Applications are now open for the 2026 Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme: fully funded for study at the University of Oxford

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Closing Date: 31 July 2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme: fully funded for study at the University of Oxford

Overview

The Ellison Scholars programme empowers exceptional individuals to become global technology innovators and leaders of the future, solving humanity’s most challenging and enduring problems. Scholars actively contribute to EIT’s innovation projects across its four Humane Endeavours – Health & Medical Science, Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change & Clean Energy and Government Innovation in the Era of AI, through technological advancements, transforming research into practical solutions and scaling them for global impact.

The Ellison Scholars programme provides full funding for undergraduate or graduate studies at the University of Oxford, covering course fees, a generous living stipend and the equivalent of paid internships. Alongside their Oxford education, Scholars engage in project-based learning and receive mentorship with world-renowned experts at EIT, preparing them to drive profound change in their home countries and around the world.

The ideal candidate

The Ellison Scholars programme is looking for at least twenty candidates from around the world each year, who are passionate about solving humanity’s most serious problems. Scholars will fully commit to both their study at the University of Oxford and their ongoing project work with EIT.

Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme

Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Drive innovation while studying at the University of Oxford as a fully-funded undergraduate

Alongside their studies at the University of Oxford, Ellison Scholars work on cutting-edge EIT projects that aim to tackle global challenges through technology. These research and innovation projects, conducted as summer internships, are central to the Undergraduate Ellison Scholars Programme and Ellison seek exceptionally talented individuals with strong collaboration skills and the ambition to make a real impact.

Scholars collaborate with each other and with world-leading experts to solve real-world problems, while pursuing a fully-funded undergraduate degree in any discipline at one of the world’s top universities – the University of Oxford. Places on this programme are extremely limited and highly competitive.

Ellison is particularly interested in students with skills in fields such as computer science, artificial intelligence, economics, mathematics, robotics, plant sciences, machine learning, chemistry, biology, engineering, medicine or microbiology. This list is not exhaustive and strong candidates who believe they have skills that would benefit one of the projects are welcome to apply.

Internships for undergraduate Ellison Scholars

For ten weeks of each “long vacation” (summer) between academic years, undergraduate Ellison Scholars will work with EIT teams on existing EIT programs that aim to solve big global problems through science and technology. Those internship projects will span one or more of the following Humane Endeavours, which provide focus areas for what EIT is trying to solve:

Health & Medical Science
Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
Clean Energy & Climate Change
Government Innovation in the Era of AI

Scholars will bring their relevant skills, experiences or interests in areas such as AI & data, economics & policy, generative biology, robotics, engineering,chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, mathematics, medicine and law into the internship projects.

Undergraduate eligibility

Applicants will need to meet the University of Oxford’s entry requirements for their chosen undergraduate course. They must:

Have, or be on track to be awarded, a secondary education/high school leaving qualification, diploma or certificate accepted by the University of Oxford,
Have met, or be on track to meet, the minimum grade requirements for their chosen undergraduate course and
Have met, or be on track to meet, the University’s English language requirements for their chosen undergraduate course.

Applicants who do not meet these criteria are strongly dissuaded from applying for this scholarship opportunity.

Undergraduate selection criteria

Alignment

Applicants must show alignment and commitment to EIT’s vision by demonstrating a deep understanding of global challenges in at least one of EIT’s four Humane Endeavours, evidenced by experience and achievements relevant to an EIT project. These include:

Health & Medical Science
Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
Climate Change & Clean Energy
Government Innovation in the Era of AI

Excellence

They are high-performers who demonstrate outstanding academic achievements, intellectual curiosity and the ability to apply knowledge critically and effectively to solve complex challenges.

How this might be evidenced:

Top academic grades.
Prestigious scholarships, awards or honours for academic or professional achievements.
Contributions to peer-reviewed research papers, conference presentations or innovative projects.
Success in competitive programmes requiring exceptional critical thinking and problem-solving skills, e.g. International Olympiads or Science Fairs.

Innovation

They are visionary learners who embrace technological advancements with creativity, challenge the status quo and explore innovative solutions to achieve transformative outcomes.

How this might be evidenced:

Awards in competitive innovation challenges, hackathons or design competitions.
Contributions to peer-reviewed research papers, conference presentations or innovative projects.
Filing or contributing to a patent, trademark or intellectual property.
Founding a startup or initiative that applies innovative practices to achieve measurable impact.

Collaboration

They are trusted collaborators who build strong relationships, foster teamwork and demonstrate the ability to bring people together to achieve success.

How this might be evidenced:

Coordination or contribution to events, programmes or initiatives in an educational or professional setting.
Receiving recognition for teamwork, such as awards or peer acknowledgements.
Working on team projects or initiatives.
Mentoring or empowering others to contribute to collective success.

Tenacity

They are tenacious achievers who view setbacks as opportunities to learn and adapt and demonstrate resilience and determination to overcome challenges and achieve success.

How this might be evidenced:

Demonstrating persistence in pursuing a long-term project or initiative.
Persisting with a long-term project or initiative and achieving measurable outcomes.
Evidence of overcoming personal, professional or resource-related obstacles to succeed in a challenging environment.

Integrity

They are trustworthy people who value honesty, foster openness and build trust through commitment to collective success.

How this might be evidenced:

References or endorsements highlighting ethical conduct and reliability.
Roles and responsibilities that require high ethical standards, such as student representative or community leader.
Advocating for ethical practices in challenging circumstances.
Honesty and accuracy in the application form.