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Summer Studentship Award Programme

Summer Studentship Award Programme for 2023 is now closed.

The Programme will reopen in early 2024. Please return to this page for more information. You can also sign up to receive email updates (bottom of the page).

The FRAME Summer Studentship programme offers small grants for undergraduates to carry out a short summer research project in an area related to the development or progress of non-animal research methods. It is an opportunity for students to gain research experience, develop their communication skills and help reduce reliance on animal research.

Research projects might not have been planned as a direct alternative to an animal test but must have the potential to advance methods or knowledge which will lead to the replacement of animals in research. The programme provides a grant award to help fund this short research project which can be laboratory or desk-based. The FRAME Summer Studentship grants are just one way we provide funding for research.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, and it has confirmed to me that a career where I can improve the care a patient gets whilst also reducing the harm that comes to animals is definitely something I'd like to pursue."

Sarah Orr, winner of 2022 Summer Studentship

Information for applicants

To give undergraduates a first-hand opportunity to gain greater experience of research which relates to the development of alternatives.
To promote and fund research which fits within the aims of FRAME.
To give undergraduates an opportunity to develop scientific writing and communication skills.
To raise the profile of non-animal-based research careers amongst undergraduate students.
To interest students in postgraduate research in the 3Rs, and Replacement in particular.

A minimum of two studentship awards will be available for Summer 2023.
Duration: 6 – 10 weeks
Stipend: £350 per week
Consumables & research costs: Up to £1000 maximum

Applicants must be associated with Universities or Research Institutes within the UK. The applicant must be supported or advised by an academic project supervisor based at the UK institution who can act as the grant holder.
Applicants must be an undergraduate or current master’s student.
Applications must be made by the student and contain the information and support documents specified. The application should be written by the student, in their own words, with guidance from the project supervisor.
The project proposal must include:
- An explanation of how the project has the potential to reduce animal use or advance alternative techniques, including background information on current animal research strategies in the field.
- A Lay Summary written for a non-specialist audience to include the background science, aims, a description of the method and planned outcomes.
- Main aims/hypothesis
- Plan of work (with timescales/Gantt chart)
- Simple budget outlining research costs
- Student personal statement.
- References – including supporting statements from the project supervisor.
- Academic transcript of current grades.

Applications need to be submitted for consideration by March 31st.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel including academic experts and FRAME trustees.
Applications will be judged on the quality of the application itself, the fit with FRAME’s mission, the potential of the research to replace animals, scientific relevance, cost, achievability, and the possibility of the work leading to future research opportunities.
Successful applicants will be notified by the end of May 2023. Unless requested, feedback on unsuccessful applications will not be provided.
Successful applicants must submit a report of minimum of 1,500 words within three months of the project completion. Reports must be of publishable quality and will be shared on the FRAME website. There may be an opportunity to cover them in the scientific journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals (ATLA). FRAME’s Report Writing Guidance for Summer Studentship Project.
Successful applicants are encouraged to support any PR or publicity relating to the summer internships to gain valuable experience in science communication and to benefit and promote the activities of FRAME and The FRAME Laboratory.
Read more in the FRAME Summer Studentship Terms and Conditions document which must be accepted by the host institution (university), project supervisor and the student applying.

The deadline for 2023 Applications is March 31st.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not fund any project that requires the use of live animals, including invertebrate species. Any proposed use of animal tissue, cells or animal-derived products must be clearly stated and justified. If you believe that no alternative to the specified animal-derived product exists, we will discuss with you how this may be overcome. Read more in our Grant Funding Strategy.

If you have any questions about the Summer Studentships please get in touch with our Research Manager Juliet Dukes.

Completed forms, signed by your proposed Supervisor, should be emailed to juliet@frame.org.uk

Apply for the Summer Studentship Programme (Word) Apply for the Summer Studentship Programme (pdf) Summer Studentship Programme Terms and Conditions

"I would like to thank you for the opportunity this summer. It has been extremely beneficial in furthering my development as a researcher and writer, and I have found the experience as a whole to be great."

Craig McHardy, winner of 2022 Summer Studentship

Read about previous Summer Studentship grant winners and their projects

Summer Studentships 2023 Konstantina Skandali

Summer Studentships 2023 Roma Fraser

Summer Studentships 2023 Bobbi Anderson

Summer Studentship 2022: In vitro human blood vessel model to study heart disease

Summer Studentship 2022: Using kidney cells patient-derived cells to study kidney disease

Summer Studentship 2022: Using patient data to study bladder cancer

Summer Studentship 2022: In vitro model to replace the use of live fish

Summer Studentship 2022: Improving induced pluripotent stem cell programming

Summer Studentship 2021: Computer models in neuroscience research

Summer Studentship 2021: Organ-on-a-chip model for studying strokes

Summer Studentship 2021: using data to drive colon cancer research

Summer Studentship 2021: Software model for brain tumour drug development

Summer Studentship 2021: Developing A Model Study Lung Inflammation

FRAME awards Summer Studentships 2020

FRAME is delighted to announce the winners of its Summer Studentships 2020, developed to support undergraduates in undertaking animal alternatives research.