 2025. The stated objective is to strengthen the domestic pipeline of AI capability while attracting global talent to study and work in the UK, in support of productivity and innovation goals.
For universities, near‑term delivery priorities include finalising selection processes, placement partnerships and co‑funding agreements ahead of the spring 2026 application window. Employers engaging with the scheme should scope appropriate placement roles, agree supervision and data‑access arrangements, and establish governance for projects involving sensitive data.
Prospective applicants should look for scheme guidance from DSIT setting out eligibility criteria, institutional allocations and placement arrangements. Points to monitor include distribution of awards across the nine universities, stipend levels relative to local living costs, visa considerations for international scholars and the extent of any guaranteed placement opportunities.