Summer research internships

• Undergraduate students who will be starting the final year of their undergraduate degree in September 2026.
• Students must be eligible for home fee status at the end of their undergraduate degree. This is part of EPSRC’s work to improve the attractiveness of doctoral study to home students
• Students must be on an undergraduate degree related to EPSRC’s remit during the internship, either between their second and third, or third and fourth year.
• For students on degree programmes longer than 3 years, e.g. Integrated Masters students, those who will be starting FHEQ L6 in September 2026 are eligible.
• Level P (placement students) are eligible but must have finished their placement and have sufficient time to complete the internship prior to returning to their studies.
• Successful applicants will need to have the right to work in UK, and if studying on a visa will need to abide by the conditions on the visa regarding work.

We welcome applications from those with protected characteristics or who are from groups traditionally underrepresented in Higher Education.  

• The research project should fit into the EPSRC remit one or more of your faculty’s strategic themes:
  • FABSS themes
  • FHMS themes
  • FEPS research
• The project can last for up to 350 hours (equivalent to 35 hours per week x 10 weeks) and must take place during the summer vacation between 8 June – 7 September 2026.
• The work conducted during a vacation internship should not be used towards credit bearing modules – this is additional experience to your degree programme.
• The project should have a clearly defined objective, which could be part of a much larger research project.
• The project will be at a suitable level for you to reasonably complete within the timescale of the scheme. 

Approach a prospective supervisor:  You will need to approach an academic member of staff to act as your supervisor.  This might be a lecturer who has taught you during your degree programme or somebody whose research activities are of interest to you.  Please note that all academics have staff profiles within the department webpages.  You might find it helpful to discuss this with your personal tutor who can advise you of who in the department needs help with one of their research projects.

An additional supervisor will also be appointed to give you access to a wider pool of expertise and to ensure continuity in any period of absence, e.g. annual leave.

If you have difficulty identifying a prospective supervisor, please contact:

• FABSS: Professor Andrew King, Associate Dean Doctoral College
• FHMS: Professor Kathrin Cohen-Kadosh, Associate Dean Doctoral College
• FEPS: Professor Michelle Collins, Associate Dean Doctoral College 

Discuss a project:  You will not need to come up with a new idea for a project.  Instead, you can discuss with your prospective supervisor what project you could work on.  This will likely involve supporting a supervisor and/or a PhD student on an existing research project.

Complete the application form:   You will need to do this in collaboration with your prospective supervisor. 

You must have email approval from your Supervisor to indicate their agreement to the project and their willingness to provide supervision.

You must have email approval from the Head of Centre/Department/School to confirm that the proposed project is adequately resourced, and that adequate supervision will be available.

Submit your application:  Complete and submit the online application form.

You will also need to submit a scanned copy of your HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Record) or transcript.  To be considered for the Vacation Internship you will need to submit the application form electronically; paper copies will not be accepted.

Please submit your documents to the FEPS Associate Dean for the Doctoral College.

The deadline for applications is 16.00 Friday 1 May 2026.

Applications received after the deadline above will not be considered. 

You will be asked to submit a 1-page report on your project and complete an evaluation form to feedback on your experience. 

Unitemps will conduct pre-employment checks and administer pay.  Students will submit timesheets via the Unitemps portal, and the primary Supervisor will authorise the timesheets.  

Salaries will be paid according to the Unitemps payroll calendar. 

£300 is available to use to purchase consumables.  These are items that will be required to enable you to undertake your research.  The funds are not available to be used for publishing results.  

Please purchase your consumables before the end of the 2025/26 financial year – 31 July 2026. 

• Deadline for applications: 1 May 2026, 4pm
• Notification of outcome: 7 May 2026
• Earliest start date: 8 June 2026
• Latest end date: 7 September 2026
• Report deadline: 14 September 2026