University of Birmingham AskSia AI Literacy Scholarship 2027

AskSia is offering two scholarships of $1,500 USD for students interested in determining where the line falls between utilising AI and becoming dependent on AI.

AI is changing how a generation studies, faster than institutions can write rules for it. AskSia builds an AI study assistant, and their purpose is to make students more capable, not to hand them finished work.

AskSia is investing in the students working out where that line falls. Essays are judged on the argument alone. Arguing that AI is bad for learning will not count against you, and you do not need to use AskSia to win the scholarship.

This scholarship is offering two awards of $1,500 USD that will be paid directly to the successful applicants institution.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineDecember 31, 2026
• Value$1,500
• Study LevelMasters , PhD , Undergraduate
• SponsorUniversity of Birmingham
• City to studyBirmingham
• School to studyUniversity of Birmingham
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

$1,500

Requirements

To be eligible for this scholarship you must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled at, or hold a confirmed offer from, an accredited institution
• Be 17 or older when you apply
• Have a cumulative average of 3.0 or a 4.0 scale, or the recognised equivalent (an average mark of approximately 57-60 at UoB).

Students from all fields of study may apply and students from all countries are eligible to apply.

You may not apply if you meet any of the following conditions:

• You are an employee of AskSia or are an immediate family member of an employee of AskSia
• You have already applied in the current cycle (2026) - one application only per cycle
• You have previously received this scholarship

Selection Process

Once the scholarship deadline has passed the following process will take place:

• 1-15 January 2027: Blind Reading: Two readers score every essay independently, without names or institutions attached. Late December applications have their recommender confirmations completed in this window.
• 16-22 January 2027: Shortlist interviews: A short video call with shortlisted applicants to talk through their essay argument, including its weakest point.
• 23 January 2027: Recipients notified privately: The two recipients are told first and have seven days to accept. Nothing is published until both have confirmed.
• 31 January 2027: Recipients announced: All applicants will receive an email with the outcome of their application. Recipients information is published. The 2027 cycle opens for applications today.

Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Complete the following steps to submit an application for this scholarship:

1. Complete the application form and save it as a PDF
2. Write an 800-1000 word essay* on one of the following topics (please see the AskSia Scholarship website for more information about each topic):
   1. Where the line sits
   2. What changed in your own studying
   3. What is worth learning yourself
3. Provide a transcript showing your current standing. This can be an official or unofficial transcript, including a PDF exported from your student portal, as long as it shows your full name, your institution name, and your cumulative standing (e.g. Overall Weighted Mean).
4. Provide one recommendation letter from a teacher, faculty member, advisor, counsellor, or community leader, sent from their institutional email address

Send all four documents in one email (see the AskSia Scholarship website for more information on how to format the email to submit your application).

*On Using AI to write your essay: You may use AI to check grammar and spelling if you wish. Submitting an essay whose argument or structure was produced by an AI system, or written by anyone other than you, ends your application.

For more information, visit University of Birmingham webpage.