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- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Home // Research grants // Apply for a grant // Internship grant criteria

Internship grant criteria

We are accepting internship grant applications for 2024. Please email grants@ptes.org with any questions.

In 2024, we are giving priority to projects focussing on less well represented taxa e.g. invertebrates, plants, fungi, amphibians and reptiles or projects that focus on increasing taxonomic and identification skills.

Are you a British graduate, or have you recently finished your undergraduate degree at a university in the UK? Are you looking to work in conservation in the UK but finding it hard to get anywhere without any work experience? Take a look at our unique Internship Programme- nurturing the vital next generation of conservationists by providing grants to enable them to work on a specific project.

Our Wildlife Conservation Internship Programme began in 2001. Since then over 90 young people have benefitted, working on practical projects helping hedgehogs, water voles, pine martens, bats, adders, bottlenose dolphins, numerous butterflies and a host of other species besides. Notable PTES intern alumni are active conservationists in universities, in government agencies, conservation NGOs and ecological consultancies where they are highly influential and effective.

Projects might run for a continual (full time) period of up to six months or intermittently (part time) for up to 18 months. The work must be carried out at either a conservation organisation or within a research group at a university, though not the one the student graduated from, following the successful completion of their degree course.

“I have just started work as an ecologist at an Edinburgh firm and that is all thanks my internship – it certainly has given me the drive to achieve great things!” Heather, PTES intern

It is envisaged that the intern will work as part of a team, which includes more experienced members who will be able to help the intern acquire new skills. The internship is about providing an opportunity to gain work experience in new surroundings and a foothold in the working environment. The student and the organisation concerned must make a joint application, with the impetus coming from the student.

The work must consist of a discrete project – which may be an integral part of a larger, ongoing research project – which is likely to result in positive conservation outcomes for UK species. Students from all disciplines relevant to conservation and ecology will be considered, provided that they can demonstrate that their work has relevance to the aims of PTES. NB The project must not be one on which they are already worked or are still working.

The student will receive funding not exceeding £5 000 to cover all living and project costs, and all insurance costs. Those already registered for a PhD may not use internships to ‘top-up’ their PhD funding.

“I cannot thank PTES enough for their support in this project as it has become the stepping stone I desperately needed to gain a PhD.” Nadia, PTES intern

Please note all internship grant applicants should fill in the word application below, electronically, and email it to grants@ptes.org. If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We acknowledge all applications. If you do not receive an acknowledgement email from us we MAY NOT have received your application.

Internship guidelines and application

PTES Wildlife Conservation Internship grants are now available for work on any UK species.

We fund several internships at any one time. We are currently holding an open application system whereby you may apply for an internship at anytime throughout the year. All applications will be acknowledged and processed within 6 weeks of submission.

Internship guidelines
Internship application form – once completed please email it to grants@ptes.org.

“My PTES internship really gave me valuable research and project management experience which I believe will stand me in good stead for the future. I don’t doubt that my experience contributed to my acceptance onto a sought after international masters programme.” Kara, PTES intern

Privacy Policy

The information that you provide will be held by People’s Trust for Endangered Species. For information on how PTES processes personal data, please see our privacy policy. You can change how you hear from us via enquiries@ptes.org or by calling 020 7498 4533. The information collected through this grant application, is shared with a number of experts for assessment and to help guide conservation action. This data never includes your personal details.

Got any questions?

Please email grants@ptes.org if you have any questions about our PTES Wildlife Conservation Internship Programme.

Other funds

Please note that we do not provide grants for UK-based students carrying out conservation projects overseas in the summer months of their undergraduate degree. Students or expedition leaders looking for such funding are advised to go to the Conservation Leadership Programme. Other awards that maybe of interest to undergraduates are the Alfred Toepfer Natural Heritage Scholarships.