Undergraduate vacation scholarship funding opportunities

Please double check application deadlines at the funders website in case they have changed. If you are aware of a funding opportunity that we have not listed, please let Edinburgh Neuroscience know so we can add it to our list.

Alzheimer’s Society - Undergraduate Bursaries

To provide experience of research within the field of dementia to undergraduates with research potential and to encourage them to consider a career in scientific research. A stipend of £200 per week can be requested for up to 8 weeks (maximum £1600). Up to £500 can be claimed towards project expenses. Applications should be made by the prospective supervisor. Students wishing to undertake a project in dementia research should contact their prospective host institution/supervisor. Deadline: 13 February 2020 (this scheme had a 67% sucess rate in 2019)

Anatomical Society - Undergraduate Summer Vacation Research Scholarship

Up to 10 bursaries (£220 per week stipend and £80pw bench fees) are available to undergraduate members of the Anatomical Society to undertake research in the anatomical sciences for 4 - 10 week period.  Deadline: expected 26 March 2020

Animal Free Research UK - Summer Studentship Programme

Gives students the opportunity to gain practical animal-replacement research experience. Summer research funding is available for recently graduated students or undergraduate students who have completed at least 2 years of a relevant degree. All summer projects should be undertaken for 8-weeks and must be directed towards replacing the use of animals in current research experiments. Deadline: 9 Mar 20

Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) - Undergraduate Project Scholarships

To enable undergraduates to undertake supervised research projects, which fall within the field of animal behaviour, defined as the sphere of interest of papers published in Animal Behaviour. Projects can run from 1 to 10 weeks during academic vacations (including the vacation immediately following graduation). The applicant is the undergraduate, although applications are often written in collaboration with the academic supervisor. The scholarship includes £200 per week towards subsistence for the student and up to £500 total towards research expenses.   Deadline: 01 February each year

Biochemical Society - Summer Studentships

Grants are available for stipends of £279 per week for 6 weeks, and up to £1,674 in total, to support an undergraduate student to carry out a summer lab placement. Interested students must pair up with a potential supervisor, develop a project together, then apply for funding. Supervisors must be members of the Biochemical Society for at least 12 months prior to the closing date of the grants. The student does not need to be a member of the Society, but when ranking proposals preference will be given to student members.  Deadline: 28 February 2020

British Geriatrics Society - Medical Students' Elective Project Grant

The Society offers a limited number of grants of up to £500 to enable medical students to make use of their elective period or vacation for a project concerned with health or health care in old age either in the UK or abroad. The primary purpose is to give undergraduates an opportunity to broaden their perception and experience of this growing field by undertaking, under supervision, a study of a relevant initiative in age research or the provision of health care which will be complementary to their taught curriculum.  Deadline: applications accepted year-round, decisions within 5-6 weeks.

British Pharmacological Society - Vacation Studentships

Designed to encourage consideration of a pharmacology specialism, each studentship will provide up to £1,850 to support the living costs of the student during the delivery of a research project (£185 per week for up to 10 weeks). The award is available to undergraduate members studying pharmacology, or where pharmacology is a main component of their degree. The research project must have substantial pharmacological content. The supervisor must be an Associate, Full Member or Fellow. Application by the student or the student's supervisor.  Deadline: 29 February 2020.

British Society for Cell Biology - Summer Vacation Studentships

The BSCB Summer Vacation Studentships offer financial support for high caliber undergraduate students, who wish to gain research experience in cell biology during their summer vacation. Studentships will only be awarded for students who have yet to complete their first degree, usually prior to their final year of studies. Awards comprise a student stipend of £250 per week for up to 8 weeks. Awards do not cover consumable costs. Applications must be made by the prospective supervisor on behalf of a named student.  Supervisors must be a BSCB member for a minimum of one year before, or on the date of, the application. Deadline: 6 April 2020

BSDB - British Society for Developmental Biology

The Gurdon/The Company of Biologists Summer Studentship scheme provides financial support to allow highly motivated undergraduate students an opportunity to engage in practical research during their summer vacation.  Applications must be made by the undergraduate student but the proposed project supervisor must be a BSDB member. The student must be an EU resident.  Awards comprise a student stipend of £200 per week for 8 weeks.  Consumable costs are not provided. Deadline: Expected End of March 2020

British Society for Gene Therapy - Undergraduate Research Bursaries

To give experience of research to undergraduates with research potential and to encourage them to consider a career in scientific research. The awards provide support for the student at a rate of £180 per week for a period of between 6 and 8 weeks. Applications are made by researchers who are members of the British Society for Gene Therapy (BSGT) on behalf of a named undergraduate student. Postdoctoral researchers and new lecturers, early in their careers are also encouraged to apply, and should note this on the application form.  **Call for applications not yet open.** Deadline: Expected March 2020

British Society for Neuroendocrinology - Undergraduate Student Laboratory Experience Grant

Up to 15 awards per year will be granted for short vacation research projects (max. 8 weeks). Awards are primarily to support student accommodation and subsistence. Some financial support is available for limited and identified lab consumables required for the techniques to be used. The host supervisor should apply on behalf of a selected named student that they consider suitable  for a project in their lab.  Students may be of any nationality. Undergraduate students or students immediately after graduation or prior to starting MSc or PhD studies are eligible. The host supervisor must have been a member of the BSN for at least 6 months.  Deadline: 01 April each year

