Our ambition is to increase the quality and quantity of the talent pool available to the UK fusion sector, creating new pathways for learners to enter the world of fusion, and targeted outreach to those who are traditionally underrepresented in the sector.
Barriers to fusion skills growth include insufficient training at Masters and PhD levels, limiting the availability of fusion-specific, highly specialist skills.
FOSTER is committed to positive partnerships with universities, not just to support the development of Masters level courses and PhD studies, but to work with institutions in reducing financial barriers to make higher level study accessible to a broad cross-section of society.
Embracing individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives cultivates a culture of inclusivity and creativity, where new ideas and innovations can thrive.
Bursaries
Under the FOSTER Programme, UKAEA has made bursaries available to four universities offering Masters level courses with fusion-specific content, starting in Autumn 2025. These bursaries contribute towards the recipient students’ living costs and have the primary objective of widening participation into fusion courses, as well as increasing course uptake. FOSTER intends to develop this pilot scheme further to support future cohorts of students.
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Download our definition of a Fusion Masters (PDF, 222KB)
Masters level partnerships
FOSTER is collaborating with universities across the UK to enhance and embed fusion content into Masters level teaching programmes. Collaborations are focussed on the creation of new fusion-specific modules or courses to provide immediate new teaching provision, whilst also supporting academic institutions in their growth, with the staff, the knowledge, and the skills to build on these provisions in the future – all while targeting at least 400 new students trained through these collaborations.
FOSTER is working with universities who are willing to match or exceed the level of investment to create impactful new or enhanced provision which is appealing to prospective students in the short, medium and long-term. Whilst the process for identifying large-scale collaborating institutes has concluded, Universities interested in achieving growth in fusion teaching will be able to engage with FOSTER through the Industrial Visiting Academics Scheme.
MSc project opportunities
FOSTER has an ambition to stimulate more industry-supported MSc projects. The FOSTER team is keen to hear from the fusion sector if companies and organisations already support MSc projects, and what would encourage them to support more.
Industry PhD support scheme
This is a competitive process which enables fusion industry companies to bid for £40,000 awards (or £65,000 for small companies) to be used against sponsorship of PhD students. Within the process, applicants must demonstrate that PhDs undertaken through this scheme are net additional and beneficial to the wider UK fusion sector.
FOSTER is targeting at least 30 net additional PhDs during the four-year course of the scheme.
International Fellowship scheme
The International Fellowship scheme has been launched to support the development of independent research skills, build international networks and create technical and academic leaders able to train the next generation of fusion talent.
The scheme aims to create two-year research opportunities at post-doctoral level, through collaborations between UK and international organisations. Fellows in areas of shared scientific interest are hired in complementary pairs, one employed in the UK and one employed internationally, with a minimum of 12 weeks exchange to the partner organisation.
Fellows do not need to work on the same research challenge, but should work in a close enough area of interest that collaboration is enabled. Initially, collaborations are being formed between UKAEA and international organisations, with the scheme expanding to include other UK-based universities and fusion companies in 2027.
Summer internships
Since 2021, 83 students have participated in placements in 20 host organisations around the UK, with many receiving offers of employment after their graduation. FOSTER is investing in the Summer Internships scheme to ensure that this important project continues, giving undergraduates an invaluable opportunity to gain experience within the growing UK fusion industry.
Internships are offered to UK-based undergraduates (those graduating after the September of their placement year) between June and August. The 2025 scheme has now closed, however FOSTER intends to run future cohorts of the scheme.