TREP Eligibility

Eligibility  

Applicants for the Technology Research Experience Placements scheme must meet all of the following criteria: 

  • You are currently enrolled in a UK or Republic of Ireland college or university as an undergraduate student studying for a degree in a Technology subject (Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Computer Science, Engineering) 
  • You will be settled in the UK on 1 July 2026 and have been ordinarily resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland (you residence should not have been mainly for full-time education) since 1 July 2023 or are a Republic of Ireland national  
  • You are categorised as a ‘Home’ fee-paying student within your current university. 
  • You will be in the penultimate year of undergraduate study, at the time of application  
  • You will be on track to achieve, a final undergraduate degree grade of a strong 2:1 or 1st in a relevant subject to your proposed project. If your transcript shows year-on-year grade progression towards the upper range of a 2:1 or above, we encourage you to apply.   
  • You have an interest in undertaking a research postgraduate degree (MPhil or PhD)  
  • You have not already completed, or be currently studying, a postgraduate research degree (e.g. MPhil, DPhil, PhD, etc.) or have an offer to start a postgraduate research degree.  

Applicants must also meet at least one of the following criteria: 

  • You were in receipt of free school meals at secondary school  
  • You are the first generation of their family to study at undergraduate level      
  • You have been a young carer under the age of 18 or have/ had caring responsibilities during undergraduate study (providing unpaid support for a family who has a physical or mental health condition, or misuses substances)  
  • You have entered university at undergraduate level from a care background or as a Foyer resident    
  • You receive the maximum Maintenance Loan for undergraduate study 
  • You are estranged from their parents/guardians 
  • You are either a single parent, or lone guardian of a young person who is aged under 18 and/or is still in full-time education 
  • You have refugee status 

We also strongly encourage applications from candidates who are from any of the following ethnic groups, currently underrepresented in the School of Technology at Cambridge: 

Underrepresented ethnic groups:    

  • Arab  
  • Asian: Bangladeshi or Bangladeshi British  
  • Asian: Pakistani or Pakistani British    
  • Black: African or Black African British  
  • Black: Caribbean or Black Caribbean British  
  • Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White or White British and Black African or Black African British  
  • Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White or White British and Black Caribbean or Black Caribbean British  
  • Any other Black background not listed below  
  • Any other White background (inc. Gypsy, Irish Traveller, and Roma) not listed below  
  • Any other ethnic background not listed below   

  

Ethnic groups not currently underrepresented:  

  • Asian: Chinese or Chinese British  
  • Asian: Indian or Indian British  
  • Any other Asian background  
  • Any other Mixed or Multiple ethnic background not listed    
  • Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Chinese  
  • Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Indian  
  • White: British (including English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish)  
  • White: Irish   

We also strongly encourage applications from candidates who: 

  • are not studying at a Russell Group university   
  • are a mature undergraduate student, or would be a mature postgraduate student (i.e. aged 21 or over at start of undergraduate study and would be 25 or over at start of postgraduate study)  
  • do not have significant research experience (full time, 4 weeks or more and not part of degree course)