DPhil Scholarships

Image for decoration only, focussing on two young scholars sat in a crowd

Scholarship opportunities for 2026/27 Intake 

The Institute for Ethics in AI will award up to two fully funded scholarships for the 2026/27 DPhil intake at the University of Oxford. This represents an exceptional opportunity for up to two outstanding scholars to join the Institute’s intellectual community and receive support during their doctoral studies.

The scholarships are open to candidates from any academic discipline, provided that their proposed research adopts a humanities-based approach aligned with the Institute’s mission and research priorities. Eligible candidates must be full-time Dphil candiates and formally nominated by their academic department.

We look forward to welcoming the successful scholars at the start of Michaelmas Term 2026, as they begin their doctoral journey supported by the Institute for Ethics in AI.

 

The Institute for Ethics in AI welcomes doctoral research across a wide range of topics within its core areas of interest. These include, but are not limited to, bias and discrimination in algorithmic decision-making; the implications of AI for human autonomy and the right to a human decision; the nature and value of human–robot relationships; AI applications in healthcare; the moral status of artificial intelligence; the role of work in human life and the impact of AI on the workplace; and the ways in which AI and digital technologies pose both challenges and opportunities for democratic governance. 

Ethics in AI scholarships will cover University tuition fees, irrespective of fee status, and provide a maintenance stipend for the period of standard fee liability (maximum of three years/nine terms). The maintenance stipend is set at the UKRI indicative rate and is subject to annual adjustment in line with inflation. Applicants are advised to consult the UKRI website for the most up-to-date figures. 

There is no separate application process for these scholarships. All eligible candidates who receive an offer of admission will be automatically considered by their academic department and, where appropriate, nominated for assessment by the Institute for Ethics in AI selection panel. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. Scholarship holders will be selected on the basis of outstanding academic merit and demonstrated potential.