The University of Bristol, United Kingdom has announced its participation in the newly launched Spärck AI Scholarships, a fully funded master’s scholarship programme aimed at nurturing global tech talent in artificial intelligence and STEM disciplines.
The university disclosed this in a press release issued on June 9, 2025
“The University of Bristol is set to welcome future tech innovators with exceptional talent in AI-related disciplines through a prestigious new scholarship programme announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT),” the statement read.
According to the announcement by the University of Bristol, the Spärck AI Scholarships will cover both tuition and living costs for selected candidates while also offering them access to exclusive mentorship opportunities, hands-on industry placements, and training with the UK’s AI Safety Institute.
In addition, several leading technology firms have signed on to provide mentorship, placements, and industry exposure. These companies include PolyAI, Quantexa, CausaLens, Flok, Beamery, Darktrace, and Faculty, offering scholars a rare opportunity to engage directly with real-world applications of artificial intelligence.
AI programmes at Bristol
To support the scholarship, the University of Bristol is introducing four brand-new MSc programmes in AI starting in the 2026–27 academic year. These programmes will be open to Spärck scholarship applicants:
- MSc in Artificial Intelligence
- MSc in Engineering with Artificial Intelligence
- MSc in Artificial Intelligence for Business
- MSc in Artificial Intelligence for Medicine and Health
Each course is designed to reflect the multidisciplinary application of AI in modern sectors from healthcare to engineering, and from business to core computer science.
Application details
Applications for the scholarship will open in Spring 2026, and the first cohort will begin their studies in October 2026. The programme is open to students from the UK and overseas, provided they meet academic and eligibility requirements.
The full list of participating institutions includes:
- University of Bristol
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- Imperial College London
- University College London (UCL)
- University of Manchester
- University of Edinburgh
- Newcastle University
- University of Southampton
To apply, click here https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2025/june/sparck-ai-scholarships.html
What the school said
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, Professor Evelyn Welch, expressed pride in the institution’s longstanding leadership in AI and its role in supporting the Spärck AI Scholarships as a key partner.
“As AI University of the Year and the proud host of the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, Isambard-AI, the University of Bristol is thrilled to support this prestigious new scholarship as an anchor partner.
“Here at Bristol, we have a decades-spanning history of AI advancement, including via the Bristol Centre for Super Computing, a Centre for Doctoral Training in AI and two national AI Research Hubs, bolstering our pedigree in this field.
“We relish the opportunity to shape the next generation of global AI pioneers collaborating with our partners to explore bold new ideas, nurture exceptional talent, and advance the future of this transformative technology together,” Welch stated
More Insights
The scholarship is named after Karen Spärck Jones, a renowned British computer scientist whose work laid the foundation for modern information retrieval and natural language processing.
Application for the scholarship programme is backed by £17.2 million in UK government funding and forms part of the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
