Undergraduate elective funding
The medical student elective can bring enormous benefits for a successful career in anaesthesia, pain, medicine and intensive care medicine.
Applications are invited from medical students studying in Great Britain and Ireland (subject to confirmation of eligibility) to apply to the Association for funding towards a medical student elective period taking place between the eligible dates. Your application will be rejected if the start date does not fall within the eligible dates. Overseas students should ensure that they are permitted to apply for charitable funding.
Grants will only be awarded to applicants who intend to spend time away from their base academic institution, and whose travel, accommodation and subsistence costs are increased as a result.
Relevance and priorities
Preference will be given to those applicants who can show the relevance of their intended elective to anaesthesia, intensive care, peri-operative medicine, or pain relief. A key focus of the Association is support for projects in the developing world; hence elective placements supporting work in developing countries are given priority.
Domestic electives
The Association recognises that domestic elective placements, when carefully planned, can provide significant educational value and professional development opportunities. Applications for domestic electives will be considered where:
- The placement clearly enhances knowledge and skills relevant to anaesthesia, peri-operative, intensive care, or pain medicine
- The applicant can demonstrate that the elective provides exposure and opportunities not readily available at their home institution
- The placement involves additional financial costs (e.g. relocation, accommodation, travel) beyond those normally incurred at the student’s base institution
The Association is keen to support medical student elective placements which:
- Prepare students for a successful career in anaesthesia, pain, peri-operative, and intensive care medicine
- Help to develop a student’s interest or passion that can then make an impact on patient care both at the time and in the future
- Are well organised with consideration of personal safety, patient safety, appropriate supervision (both clinical and non-clinical), and with support in place in the event of any difficulties
- Provide activities and responsibilities that are appropriate to the applicant’s stage of training, ensuring both educational value and safe clinical practice
To complete your application you will need to supply:
- Your personal details
- Details of visiting centre and dates of attendance
- A description of experience to be gained and projects to be performed (500 words max)
- Information about why you have chosen this specialty (200 words max)
- Information about why you chose the country for your elective (200 words max)
- The amount of funding applied for
- Details of any other funding applications you have made.
Amount per applicant - Up to a maximum of £750 (broken down into travel and accommodation)
Eligibility criteria - You must be a medical student studying in Great Britain or Ireland
Frequency - x2 a year
Funding partners - Association of Anaesthetists
Eligible dates: For undergraduate elective funding applications taking place between 1 May 2026 and 31 October 2026. Applications will not be considered if the start of the elective commences before 1 May 2026 or after 31 October 2026.
| Key dates: |
| For electives taking place between |
Applications close |
| 1 May 2026 - 31 October 2026 (start of elective must not commence before 1 May 2026 or after 31 October 2026) |
23:59 Wednesday 14 January 2026 |
Applications are assessed by a panel of undergraduate elective assessors and members of the Research & Innovation Committee using the scoring criteria. All applications are blinded to reviewers.