Scholarship Overview
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Overview
The IX-WAI Early Career Development Grant is a competitive funding opportunity offered by the I-X Women in Artificial Intelligence Network (IX-WAI) at Imperial College London. The grant provides up to £1,000 to support women and non-binary individuals pursuing professional development activities in artificial intelligence and related fields.
This initiative directly addresses the underrepresentation of women in AI by removing financial barriers to career-advancing opportunities. The grant is particularly valuable for early-career researchers from Zimbabwe and SADC countries who are studying at Imperial and need support to build international networks and visibility in the AI community.
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What the Grant Covers
The grant funds activities that enable recipients to present research, expand professional networks, and develop new AI skills. Eligible expenses include:
- Conference registration fees
- Travel and accommodation for conferences and workshops
- Tutorial and training session fees
- Other professional development activities with clear AI relevance
AI is interpreted broadly to include modelling, automation, and AI applications in scientific fields such as chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics, and engineering.
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Not typically covered: Online courses or freely available resources. Applicants seeking online course funding must provide exceptional justification demonstrating why paid certification is essential and equivalent free alternatives are unavailable.
Eligibility Requirements
The grant is open to:
- Women and non-binary individuals
- Master’s, PhD, or postdoctoral researchers
- Currently enrolled or employed at Imperial College London
- Interested in learning about AI or currently working in the field
Important restriction: Previous grant recipients are not eligible to reapply. This ensures wider distribution of limited funds across the community.
Application Process
The application consists of two stages:
Stage 1: Pre-selection (Online Form)
Applicants must complete an online form providing:
- Requested amount up to £1,000 with fully justified budget
- Departmental account number (supervisor’s/mentor’s F account for fund transfer)
- One-sentence summary of proposed activity
- Brief proposal (max 300 words) describing the activity and motivation
- Expected career impact (max 100 words)
- Curriculum Vitae
Stage 2: Interview
Shortlisted candidates are invited to a 15-minute online interview comprising:
- 5-minute PowerPoint presentation
- 10-minute panel Q&A
Interviews are expected in the last week of January 2027.
Selection Criteria
Applications are evaluated on:
- AI centrality: The activity must have AI at its core, including scientific applications
- Career impact: Meaningful contribution to academic, research or professional development
- Skill development: Clear identification of competencies to be gained
- Timing relevance: Why this activity matters at this specific career stage
- Knowledge sharing: Alignment with WAI’s vision of building inclusive AI communities
Important Rules
Generative AI Restrictions
Applicants must not use generative AI tools to:
- Write the initial proposal
- Formulate personal motivation statements
- Prepare interview presentation slides
Limited permitted uses include: translation into English, English language improvement, formatting, and word count reduction.
Timing Requirements
- Funded activities must occur at least two months after the application deadline
- Funding cannot be used retrospectively for past events
Post-Award Obligations
Grant recipients must provide:
- Confirmation of attendance at the funded activity
- A brief feedback paragraph about their experience
This feedback is published on the IX-WAI website to inform and inspire future applicants.
Free AI Learning Resources
Before applying for online course funding, explore these free resources:
- ECRI courses: Python fundamentals, machine learning, and deep learning
- University of Amsterdam: Deep learning tutorials with PyTorch implementations
- Learn PyTorch: Practical tutorials and examples
- Distill: Visual explanations of machine learning concepts
- Coursera: Access through Imperial College London
- Imperial Lifelong Learning: Professional development including AI for the Workplace
Contact Information
For grant enquiries: s.veneziale21@imperial.ac.uk or r.birolo@imperial.ac.uk
Note: Questions already addressed on the website will not receive responses.
Official scholarship page: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/ix-ai-in-science/i-x-women-in-ai-network/
You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships
