Beginning in 2019, the Department of Computing has received generous scholarships from DeepMind to fund MSc and PhD degrees for students from groups under-represented in computer science and AI.  The scholarships are aimed at encouraging and supporting wider participation, particularly from women and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO at DeepMind, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Imperial to help broaden participation in computer science. I’d like to congratulate all of the recipients on this achievement and wish them the best in their future studies.”

DeepMind MSc scholarships

For October 2023 entry, there are four DeepMind MSc scholarships available, to students with a confirmed place on the MSc in Artificial Intelligence, the MSc in Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), or the MRes AI and Machine Learning.  Two of the scholarships are for students whose fee status is classified as home; two scholarships are for a student whose fee status is overseas.

The scholarships cover:
     – full payment of tuition fees,
     – a stipend for living expenses of £21,241,
     – an equipment grant of £1,700,
     – a travel grant of £2,200 for attendance at conferences.

In addition, the recipients of the overseas scholarships may qualify for a relocation allowance to help offset the costs of moving to the UK for their studies.

DeepMind scholars also receive invaluable guidance from personal mentors within DeepMind, and attend educational and career events organised by DeepMind.  Within the Department of Computing, we also put current DeepMind scholars in touch with the network of previous recipients.

Applying for the scholarship

To be eligible, candidates must either, or both: (i) identify as a woman; (ii) be of an underrepresented, minority ethnicity.

To apply for a DeepMind MSc scholarship in the Department of Computing, you must hold an offer for one of the three degrees mentioned above to which it applies.  The deadline for receiving this offer is Friday, 26th May, 2023.  You must therefore have applied sufficiently far beforehand for the college and department to process your application.  In the weeks following the 26th May, offer-holders for the three degrees will be contacted by the Department of Computing and invited to submit an application for the scholarship.  After this invitation, you will then have two weeks in which to submit your application form for the DeepMind scholarship.

If you would like to apply for the scholarship, the first step is therefore to apply for one of the three MSc degrees in the department.  Information on how to do this can be obtained on the pages for the degrees, linked to above.

For further enquiries related to the DeepMind MSc scholarships in the Department of Computing, please write to Dr Robert Craven, at robert.craven@imperial.ac.uk.

DeepMind PhD scholarships

The department has one DeepMind PhD scholarship available to students conducting their doctoral research in artificial intelligence or machine learning.

The recipient of the DeepMind PhD scholarship will receive funding to cover fees and maintenance for the duration of their doctoral studies—usually up to four years.  (The maintenance stipend begins at £21,241 in the first year, and rises by yearly increments.)  The scholarship also includes a one-off equipment grant of £1,700 and an annual travel grant of £2,200.  For students with the overseas rate of tuition only, the scholarship may also include a one-off reallocation grant of £1,870.

In order to be considered for this award, it is sufficient that the application clearly indicates that the applicant identifies as either or both (i) a woman and (ii) of an underrepresented, minority ethnicity.  Other underrepresented backgrounds will also be considered where specified in the application.  Students in financial need that would not be otherwise able to pick up an offer for admission are also encouraged to indicate this as part of the statement supplied with the application form.

For further information on the DeepMind PhD scholarship, please contact Dr Amani El-Kholy, a.o.el-kholy@imperial.ac.uk.

DeepMind scholars

We asked the recipients of the DeepMind scholarships to tell us a little about themselves, and what the DeepMind scholarships have meant for their studies.

2022–2023

Hana Ali

MSc Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning)

I completed my undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering at the American University in Dubai in 2022.

My first contact with AI was through a computer vision project, in which I worked in a team of 4 to develop a neural network for parking slot detection, to alleviate the (incredibly pleasant!) problem of parking and trip planning in Dubai.  Like many others, I started this journey thinking that changing a few neural network parameters meant that I could add “AI developer” to my profile. However, as I went further into the project, I realized that there was a lot about AI that I didn’t understand (which meant that there was a lot for me to learn), and I realized that I really wanted to study this further and understand the maths behind why things worked the way they did.

With this interest, I applied to Imperial College London, and was lucky enough to be awarded the DeepMind scholarship to help me with my studies.  I don’t think I can emphasize how thankful I am for this scholarship—not only did it allow me to study abroad (something I would not have been able to do without financial support), but I was also given immense support from my DeepMind mentors, who have provided me with invaluable insight and guidance towards how to approach a career in AI and further research.

