Vacation Scholarships

The Melville Trust Vacation Scholarships provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of cancer research during the summer vacation, with the aim of encouraging them to consider a career in research. The track record of students is a major consideration in deciding outcome, and the process is competitive.

Scholarships are available for a period ranging from six to eight weeks. Each week of work is funded at a sum of £800, which is divided into £550 for lab costs and £250 for the student stipend. The payment will be made only after the receipt and approval of a formal short report detailing the work conducted.

Student applicants must be at a university within the UK or Republic of Ireland, registered for a science, medicine, dentistry or veterinary degree, must not have completed their undergraduate education and graduated by the time of commencing their Vacation Scholarship period. 

The sponsoring laboratory or research facility must be based in Lothian, Fife, Tayside or Borders.

Scholarships are not available for the completion of student projects that are part of the normal degree course, or for students wishing to undertake research outside Lothian, Fife, Tayside or Borders.

Only one application is permitted per student and/or per Project Supervisor. Please note that throughout, the term ‘Supervisor’ should be taken to mean intended grantholder. Applications must be submitted on behalf of the student, by the Project Supervisor. 

Students should contact prospective Supervisors themselves, not the Trust.

Up to fifteen scholarships may be awarded each year. All applications are firstly reviewed by a Scientific Advisory Committee, the opinions of which are passed to the Trustees for their consideration and final decision.