Overview
Our Summer Vacation Studentship scheme supports students working within a research group on a specified project for 4-6 weeks, with a dedicated supervisor, in an area of molecular bioscience. The project can be a computational biology/bioinformatics based project, a laboratory based project or a mixture of both. The studentship can be hosted by any relevant organisation, such as a university, a company in industry or a research institute. If the studentship is being hosted at a university, this does not need to be the same university that the student attends, i.e., it can be at any convenient institution.
This scheme is extremely popular, with applications going through a competitive application process. Successful students will be awarded a stipend of £445 per week for a maximum of 6 weeks, to support the students’ living costs for the duration of the placement. The stipend is based on a 35 hour week at £12.71/hour (National Living Wage). The research group will cover consumables and costs associated with the research. Students will also be awarded a one-year undergraduate membership of the Biochemical Society.
Please note that the student should be the one to begin the application process, and the supervisor can then be invited as a collaborator.
Eligibility
- These studentships are available for undergraduate students in biochemistry, molecular bioscience and related subjects.
- Students will take up the award during the summer vacation in the middle year(s) of their undergraduate degree. This can include:
- Year 2 out of 3
- Year 2 out of 4
- Year 3 out of 4 (This is applicable for 4 year BSc courses only, and Integrated Masters courses/MSci are not included in this)
- For students on longer degree terms e.g., on a 6-year Medical related degree, you would be eligible in Year 2, 3, 4 and 5.
- First year and final year students are not eligible for this studentship, which includes those graduating in year 2026 and final year students on an integrated master’s degree.
- The named supervisor must have been an Early Career or Full member of the Biochemical Society for at least 12 months immediately prior to the deadline date to apply for the research studentship. Members that have joined as multiyear members are eligible after six months has elapsed.
- Each supervisor may only apply for sponsorship of one student per round of applications. Once an award has been offered to a named student it cannot be transferred to another student.
- Studentships can take place anytime between July-September.
- The Summer Vacation Studentship scheme is open to overseas students and mature students, and can be carried out in the UK or overseas.
- Students can only apply for one Biochemical Society studentship.
Post-scheme report
Once funding is awarded, it is a condition of the award that the student subsequently submits a report and a photo that can be uploaded onto our website (no more than 2 sides of A4) summarising:
- The aims of the project
- Description of work
- Assessment of results and outcomes of studentship
- Future directions in which the project could be taken
- Departures from original proposal
- Value of studentship to the student and to the lab
- Photos of the student and supervisor with any others (or images) of relevant lab work or results.
Students are also encouraged to write a blog about their placement, and to regularly update the Society on their work using social media or via email.
Research Studentships
Overview
Our Summer Vacation Studentship scheme supports students working within a research group on a specified project for 4-6 weeks, with a dedicated supervisor, in an area of molecular bioscience. The project can be a computational biology/bioinformatics based project, a laboratory based project or a mixture of both. The studentship can be hosted by any relevant organisation, such as a university, a company in industry or a research institute. If the studentship is being hosted at a university, this does not need to be the same university that the student attends, i.e., it can be at any convenient institution.
This scheme is extremely popular, with applications going through a competitive application process. Successful students will be awarded a stipend of £445 per week for a maximum of 6 weeks, to support the students’ living costs for the duration of the placement. The stipend is based on a 35 hour week at £12.71/hour (National Living Wage). The research group will cover consumables and costs associated with the research. Students will also be awarded a one-year undergraduate membership of the Biochemical Society.
Please note that the student should be the one to begin the application process, and the supervisor can then be invited as a collaborator.
Eligibility
- These studentships are available for undergraduate students in biochemistry, molecular bioscience and related subjects.
- Students will take up the award during the summer vacation in the middle year(s) of their undergraduate degree. This can include:
- Year 2 out of 3
- Year 2 out of 4
- Year 3 out of 4 (This is applicable for 4 year BSc courses only, and Integrated Masters courses/MSci are not included in this)
- For students on longer degree terms e.g., on a 6-year Medical related degree, you would be eligible in Year 2, 3, 4 and 5.
- First year and final year students are not eligible for this studentship, which includes those graduating in year 2026 and final year students on an integrated master’s degree.
- The named supervisor must have been an Early Career or Full member of the Biochemical Society for at least 12 months immediately prior to the deadline date to apply for the research studentship. Members that have joined as multiyear members are eligible after six months has elapsed.
- Each supervisor may only apply for sponsorship of one student per round of applications. Once an award has been offered to a named student it cannot be transferred to another student.
- Studentships can take place anytime between July-September.
- The Summer Vacation Studentship scheme is open to overseas students and mature students, and can be carried out in the UK or overseas.
- Students can only apply for one Biochemical Society studentship.
Post-scheme report
Once funding is awarded, it is a condition of the award that the student subsequently submits a report and a photo that can be uploaded onto our website (no more than 2 sides of A4) summarising:
- The aims of the project
- Description of work
- Assessment of results and outcomes of studentship
- Future directions in which the project could be taken
- Departures from original proposal
- Value of studentship to the student and to the lab
- Photos of the student and supervisor with any others (or images) of relevant lab work or results.
Students are also encouraged to write a blog about their placement, and to regularly update the Society on their work using social media or via email.