Funding opportunity: Turing AI pioneer interdisciplinary fellowships (invite only) is a prestigious UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) initiative designed to empower established researchers to build domain-relevant AI capabilities. This fellowship program brings together multiple UKRI councils to support ambitious challenges at the intersection of AI and diverse research domains. A rigorous invitation process ensures participants have demonstrated potential through an outline application prior to full submission.
The Turing AI pioneer interdisciplinary fellowships offer a substantial, sector-spanning funding opportunity intended for researchers who do not come from a core artificial intelligence background but who can leverage AI to transform their primary research areas. The program seeks to enable time and flexibility for fellows to acquire AI capabilities and apply advanced AI approaches to tackle specific, high-impact research challenges in their fields. The initiative is led by EPSRC, acting on behalf of UKRI, with support from MRC, BBSRC, ESRC, STFC, NERC, and AHRC, collectively ensuring broad remit coverage across the UK research landscape.
Project scale and financial scope are clearly defined to support ambitious, impactful work. The total fund across the opportunity amounts to £22,000,000, with individual projects capable of requesting a full economic cost (FEC) up to £2,187,500. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC, with the remaining costs expected to be covered by the host organization or other sources. Projects may run for up to three years and must commence on 1 October 2026, aligning with strategic planning cycles for host institutions and research teams. The funding framework is designed to accommodate a variety of domains across UKRI’s remit, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration and AI capability development in non-AI-centric research areas.
Potential applicants should note that the opportunity requires an invitation following a successful outline application. The outline-to-full application process is designed to maintain consistency in scope and budget, with the full application cost not expected to exceed the outline value by more than 10%. This mechanism helps ensure alignment between initial proposals and final funding decisions, while providing a clear pathway for transformation from concept to fully realized research programs within the UK research ecosystem.
Eligibility hinges on an invitation-based submission pathway. Applicants must have been invited to apply following a successful outline application, and the full application is not expected to diverge significantly in scope or funding needs from the outline stage. Applicants should be mindful that the overall FEC cap for any single project is £2,187,500, and the maximum value at the full application stage cannot exceed the outline by more than 10%. This structure preserves program integrity while allowing for thoughtful expansion based on initial plan viability. For questions about eligibility or the outline-to-full process, potential applicants are encouraged to reach out for guidance before submitting their full proposal.
Eligible organizations must meet UKRI’s standard eligibility rules, with EPSRC serving as the lead on behalf of UKRI. Applicants may come from any research domain across UKRI’s remit, and the program welcomes diverse career paths. A key requirement is that the time dedicated to the fellowship is hosted by a UK-based eligible organization for the entire duration of the fellowship. While joint appointments are permitted—allowing a shared arrangement between an eligible host and another sector—the host organization must function as the primary host for the fellowship, and the fellow’s main professional identity should be linked to the host. This emphasis on hosting arrangements ensures stability, accountability, and access to necessary infrastructure and mentorship during the fellowship period.
Not eligible applicants are those who are not hosted by an eligible organization, as hosting within the UK is a fundamental requirement of the fellowship model. This criterion ensures that fellows have access to institutional support, facilities, and administrative processes essential for long-term research development in AI-enabled projects. The program’s structure reinforces timely and effective collaboration between fellows and their host institutions, facilitating robust project management and dissemination of results within the UK research ecosystem.
Funding terms emphasize substantial support for ambitious, domain-appropriate AI initiatives. The full economic cost of each project can reach up to £2,187,500, with UKRI providing 80% of that amount. This leaves 20% of the FEC to be covered by the host organization or other matched funding sources, underscoring the collaborative nature of this initiative and the importance of institutional commitment. The program’s design ensures that fellows have the financial bandwidth to recruit talent, acquire or adapt AI tools, and partner with AI experts to bridge knowledge gaps within their domains.
Project duration aligns with the complexity of integrating AI into established research programs. With a maximum of three years, fellows gain extended time to develop deep domain AI expertise, implement advanced AI methods, and demonstrate tangible translational impact within their research area. The start date of 1 October 2026 anchors the initiative to a clearly defined program cycle, enabling host organizations to align procurement, hiring, and project planning processes accordingly. A clear emphasis on domain relevance ensures that AI capabilities are applied to address concrete, transformative research challenges rather than pursuing AI for AI’s sake.
Additional guidance highlights the need for alignment with internal institutional deadlines and processes. Prospective fellows are advised to engage early with their host organizations to ensure readiness for submission and to secure necessary institutional approvals. This preparation includes understanding any internal deadlines, administrative requirements, and readiness to support a competitive outline application that could advance to a full proposal. The program’s emphasis on structured collaboration and organizational backing helps maximize the likelihood that funded projects deliver meaningful, scalable AI-enabled advancements in their respective domains.
Submission to the Turing AI pioneer interdisciplinary fellowships occurs via an invitation-based process. Prospective applicants must first pass a successful outline stage to receive an invitation to submit a full application. This two-stage approach ensures alignment with program aims and enables evaluators to assess the potential for domain-relevant AI impact before requiring the full investment of resources. The full application’s scope is expected to be consistent with the outline; applicants should prepare a coherent continuation that demonstrates how proposed AI capabilities will advance their research challenges.
Key dates define the application window and publication schedule to help applicants plan accordingly. The opportunity opens on 16 December 2025 at 09:00 UK time, and the closing date is 24 February 2026 at 16:00 UK time. The publication date for the opportunity is 16 December 2025, signaling the formal availability of information to potential applicants following the outline phase. Applicants should allocate time for careful preparation, internal approvals from the host institution, and collaboration with technical and administrative partners to assemble a robust proposal package. For those ready to begin, an application portal link is provided to initiate the process (Start application).
Applicants are advised to engage with their host organization early in the process, ensuring readiness for the invitation and alignment with internal timelines. Since eligibility hinges on invitation after outline success, securing a supportive host and obtaining institutional backing are essential steps in the journey toward submitting a full proposal. The program’s emphasis on domain-relevant AI capability means applicants should articulate a clear plan for how AI methods will be integrated into their existing research program to yield transformative outcomes, along with a credible path to impact within their field and broader research community.
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Submission Deadline
Feb 24, 2026
Project Start
Oct 1, 2026
Project Duration
3 Years
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