Government’s national tech-skills drive increases tech-focused doctoral stipends to £31,000

Earlier this year the UK Government unveiled an initiative to equip young people with the digital and AI skills required for the jobs of the future — and revealed that some postgraduate students in selected doctoral-training centres will receive stipends of £31,000 under the new scheme.

As part of the new “TechFirst” programme, the Government is committing £187 million to embed digital skills and AI learning across the education system and deliver training in communities nationwide. A potentially transformative aspect of the announcement is the boost to funding for doctoral-level trainees in selected CDTs (Centres for Doctoral Training).

The TechExpert pilot, part of the TechFirst programme, will support 500 new doctoral students eligible for ‘home fee’ status (typically British and Irish students) in participating UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training and Doctoral Focal Awards. DPhil students eligible for home fee status in participating tech, AI, and machine-learning-focused CDTs, including the Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS), Intelligent Earth (AI for the Environment), Robotics and AI for Net Zero (RAINZ), and Engineering Biology CDTs, could receive a tax-free stipend of £31,000 per year - £10,000 above the UKRI minimum stipend. In return students will be asked to take part in additional TechExpert activities for up to 10 days each year including outreach to promote tech careers, networking and engagement with the tech industry.

• The Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS) CDT trains students with both theoretical, practical and systems skills in autonomous systems - comprising machine learning, robotics, sensor systems and verification
• The Intelligent Earth CDT will equip a new generation of students with advanced AI skills to tackle some of the most pressing environmental issues.
• The Robotics and AI for Net Zero (RAINZ) CDT trains and develop the next generation of multi-disciplinary robotic systems engineers.
• The Engineering Biology CDT will train academic and industrial leaders to support the large-scale, robust and transformative engineering of complex biological systems.

The aim of the TechExpert pilot is strengthen the UK’s innovation pipeline and build a more inclusive, resilient and high-impact research ecosystem. It will test whether a higher stipend makes doctoral study a more competitive and financially viable alternative to entry-level industry roles, retaining talented graduates in research roles at doctoral level to upskill for future tech careers as well as providing a viable way back into these roles for those who are employed.