My goal is to use this programme as a basis for further research in AI, and eventually use my knowledge to go back to my home country and find ways to help people using AI, as I truly believe that it is one of the most significant tools to improve people’s access to a better quality of living.  Thanks to the scholarship (and the immense network that comes with it), I feel extremely supported in this.

Kianoosh Ashouritaklimi

MSc Artificial Intelligence

After completing my degree in mathematics and statistics at the University of Glasgow, I decided to work as a data scientist.  My passion for finding meaning from patterns and data then inspired me to pursue the MSc in Artificial Intelligence at Imperial College London.

During my master's, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about how modern machine learning algorithms work—not just at a practical level, but also fundamentally.  I have particularly enjoyed the Probabilistic Inference and Deep Learning modules, which have enabled me to not only understand how modern architectures are engineered, but how they work theoretically.  The seminars within the department have also been greatly beneficial in allowing me to expand my research interests.

My aspiration is to pursue research in the field of probabilistic modelling.  More specifically, I am interested in building powerful probabilistic models with great generalisation abilities (e.g., neural networks) and accurate uncertainty estimates (e.g., Gaussian processes).  After my degree, I hope to pursue a PhD in this field.

The DeepMind scholarship has helped me in so many different ways that it's hard to know where to begin.  First of all, financially it has allowed me to fully focus on my degree and reduce the financial stresses associated with funding.  Besides this, I have benefited immensely from the mentoring scheme which has allowed me to learn a great deal about how to be an effective researcher.  The network of support at DeepMind has also informed me a lot about the various career options that I have after completing my studies.

Acer Blake

MSc Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning)

My background is in computer science, AI, and software engineering.  I first worked for four years in FinTech after sixth-form, before going on to study an undergraduate degree in Computer Science with Intelligent Systems at King's College London.

Teresa Delgado de las Heras

MSc Artificial Intelligence

Having done more than half of my undergraduate degree—Theoretical Physics, at UCL—during the pandemic, I had a lot of time to reflect on what I wanted my future to look like.  It was during this period that I started reading and exploring the world of neuroscience and thinking whether it would be possible to fit this newly found interest into my career.  Artificial Intelligence offered me the best of both worlds.  A field that allowed me to both exploit my coding skills and research the dynamics of the brain.

Currently, doing the MSc in Artificial Intelligence at Imperial, I know I was right to think that AI was the place for me.  I am constantly amazed by the extent to which humanity has pushed technology forward, and find myself wondering about ways in which I can have an impact in the field.  I'm very excited to see where my next few years take me. There are so many areas within AI I feel strongly passionate about that it has become a really hard task to decide what my next steps should be!

I have been able to pour all this enthusiasm and motivation into my career, thanks to the DeepMind scholarship. I did all my undergraduate degree whilst working part-time so I am extra grateful to be able to just focus solely on my education for the first time, without worrying about finances.  Such opportunities are once-in-a-lifetime, so I am making sure I make my time at Imperial worthwhile.

2021–2022

Shay Divald

MSc Artificial Intelligence

I completed my undergraduate in Biomedical Engineering, and Masters in Electrical Engineering, at Tel Aviv university.

During my studies, I participated in several modules involving the area of Artificial Intelligence.  I was astounded by the power these algorithms had to tackle challenges and by their real-world applications in healthcare.

My desire to explore the AI field and get new computational skills led me to pursue a Masters in Artificial Intelligence at Imperial College London.

In my future career, I aspire to improve human health by leading AI-based medical technological development.

I was immensely grateful to have received the DeepMind scholarship. Its financial support, the mentorship from an expert in the industry, along with the opportunity to be part of a global DeepMind scholars community, with shared aspirations, is invaluable experience for me to achieve my career goals.

Alba Espinosa Rastoll

MSc Artificial Intelligence

After studying a BEng in Aerospace Engineering at Queen Mary University, followed by an MSc in Advanced Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial, College, I worked for 2 years within the aerospace sector.

