Lithuanian and international students get the chance to carry out real research

The Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) encouraging students to engage in active research activities, to improve their scientific qualifications and to help them pursue a career as a scientist, invites Lithuanian and foreign students to apply to the RCL for funding and a summer internship placement. Students can also apply for summer internships by individually arranging their internship placements with a specific internship supervisor.  Students will be given the opportunity to work in universities and research institutes on real research projects. Student activities will be supported by a competitive grant of €1,000 per month. A total of €750,000 is planned for this programme this year. Applications are open until 17th of May.

Students' participation in research during the summer holidays will not only give them the opportunity to get close to the research process, acquire new knowledge, deepen their analytical and scientific skills, which will be useful for their final theses, but also to get to know the scientific community in different fields, get a feel for the specificities of a scientific career and acquire social skills for the work.

A career as a scientist from a young age

A summer research placement is a research project carried out by a student under the supervision of a research supervisor, following an individual programme and lasting 2 months. RCL will fund students' research internships in all fields of science: natural sciences, technology, medicine and health, agriculture, humanities, social sciences, performing and screen arts, visual arts.

According to Dr. Gintaras Valinčius, Chairman of RCL, this RCL-funded measure is a good start for students who dream of a career as a scientist or researcher in academic institutions. "An internship lays a solid foundation for a young person to further develop and work in science. We aim to encourage students to undertake summer internships in academic institutions that they are not directly involved with during their studies, thus broadening their horizons and academic contacts, as well as providing them with opportunities to get to know the research being carried out outside of their university," emphasises the RCL Chairman.

Research is open to undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate students, except for those who are in their final year at the time of application. The student must have a grade point average of 8 or above in all subjects studied in the last semester.

Attention also to international students

According to G. Valinčius, one of the most important goals of the RCL is to create a new attractive research environment in Lithuania, not only for our young scientists. A great deal of attention is also paid to the international student community, attracting young talents from foreign countries and creating favourable conditions for them to realise their scientific ideas here in Lithuania. This year's innovation is the evaluation criterion, which awards an additional 10 points if a student from another Lithuanian or foreign higher education institution takes part in an internship at the research institution. It is therefore important that applying institutions and intending supervisors take note of this innovation and actively seek to invite students from abroad to their institutions for the internship application.

In 2022, 18 HEIs have taken up the opportunity of the LET funding for internships. EUR 252 816.69 were used for the student traineeship instrument. Applicants wishing to apply for funding for their students can do so through the application system.

More information and application form.

Media contacts

Solveiga Ramanauskienė

Research Council of Lithuanian

Public Information Specialist

E-mail: solveiga.ramanauskiene@lmt.lt