The 2024 Summer Research Scholarship Scheme is now live.
Research Scholarships provide support to selected middle-year undergraduate students who wish to pursue summer research projects alongside academic supervisors, allowing an opportunity to experience a research environment and hopefully stimulate an interest in pursuing further postgraduate study and research.
Opportunities for interdisciplinary research are available under this scheme.
To reflect the University’s strategy and strong ethos of supporting interdisciplinary work, students studying different subjects can work together on research projects in small groups of two to four. For example, up to four students studying different types of Engineering would constitute an eligible interdisciplinary group, as would a group of students studying Medicine, Fine Art and History.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), Faculty Taught Programme Deans (or their nominees) will judge applications for summer research projects primarily on academic merit and potential for providing research training. Discretion may be used when selecting awardees.
Research Scholarships will not be awarded for work that will form a substantial part of your undergraduate degree work
projects that give scope for genuine leadership, thought and initiative on the part of the student(s) and do not use the student(s) as general assistant
it will be expected that the student will source their own supervisor, contribute to the design of their project and the framing of their application
students demonstrating academic achievement and potential and showing an interest in and motivation to undertake research
Research Scholarships are available for six to eight weeks (two to four weeks for interdisciplinary projects). A non-repayable award will be available to help recipients meet their living costs during the project. The value of the grant for 2024 summer research projects is £420 per week.
The nature of the project will likely determine how many hours of study will be required to complete the project: the Research Scholarships Committee do not recommend that any student spends more than 35 hours per week on their project.
Any additional costs, such as consumables, travel or equipment incurred as a result of the project will not be covered by the scholarship and Schools and Institutes are asked to provide modest grants for materials in support of the award.
There are number of external organisations offering similar schemes.
Where appropriate, students, or staff on their behalf, should apply to these schemes as well as the University scheme. If you are awarded an external scholarship in addition to a University award, we may increase the value of the outside award's student maintenance to the equivalent of the University's award so that you are not disadvantaged by accepting the outside award which could enhance your CV.
Maximising the University’s success in external competitions raises the University’s external profile. It also enables many more of our students to experience work in a research situation by enabling the University’s resources to go further.
As a student, you can benefit from our 50-year track record in expeditions.
Do you want to organise an expedition next spring or summer?
Newcastle University is particularly keen to encourage those organised by students to carry out research at destinations outside the UK.
We have a proven record of this kind of activity stretching back over 50 years. We are currently recognised by the Royal Geographical Society as one of the leading UK universities for student expeditioning.