As a result of the 2020 lockdown, I started to spend some time learning about the rapidly growing field of AI, and its applications not only within the aerospace sector, but also across other industries such as healthcare.  I therefore decided to apply to the MSc in Artificial Intelligence and return to university.  This degree is allowing me to expand my AI knowledge across different domains such as Computer Vision or Reinforcement Learning, to find what I enjoy most, while meeting great people in my cohort from many different backgrounds.

When I am not doing AI, I enjoy swimming, cooking and going to the cinema.

The DeepMind scholarship has financially allowed me to return to university comfortably, has given me the opportunity to meet other DeepMind scholars around the globe and thanks to the mentorship, I am receiving invaluable guidance about my career and how AI is applied in industry.

Miriam Fischer

PhD

My background is in Economics and Computer Science.  I hold two bachelor's degrees—in Economics and Computer Science—and a master's degree in Operational Research with Data Science.  My interests lie at the interface of computer science and economics, which led me to the field of Algorithmic Game Theory, and which motivated further studies in optimisation and data science.

My PhD combines ideas from Algorithmic Game Theory, Optimisation, and data-driven decision making.  Specifically, I am interested in developing more realistic models that reflect agents' behaviour in reality and the world they act in.  This includes using data to infer the behaviour of agents, and to establish appropriate equilibrium notions for this setting. I also want to develop incentives that lead to socially enhanced behaviour of self-interested agents.  I am also a first year student representative, voicing the opinions of fellow PhD students and working with staff to improve the graduate student experience.

The DeepMind scholarships funding my PhD is a great opportunity to interact with other DeepMind scholars and researchers.  This is particularly exciting as it gives me insights into research in industry and allows me to develop a network in both academia and industry.

Suniyah Minhas

MSc Artificial Intelligence

In 2019 I graduated from an integrated Masters in Mathematics and Physics from Durham University.  I then went on to work as a Data Consultant, specialising in Data Engineering and the cloud.  During my career, I heard a lot about the growing field of Machine Learning and Deep Learning and was eager to pursue this in more depth.

I feel incredibly lucky to be on such an amazing programme at Imperial.  The course covers topics such as Reinforcement Learning, Computer Vision and Deep Learning in a lot of depth.  The learning curve is steep, but extremely rewarding.  I feel very supported by both the department and cohort of exceptionally talented students.

DeepMind’s support has been fundamental in helping me to pursue this course.  From the generous financial aid to the incredible mentorship, I am so grateful to DeepMind for this opportunity.  The Mentorship has allowed me access to people who have a wealth of understanding about the field.  The Scholarship Programme has created a global network of scholars, so it is great to meet people in a similar position and with similar interests across the globe!

2020–2021

Lisa Alazraki

MSc Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning)

After studying Fine Art at Central Saint Martins I worked as a multimedia artist, drawing inspiration for my practice from developments in science and technology.  As I began to read more about artificial intelligence, I became increasingly drawn to it and decided to return to academia to pursue a second undergraduate degree in computing and mathematics, with the aim to work and carry out research in this deeply fascinating field.

After graduating I was admitted to the MSc in Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) at Imperial College.  The degree is a perfect fit for my diverse interests since it offers modules in both statistical machine learning and logic-based artificial intelligence.

I was also lucky enough to receive a DeepMind scholarship, which has allowed me to continue my studies at postgraduate level through financial support and mentorship.

I am particularly grateful to my mentor at DeepMind, who has been helpful and supportive and has offered precious insight into building a career in A.I. and machine learning.

Victoria Derks

MSc Artificial Intelligence

My interest in tech and cognition lead to combining them both through the MSc AI degree.  I completed my undergraduate degree in psychology at University College London, which taught me psychological theory and neuroscience, but also research and basic coding.  I realised that I enjoyed programming and tech as well as academic research and learning about behaviour.  Artificial Intelligence, for me, follows from both interests: it’s the research and programming of systems that behave in complicated ways by learning from data.

I’m very lucky to have obtained a place on the competitive MSc AI degree.  I wasn’t sure whether my non-traditional background would be enough to be admitted!  Whereas psychology was pretty familiar, almost all material in the AI course is new to me and I’m learning a lot in a very short time.  It’s exciting to learn about cutting edge technologies and implement methods that were detailed in papers published just months prior.  That was definitely not the case in psychology, where papers from the 2000s were considered recent!

