Apply to join our UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Citizen-Centred Artificial Intelligence
Please review the guidance provided on the Application Resources page before submitting your application.
Submitting your application
You will need to prepare the following documents to complete your application:
1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Maximum of 2-pages in length. This should outline your education and work history, key achievements and any relevant publications (please note we do not expect all applicants to have had prior research publications).
2. Research Proposal (using the template provided)
If your proposal is incomplete or submitted without the provided template, your application may be automatically rejected.
Research proposals should outline novel research projects that align with our Citizen-Centred AI research themes. They should describe and justify (i) the AI and society-related challenge that the research aims to address, (ii) the proposed methodology and/or methods, (iii) a brief state-of-the-art literature review, and (iv) any ethical, equality, diversity and inclusion implications and (v) provide a statement of alignment with CCAI– i.e. how you align with the citizen-centred research vision for AI and how your proposed research relates to our existing research themes.
We provide a list of references within each research theme webpage that you may draw on when preparing your proposal. We also encourage applicants to use diverse literature relevant to their specific challenge area.
You can access the template here: Research Proposal Template.
3. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Data and Personal Statement (optional) (using the provided template)
We collect Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) data to inform the inclusivity of our recruitment process. You are asked to provide EDI data using the provided template. The form will ask for age, gender, ethnicity etc.
If you identify with a societal group less represented within Computer Science and/or Higher Education Research (e.g. Women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME), Disabled, LGBTQIA+, first-generation student, a student from a low-income household, carer, etc.), you have the option to complete a Personal statement as part of the template provided.
Personal statements should be approximately 250 words in length and should (i) outline your learning and career journey, including any career/learning breaks taken, (ii) reflect on systemic barriers that may have impacted your learning and career journey- highlighting how you navigated those barriers.
EDI data shared through the application will only be made visible to our specialist EDI panel and not with the panel responsible for shortlisting applicants for interviews. The EDI specialist panel will use their expertise and/or lived experience in issues related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to make recommendations regarding factors that the academic shortlisting panel should take into account.
If your application is successful and you join our student body, we are required to report EDI characteristics of our students to our funders UKRI.
4. Degree Certificate(s)
5. English Language Certificates (for international students only)
Interviews (February 2026)
Interviews with shortlisted applicants will take place online. To prepare for the interview, candidates will be provided with two academic papers to discuss with the panel; and expected to reflect on their proposed research based on feedback provided during the shortlisting.
The academic papers that will be used as part of the interviews for the 2026/27 will be shared with you upon submitting your application.
If you are unable to access the papers, please email ccai.cdt@northumbria.ac.uk and we will make the available to you.
PhD Offers to successful candidates (early March 2026)
We will contact successful candidates and make formal offers to join the CCAI CDT. Offers must be accepted or rejected by the deadline of March 2026.
Third cohort starts their PhDs (late September 2026)
All students will be based at Northumbria University’s Newcastle-upon-Tyne campus. We do not offer remote or distanced PhD studentships, and students will be expected to be on campus regularly for CDT training and research activities.
