Fully funded (100%)
The initiative does not cover the full certification fee. Pages that promise a free IAICB certification under this program are inaccurate.
IAICB Global AI Initiative 2026: AI certification scholarships for working professionals
A $1 million scholarship fund that takes up to 80% off the tuition for an IAICB professional AI certification. It is open to eligible professionals worldwide, and you can check your eligibility in about two minutes at no cost.
The scholarship at a glance
2026 terms- Type of awardPartial tuition scholarship
- Maximum award80% of tuition
- You payAt least 20%
- Cost to applyFree
- Who can applyProfessionals worldwide
- How places goIn order of application
Your discount tier is set during your Professional Excellence Index (PEI) review and can be lower than 80%.
Check my eligibility$1MScholarship pool
10,000+Professionals to upskill by December 2026
Up to 80%Off certification tuition
About the initiative
What is the IAICB Global AI Initiative?
An AI upskilling initiative from the International AI Certification Board that funds part of the cost of a vendor-neutral, exam-based AI certification for experienced professionals.
The goal10,000+professionals upskilled worldwide by December 2026, backed by a $1M scholarship pool.
- The problem
- Most free AI courses end in a certificate of completion. A proctored, independently governed certification costs more, and that cost keeps many capable professionals from sitting for one.
- What it does
- A $1M scholarship pool reduces tuition by up to 80% for professionals who qualify through IAICB's Professional Excellence Index (PEI).
- Who it serves
- Working professionals in business, technology and leadership roles who already apply AI at work, or soon will, and want verified credentials to show it.
- Why it matters
- Employers increasingly expect professionals to evaluate AI tools, manage AI risk and lead adoption. A certification gives that knowledge a structure and a verifiable record.
Scholarship terms
AI certification scholarships: what is covered and what you pay
The Global AI Initiative offers partial scholarships. It is not a free AI certification. Here is exactly how the funding works.
Partial scholarship, up to 80%
Your tuition is reduced by a discount tier set during your PEI review. The maximum tier is 80% of the listed tuition.
No scholarship
If you do not qualify, or places run out, you can still enrol at standard listed tuition.
- What it covers
- Part of the tuition for an eligible IAICB professional AI certification. It is a discount on tuition, not a cash award.
- Eligibility
- Assessed by the PEI from your work experience, education, role and company profile. See who can apply.
- Application
- The free online Professional Excellence Index. No written exam and no card required.
- Selection
- IAICB's certification team verifies your details and assigns a discount tier. Places go in order of application until all are filled.
- Remaining payment
- You pay the remaining tuition, at least 20% of the listed price, as a one-time payment when you enrol.
- Conditions
- Information must be truthful and verifiable. IAICB can withdraw a scholarship granted on inaccurate information, during or after review.
Eligibility
Who can apply for an AI scholarship?
The scholarship is for working professionals. Before you start, check that you can provide each item below.
- Professional experienceYour total years of relevant work experience. Experience counts toward your PEI score.
- EducationYour highest educational qualification. Some reviews also consider a CS or STEM background.
- A current LinkedIn profileReviewers compare your answers with your LinkedIn profile, so update it first.
- Any countryIAICB describes the 10,000 places as worldwide, and all programs are delivered online.
- Truthful, verifiable detailsMisrepresentation leads to disqualification and loss of any award.
The Professional Excellence Index (PEI)
An eligibility assessment, not an exam. It scores four parts of your profile out of 100 to decide your scholarship tier.
Job experienceYears and depth of relevant work
Education levelHighest qualification
Role relevanceHow closely your role connects to AI
Company profileThe organisation you work for
Free · about 2 minutes · no card needed
Application process
How to apply for an AI certification scholarship
Four steps, from reading the terms to enrolling at your scholarship price.
Read the scholarship terms
Understand what the award covers, the 80% maximum and what you pay at enrolment.
See the termsReview eligibility and terms
Update your LinkedIn profile and confirm you can provide each detail in the checklist.
Check the criteriaSubmit the PEI application
Complete the online assessment in one sitting. It cannot be paused, and refreshing the page clears your answers.
Open the PEIGet your result and enrol
IAICB verifies your details and sends your scholarship result and discount tier. An advisor then helps you complete enrolment.
