Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment. Applications are encouraged from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who have studied a variety of subjects and have no previous research laboratory experience. Individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

To be eligible for Wellcome BVS you must:

• be currently undertaking a relevant undergraduate degree at a UK or Irish university; and
• be in the penultimate year of your course (ie. entering the final year in autumn 2024) when you have not yet undertaken a substantial period of research; and  
• not have undertaken or be currently undertaking an intercalated year; and  
• not have completed or be currently undertaking a one-year placement in research as part of your degree (eg a sandwich year); and  
• not have previously undertaken a vacation scholarship from Wellcome or another funding body, or have had significant research experience; and  
• not be a graduate-entry medical student who has previously completed an undergraduate degree in a science-related subject; and  
• be studying an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area, for example: biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Computational Data Sciences, Engineering, Genetics, Mathematics, Molecular Biology and Physics.

Applicants would usually be on track to achieve an undergraduate degree grade of a strong 2:1 or First. If your transcript shows year on year grade progression towards a 2:1 or above, then we would encourage you to apply for the programme. We encourage applications from talented individuals who would find continuing into postgraduate study a challenge for reasons other than academic ability.

Students who meet at least one of the following criteria are particularly encouraged to apply:

• be in the first generation of your family to go to university (e.g. neither of your parents have an undergraduate degree); or
• be care experienced (for a period of more than 3 months); or
• have had caring responsibilities for 3 months or more occupying more than 10 hours per week; or
• be estranged from your parents/guardians; or
• have been considered as statutorily homeless and qualified for assistance under your local authority’s ‘main homelessness duty’; or
• belong to an ethnic group under-represented at Edinburgh (Black or Mixed Black, Bangladeshi or Mixed Bangladeshi, and Pakistani or Mixed Pakistani); or
• be from a low-income background and in receipt of more than the minimum levels of support detailed from your regional funding body (see below to find out how to check whether you meet this financial criterion).

We also encourage students at non-Russell Group institutions to apply. You can check if your institution is a member of the Russell Group at their website.

Russel Group - Our Universities

Please ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria, including the requirement to be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.

A Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship will provide you with sufficient financial support to ensure that your summer research experience is a viable alternative to other summer employment.

You will receive:

• A basic salary at real Living Wage plus holiday pay and National Insurance contributions (estimated to be in the region of £2,600 before tax and employee National Insurance); and
• Free-of-charge university accommodation or up to £1,500 to cover or subsidise rented accommodation.
• up to £250 for your travel expenses to and from Edinburgh at the start and end of your research project.

Carrying out a summer research project will:

• enhance your research skills;
• enhance your ability to make a competitive application to postgraduate courses;
• introduce you to leading researchers and staff at the University of Edinburgh.

You will be offered a single room in a University of Edinburgh Accommodation flat, shared with other students on the Wellcome BVS programmes, for the duration of the programme at no cost to you.

Should you not wish to stay in university accommodation you will be offered up to £1,500 to cover or subsidise rented accommodation.

Projects are offered by a pool of iCM PhD programme Supervisors with a range of expertise and research interests. The projects on offer changes every year, a list of projects for summer 2024 will be made available in spring 2024 and students on the programme will be asked to rank projects of interest in order of preference. You will then be matched with a supervisor and project. It cannot be guaranteed that you will be allocated your top project choice, but every effort is made to ensure everyone gets one of their top three choices. You will then have the opportunity to meet and talk to the supervisor (virtually) before starting the project.

Potential supervisors

Applications for the Wellcome BVS Summer Programme 2024 are now open.

To apply you need to:

1.    Complete the online application form (1). For reference, a PDF of the application form is available below.

Summer programmes example application form (174.81 KB PDF)

Please note we will only accept applications submitted via the online form below.

2.    Complete the anonymous demographic form (2). Please take the time to complete this form, it is required by the funding bodies and will enable us to continue to offer these summer programmes.

3.    Contact referees and send them the ‘Referee form’. Ensure they send in references by the closing date.

Details for each section are given below.

Closing date for all applications is Monday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT).  Applications submitted late or in the wrong format will not be accepted.

1. Application form

2. Applicant Demography form​​

3. References

A. All applicants should give the names of two academic referees on their application form.  

Two academic references are required. For example, these could be from someone whose class you've taken at university, your academic tutor, or your line manager from a work experience placement.

And

B. Contact the referee: It is the applicant's responsibility to contact each of their referees and ask the referee to complete and submit the referee form below before the deadline.

Referee form

The Referees should submit the completed referee forms by Monday 25th March 2024, 12 noon (GMT).

Only complete applications that include the Application form, Demography form and References will be considered by the recruitment panel.