The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced the launch of the Spärck AI Scholarships. This initiative aims to support the next generation of AI leaders, with Cambridge University as a founding partner.
The scholarships target high-potential domestic and international students pursuing AI-related Masters degrees. Recipients will receive full tuition coverage, a living stipend, and priority work placements with leading UK AI companies and government institutions.
Set to begin in the 2026/27 academic year, the program plans to enroll 100 scholars over four years. Selection criteria include academic excellence, leadership potential, ambassadorial qualities, and a STEM background.
The Spärck AI Scholarships offer unique opportunities for work placements within UK-based AI organizations such as the UK government's AI Security Institute (AISI) and i.AI.
Named after Professor Karen Spärck Jones (1935–2007), a British computer scientist known for her contributions to search engines and natural language processing, these scholarships honor her legacy. Her influential 1972 paper introduced inverse document frequency (IDF), vital to information retrieval today.
Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, stated: “Cambridge combines academic excellence with a dynamic, interdisciplinary AI community... We are especially proud that these scholarships are named after Karen Spärck Jones.”
Professor Spärck Jones was affiliated with several Cambridge colleges throughout her career. She was an advocate for women in computing and received numerous awards recognizing her international influence.
Cambridge University is pleased to co-found this program announced at London Tech Week.