Data science courses in the UK
Square1 Ai is an online school, registered in Sri Lanka. It runs five live data science bootcamps (Data Science, Data Analyst with AI, Data Engineering with AI, Analytics Engineer and ML Engineer), each twelve weeks on Zoom with one instructor and 10 projects you keep, for £119; self-paced courses start at £24. UK cohorts meet on weekday evenings from 7 PM UK time, with full-day sessions at weekends.
Founding price, half the £239 standard, until 1 December. Self-paced courses from £24.
What data roles pay in the UK
Annual base salary in the UK, from Payscale (read 22 October 2026). The range is the middle half of reported salaries, and each row shows how many salary profiles it rests on.
| Role | Median a year | Middle half | Train for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine learning engineerPayscale110 salary profiles | £53,100 | £41,400 to £71,600 | ML Engineer |
| Data engineerPayscale224 salary profiles | £45,500 | £38,400 to £59,700 | Data Engineering with AI |
| Data scientistPayscale355 salary profiles | £41,900 | £34,700 to £53,500 | Data Science |
| Business analystPayscale225 salary profiles | £40,500 | £32,000 to £50,100 | Data Analyst with AI |
| BI analystPayscale66 salary profiles | £35,900 | £29,200 to £43,700 | Analytics Engineer, Data Analyst with AI |
| Data analystPayscale738 salary profiles | £31,600 | £27,700 to £38,900 | Data Analyst with AI, Analytics Engineer |
Salaries are what employers in the UK report paying, not what Square1 Ai students earn: the first cohorts have not graduated.
Bootcamps that fit a working week in UK.
Twelve weeks each, weekday evenings and weekend days, 25 spots a cohort. Reserving a seat holds the founding price.
Data science courses in the UK, side by side
Data science courses you can take in the UK in 2026, with their length, how they are taught and the fee each provider lists.
| Course | Length | How it is taught | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science & AI bootcampLe Wagon London | 400 hours (2 months full-time or 6 months part-time) | live online | Not listed on its site |
| Data Science Bootcamp & CertificationGeneral Assembly London | 480 hours, 12 weeks full-time | classroom London or live online | Not listed on its site |
| Data Engineering, AI & Machine Learning BootcampNorthcoders | 13 weeks, full-time | live online (remote) | From £7,500 upfront; standard price £8,000 |
| Live data bootcamps (5 tracks)Square1 Ai | 12 weeks, about 15 hours a week | Live online, weekday evenings from 7 PM UK time and weekend days | £119 (founding price) |
Fees and lengths as each provider lists them on its own site, checked 22 October 2026. Ask the provider for the current intake before you pay.
Four ways into data science in the UK
Each fits a different person. The right one depends on whether you need a degree, a university name, a free start or a portfolio.
- Route 1
A degree or master's
Fits when You want a formal qualification in data science, or the theory in depth.
Watch for Years of study and a large fee; check how much of it uses the tools teams work with now.
- Route 2
A university or institute short course
Fits when You want a known name on a short data science course, online or on campus.
Watch for Most are a few weeks and teach concepts; ask whether you build and deploy something.
- Route 3
A free or funded programme
Fits when You want to try data science before paying for anything.
Watch for Good for basics; nobody reviews your work, so you still need projects to show.
- Route 4
A live online bootcamp
Fits when You are working and want a job-shaped portfolio in twelve weeks, taught live on UK time.
Watch for Square1 Ai's bootcamps are new and not accredited: the first cohorts have not graduated, so there is no placement rate yet.
Questions people in the UK ask about data science
Which data science course is best in the UK?
It depends on what you need. Northcoders's Data Engineering, AI & Machine Learning Bootcamp lists from £7,500 upfront; standard price £8,000; the table above lists each one's length and fee. If you are working and want a portfolio an employer can check, Square1 Ai's twelve-week live bootcamps are £119 at the founding price.
How much does a data science course cost in the UK?
A Square1 Ai live data science bootcamp is £119, the founding price until 1 December (the standard price is £239), and a self-paced course is £24. Other providers' fees are in the table above.
What does a machine learning engineer earn in the UK?
Payscale puts the median base salary for a machine learning engineer in the UK at £53,100 a year, with the middle half between £41,400 and £71,600, from 110 salary profiles.
Data science or data analysis: which should I start with?
If you are new to code, start with data analysis: SQL, spreadsheets and dashboards that answer a manager's question. Data science adds Python, statistics and models on top. The free skill check places you in one or the other.
Do I need to know Python before I start?
Not for the Data Analyst bootcamp. The Data Science, Data Engineering and ML Engineer bootcamps expect some Python; the self-paced Python for AI course covers what you need first.
Can I learn data science online in the UK while working full time?
Yes. UK cohorts meet on weekday evenings from 7 PM UK time, with full-day sessions at weekends. The work between sessions is graded by Nova, Square1 Ai's AI tutor, whenever you submit it. Plan for about fifteen hours a week across the twelve weeks.
Is it a regulated qualification, or a government-funded Skills Bootcamp?
Neither. Square1 Ai's bootcamps are not Ofqual-regulated qualifications and are not part of the Department for Education's Skills Bootcamps, so they are not government funded. You leave with 10 deployed projects and a recorded defence of your work.
Does the bootcamp guarantee a job?
No. No placement rate is published because the first cohorts have not graduated. You leave with 10 projects an employer can open and run, a recorded defence of your work, and a hiring plan worked through with your instructor.
How do I pay?
Reserving a seat is free and takes your name, email and country. Nothing is charged until the start date is confirmed and you say yes.
25 spots a cohort. Hold one on UK time.
Pick a bootcamp, reserve with your name and email, and hear the start date first. Nothing is charged until you confirm.