The Francis Crick Institute Sandwich Student Programme 2027

Pays £28,910 a year.

Only some tracksSandwich Student Programme

Only in part. The Francis Crick Institute sponsors its sandwich student programme for some tracks or offices, not all. On immigration the Crick is explicit: applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. International students already studying full time at a UK university may apply if the placement year is a formal part of their degree and their student visa or pre settled or settled status allows a year of full time paid work.

Sponsors grads?: Some tracks
Pay vs threshold: Below the threshold
Opportunity: placement
Pay: £28,910 per annum on a 12 month full time contract at 36 hours a week
2027 cycle: Applications are now open for the 2027 Sandwich Student programme.
Confidence: high

The Francis Crick Institute Sandwich Student Programme: at a glance

The Crick's sandwich student programme places undergraduates in a research group or science technology platform for 12 months to work on a defined research project. It starts with an induction, includes seminars and professional development training, and ends with a sandwich student symposium where students present their work. Source

Duration: 12 months, full-time (36 hours per week)“a 12-month full-time (36 hours per week) contract of employment”Source
Who can apply: Registered at a UK university and in the second year of an undergraduate degree (third year in Scotland), with at least one further year to complete after the placement“be in their second year of undergraduate study if at a university in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or third year if at a university in Scotland”Source
Starting pay: £28,910 per annum“a salary of £28,910 per annum to cover living and travel costs during the placement”Source
Degree requirement: Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics or computer science“studying in the UK for an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline”Source

How The Francis Crick Institute recruits

2027 Sandwich Student programme (applications close 6 October 2026, start July 2027). 4 stages, from The Francis Crick Institute's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-04. Test providers are named only where The Francis Crick Institute names them.

Complete the application form
Application form
Ten-section online application including a choice of up to three projects, a statement and a reference. Deadline midday Tuesday 6 October 2026; references due 13 October.
“The application form has ten sections that you need to complete. [...] Your application must be submitted by the deadline: 12noon (BST), Tuesday 6 October 2026.”
Source
Supervisor shortlisting
Other stage
Recruiting supervisors shortlist; applicants hear by 17 November 2026 whether they are invited to interview. No one is interviewed without a received reference. Decisions are made by people, not AI.
“Applicants informed of application outcome, either invited to interview or unsuccessful.”
Source
Interviews
Final interview
Full day at the Crick on 30 November 2026: a morning introduction to the institute and programme, then afternoon interviews with the shortlisting supervisors. Travel and hotel costs covered.
“During the morning candidates will find out more about the Crick and the sandwich programme. In the afternoon, candidates will be interviewed by the supervisors that have shortlisted them.”
Source
Offer
Offer
Supervisors decide offers after interviews; outcomes by 23 December 2026. Placement starts early July 2027 for 12 months.
“After the interviews, supervisors will decide who they would like to make an offer to.”
Source

Every programme and stage at The Francis Crick Institute

“Students studying for degrees at universities outside the UK are not eligible for the programme.”

The Francis Crick Institute, from its own careers pages

The catch: Eligibility is tied to the shape of your degree, not just your grades. If a placement year is not a formal part of your course you have to show you can interrupt your studies for twelve months, and students at non UK universities are shut out entirely.

The Francis Crick Institute early careers Verify on gov.uk See the licence record

Applying to The Francis Crick Institute? Check your CV first.

Most graduate applications are filtered by an ATS before a human ever sees them. GoRizzume Pro scores your CV against the job description and shows you what to fix.

Try Pro free for 7 days

£0 today, then Pro is £14.99/month from day 8Card needed.We email you the day before you pay.Cancel anytime in Settings, Billing.

What The Francis Crick Institute publishes about this programme

Checked against The Francis Crick Institute's own careers pages on 2026-09-23. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

Visa sponsorship policy: published
Application dates: published
Programme description: published
Duration and start date: published
Who can apply: published
Pay: published
Locations: not published
Degree requirement: published
Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at The Francis Crick Institute

Summer Student Training Programmeinternship, no published policy

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-23. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does The Francis Crick Institute sponsor visas for its sandwich student programme?

Only in part. The Francis Crick Institute sponsors its sandwich student programme for some tracks or offices, not all. Sandwich students join a Crick research group or science technology platform for twelve months on a defined research project, employed full time at 36 hours a week as a Sandwich Placement Laboratory Research Assistant on £28,910 a year. The year starts with an induction, then internal and external seminars, scientific and professional development training, and ends with presentation skills training and a talk at the Crick Sandwich Student Symposium. Applicants must be registered at a UK university studying in the UK for an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, such as biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics or computer science. They must be in their second year in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or third year in Scotland, with at least one further year to complete afterwards. On immigration the Crick is explicit: applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. International students already studying full time at a UK university may apply if the placement year is a formal part of their degree and their student visa or pre settled or settled status allows a year of full time paid work. There is no sponsorship on offer.

What is the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme?

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme sits below the Skilled Worker salary threshold, which is itself a reason sponsorship is not possible.

What is the catch international students miss with The Francis Crick Institute?

Eligibility is tied to the shape of your degree, not just your grades. If a placement year is not a formal part of your course you have to show you can interrupt your studies for twelve months, and students at non UK universities are shut out entirely.

When do applications open for the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme?

Applications are now open for the 2027 Sandwich Student programme.. Checked on 2026-09-23 against The Francis Crick Institute's own site.

How long is the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme?

12 months, full-time (36 hours per week), according to The Francis Crick Institute's own careers information.

Who can apply for the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme?

Registered at a UK university and in the second year of an undergraduate degree (third year in Scotland), with at least one further year to complete after the placement, according to The Francis Crick Institute's own careers information.

What does the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme pay?

£28,910 per annum, according to The Francis Crick Institute's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the The Francis Crick Institute sandwich student programme?

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics or computer science, according to The Francis Crick Institute's own careers information.

How should I confirm The Francis Crick Institute's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on The Francis Crick Institute's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Related guides

All visa and sponsorship guides

Other engineering & industrial schemes

Before you apply

Check your CV against UK applicant tracking systems, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you. GoRizzume Pro and Premium start with a 7-day free trial on monthly billing.