FAQs

The In2STEM programme is a free summer programme consisting of an in-person work experience placement, live online workshops, and competitions. By taking part in the programme, you will gain hands-on experience working with leading scientists, researchers and professionals. The programme will help you expand and develop your personal and professional skills.

It includes:

• A one or two week in-person work experience placement hosted by a STEM professional
• Live online skills, careers and employability workshops
• Public engagement competitions
• Student induction and celebration events
• Access to our Alumni Community and interactive In2careers platform
  

For more information, head to our programme page

All of our programme placements and activities will take place between Monday 21 July and Friday 22 August 2025. The in-person placements, live online workshops, and competitions will be scheduled at specific times throughout this five-week period. 

You will also be invited to a Student Induction event, between June and early July and a celebration Event in September or October. 

The In2STEM programme is a hybrid programme which involves face-to-face and online learning. Your work experience placement will be held in-person, within commuting distance of where you live. The live workshops and competitions will take place online. 

The Student Inductions and Celebration Events will be held both in-person and virtually. If you are attending an in-person event, this will be within commuting distance of where you live.

Our core eligibility criteria require that you must: 

• Be currently attending a non-fee paying and non-selective state-maintained school
• Be 16 years old or over and a current Year 12 (S5/S6/college in Scotland) student or equivalent
• Be studying at least one STEM related A-Level (or Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher), BTEC or equivalent
• Be available to take part in the majority of the programme during the summer (Monday 21 July – Friday 22 August 2025).

You must also meet our location and additional criteria. To read the full eligibility criteria, head to our Eligibility page. 

Step 1: Complete the application form.
Complete the online application form found on our Apply webpage, letting us know why you want to take part in the programme, your 2025 summer availability and your STEM subjects of interest. The final deadline for all applications is 3 March 2025 and we encourage students to apply as early as possible. 

Step 2: Provide a reference.
You will be asked to provide a teacher reference as part of your application. This is a short form they need to complete. Once your application is submitted, we will email your teacher to ask them to complete the reference. Please provide a correct email address for your teacher and let them know to expect an email from us. Please note: Without a teacher reference you will be unable to take part in the programme. This should be received before the deadline of 3 March.

Step 3: Provide a parent/guardian contact You will be asked to provide a parent or guardian’s contact details as part of your application. Once your application is submitted, we will email your parent/guardian to ask them to complete a consent form for you to take part in the programme. Please provide a correct email address for your parent/guardian and let them know to expect an email from us. Please note: Without consent from your parent/guardian you will be unable to take part in the programme. This should be received before the deadline of 3 March.

Step 4: If you have been successful – congratulations!
We aim to send out all placement matches via email by the end of May 2025. You should then follow the instructions in the email to confirm your place on the programme. 

Once you have confirmed your place, you will be invited to a student induction event between June and early July. More information about specific times and locations will be sent out as closer to the time.

No, our programme is free. We also offer all of our students a bursary to cover their costs, including travel and lunch, during their time on the placement and to attend events.

You will be offered a one or two week in-person work experience placement with STEM professionals, academics or researchers, who work in an area of STEM that you are interested in. The placement will allow you to gain practical insight into the STEM sector and equip you with the knowledge and confidence to progress to a degree, apprenticeship, or a STEM career. 

Placements vary based on your area of interest and the expertise field and workplace of your host(s). As we match students and hosts based on availability, location and subject, we cannot always guarantee a perfect match for all students, but we strive to offer placements as close to your area of interest as possible. 

Click here to find out what a placement might involve.  

In2scienceUK gives our students the opportunity to get hands-on experience within a huge variety of placements at cutting edge STEM industries and world-leading universities. 

The placements and opportunities differ each year depending on our host volunteers and are based on student interests – past students have taken part in placements working in areas such as; Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Psychology, Psychiatry, Engineering, Astronomy, Computer-Aided Design, Fluid Motion Simulation, Rheumatology, Virology, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Construction Engineering, Museology, Neurosciences, Applied Maths & Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, User Interface and User Experience Design, Programming, Experimental Psychology, Martian Geochemistry, Zoology, Computer Sciences, Ecology and many more.

By taking part in the live online workshops, you will receive guidance in areas such as university admissions and apprenticeships. You will also have the opportunity to attend panel discussions, sharing information about careers in STEM in a variety of different areas. The workshops will also support you to develop important skills that will support you in your university and job applications.

The workshops will take place during the summer programme. We will give you further information on these, and the sign-up process, as they are scheduled.

Our competitions categories will allow you to showcase your creativity and communicate what you have learnt during your time on the In2STEM programme! In the past we have run photo and video, illustration and blog competitions. We also run a ‘Host of the Week’ competition in which students can nominate their placement host to become the In2STEM weekly ‘Host of the Week’. 

Competitions will open sometime during the summer programme and all details of how to submit a competition entry will be available on our website.

The Student Inductions will be half-day (in-person) or 90-minute (online) events filled with different activities where you can meet your fellow cohort, In2STEM team, and ask questions about the programme.

Inductions will take place between June and early July, before the start of the In2STEM programme.

After a busy and exciting summer programme, we can’t say goodbye without getting together and celebrating your achievements! You will have the opportunity to share your experiences on the programme, hear inspirational talks from students and hosts, connect with STEM professionals, and learn more about how In2scienceUK can support you in the future. 

The Celebration Events will take place either online or in-person, in early autumn. 

Yes!

If your school or class is interested in receiving a virtual presentation about In2STEM, direct your teacher(s) to our Schools page, where they can request a talk from one of our Programme Officers or download resources to deliver a presentation themselves.

We aren’t able to give any further details about your host and work experience placement other than the ones you will receive in your offer email. This should be enough information for your Unifrog profile and any work experience forms. Unfortunately, due to the scale of the programme, we are unable to complete or provide additional information for any work experience forms. These should be completed by you and your school teacher.

If you have any questions about the In2STEM programme, the application process or about your specific circumstances, please contact us at [email protected].