Talk to an advisor
About IAICB
Why choose an IAICB AI certification?
The International AI Certification Board sets vendor-neutral, board-governed standards for assessing AI competency. Here is what you can check for yourself.
Vendor-neutral
Certifications assess AI competency across tools and platforms rather than training you on one vendor's product.
About IAICBProctored assessment
Each credential requires passing a proctored exam. Course completion alone does not earn the certification.
How certification worksPublicly verifiable
Employers can confirm an IAICB credential through the online verification tool.
Verify a certificationPublished ethics policy
Certified professionals agree to IAICB's certification and ethical policies as a condition of certification.
Read the policiesMaintenance and renewal
Certifications follow a published maintenance and renewal process to keep skills current.
Renewal requirementsAccreditation details
IAICB publishes information on how its certifications are accredited.
See accreditationAI skills
AI skills that support career development
AI knowledge helps professionals take on new responsibilities, from choosing AI tools to leading adoption. Salary, promotion and hiring outcomes depend on many factors, and no certification guarantees them.
| Skill area | What it means at work |
|---|---|
| AI fundamentals | Explaining machine learning, deep learning and large language models accurately to colleagues and clients. |
| Generative AI | Knowing what generative models can and cannot do; for developers, building retrieval and fine-tuned systems. |
| AI strategy | Linking AI investment to business priorities and choosing which initiatives to fund. |
| AI governance | Setting accountability, oversight, privacy and compliance controls for AI systems. |
| Responsible AI | Recognising bias, safety and misuse risks, and putting guardrails in place. |
| AI leadership | Leading change across teams, operating models and culture as AI adoption grows. |
| AI in business functions | Applying AI in marketing, finance, operations and HR with case-based examples. |
Initiative goals
The scale of the Global AI Initiative
These are the initiative's published targets and terms. IAICB will report results once the program closes.
$1MScholarship pool
10,000Places worldwide
80%Maximum tuition award
Dec 2026Upskilling target date
Places are limited and awarded in order of application, so applying earlier is safer.
FAQ
AI certification scholarship questions
It is an IAICB scholarship program with a $1 million fund and 10,000 places worldwide. Eligible professionals receive up to 80% off tuition for an IAICB professional AI certification. IAICB's stated goal is to upskill 10,000+ professionals by December 2026.
No. The Global AI Initiative is a partial scholarship. It reduces certification tuition by up to 80%, and you pay the remaining amount when you enrol. Your exact discount tier is confirmed after your Professional Excellence Index (PEI) review. If you only need a free introductory course, many providers offer certificates of completion. An IAICB certification is different: it requires a proctored exam and results in a verifiable credential.
Complete the free Professional Excellence Index assessment. IAICB reviews your experience, education, role and company profile, then tells you whether you qualify and which tuition discount tier applies.
Working professionals whose experience and qualifications meet IAICB's PEI criteria. The PEI scores job experience, education level, role relevance and company profile. Information must be truthful and verifiable against your LinkedIn profile.
Yes. IAICB describes the 10,000 places as available worldwide, and all covered certifications are delivered 100% online.
No. The maximum award is 80% of the listed tuition, so you always pay at least 20%. Your exact tier is confirmed after your PEI review and can be lower than 80%.
Update your LinkedIn profile, open the PEI, read the instructions, and complete the background details and LinkedIn verification steps in one session. Refreshing or leaving the page clears your answers.
No uploads are listed. You provide your full name, an active email address, your LinkedIn profile URL, your highest educational qualification and your years of relevant professional experience. Your LinkedIn profile should be current, because reviewers check it.
IAICB's certification team verifies each PEI submission and assigns a tuition discount tier based on your profile. Places are awarded in order of application until all 10,000 are filled.
IAICB has not published a fixed closing date. Scholarships are awarded in order of application until all places are filled, and the initiative's target is December 2026, so applying early is the safest option.
Yes, after you pass the proctored certification exam. You then receive a verifiable digital credential and badge, which employers can check on IAICB's verification page.
Use the contact page to reach a program advisor. Ask your advisor to confirm refund and cancellation terms before you pay.
Your next step in AI starts here.
Find out in about two minutes whether you qualify for scholarship support through the IAICB Global AI Initiative.