Research Access Placements

The project is supported by the Genetics Society UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Programme overview:

The Genetics Society and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (also known as the BBSRC, a UK Government biosciences funding agency) have partnered to launch an exciting new initiative to support summer research internships for undergraduate students from underrepresented and/or minoritised backgrounds in the biosciences. These “Research Access Placements” (RAPs) will allow students to undertake a fully paid summer placement in a research lab.

Applications will open on Tuesday, 27th January and close on 31st March. Students will be able to select their projects from a list of 49 projects available in the application form.

During the RAPs students will learn valuable research skills and have the opportunity to experience research first-hand. The initiative seeks to ensure that talented students, regardless of financial constraints, can access high-quality research training and explore potential STEM careers.

Undergraduate students:

Who is eligible?

Any undergraduate student from an underrepresented background. This includes, but is not limited to, being a member of a minoritised group, being in receipt of the full amount of student loan, having a declared disability, having refugee status, or having caring responsibilities.

How can you apply?

Students should apply via the Research Access Placement grant on mySociety.

The RAP will offer:

  • Paid Summer studentship: £425/week for up to 8 weeks
  • Flexible allowance of £160 (e.g., travel)
  • Up to £750 to cover research costs
  • Online workshop before start of placement
  • A place on a three-day expenses-paid residential workshop (September 2026 in Oxford)
  • Online workshop, taking place a few months after the end of the project
  • One-year membership of the Genetics Society
  • Mentorship by a senior member of the Genetics Society

Programme details

Research Access Placements (RAPs) will be flexible in terms of length of placement (e.g., a placement could be for less than 8 weeks) and year of undergraduate study (e.g., first year through to final year undergraduates can apply). Ideally, the project will be concluded before the 2nd of September 2026, in time for the student to attend the Summer Studentship Workshop in Oxford.

Each student will be paid £425/week and can claim an extra £160 (in total), for other expenses (e.g., travel).

For students with caring responsibilities, there are Carer’s awards available. An award of (up to) £60/day can be used to support their attendance to the programme.

Online workshop before beginning of summer placement

The Genetics Society will conduct an online workshop (half-day workshop) where students will be able to introduce themselves and ask any questions related to the programme. There will be discussion of topics related to the placement such as “What is research? And how is it done?”. They will also hear about the experience of previous summer students.

Summer studentship workshop

In 2026, the summer student workshop will be hosted at the University of Oxford on 2nd-4th September 2026. The workshop is residential, free to attend, and all accommodation and meals will be pre-arranged by the Genetics Society. Students will have to organise their own travel, which will be reimbursed after the workshop.

The workshop will bring together all students from the 2026 cohort. It provides an opportunity for students to network, meet various academics, discuss their work with their peers and other academics, and listen to career-focused talks and open-panel discussions. The programme also has opportunities for socialising and networking.

Online workshop after the end of the programme

The Genetics Society will follow up with all students a few months after the programme in order to understand the impact of the project on student’s academic progress and career plans. The workshop will include discussions focused on both scientific and non-scientific careers.

Other benefits

Students who wish to explore science writing and science communication will have the opportunity to write an article for the Genetics Society magazine describing their experience on the programme. There are also opportunities to be part of the engagement activities developed and organised by the Genetics Society. Students will also get one-year free membership of the Genetics Society.

FAQ

Please click on the question for the answer

For Students

Who can apply for a Research Access Placement?
    The Summer Studentship scheme is open to all undergraduate students from underrepresented and/or minoritized backgrounds.
What is a Research Access Placement?
    A summer studentship is usually carried out in a research team either at a university or at a research institute. You will get help and support with your project from the team members. The project can include learning to do experiments in a laboratory or it can be learning to carry out computational research that involves data analysis, or it can include both. The purpose of the summer studentship is to provide “hands-on” experience in a research environment.
What does a Research Access Placement give me?
    The summer studentship includes:
    • • £425 per week student living expenses for a maximum of 8 weeks.
      • A place at the Genetics Society Summer Studentship Workshop in the UK, providing an opportunity for all students to discuss their findings, meet members of the Genetics Society committee and network with geneticists. Travel to this workshop from within the UK and the cost of accommodation and meals are included in the studentship.
      • Up to £750 to cover expenses incurred by the host laboratory for this project.
      • Flexible allowance of £160 (e.g., travel).
      • One-year membership of the Genetics Society.
      • Mentorship by a senior member of the Genetics Society.
     
How do I apply for a Research Access Placement?
    If you cannot find a project in your preferred geographic location, we encourage you to contact the Genetics Society, as we may be able to explore whether a suitable supervisor can be identified in that area.
How do I choose an area of genetics?
    After you have decided that you would like to spend your summer break gaining some experience in a laboratory with other scientists you need to choose an area of genetics that you are curious about. This might be a topic you have covered already in your undergraduate course that you really like or that sparked your interest. It could be a topic that you have heard about in a news article or TV program or experienced through a public engagement event, or it could be a genetic problem experienced by a friend or family member.
What can I do if I am caring for someone during the summer?
    The Genetics Society offers a carer’s award which can be requested when applying for a summer studentship grant. It can be claimed for some or all of the 8 weeks, and for the time you will spend at the summer school workshop.
What can I not use a Research Access Placement for?
    The grant cannot be used to support an extended honours project or for an early-start of postgraduate studies.
What do I do if I receive funding from another source for a summer project?
    You can’t use this grant to part-fund a project, so if you’ve received funding from another source, you won’t be able to apply for a Genetics Society Summer Studentship. If you are offered two or more summer studentships at the same time, you should choose the one you want to accept and reject the others.
What is expected of me after the Research Access Placement is over?
    Students awarded funding will be asked to write a short report (around 800 words) within two months of completion of the project that may be included in the newsletter. You can find examples in the January issues of our Newsletter, and guidelines are available here.
What are my chances of success?
    This is a competitive scheme; the success rate was around 25% last year (2024).
Where can I get more advice?
    We’re always happy to answer your questions. Please email us if you’d like to discuss any aspect of the grant.