In2research: Participants FAQs

For any other questions, please contact [email protected]

Programme timeline (2022/23):

Programme details (2022-23): 

Eligibility: 

Application form:

Finance:

When will applications close?

Applications are currently closed. Express your interest in the 2023/24 programme here.

When will interviews occur?

Interviews for the 2023/24 programme are currently closed.

When does the programme run?

The workshops and mentoring run online from November 2022 – April 2023. Workshops take place once a month from 6pm, and you will meet your mentor for a mentoring session once a month outside of work or study times. This amounts to a commitment of about two hours a month.

There are also two in-person away days at the start and end of the programme.

Research placements run for 8 weeks over summer 2023. Exact dates are finalised once your placement is confirmed.

How many events will I be expected to attend?

There are four online workshops and four online mentoring sessions to attend alongside your 8-week research placement.

You are expected to complete some small tasks in your own time as preparation for sessions, such as cover letter writing and completing short surveys. We expect the time commitment to be roughly four hours a month before your full-time, 8-week summer work placement begins in 2023.

There are also two in person away days and social experiences that you can enjoy.

How do the mentor sessions work?

At your interview we will ask you about your subject interests and place you in a small mentor group with an experienced researcher aligned with your subject interests.

You will meet with them each month following your workshop. You can ask them questions about research and postgraduate applications and to share tips for success. They can also give you feedback on your workshop tasks, such as commenting on your CV and cover letters.

What will the workshops cover and will I need to prepare anything?

Each session will be different, covering a range of topics from the postgraduate application process to how to prepare for interviews both online and in-person.

Where will I go during my research placement?

Your participation in the In2research programme includes a research placement that
takes place for an 8-week period during summer 2023. The placement will be
located in Central London or in Cambridge. The location of your research placement
will be confirmed following a matching process which includes close consideration of
your areas of research interest.

In order to be eligible for In2research, you will need to have accommodation you can use to commute to Central London during the full-time 8-week summer placement. The majority of In2research placements during the 2022/23 programme will take place in London. In2research cannot provide accommodation for these placements.

However, in some cases there may be the option to complete a placement at Cambridge. For these placements, accommodation will be provided, though these placements are more limited in number and dependent on specific areas of research. These may or may not include your specific areas of interest. 

Once you been offered and then confirm your research placement, you will work in London or Cambridge for an 8-week period during summer 2023 and you will receive a tax-free stipend of £3000, equivalent to London Living Wage.

Will I get a formal qualification with In2research?

You will receive a certificate of completion after the programme. However, In2research is not a formal qualification and does not count towards credits for Masters programmes.

This programme will offer you the information, confidence and research experience to support you to progress to postgraduate study.

What are the main benefits of In2research?

There are many benefits to completing the In2research programme, regardless of whether you go into a postgraduate research study, a research career, or a different career entirely. 

Last year’s participants improved their confidence and knowledge of the postgraduate research process. They also developed key skills like critiquing research papers, writing cover letters, and networking. 

If you decide to do a postgraduate degree, completing the In2research programme helps to develop the knowledge and skills required for research careers. In addition, research experience can be a benefit in applications for research careers and positions.

If you decide that postgraduate study isn’t for you, you will have gained many skills applicable to all careers. These include CV and cover letter writing, networking, and presentation skills. Together with the research placement experience, applying for this programme may give you a foot in the door for other careers and opportunities beyond research!

Can I apply if I want to go into medicine?

If you are interested in going into medical research, then we would encourage you to apply! If you are more interested in pursuing a practice-based medical career, then In2research might not be suited to your needs.

I’m not sure I’m at the right point of my studies to apply – do you accept all students and graduates?

To be eligible for In2research, you will need to have begun your undergraduate degree in the 2021/22 academic year or earlier. In other words, the In2research programme is designed for participants who have completed at least one year of university study.

We are inviting applications from students in their second, third and fourth undergraduate year during the 2022/23 academic year, from Masters students, and from people who have already completed their undergraduate degree or postgraduate-taught degree, regardless of employment status.

If you are a first year undergraduate in the 2022/23 academic year and you are interested in joining the programme in the future, please register your interest here and we will notify you when you are eligible for the following year’s programme.

Will I need to find accommodation if I do not live in London or Cambridge?

Everyone on the In2research programme will be offered the opportunity to participate in a research placement, which will be located in Central London or in Cambridge.

While you do not have to be studying in either London or Cambridge, you must be able to have access to accommodation within travelling distance of Central London for an 8-week period during Summer 2023 in order to meet the eligibility criteria for the programme.

Once you have been offered and then confirm your research placement, you will work in London or in Cambridge for an 8-week period during summer 2023 and you will receive a tax-free stipend of £3000, equivalent to London Living Wage.

What do you mean by low socioeconomic background?

In2research considers the socioeconomic background of all applications via the Social Mobility Commission’s Toolkit.

If you complete our application form, our questions will consider:

  1. The occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14
  2. The type of school you attended for the majority of your education between the ages of 11 and 16
  3. If you were eligible for free school meals during your school years
  4. If you ever received Pupil Premium, Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) or the 16-19 Bursary

If your scores in response to any of these questions indicate a low socioeconomic background, then you may be eligible for our programme.

We want to help as many people as possible who are underrepresented in research degrees and careers. If you are in doubt whether you would be considered, we recommend applying. We strongly hope to get the people from disadvantaged backgrounds who are most passionate about research and their subject of interest into our next In2research programme.

If you’re interested in pursuing a research degree or career, then please apply!

How long will the application take?

The application form should take around 15-20 minutes to complete.

Will I need to send a CV and cover letter?

No. You don’t need to send any CV, cover letter, or personal statement to apply for In2research. Instead, we have three questions in our application form that will allow you to express your passion for research, your subject, and our programme.

I’m struggling with the application form – can you give me any tips?

Our main advice with the application form is to focus on being honest about who you are.

We want to hear about you so we can provide our applicants with the best access to the programme. We are looking for applicants who write with enthusiasm for research, regardless of any level of prior experience with research.

Instead of a cover letter, we ask three questions about what interests you about studying for a postgraduate research degree, what interests you in your specific research subject, and what is most appealing about the In2research programme. 

If you’re struggling with these questions, you may want to take a brief look into what being a postgraduate research student involves, reflect on what in your degree you most enjoy most and why, and consider the aspects of our programme description found on our website that most appeal to you and why.

How much does the programme cost?

Participating in the programme is completely free. We also provide a paid research work placement.

How much is the 8-week stipend?

Participants will be paid a tax-free stipend equivalent to the London living wage. Over the 8 weeks of the full-time research work placement, this amounts to £3000.

Still have questions?

Just get in touch with us at [email protected]

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