Gain experience in a real work environment.
You can apply to spend the third year of your biological or biomedical degree on placement with one of our partner organisations in the UK or overseas. After this year away you will come back to study for one further year.
Placements provide valuable work experience that will help you clarify your career objectives and give you an advantage in today’s competitive employment market.
We have a very successful programme of laboratory and field research placements. Students have been able to undertake placements all over the world, including with pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, hospitals and nature reserves.
From our students
Placement year
Hear what some of our placement students thought of their placement year.
Iona Glidden
Biology student Iona discusses her placement at the Medicines Discovery Catapult Lighthouse Lab.
Grace Livesey
Pharmacology BSc student Grace shares her experience of applying for an industrial placement year.
Sarah Zulkernain
Biomedical Sciences student Sarah reflects on her decision to study with industrial experience.
Read more : Biomedical Sciences Sarah reflects on her decision to study with industrial experience.
Anne Lien
Anne reveals why she switched to study Biomedical Sciences with Industry Placement
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Placement types
Gain experience in a wide range of settings.
You undertake a research project, usually in an industrial or international research organisation. This provides a fantastic opportunity to undertake significant ‘real world’ research and decide whether a research career is for you.
You take placements in at least two different educational environments. You will gain experience of teaching and learning in different age groups and environments, preparing you for a career in a range of education sectors as well as providing you with transferable skills that you can use in other fields.
You can take advantage of Manchester’s thriving biotechnology industry by spending a year working in a biotechnology start-up or technology transfer company. You will gain valuable skills, experience, and contacts that will benefit you if you are interested in a career in the growing industry of biotechnology, or if you would like to set up your own enterprise after graduating.
You spend a year working in an organisation that communicates science, such as, the media office of a university, a medical writing company or a museum. This experience will give you a head start if you decide on a career in the field of science communication.
You can spend a year working in an organisation that centres on animal husbandry and/or conservation, such as a zoo, a research station or a non-governmental organization (NGO).
If you are interested in pursuing a career in this field, this experience will be invaluable to you.
Potential placements
Where could you go?
Students undertake placements with organisations all over the world. These have included:
- AstraZeneca, UK
- Chester Zoo, UK
- Chiang Mai University, Thailand
- Copenhagen University, Denmark
- Eurofins Agroscience, UK
- GlaxoSmithKline, UK
- Mayo Clinic, USA
- Medical Research Council, The Gambia
- Nagoya University, Japan
- National Institute for Medical Research, UK
- Newquay Zoo, UK
- Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, UK
- Pfizer, UK
- Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, UK
- Sealife, various UK locations
- Unilever, UK
Offer a placement
If you are a business interested in recruiting talented undergraduates for a placement, then please get in touch.
From our students
“The best thing about the course is it is versatile. There are so many options to choose from, I only study what I love. The course is also career focused and makes me think of my future, improving my CV constantly whilst being at the uni.”
Edward O'Shea / Biology with industrial and professional experience.
Courses
Which degrees can I do with industrial and professional experience?
The below links will take you to the relevant industrial experience course page (2025 entry) on The University of Manchester website.
Fees and funding
What will the tuition fees be?
Tuition fees for an industrial placement year are significantly lower than tuition fees for a standard year.
Bursaries may be available. Further information can be found on the Student Support website.
Some placements may also be salaried.
Students participating in placements outside the UK may be able to apply for funding from the UK's Turing scheme, depending on eligibility. Priority will be given to students from low-income households.
Course content
What will my course look like?
Students following degree programmes with a placement will take the same units in Year 1 and 2 as the three-year BSc degree students.
There may be some optional units that your Programme Director will strongly recommend if you are contemplating a placement.
How to apply
Selecting the right course for your application.
You should apply through UCAS for the relevant four-year programme, but you can also request to transfer onto the programme during your first year.
Explore more study options
Explore more study options
Gain additional experience and skills.
You can choose from a range of study options when you study biosciences at The University of Manchester.