PhD Scholarship in AI Literacy in Education 2026

York St John University and the Institute of AI Education are seeking applications from candidates interested in pursuing doctoral research in the area of AI literacy in education.

It would be an advantage if the researcher has understanding and experience of pedagogy, AI and programming and is someone who is excited to work collaboratively with pupils (predominantly primary in the first instance, then progressing to secondary), teachers, school leaders, industry experts and university researchers. The studentship will involve working closely with the co-founders of the Institute of AI Education (operational name of the AI Education Group Ltd).

Summary

1. Application Deadline: 3 December 2025
2. Value: UK tuition fees (£5,006 full-time / £2,503 part-time per year)
3. Study Level: PhD
4. Sponsor: York St John University & Institute of AI Education
5. Course to Study: AI Literacy in Education
6. Eligible Country: All Countries

Eligibility Criteria for PhD Scholarship in AI Literacy in Education 2026

Successful applicants should have a postgraduate master's degree from a UK HEI. The degree must be in a discipline that is relevant to the research. We are not able to accept applications from international students.

The Institute of AI Education (AI Education Group Ltd) welcomes applications from candidates with lived experience reflective of the research context of this project and/or encourages candidates from backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in postgraduate study.

Applicants are required to provide a research proposal in the area identified above OR a personal statement outlining their interest in this research and strategies to progress this. This should be around 1500 words and will be evaluated in regard to its originality, impact, rigor, feasibility, and benefits to the sponsor. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. This is an opportunity to demonstrate understanding of the topic and research design, as well as provide us with an opportunity to assess alignment between the proposed work and the overall aims for the scholarship.

Benefits of PhD Scholarship in AI Literacy in Education 2026

This scholarship will cover UK tuition fees for the duration of the PhD (£5,006 per year for the 25-26 academic year, full-time and £2,503 part-time) but does not include a stipend. You may be eligible for a doctoral loan to cover living expenses through Student Finance England. More information can be found on the Government web pages: Doctoral Loan: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

This fee scholarship is open to candidates interested in pursuing a PhD either full-time over three years or part-time over 6 years, starting on 1 February 2026.

How to Apply

Application should be made by following the YSJU admission process. To submit an application, please follow the link below.

Apply for scholarship

Please submit a research proposal or personal statement of up to 1,500 words, with reference to the enquiry questions included here, and how you would focus and approach researching these questions. Please note that CVs will not be accepted in place of the application form.

For admissions queries, please contact pgr.admissions@yorksj.ac.uk.

As part of your application, we will ask you to write a research proposal. This should include the following:

1. What are the main research questions you would address?
2. What would be your methodological approach to the research?
3. What makes you the right person to carry out this research?

Please note that CVs are not accepted in place of the application form.

You can see examples of research proposals on our dedicated page: Research proposal examples.

For more details, visit York St John University 2026

Application Deadline

December 5, 2025

Application Link(s)

• Apply for PhD Scholarship in AI Literacy in Education 2026