Nuffield Research Placements 2018

Hi ,

I applied for a placement and still haven’t heard back except from an update from my coordinator who says that she’s sorting through them.
I’m in Scotland and I definitely applied before the deadline.
Has anyone else from Scotland heard back yet ?

OP

Original post by theoptimistic

Hi ,

I applied for a placement and still haven’t heard back except from an update from my coordinator who says that she’s sorting through them.
I’m in Scotland and I definitely applied before the deadline.
Has anyone else from Scotland heard back yet ?

Don't worry, it is perfectly normal to have not heard back at this stage. I am in Scotland also and when I did my placement in 2016, I didn't find out I got a place until mid May, so try not to worry about it!

Reply 43

Original post by Labrador99

Don't worry, it is perfectly normal to have not heard back at this stage. I am in Scotland also and when I did my placement in 2016, I didn't find out I got a place until mid May, so try not to worry about it!

Okay that’s good to know!

If you don’t mind me asking, what course did you apply for ?
I’ve applied for biomedicine as my first choice

Reply 44

Original post by LaNy0014

Heyy, the deadline for my application closes end of the month but I was wondering, how long did it take for you to have a response regarding your application after the closing date? I hate it when I don’t have an estimated month in mind!!
Btw, I’m hoping to get into either biomed, chem/pharmacology etc, biochem, biology in the south west wales area studying chem, biology, media studies and Welsh bac (gutted I didn’t take maths tho) in year 12 :smile:

Hello! I'm not sure if this has already been answered, but from experience it depends on your Nuffield coordinator really. In 2017 the deadline was the end of February and I heard by the end of March because I needed to find a place to do my project at on my own. My friends who got Nuffield to organise their placements heard by late April-ish? Hope this helps!
Esme :smile:

OP

Original post by theoptimistic

Okay that’s good to know!

If you don’t mind me asking, what course did you apply for ?
I’ve applied for biomedicine as my first choice

No problem at all :smile:

I think I put my preferences as being in veterinary medicine/biology/chemistry/environmental science (not sure about the order) :smile:

Reply 46

Original post by Labrador99

No problem at all :smile:

I think I put my preferences as being in veterinary medicine/biology/chemistry/environmental science (not sure about the order) :smile:

Ah so I’m assuming you want to do veterinary medicine at uni then?

OP

Original post by theoptimistic

Ah so I’m assuming you want to do veterinary medicine at uni then?

Yeah, I'm hoping so. Plan on applying this year for 2019 entry :smile:

My placement was environmental science/ marine biology based though, but I had a brilliant experience.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 48

Original post by Labrador99

Yeah, I'm hoping so. Plan on applying this year for 2019 entry :smile:

My placement was environmental science/ marine biology based though, but I had a brilliant experience.

That’s great ! Hope you’re successful in getting an offer!

Reply 49

Original post by Em246

Hello! I completed my Nuffield placement in 2017 in Edinburgh. If anyone has any questions regarding Nuffield as a whole, or Nuffield in Scotland specifically feel free to drop me a message!
Hope you're all well! :smile:

Hi, I’m hoping to get a placement in Edinburgh too!
If you don’t mind me asking, what course was your placement?

OP

Original post by theoptimistic

That’s great ! Hope you’re successful in getting an offer!

Thank you

Reply 51

Original post by theoptimistic

Hi, I’m hoping to get a placement in Edinburgh too!
If you don’t mind me asking, what course was your placement?

Mine was a psychology/ stats type thing where I basically had to monitor the effects some previous research about rising obesity amongst nurses had on the general public. It was actually pretty interesting! I don't even want to do psychology or stats at uni, but it was basically writing a scientif paper, so unis don't really seem to mind if it's not relevant to the specific subject you apply for.
I did mine at Edinburgh Napier University and met two other girls from Glasgow doing their's there too. One was doing something about dementia (she want to be a nurse) and the other did a geography type project where she had to compare whether health centres and gyms are being built in more affluent areas.
What kind of course do you want to do?
Esme :smile:

Reply 52

Original post by Em246

Mine was a psychology/ stats type thing where I basically had to monitor the effects some previous research about rising obesity amongst nurses had on the general public. It was actually pretty interesting! I don't even want to do psychology or stats at uni, but it was basically writing a scientif paper, so unis don't really seem to mind if it's not relevant to the specific subject you apply for.
I did mine at Edinburgh Napier University and met two other girls from Glasgow doing their's there too. One was doing something about dementia (she want to be a nurse) and the other did a geography type project where she had to compare whether health centres and gyms are being built in more affluent areas.
What kind of course do you want to do?
Esme :smile:

Well I’m hoping to get a placement related to biomedicine. I’ll be applying to medicine this year and I really think doing a research placement would give me a lot to talk about at interviews. And also it’s a different kind of experience , I mean like apart from all the clinical work experiences for medicine .
I’m just worried there’s going to be a lot of applicants from the region considering the whole of Scotland is counted as one region.