Carnegie Trust - Vacation Scholarships

The Vacation Scholarship Scheme is intended for Scottish students undertaking an undergraduate degree course at a Scottish university, who have shown exceptional merit at university, and who would like to devote some portion of the long vacation to undertake a programme of independent research of direct benefit to their academic work. Applications must be submitted by the student's project supervisor  Deadline: 31 January 2020 (this scheme had a 48% success rate in 2015/16)

Experimental Psychology Society (EPS) – Undergraduate Research Bursary Scheme

This scheme will finance a number of bursaries to support undergraduates studying psychology or a related discipline in the summer vacation immediately prior to their final year. Members may not apply for the scheme if they currently hold an EPS Small Grant, or if they received a Small Grant in the immediately preceding year. Awards will be made to members of the Society and will provide up to 10 weeks’ support (£200 per week) for their nominated undergraduate. Applications are made by supervisors, with a statement provided by the undergraduate.  Deadline: 01 March 2020

Genetics Society - Summer Studentship

Grants are available to provide £200 per week for up to 8 weeks to the student, plus a grant of up to £750 to cover expenses incurred by the host laboratory, for undergraduate students interested in gaining research experience in any area of genetics by carrying out a research project over the long vacation, usually prior to their final year.  Applications must be made by Principal Investigators (PI) at Universities or Research Institutes for a named student and is not transferable. Both the PI  and the student involved must be members of the Genetics Society. Deadline: 31 March each year

Medical Research Scotland - Undergraduate Vacation Scholarships

Upto 100 Undergraduate Vacation Research Scholarships are available for the summer of 2020. These offer a 6-8-week period of hands-on research experience during the summer vacation, provide a weekly stipend of £270 and must be held in a Scottish university or recognised research institution or a Scottish trading company working in medically-relevant research. Applications must be made by intending supervisors and not by students themselves.  Deadline: 12 March 2020

Society of Biology

Has a nice list of possible funding sources for summer undergraduate studentships so you may find additional opportunities there.

Pathological Society - Undergraduate Bursary

Funding to support research projects in pathology or gain experience in diagnostic departments during elective or vacation periods.  £150.00 per week for a maximum of eight weeks. This scheme is eligible for undergraduate Society members who are students of medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry or biomedical science.  Deadlines: 27 February 2020 and 28 April 2020

The Physiological Society - Vacation Studentship Scheme

The Physiological Society offer grants of up to £200 a week for a maximum of eight weeks for students undertaking research of a physiologic nature under the supervision of a member of the society during a summer vacation or intercalated BSc year. Project supervisors need to be Ordinary Members of The Society. Deadline: 28 February 2020

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh - Bursaries for Undergraduate Elective or Vacation Studies

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is offering a number of bursaries to undergraduate students of medicine or dentistry to enable them to work for elective or vacation periods in universities, medical schools, NHS laboratories or research institutes in the United Kingdom. Proposals for work on research projects in any branch of surgery are eligible for consideration. Preference will be given to applications sponsored by a Member/Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, but quality of project and applicant shall be the over-riding consideration. Students must be affiliates of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.  Deadline: 18 March 2020

Society for Endocrinology Summer Studentship

To support supervisors in hosting undergraduate students in endocrinology or the life sciences during  a 10-week summer placement and enabling students to gain valuable hand-on experience in an active research environment. A stipend of £185 per week for up to 10 weeks plus up to £1,000 for consumables is offered. The student will normally be an undergraduate following a course in endocrinology or a related life science subject and host supervisors are required to be members of the Society for Endocrinology of at least one year’s standing.  Applications are invited from students.  Deadline: 18 March 2020

University of Edinburgh - Deanery of Biomedical Sciences Summer Research Placement Funding

The Deanery of Biomedical Sciences has funds available to support students who want to gain experience by pursuing a research placement in the Deanery over the summer vacation.  There are a maximum of 12 stipends available of £250/week for up to a maximum of 8 weeks. The funds are available to support students who have already agreed a research project with an identified supervisor within Biomedical Sciences, put together a project brief and applied for funding to an external vocational scholarship scheme (such as Wellcome Trust, MRC, Carnegie).   Students who are not successful in getting funding through an external vocational scholarship scheme will then be considered for DBMS financial support. Students should submit a copy of their scholarship application for external funding along with the DBMS scholarship application coversheet to BMTO@ed.ac.uk.  Deadline: 08 May 2020

University of Edinburgh - Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship Programme

The Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship provide the opportunity for an undergraduate to gain a first-hand experience of research working alongside an experienced supervisor. The University of Edinburgh will be hosting six of these scholarships each year, lasting 6-8 weeks. The University will pay a salary of £325.50 a week and pay up to £1500 accommodation and travel costs. The project will also be allocated up to £500 materials and consumables budget. Deadline: 12 March 2020

University of Edinburgh - WR Henderson Scholarship

The WR Henderson Scholarship will be awarded annually to one or more undergraduate students (including those in their final year of study) to allow them to pursue research aimed at understanding the development, function and diseases of the brain (including the nervous system) within the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh. You should be an undergraduate student at the time of application, although you may be in your final year of study. Your proposed research project must be in a neuroscience-related field and be undertaken within a laboratory based in the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh.  This fund is administered by Edinburgh Neuroscience. *Call for applications not yet open* Deadline: Expected May each year