AIMS Google DeepMind Scholarship 2026/2027

About AIMS & Google DeepMind

The African Institute for Mathematical Science (South Africa), also known as AIMS, is located in Muizenberg, Western Cape. The organisation was founded as a partnership between various local and international universities, namely University of Cambridge, University of Cape Town, University of Oxford, Université de Paris Sud XI, Stellenbosch University and the University of the Western Cape.

DeepMind Technologies Limited (operating as Google DeepMind) was founded in the UK in 2010, created by a British-American artificial intelligence research laboratory. DeepMind acts as a subsidiary of Google, which later acquired it in 2014.

Location: Muizenberg, Western Cape • Duration: 1 year • Type: Fully residential Master’s with research project

Fields Covered

The AI for Science stream is part of the Master’s in Mathematical Sciences at AIMS South Africa, offered in partnership with Google DeepMind. The programme combines artificial intelligence and science, helping students use AI to solve real scientific problems.

It is a fully residential, one-year Master’s degree with a research project. Students from across Africa who are passionate about mathematics, AI, and machine learning are encouraged to apply.

Expenses Covered by AIMS Google DeepMind Scholarship 2026/2027

The scholarship will provide cover for the following expenses:

• Tuition fees
• Accommodation
• Living expenses
• Medical insurance
• Costs for engaging in AI experiments/research
• Return flights to South Africa

Benefits of the Scholarship Award

• The opportunity to connect with DeepMind’s researchers and engineers
• Mentoring and support from said researchers and engineers
• The opportunity to engage in Google DeepMind’s revolutionary expertise in AI for Science

Eligibility Requirements for AIMS Google DeepMind Scholarship 2026/2027

Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying (please note that failure to satisfy all the requirements will lead to your application not being considered):

• You must be an African citizen (of any African country)
• You must reside anywhere in Africa (at the time of your application)
• You must have completed a 4 year undergraduate degree OR a 3 year undergraduate degree with an Honours year by August 2025 (or by December 2025 if you are a Southern African applicants)
• You must have obtained an undergraduate degree in any of the following fields of study: Computer Science / Engineering / Mathematics / Statistics / Physics or any other discipline with a strong computational and mathematical component
• You must be enrolling for a Masters degree programme
• You must not have engaged in any previous scholarship awards with AIMS
• You must be passionate about Mathematics
• You must be passionate about Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• You must be passionate about Machine Learning
• You must NOT have held a previous scholarship to study at an AIMS centre

Required Documents

Submit clear copies of the following supporting documentation along with your application (the submission of these documents is compulsory – if any items are missing, your application may be disqualified):

• Full academic transcripts
• Representative examples of work that you’ve completed in mathematical sciences (this can be found on the application site)
• Coding problem (this can be found on the application site)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Motivational letter of approximately 500 words (read our tips on how to write a motivational letter for your bursary application)

Notes About the Scholarship

• The online application consists of various mathematics questions and one coding problem. It’s important to note that this is not an exam, but rather an opportunity for the selection panel to see how you approach problems.
• Applicants are encouraged to begin their application as soon as possible, as it is not a quick process.
• The final round of the application process consists of a short line of interviews that will commence in May 2026.

Contact

For any queries related to this scholarship programme, please contact AIMS directly:

• Email: ai-admissions@aims.ac.za
• FAQ’s portal: https://ai.aims.ac.za/faq

Programme Details

• Institution: African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) South Africa
• Partner: Google DeepMind
• Scholarship Name: AIMS Google DeepMind Scholarship
• Academic Year: 2026/2027
• Programme: AI for Science stream (Master’s in Mathematical Sciences)
• Duration: 1 year (fully residential with research project)
• Location: Muizenberg, Western Cape
• Target Group: Students from across Africa passionate about mathematics, AI, and machine learning
• Coverage: Tuition, accommodation, living expenses, medical insurance, research costs, return flights
• Application Method: Online at apply.aims.ac.za
• Closing Date: 6 March 2026 at 11:59 SA time