Sentinus Research Academy

The Sentinus Research Academy gives students in Years 13 & 14 the opportunity to experience real online research projects provided by local companies and organisations. Taking place from late June to the end of July, projects are carried out virtually (with the exception of environmental biology projects which involve field research) and last four weeks. The online nature of the programme provides flexibility for students to carry out the research. Projects will be validated by local universities and professional organisations. Subject areas covered by placements include:

biomedical science;
biochemistry;
neuroscience (now closed for 2024);
environmental biology;
chemistry;
psychology;
engineering;
astrophysics;
maths;
computer science/IT.

As part of the programme your project provider will provide you with data and information about the research project you will be carrying out. With support from Sentinus, you will be required to analyse the data and present your findings at the end of the programme, in the form of a project report and poster. Students will receive weekly online tutorials on data analysis, report writing, project presentation and tutorials with their project supervisor.

On successful completion of your project you will receive a certificate of achievement, validated by your host organisation (eg Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, Trinity College Dublin) to recognise the effort you have invested during the process. This will be an excellent addition to your UCAS application, available to only a small percentage of students applying to UCAS, thereby giving you a great competitive advantage.

Administration Cost

For students successful in securing a place on the Sentinus Research Academy there will be an administration fee of £225, please see the Terms & Conditions for the Admin Fee here. A small number of scholarships will be available for students unable to pay the administration fee, if you feel you may be eligible for a scholarship please contact Sentinus to discuss how to access this support.

Employers or research institutions interested in providing a Research Project should contact Sentinus directly.