REP Scheme
Summer Research Experience placements for current undergraduate students.
Applications for 2025 are now open. Please see our list of projects and How to Apply, below, to start your application.
Overview
Iapetus are delighted to announce we will be running NERC’s Research Experience Placement (REP) scheme this summer, giving undergraduate students the opportunity to work within one of our universities or research institutes on a 6-8 week placement on an environmental sciences project.
The REP scheme is intended:
- to support placements for those from underrepresented demographic and diversity-related groups in environmental sciences.
- to address the quantitative skills gap in environmental sciences to enable students to apply for a PhD in this area.
- to encourage students to consider a career in the environmental sciences.
As well as providing direct experience of the research environment, Iapetus will support the career development of REP students by offering mentorship.
If you successfully complete a REP with us, and subsequently apply for a PhD with us, you are guaranteed to be interviewed at the supervisor shortlisting stage of the Studentship Competition.
The Iapetus Research Experience Placement scheme offers 6-8 week paid placements. Please get in touch if you have any questions about the support we can provide to enable access to a placement.
How To Apply
If you are eligible to apply for a Research Experience Placement with Iapetus, please select a project from those listed here then do the following by the deadline of Friday 16th May 2025 (12pm GMT):
- Complete the online Research Experience Placement Application Form
- Submit your CV to contact.iapetus@durham.ac.uk
Complete the online Research Experience Placement EDI Form.*
*Note that the EDI form is for monitoring purposes only and is NOT used to evaluate applicants to projects.
We will contact applicants about the outcome by early June.
Please note all projects listed will be for 6-8 weeks in length, with flexibility for part-time working, and will take place over the summer of 2025. The agreed dates will be determined between Iapetus and the applicant, following offer.
Eligibility of students
Students must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for a REP scheme. The students must:
- Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters).
- Be eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding (Details of eligibility for PhD studentships can be found here
- International students who are currently studying and living in the UK and who have a suitable UK visa to work are eligible to apply
Iapetus is particularly interested to receive applications from Undergraduate students who are typically underrepresented within the Higher Education pathways. These could include (but are not limited to) students from ethnic minorities, those with a disability or from low-income backgrounds.
Projects
The full list of REP projects can be found here.
Queries
Any queries, please email contact.iapetus@durham.ac.uk
***Please note that by submitting your Research Experience Placement application to contact.iapetus@durham.ac.uk , you are giving consent for your application to be circulated to colleagues at each of the partner organisations for the purpose of shortlisting.***
FAQs
Choosing a project
Applicants may only apply to one project each year.
If you have a question about the academic content of the project or your fit to that project, please contact the supervisor. If your question is about the recruitment process or anything about the scheme generally, please email contact.iapetus@durham.ac.uk
Applying
In order to apply for an Iapetus DTP Research Experience Placement, please ensure that you 1) Complete the online Research Experience Placement Application form, 2) submit your CV to contact.iapetus@durham.ac.uk and 3) complete the online Research Experience Placement EDI form by the deadline of Friday 16th May 2025 at 12 midday.
To be eligible, you must be a registered undergraduate (or integrated Masters) student on the start date of the placement. If you graduate during the placement, you are still eligible, but unfortunately if you have graduated before the placement is due to start then you are not eligible
If you are eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding and are allowed to work in the UK, then you are eligible for this scheme. (Details of eligibility for PhD studentships can be found here). REPs do not meet the requirements for a visa request therefore international students who are not currently studying and living in the UK and who do not have a suitable UK visa are NOT eligible to apply.