Swansea is one of several UK universities chosen to take part in the national scheme, which is supported by Founding Partners Google DeepMind and The Hg Foundation, alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Delivered by the University’s Computer Science Department, the programme — running from 8 June to 31 July 2026 — will provide undergraduate students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds with hands-on experience at the forefront of AI research.
Participants will be based at Swansea’s £32.5 million Computational Foundry, a world-class research facility dedicated to computational and mathematical sciences.
Students selected for the programme will undertake a supervised research project in areas such as machine learning, robotics, and natural language processing. They will also receive weekly data science training, take part in a datathon challenge with Welsh industry partners, and present their findings at a final research conference.
To ensure the opportunity is fully accessible, participants will receive a £441 per week stipend, free on-campus accommodation, and covered travel costs.
Dr Megan Venn-Wycherley, Programme Co-Lead, said:
“Artificial Intelligence is transforming society, but access to research careers in AI remains uneven. The Research Ready Programme is about opening doors — giving talented students who may not have seen themselves as ‘researchers’ the opportunity to work alongside leading academics, build confidence, and see what a future in AI could look like.”
Eligible applicants must be UK residents in the penultimate year of (or have completed) an undergraduate degree in computer science or a related technical field, and meet at least one widening participation criterion.
An online information webinar will take place on 25 February 2026, and applications close on 15 March 2026.
Swansea University recently achieved its highest-ever ranking in the QS World University Rankings 2025, reaching 298th globally, and was named Welsh University of the Year 2025 by The Times and Sunday Times.
