Swansea University Offers Fully Funded PhD Studentship in AI for Paediatric Healthcare [Computer Science] (Stipend £20,780 per year)

Swansea University | Faculty of Science and Engineering

This high-impact PhD project (Ref: RS933) aims to revolutionize child healthcare by using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning to digitize unstructured, handwritten paediatric records. You will work at the cutting edge of AI to create "AI-ready" datasets that enable early disease detection and personalized treatment.

Funding & Scholarship Benefits

This studentship offers a comprehensive financial package for 4 years:

• Full Tuition Fees: Covered for both UK and International applicants (via the SUIPRES Scholarship).

• Annual Stipend: £20,780 per year (UKRI rate for 2025-26).

• Research Budget: Up to £1,000 per annum for additional research expenses.

• Global Access: International students are eligible for fee-alignment to the UK rate.

Project Highlights: Transforming Medicine with AI

• The Challenge: Most paediatric records in Wales are currently handwritten and unstructured, creating a barrier for AI research in rare diseases and neonatal care.

• The Goal: Use NLP to convert these records into structured data.

• The Innovation: A Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) approach, ensuring medical experts guide the AI for maximum accuracy and trust.

• Collaboration: Work closely with clinical staff at the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board (UHB).

Who Should Apply? (Eligibility)

Academic Qualifications:

• A 2:1 Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related discipline.

• OR an appropriate Master’s degree with a "Merit" grade (or international equivalent).

• Skills: Background in Machine Learning or Data Science and a high motivation to learn new NLP techniques.

Language Requirements:

• IELTS: 6.5 overall (with no individual component below 6.0) or equivalent.

Key Dates & Information

• Closing Date: 02 February 2026

• Project Start Date: 01 April 2026 (Potential for slight deferral)

• Mode: Full-time

• Supervisors: Dr. Trang Doan (Primary) & Dr. Deepak Sahoo (Secondary)

How to Apply (Step-by-Step Guide)

To be considered, you must follow these specific steps on the Swansea University application portal:

1. RS Code: Enter RS933 in the ‘Programme Related Information’ section.

2. Project Title: Input "RS933 - Artificial Intelligence for Paediatric Healthcare".

3. Upload Advert: When asked "Do you have a proposal to upload?", select Yes and upload a PDF copy of the job advert.

4. Funding Section: Choose ‘Scholarship Funding’ only.

5. Mandatory Documents:

   • CV & Degree Transcripts.

   • Cover Letter: Including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’.

   • One Reference: Must be from a professional/academic email (no Gmail/Hotmail).

   • EDI Form: Completion of the [Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Monitoring Form] is mandatory.

Contact for Informal Enquiries

• Dr. Trang Doan: [email protected]

• Dr. Deepak Sahoo: [email protected]