Scholarships for AI Programmes (2026/2027)

In 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) is the most well-funded field of study in the world. Funding organisations are putting “Ethical AI,” “machine learning for science,” and “AI for social good” at the top of their lists. There are a number of well-known “Full-Ride” and industry-backed scholarships available for the 2026/2027 school year.

1. The best “Full-Ride” Fellowships for Industry and Research

These awards are the best because they cover 100% of tuition, give high-value stipends, and provide industry mentorship.

Google PhD Fellowship for 2026

• The prize is up to $85,000 per year for US and Canadian students, or a different amount each year for students from other countries. It pays for travel, tuition, fees, and living expenses.
• Machine learning, natural language processing, quantum computing, and AI ethics are some of the main areas of focus.
• Deadline: Applications open on March 5, 2026, and close on April 30, 2026.
• Selection: You must be a PhD student at a well-known university. Usually, Google needs a nomination from a university.

Master’s Scholarships for Google DeepMind AI

• The award includes full tuition coverage, a monthly stipend of about $1,000 to $1,500 USD, equipment grants, and moving costs.
• Intake for 2027: The Institute of International Education (IIE) is expected to start accepting applications for the 2027 cycle in late 2026.
• As a bonus, each scholar gets to work one-on-one with a Google DeepMind researcher to help them with their career.

Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship for 2026

• The Award: A global fellowship that pays for school and gives you money to work with Microsoft scientists on research.
• 2027 Intake: The call for proposals usually starts in November 2026 for the next school year.
• Requirement: Proposals must fit with Microsoft’s “Research Challenges” in AI and computing.

2. Erasmus Mundus: Joint Master’s Programme from EMA I

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Artificial Intelligence (EMAI) is a two-year programme that takes place at four of the best universities in Europe: UPF in Spain, Sapienza in Italy, Radboud in the Netherlands, and Ljubljana in Slovenia.

• The prize is a full scholarship (EMJM) that pays for all costs of participation and gives you €1,400 a month.
• The next big chance to apply for scholarships will be in October 2026.
• You need to know a lot about maths (calculus and linear algebra), programming (algorithms and data structures), and computer science.

3. Best AI Awards for Colleges and Universities (Deadlines in 2026)

Spärck Programme at the University of Bristol (UK)

• The Prize: A fully funded master’s degree in AI.
• Target: This programme’s goal for the 2026/2027 school year is to hire students from under-represented backgrounds first to create a diverse AI workforce.
• Check the Bristol Spark portal for the last 2026 windows by the end of 2026.

City, St George’s University of London: PhD in Ethical AI

• The prize is full tuition coverage and a tax-free annual stipend of £21,000.
• Focus: Using AI to make education and admissions systems more fair.
• Status: Applications for the 2026 cycle are now open. We give priority to candidates who are excellent at Python and NLP.

4. How to Avoid IELTS for AI in 2026

If you show that you are technically skilled, the AI field has become more flexible with English testing in 2026/2027:

• The Google PhD Fellowship and City University London both accept the Duolingo English Test (DET) as a faster, $59 alternative to the IELTS.
• Medium of Instruction (MOI): If you got your bachelor’s degree in computer science in English (which is common in Nigeria, India, and Kenya), the Erasmus EMAI and many UK AI scholarships will not require the IELTS.
• Code as Language: For PhDs that do a lot of research, having a strong GitHub portfolio and passing a technical interview with a supervisor can sometimes get you out of having to take an English test at European universities.

5. Important Timeline for 2026 and 2027

1. The Google PhD Fellowship is due on April 30, 2026.
2. Finish your AI portfolio (projects on Hugging Face, Kaggle, or GitHub) between June and August 2026 to improve your chances of getting a scholarship in 2027.
3. From October to November 2026, send applications for the Chevening (UK) and Erasmus EMAI programmes for the 2027 school year.
4. The Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary) for AI and data science is due in January 2027.

Final Thoughts

In 2026, the Google and Microsoft fellowships will be the most prestigious paths for PhD candidates. The Erasmus EMAI offers the best networking opportunity and the most money for master’s students in Europe. The City of St George’s (London) PhD programme is a one-of-a-kind 2026 opportunity for people who care about ethics and fairness.