Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Foundational AI at University College London

Opportunity	Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Foundational AI at University College London
Host	University College London
Location	London, United Kingdom
Study Level	PhD
Funding	Fully Funded, stipend provided, tuition covered
Stipend	£23,805 per year (2026/27 value) for living costs, increasing with inflation, plus tuition fees for Home (UK) students f
Application Deadline	No closing date, open until suitable candidate is found
Apply	Official application page ↗

About the Position

Applications are invited for a funded PhD studentship in foundational artificial intelligence at University College London. The project will investigate fundamental questions in AI, machine learning and sequential decision-making. The research directions include: Reinforcement learning; intelligent data acquisition; generative and foundation models; and applications in communication systems, engineering and scientific discovery. The research is expected to combine rigorous mathematical development with computational experiments and applications. The precise topic will be developed jointly with the successful candidate.

Department

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London.

Primary Supervisor

Dr Sattar Vakili.

Study Mode

Full-time.

Duration

4 years.

Starting Date

Available from 1st February 2027.

Application Deadline

No closing date, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

Funding

This is a fully funded 4-year studentship to cover the Home (UK) student's tuition fees plus a £23,805/year stipend (value for 26/27) for living costs increasing with inflation. More details about the stipend and fees can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research-innovation-services/award-services/research-studentships/studentship-budgets.

Person Specification

Applicants should have:

• a UK Master's degree, or at least an upper second-class Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent international qualification, in computer science, electronic engineering, mathematics, statistics or a related discipline;
• a strong mathematical and analytical background;
• a strong interest in foundational machine learning research;
• programming experience, preferably in Python and modern machine-learning frameworks.

Previous research experience or publications are desirable but not required. The candidate should pass the entry requirements of PhD programme at UCL EEE: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/research-degrees/electronic-and-electrical-engineering-mphil-phd

Contact

• Email: s.vakili@ucl.ac.uk

Questions about this position, eligibility or the application process should be sent to the contacts above or raised through the channel given on the official announcement page.

Official Link

Full announcement and application portal: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/graduate/funded-research-opportunities

Source: ucl.ac.uk - the details in this listing were recorded from this official page.

Important Notes

• Application deadline: Open - Apply as soon as possible - late or incomplete applications are normally not considered.
• Listing details were recorded from the official source at the time of publication; always confirm the latest requirements on the official page before applying.
• Prepare the documents listed in the eligibility and application sections before starting the online form - transcripts, CV and references take the longest to collect.

About University College London

University College London is a public research university in London, England, and a member of the Russell Group. UCL offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral education across science, engineering, medicine, law, humanities and social sciences. Its multidisciplinary research community connects academic work with questions in health, technology, culture and contemporary society.

Official website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk

How to Apply

Applications must be made using the UCL online application system by using the UCL postgraduate study application form. Please mark it to the attention of Dr Sattar Vakili.

Before applying, interested candidates are welcome to send the following to s.vakili@ucl.ac.uk:

• a CV;
• academic transcripts;
• a brief statement—approximately one page—describing their research interests and suitability for the project;
• optionally, a research paper, thesis or other writing sample.

Please use the subject line: PhD Studentship in Foundational AI. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a formal interview.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our research is driven forward by talented researchers and PhD students who come from countries and backgrounds across the globe. We therefore strongly encourage applications from underrepresented backgrounds in engineering, such as women, ethnic minorities, or people with disabilities– EEE is a great place for you to study! We will make reasonable adjustments at interview and/or in the position as requested.

Application guides

• How to Email a PhD Supervisor: 7 Templates and Practical Tips
• How to Read a PhD Job Advert: Funding, Eligibility and Application Steps
• UK Student Visa Application: CAS, Documents and Financial Evidence