Through the DeepMind scholarship, I have been assigned a lovely DeepMind mentor with a similar background to mine.  He’s been crucial in helping me decide how to achieve my career goals and has given me insight into what it’s like to apply AI in industry.  It also allowed me to meet the other three scholars on this webpage and even some DeepMind scholars in the USA.  I’ve heard from experts in the industry, like DeepMind’s founders.  Without DeepMind I wouldn’t have had these experiences which weren’t as academic but helped immensely in exploring life after graduation.

A further Q&A with Victoria, on DeepMind's website.

Anna Hledikova

MSc Artificial Intelligence

I completed my undergraduate degree in Mathematics with Statistics at King’s College London in 2020.

Over the course of the degree, I developed an interest in coding and artificial intelligence and so the MSc in AI at Imperial seemed like the perfect next step.  I find it fascinating to be able to connect the theory I have learned during my undergraduate studies with its real-life uses.  This degree has allowed me to do this through exploring the exciting field of AI.  In a relatively short time, I have learned a range of new skills and deepened understanding of my areas of interest such as deep learning or computer vision.

I have received incredible support through the DeepMind Scholarship, both financially and in terms of the mentorship and guidance.  I was able to discuss my aspirations and career goals and got invaluable advice from some of the best experts in the industry, which has made my path into AI even more exciting.

Sneha Naik

MSc Artificial Intelligence

I completed my undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences (Physics) at the University of Cambridge in 2017.

After graduating, I worked in Investment Banking (Debt Capital Markets and Derivatives).  While I was working I was exposed to the rapidly growing FinTech sector and through this, became increasingly fascinated by the real-world applications of Machine Learning and Data Science.  I therefore decided to pursue a Masters in Artificial Intelligence at Imperial.

The MSc in Artificial Intelligence is making it possible for me to deepen my core computing skills through practical software engineering projects, while diving into specialised topics such as Reinforcement Learning and Natural Language processing and I am thoroughly enjoying every second of it!

I am extremely grateful to have received a DeepMind Scholarship.  Not only has the scholarship provided me with financial support, but also, through the invaluable mentorship scheme, the confidence to achieve my future career goals.

2019–2020

Hannah Kay

MSc Computing

I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Birmingham in 2016.

After graduating, I worked at a digital marketing agency where I developed basic coding skills and decided to pursue computer science formally.

The MSc in Computing at Imperial was attractive to me as I could intensively improve my core computing skills, as well as study specialised topics at the forefront of research.  In particular, I'm interested in AI safety and would like to use this great opportunity to advance my career in this important research area.

The DeepMind scholarship has been invaluable during my studies, offering support both financially and through the many contacts I have made.  I now feel much more confident in pursuing a career in AI research, and I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity it has provided me.

Hongshu Liu

MSc Computing

I completed my undergraduate and master degrees in Actuarial Science and Finance at London and Cambridge.  I’m currently studying the MSc in Computing at Imperial.

After graduating, I worked in actuarial consulting.  Towards the later stage of my last job, I was more involved in projects related to data analysis and modelling, and this experience showed me the path into the computer science.  I therefore decided to pursue a computer science degree and possibly a related research opportunity afterwards.

The DeepMind Scholarship gives me the support I need.  It has also brought me into contact with some of the best experts in the industry and inspires me to explore this new path.  This invaluable experience will help me to grow and achieve my goals and I feel really lucky to be given this opportunity.

Eloise Withnell

MSc Computing

After studying biochemistry and bioengineering at Imperial, I worked as a healthcare strategy consultant.  During my time as a consultant, I worked on projects ranging from assessing a company using deep learning for diagnostics, to working on consent models for Electronic Health Records, and I became increasingly interested in the intersection of healthcare and computing.

The DeepMind scholarship for my MSc in Computing is making it possible for me to acquire the core computing skills necessary for pursuing a career in computational healthcare research.  The well-designed structure of the course has made it possible to cover a broad range of programming languages and material, from computer architecture to machine learning, in such a short time span.  I am particularly looking forward to the individual project where I will be able to use the vast range of skills I have learnt so far in a research environment.

Additionally, the workshops and mentorship scheme at DeepMind have been invaluable for me to gain further support and guidance in transitioning over to a research career.