Also I was looking at the student case studies on the website and a lot of them did this gold crest award thing - is it something you apply for?

Reply 53

Original post by theoptimistic

Well I’m hoping to get a placement related to biomedicine. I’ll be applying to medicine this year and I really think doing a research placement would give me a lot to talk about at interviews. And also it’s a different kind of experience , I mean like apart from all the clinical work experiences for medicine .
I’m just worried there’s going to be a lot of applicants from the region considering the whole of Scotland is counted as one region.

Also I was looking at the student case studies on the website and a lot of them did this gold crest award thing - is it something you apply for?

The placements are always really useful to talk about in both interviews and personal statements because you can talk about working in a professional environment and it helping your presentation techniques.
The competitiveness depends on a number of factors, but probably mostly where you go to school. Nuffield has charitable status, meaning they will prioritise those who would not have had the opportunity otherwise. This is really what causes the competitiveness- in 2017 there were around 100 people who got in from 400 or so applications. It's also harder to get a place if you attend a private school (if I remeber correctly there were 5 from private schools, 2 of which were from Edinburgh).
You can apply for a gold crest award after you complete your project, but if you want to do one please print out the paper work before hand. The person mentoring you has to sign it, which is why I couldn't do it- because I did all the paper work after my placement had finished (oops haha)

Reply 54

Ayyitsophie

Hey,
I've put my application in but I'm not very confident in getting a place tbh (it seems highly competitive and I'm from Cambridgeshire which has a very high Russel Group Uni which I presume would be very competitive to receive.)

Will they send emails out to say if we have not received a placement or will we just not know unless we get a place?

OP

Original post by Ayyitsophie

Hey,
I've put my application in but I'm not very confident in getting a place tbh (it seems highly competitive and I'm from Cambridgeshire which has a very high Russel Group Uni which I presume would be very competitive to receive.)

Will they send emails out to say if we have not received a placement or will we just not know unless we get a place?

You're right, it is very competitive, but I never thought I had any chance either, and I mean it 100% genuinely when I say applying for a placement was the best decision I ever made :smile:

You've got to be in the mix to have a chance, so while there's no guarantees, you've put yourself forward and you're in with a shot! :biggrin:

I believe that you should get an email either way, yes. Be patient though, it will likely be a couple of months, rather than a couple of days/weeks.

Best of luck with your application :smile:

Reply 56

Original post by Em246

The placements are always really useful to talk about in both interviews and personal statements because you can talk about working in a professional environment and it helping your presentation techniques.
The competitiveness depends on a number of factors, but probably mostly where you go to school. Nuffield has charitable status, meaning they will prioritise those who would not have had the opportunity otherwise. This is really what causes the competitiveness- in 2017 there were around 100 people who got in from 400 or so applications. It's also harder to get a place if you attend a private school (if I remeber correctly there were 5 from private schools, 2 of which were from Edinburgh).
You can apply for a gold crest award after you complete your project, but if you want to do one please print out the paper work before hand. The person mentoring you has to sign it, which is why I couldn't do it- because I did all the paper work after my placement had finished (oops haha)

Okay great thanks! I’ll remember the paperwork (if I get a place).
I’m from a state school and I don’t really know anyone else from my school who’s decided to apply for this so I really hope the competitions not too bad!

Reply 57

Shvdg

4

Region: Devon, Dorset and Cornwall
Area of Interest: Biology/Physics
Current Studies: Biology, Physics, Mathematics, English Literature (Hoping to drop English and Physics at the end of the year and do Chemistry in one year)
Application Status: Submitted

Really not too optimistic as I don't really think I deserve it more than my contemporaries, but at the very least the experience of writing a personal statement was good practice for UCAS. Good luck to everyone (more so to those outside of the southwest :wink:

)

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 58

Original post by theoptimistic

Okay great thanks! I’ll remember the paperwork (if I get a place).
I’m from a state school and I don’t really know anyone else from my school who’s decided to apply for this so I really hope the competitions not too bad!

You'll be fine! If not, I contacted the university I was working with before my place at Nuffield was confirmed and agreed to do the gold crest award if I didn't get onto Nuffield. That's always an option because to unis it shows you're motivated to do well and you're interested in the subject.
Hope this helps :biggrin:

Reply 59