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The job details
Masters Student Bursary 2025 - Uranics Innovation Centre
Category: Fuel, Reactor and Reprocessing
Salary: Bursary up to £5000
Closing Date: 2025-04-25
Location: Preston
Job Description
Nuclear fission is key to deploying reliable low-carbon power at scale and in the UK as the percentage of electricity generated by nuclear power increases the need to ensure a secure supply of fuel for our reactor fleet will become even more pertinent. Nearly all the UK’s historic and existing nuclear reactors have been fuelled using a UK-led supply chain for uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication. With the anticipated development of a fleet of various Gigawatt (GWe) reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR) it is likely that the UK supply chain will need to meet demand for a range of different fuel types: for reactors which are currently deployed or in construction in the UK or internationally, and for advanced reactors which are not currently operational but first of a kind (FOAK) projects. It is essential that accumulated skills are maintained and enhanced, whilst undertaking world leading, cutting-edge research, as both are crucial for the successful delivery of new nuclear generation.
To support these national mission endeavours the UKNNL-Uranics Bursary scheme is delivered through the DESNZ Nuclear Fuel Fund Uranics Innovation Centre to enable and encourage students to work on topics of national priority relating to uranium based nuclear fuels and supporting front end fuel cycle activities with a focus on:
- Purification
- Conversion
- Deconversion
- Fuel design
- Fuel Manufacturing and waste/effluents management
- U recovery/separations
- Fuel Performance
- Advanced geometry test reactor fuel
There are at least 20 bursaries available, the maximum value of the bursary being £5000.
The bursary may be held alongside other scholarships, studentships, awards or bursaries.
The bursary shall be awarded on the basis of financial need, compatibility with the aims and scope of the Uranics Innovation Centre and on recommendation of the panel.
Applications from under-represented groups are encouraged and supported.
Applicants must be willing and capable of undergoing national security vetting clearance at the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) level.
Essential Criteria:
- Applicants must not already hold a Masters qualification or higher.
- Students must be on accredited courses with in-scope uranics science or engineering content:
- Full or part time integrated undergraduate master’s courses wherein the student is undertaking their penultimate taught year or currently undertaking a year in industry.
- Full or part time post-graduate master’s degrees courses with modules at master’s degree level being taken with examination being taken as a Continuing Professional Development module, independently or for credit on a post-graduate certificate, post-graduate diploma or part/full-time MSc/MRes (or equivalent).
- In all cases, enrolled degree courses must run until at least summer 2026, with taught or research content delivered in Academic Year 2025/2026.
- Students must be in good standing on track for at least an upper second (or equivalent) undergraduate degree supported by academic transcripts. This evidence must be submitted at the time of application. Incomplete applications may not be considered.
- A reference letter from a Nuclear Academic (or heads of schools/departments) in support of the master’s project activities within scope of the Uranics Innovation Centre (described above). This evidence must be submitted at the time of application. Incomplete applications may not be considered.
- Applicants must be able to obtain BPSS level security clearance (this includes but is not limited to identity, employment and criminal record checks).
Should you be successful:
- As part of the award, you will be required to participate in a residential Uranics Spring School, intended before Easter 2026 in Preston. Costs of attending this school are provided in addition to your bursary award.
- You will be required to provide updates on the progress of your agreed master’s projects and to submit a copy of your final project report/dissertation/thesis with UKNNL.
- Failure to attend the Uranics Spring School, provide the required project updates or non-completion of the agreed project or non-completion of your degree may result in the bursary award being withdrawn and funds recovered.
How to Apply
You are required to tell us in no more than 500 words how being awarded the The Uranics Innovation Centre bursary would make a difference to you.
Please comment on your motivations for undertaking master’s study, your interest in nuclear science, technology and engineering and your plans for afterwards, and how the bursary would specifically help you in these plans.
If you have experienced challenging personal circumstances during your undergraduate studies or prior to entry, please include this information e.g. you may have experienced interruptions to study.
We would strongly encourage you to provide as much detail as you can about the ways in which the Bursary would enable you to complete your master’s course. We will use the information in your supporting statement to make the final decision when allocating bursaries.
If as part of your bursary you are requesting NNL support and/or access to facilities please describe your research project proposal indicating the topic, experimental methods and resources requested in no more than 750 words.