Hi! I'd like to get some lab experience before applying for a PhD. Question is how. I'd prefer to go somewhere else than my old uni as whole point is to get new perspectives. Is there any chance somebody would actually pay me for working in their lab? I'm a genetics student.

I don't expect to get rich, but for example enough money to pay the rent, while I take savings to pay for food would be enough. I've already taken loans to finance my first degree, so there really is no way I can simply volunteer and do it for free.

And if you don't think I'm likely to get paid, perhaps you know some place where the research is good and the living costs really really low? :)

Why not apply for a technician or Research Assistant post? You never know, could lead to a PhD position later (did for me!). Good luck!

Well, there's a number of universities that have money at this time of year, as well as industrial/commercial labs. keep an eye out on places like jobs.ac.uk and grad jobs sites and you can get a research assistantship for a year before youdo your PhD. it's what I'm doing and research assistants aren't too badly paid.

Have you tried contacting labs you are interested and asking if they can take you on for a couple of weeks work experience. Or maybe get a bar job to subsidise doing unpaid lab work, I've done this and my supervisor applied for funding to pay me once he saw how enthusiastic I was.

I tried applying for a volunteer post in a parasitolog laboratory and was declined due to insurance and security concerns.