Wellcome iCM Summer Internship Programme

Giving undergraduate students the opportunity to gain experience and training to enhance their career in science.

Students in their penultimate year at UK universities have the opportunity to spend eight weeks immersed in a research group associated with the Integrated Cell Mechanisms (iCM) Wellcome  PhD programme to undertake research projects that develop expertise in both biological and quantitative sciences. 

The iCM Summer Internship Programme is funded by a Wellcome Biomedical Vacation Scholarship. Projects are designed to offer benefits in terms of confidence, skills and experience that will enhance any future postgraduate or job application. Individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

No previous research laboratory experience is necessary.  

 

Applications for Summer 2025 are now open

The programme is open to students in the penultimate year of a relevant undergraduate degree at a UK or Irish university, who have not already had experience working in a research laboratory.  

 

The deadline for applications is Monday 24th March 2025, 12 noon (GMT).

The eight-week projects will run from Monday 30 June 2025.  Undergraduate students preparing for their final year of university will be selected as a cohort to start their summer internships and undertake research projects that develop expertise in both biological and quantitative sciences in an interactive and interdisciplinary environment. Cell Mechanism projects cover topics such as:

  • anti-microbial resistance,
  • stochastic heterogeneity,
  • epigenetic and chromatin-based regulation,
  • control of gene expression,
  • non-coding RNA and RNA processing,
  • chromosome structure and segregation,
  • cell-cycle and
  • cell growth regulation.

The definition of ‘quantitative’ is broad and includes Computational Data Sciences, Mathematics, Biophysics, Structural Biology, Chemical Biology and Biomaterials. You will be based in a research group associated with the iCM PhD programme, and will be expected to work full time in Edinburgh for the duration of your project. Information on choosing a project will be shared with successful candidates. While working on your project, you will receive regular supervision from an academic member of staff, post-doctoral staff and/or current PhD students.

The summer programme also incorporates a range of additional activities to enhance your overall experience. You will meet and work with our researchers, academic staff, and graduate students and have the chance to experience some of what Edinburgh offers its students. We hope that everyone who takes part will gain benefits in terms of confidence, skills and experience that will enhance both their CV and any future postgraduate applications.

While carrying out your project you will have the option to live in University accommodation and experience life as a graduate student in Edinburgh.


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 2025) 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    
  • 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.


To apply you need to:

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

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 24th March 2025, 12 noon (GMT).  Applications submitted late or in the wrong format will not be accepted.

1. Application form

2. Applicant Demographic Information 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 24th March 2025, 12 noon (GMT).

Only complete applications that include the Application form, Demography form and 2 references will be considered by the recruitment panel.

 


Application form example (164.25 KB / PDF)

Candidate selection

The criteria we take into consideration when selecting applicants include academic merit and potential, socio-economic information and contextual information as indicated in the submitted applications, candidates will not be interviewed.  Successful applicants will be informed by 18 April 2025.

We regret that we cannot respond individually to unsuccessful applicants and no feedback will be given.

Key dates

Application deadline - Monday 25th March 2025, 12 noon (GMT)

Internship start date - Monday 30 June 2025

Internship end date - Friday 22nd August 2025

Summer Internship Programme Administration

Contact details

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