The Data Lab Student Placement Programme connects Scottish organisations with Masters students who specialise in data and AI.

The students will spend 8 to 12 weeks working on a project that matches your business needs. This could involve dashboards, forecasting, automation, computer vision, or other data challenges.

The Data Lab team will evaluate your project, match you with a suitable student and skill set, and support the process from start to finish. More than 1,000 organisations across all sectors have benefited from these placements.

There is no upfront cost to take part, but your business will need to cover the student’s salary during the 8 to 12-week project.

You are eligible if your organisation:

• is based in Scotland
• can offer an 8 to 12-week project that involves data or AI
• can pay the student's salary during the placement period
• can provide the student with a clear business challenge and access to data

There is no upfront cost to take part in the programme. Your business will need to pay your placement student's salary during the 8 to 12 weeks they work on your project.

Any Scottish organisation seeking to enhance its data-driven capabilities.

Placements typically last between 8 and 12 weeks.

Matching, interviews and project scoping will take place in the months leading up to the placement. All scoping and matching will be completed between January and March 2026.

Visit The Data Lab website for more information and to register your interest in a student placement.