The University of Bristol has announced a fully funded AI scholarships program for international students starting in October 2026.
This initiative, backed by the United Kingdom’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), aims to attract the brightest minds globally to its cutting-edge AI master’s programs.
It was gathered that the fully funded AI scholarships dubbed the Spärck AI Scholarships has secured £17.2 million in government funding and will empower at least 100 students from the UK and abroad to drive innovation in AI and related STEM fields.
The fully funded AI scholarships are part of the Spärck AI Scholarships program, launched on June 9, 2025, in collaboration with nine top-tier UK universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial,.
These scholarships is expected to cover full tuition and living costs, removing financial barriers for talented students passionate about AI.
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 reads in part.
According to the statement, the University of Bristol has introduced 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
It was also gathered that 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 the academic and eligibility requirements.
Speaking further on the development, 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.
Welch stated: “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.”
