Health Data Science Black Internship Programme 2027

Turn your curiosity into a career with the HDR UK Health Data Science Black Internship Programme. This paid, eight-week internship gives Black heritage students and recent graduates the opportunity to work on real-world projects, develop valuable skills and connect with professionals across the health data sector. With dedicated training, mentoring and ongoing career support, you’ll gain the experience and confidence to explore new possibilities and discover how health data can help improve people’s lives. No previous experience or coding skills are required — just a willingness to learn and an interest in making a difference.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineDecember 22, 2026
• Study LevelInternship
• SponsorHealth Data Research UK (HDR UK)
• School to study
• Course to studyBioinformatics , Bioinformatics and Genomic Medicine , Computer , Data Science , Engineering , Mathematics , Physics

Benefits

• 8-week paid internship (London Living Wage, currently £14.80)
• A laptop for the duration of the internship if required
• Opportunities across sectors in health data
• A real world data project developed by our host organisations
• Exclusive training activities every Friday afternoon
• Opportunity to join the wider 10,000 Black Interns community
• Customised learning pathway within Futures, powered by HDR UK
• Mentor and line manager
• Team technical challenge and prize giving
• Certificate recognising intern achievements
• In-person networking with other interns and host organisations
• Ongoing career support post-programme from HDR UK Alumni Network

Requirements

There is no prior experience, academic grade or coding requirement for this programme.

The internships for summer 2027 will be open to all Black heritage people (individuals with African, Caribbean and/or Other Black backgrounds and/or those with?Black mixed?heritage) who are:

• Current students at a UK university at any level (undergraduate, post grad diploma, Master’s, PhD or returning student)
• Recently graduated from a UK university (2025 and 2026)
• International students currently registered at a UK university
• Of any academic background, but is ideally suited to individuals with a degree in mathematics, physics, engineering or computer / data sciences, and bioinformatics-allied subjects
• Based in the UK for the duration of the recruitment process and internship
• Not a previous successful intern of the programme

All applicants?must have the Right to Work in the UK. 

Visas will?not?be provided to any candidate on the programme. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about eligibility.

Selection Process

After submitting your application, it will be screened for eligibility and anonymised. HDR UK staff and members of the Advisory Board will then review applications before sharing them with host organisations for shortlisting.

Host organisations invite shortlisted candidates to interview, typically within 1-2 months of the application deadline.

If you are not shortlisted or unsuccessful at interview, your application may be shared with other host organisations for consideration.
Successful candidates will receive an offer and complete an induction with their host organisations and HDR UK.

Once the interview period has concluded, we will contact all unsuccessful candidates to confirm the outcome of their application.

Selection criteria

They don’t expect you to have developed all these skills just yet or have previous experience, but some of the skills you should have include: 

• Passion for solving health data problems, no matter how big or small; and are strongly motivated to get things done.
• Sound quantitative skills and the ability to conduct analysis using data.
• Appreciation for our mission and values as the UK’s national institute for health data science to unite the UK’s health data to enable discoveries that improve people’s lives, and balance this with a collaborative mindset to prioritise work. 
• An interest and willingness to learn and develop new skills within health data. 

Check also:
Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How To Apply

For more information, more HDR UK scholarship webpage.