The Sanger Prize is an annual outreach competition run by the Wellcome Sanger Institute. It is intended for undergraduate students who are from, live in, and study at an institution in a low- or middle-income economy.
The winner undertakes a three-month genomics research internship with a Sanger faculty laboratory in Hinxton, UK. The 2026 competition is closed, and the Institute directs prospective 2027 applicants to check again in autumn 2026.
Benefits & funding
- One winner receives a three-month research internship with a Sanger research group.
- The fund covers essential travel, visa, accommodation, reasonable food, living, research, and training expenses.
- The Institute supports visa and travel arrangements, helps find accommodation, assigns a laboratory mentor, and provides networking opportunities.
- The winner may choose a laboratory and faculty host subject to host availability, and may schedule the internship within one year after the award.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be over 18 when applying.
- They must be studying a first undergraduate degree that includes genomics at a university or institute in a low- or middle-income economy. Applicants who have completed the course but are still awaiting formal graduation may also apply; postgraduate students are not eligible.
- They must be from and live in an economy on Wellcome’s official low- and middle-income list. The structured nationality and residency fields enumerate the complete official list current for this record.
- They must show active interest in genomics research and write clearly in English; no English certificate is required.
- They must not previously have completed more than one month of international scientific research in a high-income country, excluding short conference trips.
- Two academic references must be submitted by the separate reference deadline.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · American Samoa · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Belarus · Belize · Benin
+ 124 more
Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · China · Colombia · Comoros · DR Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · North Korea · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Macedonia · Pakistan · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Russia · Rwanda · Saint Lucia · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · American Samoa · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Belarus · Belize · Benin
+ 124 more
Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · China · Colombia · Comoros · DR Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · North Korea · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Macedonia · Pakistan · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Russia · Rwanda · Saint Lucia · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor
Age requirement
≥ 19 yrs
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Application process
- 1Read the current competition page and confirm every eligibility condition before starting.
- 2Complete the English-language online form with personal details, a 400–500 word expression of interest, two academic referees, and a CV of no more than two pages.
- 3Submit the form before the application deadline and check the confirmation carefully because a submitted form cannot be reopened for editing.
- 4Ensure both referees submit their forms by the reference deadline.
- 5If shortlisted, complete the genomics essay and, if selected among the top three, attend an online interview.
Program timeline
November 2025
The 2026 application form was scheduled to become available.
Application deadline.
January 9, 2026, 17:00 GMT
Academic-reference deadline.
January 16, 2026, 17:00 UK time
Successful first-stage applicants notified and invited to write a genomics essay.
March 2026
The three strongest essay writers invited to online interviews.
May 2026
Final decision scheduled.
End of July 2026
Within one year of the award
Winner completes the three-month internship at an agreed time.