Scientist Training Programme (STP) Applicants 2025

Does anyone know if your location of applying makes a difference to the competitiveness etc?

Hi everyone i’m applying for the STP in the microbiology this is my first time applying. i just graduated in an undergrad in biochemsitry this summer! i’ve been looking for some experience to pick up before applying any suggestions? i’ve took a shot at emailing a few consultant microbiologists to see if they can offer me a day or two of shadowing but no response yet . if anyone can give me any advice on who/ what to look for experience in please let me know !

I honestly think the questions were exactly the same as the year before! They were all really familiar so not sure if there was more people that scored higher raising the boundary or if my answers were totally different! Be great to get feedback but unfortunately they don’t provide it

anyone know if i can apply for stp in histopathology with a msc in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine?
also i was on stp from 2021-2023 but long story short i had to leave because my supervisors pretty much messed things up for me at the start 6 months of rotation and i didnt wanna stay anymore either lol. im not sure if i can apply again? if anyone knows please lmk.

Did you do the STP in histo? The only people who can answer with certainty are the NSHCS. I'd speak to them first.

No, my stp was in clinical engineering, my bachelors was in mechanical engineering but im currently on msc tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, so learning quite a lot of things which is very related but idk if its worth it as the competition ratios are a lot higher. thanks for the suggestion ill try contacting them though.

Hi everyone! I am applying for the genomic counselling STP for the 3rd time when applications open! First time I managed to get shortlist reserve but was never offered interview, and this year I didn’t make it past the SJT so very different outcomes. Fingers are crossed for the next one

Hey! Congrats on getting this far the first time! Scary that the SJT can be such a make or break it thing... any ideas why you didn't get offered interview the first time?

Hey! Congrats on getting this far the first time! Scary that the SJT can be such a make or break it thing... any ideas why you didn't get offered interview the first time?

Hi everyone.. This is going to be my 4th and last time applying! 😅 hopefully 4th time lucky!
I haven't decided about speciality but might go for genomics this year, as I don't think there are any roles in CG in my area.

Maybe lack of experience for sure. I don't have much "lab experience" asdie from uni. Applied for a few MLA jobs after uni (studied biomed) but didn't have much luck. Currently working a corporate job in Health Insurance I'd honestly be taking a pay cut now if I went for an MLA or similar lab job. Then again I know people that have got onto the STP with just their undegrad no experience so it isn't "essential" but will give you the edge.

Maybe lack of experience for sure. I don't have much "lab experience" asdie from uni. Applied for a few MLA jobs after uni (studied biomed) but didn't have much luck. Currently working a corporate job in Health Insurance I'd honestly be taking a pay cut now if I went for an MLA or similar lab job. Then again I know people that have got onto the STP with just their undegrad no experience so it isn't "essential" but will give you the edge.

If you don't mind me asking how far did you get in the application process the other times you applied/ how was your experience with the process?

Hey.. no that's fine.
1st time I was still finishing my 2nd degree - SJT crashed for many so they scrapped that and recruited a team to do the longlisting - I didn't make it passed that stage.
2nd time - short list reserve but didn't get an interview. I only chose two locations and they were snapped quickly.
3rd time - longlisted but not shortlisted.
As for my experience of the process, it's brutal! 😄 My conclusion is that there is no merit, rhyme or reason as to how far you make it so if you don't get in, don't beat yourself up about it at all or try to identify a reason as most likely case is there isn't even if you're the perfect candidate! It's all down to the person reading your statement and how they perceive it and score you. They don't have a criteria that says those with more experience should be favored or vice versa. same for qualifications. more qualification doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better. I've known people with directly relevant experience, MScs and PhDs who didn't get in year after year and they gave up. And they wrote a blimming brilliant application so although that may help but doesn't always count either! Again it's down to the person reading your application. I've also spoken to many who were still finishing their university and get in even though they've never heard of the STP before and don't know much about it and either don't have any or very little relevant experience.
I'd say give it your best shot but also have other options in mind as the STP is open to thousands of applicants and a massive range of qualifications and backgrounds for very very few positions nationwide. I wouldn't call that competitive as there is no competition but rather oversubscribed. Others might disagree with me but that's my opinion which I formed from being heavily invested in the process for the last 4 years, working directly with clinical scientists and talking to many STPs over the last few years.

I agree that they're the best people to ask. If you don't hear anything from them, I'd attend an open day for the specialty you're interested in and ask then. They should have a healthcare science representative for the STP route who should be able to answer that question. Good luck!

I'd say that is much less about what experience you have, and how you can demonstrate how that experience and knowledge (work based or otherwise) meets the core specification. Also, that it shows that you've read the core specification!

Hey.. no that's fine.
1st time I was still finishing my 2nd degree - SJT crashed for many so they scrapped that and recruited a team to do the longlisting - I didn't make it passed that stage.
2nd time - short list reserve but didn't get an interview. I only chose two locations and they were snapped quickly.
3rd time - longlisted but not shortlisted.
As for my experience of the process, it's brutal! 😄 My conclusion is that there is no merit, rhyme or reason as to how far you make it so if you don't get in, don't beat yourself up about it at all or try to identify a reason as most likely is that there isn't one. Even if you're the perfect candidate, it's all down to the person reading your statement and how they perceive it and score you. They don't have a criteria that says those with more experience should be favored or vice versa. same for qualifications. More qualification doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better. I've known people with directly relevant experience, MScs and PhDs who didn't get in year after year and they gave up. And they wrote a blimming brilliant applications so although that may help but doesn't always count! Again it's down to the person reading your application. I've also spoken to many who were either still finishing their university or just graduated and they got in even though they've never heard of the STP before and don't know much about it and either don't have any or very little relevant experience.
I'd say give it your best shot but also have other options in mind as the STP is open to thousands of applicants and a massive range of qualifications and backgrounds for very few positions nationwide. I wouldn't call that competitive as there is no competition but rather oversubscribed. Others might disagree with me but that's my opinion which I formed from being heavily invested in the process for the last 4 years, working directly with clinical scientists and talking to many STPs over the last few years.