Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships 2025
Funding to host RSB undergraduate studentships in Plant Health: applications now open
The Royal Society of Biology (RSB) invites applications from researchers wishing to host an undergraduate studentship in plant health over the summer of 2025.
Please read our guidance for applicants before making an enquiry or completing an application form.
The closing date for applications is 11 March 2025 at 23:59.
Selected projects will be advertised here and undergraduate student applications will open in early April.
Core funding from Defra supports the delivery of the programme and funds a number of summer placements, in addition to which the Society invites sponsor organisations to support further student projects. The RSB is seeking additional Defra funding to support the delivery of the programme to 2029. In 2024, RSB partnered with the British Society for Plant Pathology, Association of Applied Biologists, SCI Horticulture Group and the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation (in partnership with the Crispa (Richard Cahn) Charitable Trust) to fund twelve student projects.
Organisations interested in providing funding towards a Plant Health Undergraduate Studentship are invited to get in touch by emailing registers@rsb.org.uk.
Proposed research projects must address at least one of the following priority themes which support the delivery of Defra's policy objectives:
- Risk assessment and horizon scanning
- Inspections, diagnostics and surveillance
- Management of pests and diseases
- Resilience and Adaptation
- Plant Health Behaviours
- Evaluation frameworks
Applicants are encouraged to look at the UK Plant Health Risk Register of current pests and pathogens. Applicants will be also asked to indicate the level of supervision the undergraduate can expect to receive during the placement.
Award
The awards provide support for the student at a rate of £400 per week for a studentship period of 8-10 weeks. The bursaries produce no National Insurance contribution liability. Each award also includes £500 towards costs to run the research; further research expenses are not offered under this scheme.
Students will be expected to participate in an online mini-symposium to present their project to other students in the programme. On completion of their project, students will be required to produce a poster about their research which may be included in relevant RSB and Member Organisation publications.
Supervisor eligibility
• Researchers at universities and research institutions within the UK are eligible to apply to host a Plant Health Undergraduate Studentship.
• Post-doctoral researchers with the support of their PI may apply to host a Plant Health Undergraduate Studentship. PhD students/candidates are not eligible for this award.
• Supervisor applications from within the membership of the RSB, and our member organisations, are encouraged; those who are not RSB members are encouraged to consider the member application process. The successful supervisors will each receive 50% off their RSB membership fee for the following year (this will apply to the initial year of membership for newly-elected members).
• Successful supervisory applicants are encouraged to join the Plant Health Professional Register.
• Only one application should be submitted per supervisor.
• Projects in which the student will be supervised remotely will also be considered for this award.
Successful projects will be widely advertised to students by the RSB from early April 2025. Supervisors will then be able to select an undergraduate student, however, the RSB can provide support in the student selection process if requested by the supervisor.
Aims of the studentship
• Address skills and capacity challenges in plant health science by providing attractive opportunities for research experience to suitable undergraduates, offering them the opportunity to undertake supervised research with leading research groups.
• Facilitate training of undergraduates in research practice.
• Encourage research proposals and generate research outcomes in areas relevant to Defra’s plant health priorities.
• Build networks of research groups, emerging scientists and employers with a focus on plant health.
How to apply
To apply to host a studentship, please log in or create an account on the RSB’s mySociety portal, then complete the application form.
Please read the guidance for applicants before making an enquiry or completing the application form.
The closing date for applications is 11 March 2025 at 23:59.
Contact
Please direct queries to registers@rsb.org.uk