The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences (SMDBS) is offering approximately 7 8-week summer studentships to students who meets specific widening participation or UK Equality Act criteria.

This opportunity is open to QUB students currently enrolled (2025/26) in the pre-ultimate years of undergraduate studies in:

• Medicine or Dentistry (Years 1–4)
• Biomedical Sciences or Human Biology (Years 1–2 and those currently on placement in Year 3)

What’s Included?

• A stipend of £200 per week for 8 weeks (to support expenses)
• Research experience at the Welcome Wolfson Institute of Experimental Medicine (WWIEM) Queen’s University Belfast

The award is subject to satisfactory academic performance and good standing within the university.

Requirements After Completion

• Submit a 250-word report within two weeks of finishing the studentship, reflecting on your experience and its impact on your career development.
• You may also be invited to participate in publicity about your activities.

Please note: If you have previously received a widening participation summer studentship, you are not eligible for this funding however if you have completed any other type of studentship this will not exclude you from applying here. If you have already applied but were unsuccessful for a WP summer studentship in 2026 you are welcome to apply again for any further opportunities advertised.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from students who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Permanent residence in an area identified as having higher levels of social or economic disadvantage (Quintile 1) by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. http://go.qub.ac.uk/PostcodeCheckerQ1
• Receive the full maintenance grant from Student Finance NI (household income less than £19,203).
• Have experience of care (e.g., foster or residential care), provide care for someone, or are a parent.
• Have sought asylum or refugee status.
• Identify as being from a minority ethnic background or an underrepresented racial, ethnic, or cultural group.
• Identify as disabled (including but not limited to physical, sensory, mental health, neurodivergent conditions, or requiring accommodations).
• Identify as part of an underrepresented gender or sexual orientation group (including LGBTQIA+).
• Belong to a historically marginalised or underrepresented community (e.g., Gypsy, Roma, Traveller or Indigenous communities).
• Have experienced significant personal challenges or adversity (e.g., homelessness or displacement).
• Face any other form of disadvantage not listed above (e.g., being a mature student).

Application Details

Applicants will be asked to provide:

• A statement (max 250 words) explaining why you should be considered, your motivation, and what benefits you hope to gain.
• An additional statement (max 250 words) outlining the project/topic you are interested in and why.

For more information on available projects, Check out the following links to the teaching and research centres (biomedical, medical, dentistry teaching centres and the PGJCCR, WWIEM and CPH research centres). You are very welcome to indicate an interest in one of the already existing studentships in any of the centres but we would also welcome your own ideas or outlines for any topic that you would be interested in working on.

How to Apply

At present 2 centre specific summer studentship programmes are open for applications:

WWIEM Deadline: Friday, 13th March 2026 at 5:00 PM

SMDBS Widening Participation Summer Studentship Application WWIEM – Fill in form

Or https://forms.office.com/e/Us2XBjkFGQ

AND

CPH Deadline: Friday, 20th March 2026 at 5:00 PM
SMDBS Widening Participation Summer Studentship Application CPH – Fill in form

Or https://forms.office.com/e/CnzV0Ef9BC

Studentships for CME and CBMSE will be offered in due course.

Only applications received before the deadline will be considered.

You may also apply directly to studentship via the centre specific website; however, please note that only applicants who meet the widening participation criteria AND apply through the WP scheme (via the links above) will be considered for WP studentship funding.

Selection Process

A panel will assess and shortlist applications for interview shortly after the closing date. The successful candidate will be announced in mid-late March 2026, and the studentship will run between June and August 2026, alongside other SMDBS programmes.

For any questions, please contact: Dr Mary McGahon m.mcgahon@qub.ac.uk