Several councils make internships and placements an integral part of the studentships they fund. This includes Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) CASE studentships and BBSRC Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS). Our guides to studentships cover these.
Following are some of the optional schemes and initiatives that UKRI funds to offer training through collaboration with external organisations.
Internships
Academy of Medical Sciences policy internship
The Medical Research Council (MRC) has partnered with the Academy of Medical Sciences to offer a medical science policy internship. The scheme is open to all MRC-funded PhD students who are based in a university or MRC centre, unit or institute, and who are in their third or fourth year of study.
Policy Internships scheme
The UKRI Policy Internships scheme provides an opportunity for UKRI-funded doctoral students to undertake a three-month placement at one of a selected group of influential policy organisations.
Vacation internships
The Vacation Internship scheme is for students on an undergraduate degree relevant to the remit of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The students are given practical, first-hand experience of working on and carrying out research in a UK university.
Placements
CERN placement opportunities
STFC (Science and Technology Facilities Council) manages the UK’s membership of CERN, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory. CERN offers a wide range of placements and other training opportunities for current PhD students, postgraduates and early career researchers.
Innovation Scholars secondments in design programme
The AHRC-funded Innovation Scholars secondments in design programme offers design professionals the chance to collaborate on projects that address key challenges in areas, such as wellbeing, sustainability and community development.
Overseas Institutional Visits (OIVs)
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded PhD students can access these short-term placements with international research organisations through their doctoral training network. Doctoral training partnerships with ESRC funding may have more information on their websites.
Science and Technology Facilities Council early career programmes
Graduate programme
This comprehensive two-year training and development programme offers technical and career support as well as professional recognition and registration opportunities. You will have achieved, or be on course to achieve, a minimum 2:1 degree in a relevant field of study and have the right to live and work in the UK at the time of starting employment.
Industrial placement scheme
These one-year placements are aligned to the academic year and allow undergraduates to work in an area related to their studies at STFC sites. To be eligible for these placements, students should currently be enrolled on an undergraduate degree course with the intention of returning to university or studies to complete their undergraduate degree following placement, be required or have requested to take a placement year, and have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement.
Summer placement scheme
These one to three-month summer placements allow undergraduates to work on projects related to their studies at STFC sites. To be eligible for these placements, you must be in full time education undertaking an undergraduate degree with the intention to return to your university or studies following placement. You must also have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement.
Apprenticeships
As part of their apprenticeship scheme, STFC offers apprenticeship opportunities at all their sites in the UK.
To find an STFC early careers vacancy please visit the UKRI careers portal and sign up for job alerts to be notified when new roles become available.
Long term attachments
Long term attachments allow STFC-funded students to conduct research at international facilities for a duration of 120 to 365 days, enhancing their academic experience and research capabilities. Your host research organisation makes an application to STFC for the funds.
Undergraduate research experience placements (REPs)
The NERC REPs scheme gives undergraduate students paid summer placements to gain hands-on experience in environmental science research.
Last updated: 24 September 2026