IPLS Undergraduate Summer Research Studentships 2026
The Institute for the Physics of Living Systems offers summer studentships to undergraduates interested in pursuing multidisciplinary research projects with biological and physical science components.
The key aims of the studentships are to give motivated undergraduates the opportunity to work on a collaborative research project, gain experience developing and writing a research proposal and presenting their research to their peers.
Student application deadline: Monday 2nd March 2026, 12 noon.
Student interviews with supervisors: 16th -27th March 2026.
Successful students notified: April 2026.
Students research proposal deadline: Monday 11th May 2026, 12 noon.
Research projects commence: Summer 2026.
General enquiries should be directed to Dr. Jas Gill-Thind (j.gill-thind@ucl.ac.uk).
- Applicants should be undergraduates in the second, third or fourth year of their first degree (BSc/MSci) and registered for a basic science degree including but not limited to biology, physics, chemistry, engineering and computer science.
- Studentships are available to any UK/EU or international student studying at a UK university.
- Students cannot conduct more than one Summer Research Studentships at UCL per academic year.
- Projects must run 210 hours (e.g. 6 weeks at 35 hours per week / 10 weeks at 21 hours per week).
- These can be undertaken through June, July, or August in 2026.
- Students will be provided a bursary of £3108.
(London Living Wage £14.80 x 210 hours)
- Students should state which project they are applying for from the available projects list.
- UCL students should complete our UCL student online application form by Monday 2nd March 2026, 12 noon. Please upload a transcript of grades for academic modules completed so far via the form.
- Students external to UCL should complete our external student online application form by Monday 2nd March 2026, 12 noon. Please also send a transcript of grades for academic modules completed so far after submitting your application to Dr. Jas Gill-Thind (j.gill-thind@ucl.ac.uk). If this is not received by the application deadline your application will not be valid.
- Supervisors will contact shortlisted students and conduct an interview.
- Successful students will be notified in April 2026.
- Successful students will be invited to submit a research proposal with their supervisor. The student and supervisor should develop the research proposal together. Proposals should be in the form of a one-page A4 case for support describing the proposed project and the proposed duration. The research proposal should be emailed as a PDF document to Dr. Jas Gill-Thind (j.gill-thind@ucl.ac.uk) by Monday 11th May 2026, 12 noon.
Applications will be assessed based on their:
- Student suitability to the project.
- Skills and experience relevant to the project.
- Benefit to the student in terms of training.
- Track record and academic potential of the student.
The Biological Physics group in the department of Physics and Astronomy also have a number of Summer Research Studentships available with slightly different eligibility. Please see their website for details.