In2research: Participants FAQs

Applying to the Programme FAQs

For any other questions, please contact [email protected]

Application Form

How do I apply?
You fill out the application form which can be found here. Before you apply, you should follow these steps:

Step 1: Check your eligibility for the programme
Step 2: Read through our list of placements, and pick your top 3
Step 3: Create a CV using our CV template (if you don’t have one already)
Step 4: Prepare a short paragraph to the questions regarding why you are interested in:

• postgraduate research
• your research subject interests
• the In2research programme
• the 3 placements you have chosen

Step 5: Fill in the application form
Step 6: If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview!

How long will the application take?
The application form should take around 20 minutes to complete.

Will I need to send a CV and personal statement?
For the 2023/24 programme, we are asking applicants to submit a CV. The CV is not used for the selection process, but is a baseline document that participants will have the opportunity to develop using skills they will obtain in the workshops, mentoring sessions and away day. Please submit the CV you already have as part of your application. If you do not already have a CV, you can use our template found here. 

We will not be asking for a personal statement – instead, we have four questions in our application form that will allow you to express your passion for research, your subject, and our programme. The answers you provide to these questions will, again, be a helpful starting point for when participants write a personal statement  as part of one of the workshops. 

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 personal statement, we ask four questions:

• what interests you about studying for a postgraduate research degree (max 100 words)
• what interests you in your specific research subject (max 100 words)
• Why you are applying for the placements you have chosen (max 200 words)
• what is most appealing about the In2research programme (max 100 words)

If you’re struggling with these questions, you may want to take a brief look into what being a postgraduate research student involves (Prospects describes what a PhD is here), 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 will I know which placement I will want to apply for?
You can find the lists of projects here . This year, we are asking you to select the top 3 placements you would like to apply for, for the full-time, 8 week placement in summer 2024. 

Select the location of the project and the subject stream you are interested in and this will show you which placements are available in those areas.

Each placement listing includes the host institution, working pattern, whether it requires working with animals, the dates of availability of the host, a summary of the skills you can gain and either an overview of the project or a summary of the host’s work. 

Some placements will have a specific research project already defined. Others will be broad and will give you the opportunity to tailor the project around your interests. The latter is a great opportunity if you have a specific interest or skills you want to develop. 

When will applications close?
Applications are now open and you can apply here. The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm on 24 September 2023.

Eligibility

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! Placements in many different subject areas may have a medical link, so be sure to check out different subjects other than ‘Medicine/healthcare’ in the placement listings.  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 2022/23 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 who will be in their second, third and fourth undergraduate year during the 2023/24 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 will be a first year undergraduate in the 2023/24 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 have a full-time, 8-week research placement, which will be located in London or in Cambridge. The locations of the placements can be found on the placement listings – you can filter the projects depending on location. 

You do not have to be studying in either London or Cambridge. For London placements, you will need to have accommodation in London for the full 8 weeks of your placement during summer 2024. 

For Cambridge placements, free accommodation will be provided for anyone wanting to complete a placement in Cambridge. 

Once you have been offered a place on the programme and have confirmed your research placement, you will work full-time in London or in Cambridge for an 8-week period during summer 2024 and you will receive a tax-free stipend of over £3000, equivalent to National Living Wage This stipend can be used for things like travel and food costs. 

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. If you were eligible for free school meals during your school years
3. 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!

Interviews

When will interviews occur?
The majority of Interviews for the 2023/24 programme will take place between 9 October and 20 October 2023 and will be online.

How can I prepare for the interview?
Similar to the advice for the application, make sure to show us your passion for your area of interest and postgraduate research. Reflect on any experiences you have had in your area of interest and what interests you about research.

It can be helpful to write out any experience you have using the STAR method, to use in the interview. It can also be helpful to practise saying these examples to someone else or in the mirror. 

Programme details (2023/24)

When does the programme run?
The programme kicks off in late November 2023 with an in-person away day in London. From December 2023 – April 2024, there are four workshops and four mentoring sessions that run online.  Workshops take place from 6pm, and you will meet your mentor for a mentoring session outside of work or study times. This amounts to a commitment of about two hours a month.

The full-time, 8 week placement will run sometime between June – August 2024. Exact dates are finalised between you and your placement host, once your placement is confirmed.

The programme finishes with a second away day and celebration event where you have the opportunity to display, discuss and celebrate  your research with a research output (e.g. poster). 

A timeline can be found on our participant page. 

How many events will I be expected to attend?
There are four online workshops and four online mentoring sessions to attend alongside your full-time, 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 2024.

There are also two in person away days and social experiences that you can enjoy. These are professional development days with skill building workshops and keynote speakers that will compliment what you gain throughout the programme.

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 of 1-3 participants with an experienced researcher aligned with your subject interests.

You will meet with them following each 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 which may include understanding what a PhD is, academic CV and personal statement writing, interview preparation and more. 

While we do not expect you to bring anything to the workshops (except your enthusiasm!), we will send you information after the workshops for work you may need to prepare ahead of your mentor sessions.  

What is the placement?
As a participant on the programme, you will be committing to a full-time, 8 week placement in London or Cambridge in summer 2024, to either:

(a) complete a bespoke research project

OR 

(b) to contribute to a wider existing project

You will gain and develop your research skills in your area of interest, as well as have the opportunity to network with academics. You will also create a research output that you will display and discuss at our celebration event in September 2024.

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 2024. The placement will be located in Central London or, for a small number of participants, 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.

For London placements, you will need to have accommodation in London for the full 8 weeks of your placement during summer 2024. 

For Cambridge placements, free accommodation will be provided for anyone wanting to complete a placement in Cambridge. 

Once you have been offered a place on the programme and therefore have confirmed your research placement, you will work full-time in London or in Cambridge for an 8-week period during summer 2024 and you will receive a tax-free stipend of over £3000, equivalent to National Living Wage. This stipend can be used for things like travel and food costs.

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, with some of the participants going on to secure PhD places. They also developed key skills like communicating research, 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. 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!

Finances

How much does the programme cost?
Participating in the programme is completely free! We provide a tax-free stipend to support the participant when at their research work placement. We also reimburse any travel costs our participants that arise when travelling to our two, in-person away days.

How much is the 8-week stipend?
Participants will be paid a tax-free stipend equivalent to the National Living Wage. Over the 8 weeks of the full-time research work placement, this amounts to above £3000.