Work experience
The Department of Physics offers a small number of work experience placements in the Easter vacation each year for students in Years 10-12.
The work experience placement will provide you with a broad insight into physics and what it would be like to work in a busy university physics department. You will spend time with our highly skilled research and technical staff learning about real-life physics problems and exciting research projects.
You can see an example schedule of what the week may look like:
Example work experience schedule 2025Link opens in a new window
We welcome applications from all students Year 10-12. Places are limited and in previous years we have been over-subscribed. Priority will be given to students who live locally and those who are from under-represented groups* in physics.
The Department of Physics work experience will take place between 30th March - 2nd April 2026
Please complete the application formLink opens in a new window including a covering letter and brief CV to tell us a little about yourself, about your interest in physics and any related experience.
Applications are now open and will close at midnight on 1st March 2026.
*According to the Ogden Trust, a number of different groups have remained under-represented in physics for many years due to systemic barriers in their paths. Those whose identity sits at the intersection between these groups face greater challenges.
The data (sources on the Ogden Trust website) shows that the following groups are under-represented:
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Women
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Ethnic groups including Black Caribbean, Mixed White/Black Caribbean, Black Other, Pakistani and Bangladeshi.
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Low socioeconomic status groups
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Disabled people
We are aware of other groups who face barriers to physics but for whom there is little data on the scale of the under representation:
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LGBTQ+ people including trans and non-binary people
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Those from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities (GRT)
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Young carers
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Care leavers
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Those with English as an additional language
See also the University's guidelines on safeguarding Link opens in a new windowand child protectionLink opens in a new window.
Privacy statement: The data you provide is used solely to administer the process for work experience.
Our full work experience privacy notice is available.
Students in the electronics labs
Learning about Raman Spectroscopy
Looking at data from our telescopes