Deadline: 1 February 2011
Open to: students enrolled in European colleges/unis and who have not completed their bachelor’s or first degree
Scholarship: £1000 to cover living costs, £150 for travel expenses and accommodation
The Amgen Scholars Programme in Cambridge is to support students of medicine and biology so they can work in Cambridge as vacation scholars.
Amgen Scholars at the University of Cambridge will have the opportunity to work alongside its experienced faculty members, including some of the world’s top academic scientists. They will gain hands-on laboratory experience, and actively contribute to the advancement of science. There is a strong hope that the experience of undertaking research in one of the world’s foremost Universities will enthuse our Scholars about a career in scientific research.
Applications from 25 undergraduate applicants to Cambridge from across Europe are welcome, and I and my team look forward to welcoming 25 successful applicants to Cambridge in summer 2011.
Research in biology and medicine at Cambridge is organised in broad themes though students will be based within individual departments and institutes.
2011 Programme dates: 10th July – 6th September, followed by the Amgen Scholars European Symposium 7th-8th September
Eligibility
Applicants to the Amgen Scholars Programme in Cambridge must be undergraduate students
* who are enrolled in colleges or universities in Europe (the participating countries include: Albania; Andorra; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belgium; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Holy See; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom), and
* who have not completed their bachelor’s or first degree (or its equivalent) prior to participating in the programme.
Applicants must also be able to demonstrate a strong record of academic performance, and have an interest in undertaking a PhD. It is not essential that applicants have prior research experience. The language of the Scholars Programme is English and Scholars at Cambridge will need a good working knowledge of English in order to participate fully.
Benefits
Accommodation
All Amgen Scholars will be housed in St Edmund’s College, close to the historic city centre. St Edmund’s was founded in 1896 and is one of the most diverse colleges, with members from over 50 different countries. Scholars will be housed in private en suite rooms on a half-board basis: breakfast and dinner Monday to Friday, brunch on Saturdays and a roast lunch on Sundays.
Financial award
Amgen Scholars at the University of Cambridge will receive a stipend of £1000 to cover living costs. This will be paid in arrears in two parts:
£500 at the mid-way point of the Programme
£500 just prior to the end of the Programme.
Travel
Students not normally resident in Cambridge will be able to claim up to £150 towards the cost of travel from their home to Cambridge. Students will need to provide receipts.
Application process
First you need to identify a principal investigator in Cambridge to work with on your vacation project.
You can use the Research Themes Database to locate potential project supervisors before you make an application.
Research database by name and by keyword search.
You should contact potential project supervisors in Cambridge before proceeding to make an application, using the information about Research on this web site. When e-mailing them, remember to include a little bit of information about yourself and ask if you could work with them over the summer – a few lines to say where you are studying, what your academic interests are, and why you would like to work with them is much more likely to be effective than a lot of text. Don’t forget to mention that you want to apply through the Amgen Scholars Programme!
Not everyone in our research database will have space for a project student in 2011, but most will. The earlier you enquire, the more likely you are to find a supervisor that you want to work with. Those who definitely do not have space will have a note against “Students” in the research database saying they are unable to accept students.
In order to complete an application all of the following must be submitted by Tuesday 1st February 2011 at 12 noon GMT:
* on-line application form
* personal statement (download Word template)
* letter of support sent by your academic referee (download Word template)
* official academic transcript
* details of your project sent by your proposed supervisor (download Word template)
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 1st February 2011 at 12 noon GMT
If you are having problems with or have a question about the application process, please e-mail: amgenscholars@biomed.cam.ac.uk