LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools

2020 Summer School Postponed.
2021 Summer Schools Call for Expressions of Interest now closed
Practical Information for Organisers.
Previous Summer Schools

The LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools are annual two-week courses, which are held every Summer at a UK university. The aim is to introduce modern mathematics to the best UK undergraduates who will enter their final year the following Autumn, and encourage them to think about an academic career in maths. The LMS Undergraduate Summer School consists of a combination of short lecture courses with problem-solving sessions and colloquium-style talks from leading mathematicians. 50 places are available to students per year.

The LMS Early Career Research Committee is responsible for the overall management and funding of the LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools.

Please email any questions about the LMS Undergraduate Summer Summer Schools to lmssummerschool@lms.ac.uk

Postponed: 2020 LMS Undergraduate Summer School - University of Swansea, 12-24 July 2020

Due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, we regret to announce that the LMS Undergraduate Summer School for 2020 at the University of Swansea has been postponed.

Further details about a rescheduled Undergraduate Summer School at the University of Swansea will appear in due course and we thank you for your patience.

Criteria for Nominations

Nominations for places at the next LMS Undergraduate Summer School are closed. UK institutions were invited to nominate three candidates on either a three or four year degree course from their institution who will commence their final year of study in autumn 2020. However, the LMS Undergraduate Summer School University of Swansea has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

To achieve an inclusive and cooperative working atmosphere, each LMS Undergraduate Summer School is limited to 50 participants, so the organisers will need to be highly selective. Indeed a high level of ability and enthusiasm for mathematics is essential to enjoy and benefit from the LMS Undergraduate Summer School.

Participation of women students in the LMS Undergraduate Summer School is particularly important as there is a recognised lack of women continuing on to postgraduate study. To this end UK Insititutions are asked to nominate both female and male students.

Registration Fees

The Society asks that for each candidate accepted onto the LMS Undergraduate Summer School their home Department provides £250 towards the costs of meals and accommodation during the LMS Undergraduate Summer School. The registration fee will cover costs of meals and accommodation during the LMS Undergraduate Summer School, as well as an excursion to the Gower Peninsula.

Note that the registration fee does not cover travel costs. Students should discuss the possibility of travel reimbursement by their Department with their Head of Department or LMS Representative.

How to Nominate

Nominated students should complete a nomination form for the LMS Undergraduate Summer School and return it, together with a copy of their academic transcript to date, to their Head of Department or LMS Representative who will forward nominations to the LMS.

If you have any queries, please contact Lucy Covington, Membership & Grants Administrator: lmssummerschool@lms.ac.uk.

2021 LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools - Call for Expressions of Interest Now closed

The Call for Expressions of Interests for UK institutions wishing to host the LMS Undergraduate Summer School in 2021 is now closed - the deadline was 22 February 2019.

The Call for Expressions of Interest to host future LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools will open later in 2020 or early 2021.

A grant of up £31,000 plus income from registration fees (£250 per registered student) is available to support the costs of the LMS Undergraduate Summer School that can accommodate at least 50 undergraduate students.

The London Mathematical Society has held an annual LMS Undergraduate Summer School, aimed at introducing enthusiastic undergraduate students to modern mathematical research, since 2015. The Summer Schools take place for a two-week period in July and have proved very popular.

What is required of the LMS Undergraduate Summer School host?

The host institution will be responsible for providing the infrastructure of the LMS Undergraduate Summer School. This will include:
Catered accommodation for 50-55 undergraduates.
Accommodation (if necessary) for lecturers.
Lecture room(s) for the talks.
Providing, if necessary, PhD students to assist the LMS Undergraduate Summer School e.g in exercises.
Organising social activity and weekend excursions.

Developing, the programme of scientific content.

The host organisation would normally establish a local organising committee to manage the LMS Undergraduate Summer School, and must provide a specific local lead organiser who will be an academic in the Mathematics Department of the host institution. The local organising committee should also provide a designated contact in the institution’s finance department who can manage payments.

How does the LMS support the organisation of the LMS Undergraduate Summer School?

The LMS Undergraduate Summer Schools are funded by an LMS Grant to be made to the host institution, together with payments made by departments of successful applicants (£250 per student), which are collected by the LMS and transferred to the host in full.

The LMS will administer the entire application process, including the collation of nominations from departments and handling any queries prior to the selection of participants by the host department. The LMS Undergraduate Summer School will be advertised by the LMS in bulletins, the LMS Newsletter and through social media. Host institutions may send three eligible undergraduates to the school.

The process to select a host

All Expressions of Interests received will be considered by the LMS Early Career Research Committee. Previous hosts have been Loughborough (2015), Kent (2016), Manchester (2017) and Glasgow (2018). The 2019 School will be held in Leeds.