Funded Elective Awards 2027 Are Open — Book Before 31 December
Following a successful first year, we’re delighted to relaunch our Funded Elective Award for 2027. We’re funding two UK-based clinical students booking a Fair Trade Elective in 2027, with fees fully covered up to £1,500 each. If you are a UK-based clinical medical student booking an elective with one of our partner institutions across Africa […]
Medical Elective Open Calls Are Back!
Join Us on 17 September for the First Session of the 2027 Cycle Fair Trade Electives is opening its doors for the 2027 elective cycle and our Student Open Call sessions are back to help you plan your medical elective. The first session is Wednesday 17 September, 5:30–6:30pm — a short online introduction to Fair […]
Welcoming New Universities on Board
We are delighted to welcome Lancaster as a Collaborating Medical School, and Anglia Ruskin, Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Newcastle have also joined our FTE Network. This secures booking advantages and potential Early Booking Discounts for their students. Our collaborating medical school students benefit from: Priority booking windows for popular placements Access to potential […]
Student Vlog: Life at Uganda Lodge
One of the best ways to understand what an FTE placement is really like is to hear directly from students who are living it. In this new vlog we are excited to share Henry’s first-hand account from Uganda Lodge — one of our newest host sites. Henry reflects on his clinical experience and what it […]
Student Spotlight: Eloise Runs Paris Half Marathon for Nepal Hospital
Eloise, a final-year medical student at King’s College London, has gone the extra mile (quite literally) to support the hospital where she will be completing her elective later this year. In March 2025, Eloise ran the Paris Half Marathon to raise funds for the Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara, Nepal, where she will be spending […]
Golden Ticket Winner – Rebecca to Head to Zambia!
We are thrilled to introduce Rebecca Shorter as the recipient of this year’s FTE funded elective. Rebecca, a medical student from Leeds University, will be travelling to St Francis’ Hospital in Zambia this summer for an elective placement fully funded by Fair Trade Electives. Rebecca’s placement is a reminder of what FTE is about at […]
New Sites: Our Africa Trip Doubles FTE Capacity
We are thrilled to announce a major expansion of our placement network following a hugely successful hospital partner recruitment at the end of 2025. The trip was documented in a short summary clip and a series of travelogues shared via our Instagram and Facebook pages and has more than doubled our capacity by introducing a […]
Open Calls to learn more about FTE and the 2026 Funded Elective Award
Join Our Open Calls This December & January Fair Trade Electives is delighted to host a series of Open Calls for both university elective leads and clinical medical students planning their 2026 electives. These short, online sessions offer a chance to learn more about our ethical, community-led placements, how we work in partnership with hospitals […]
Fair Trade Electives Official Launch & Funded Elective Award
Fair Trade Electives is delighted to announce our official launch, together with a 2026 Funded Elective Award designed to support student access to ethical, community-led global health placements. From now until 31 January 2026, any UK-based clinical medical student who books a Fair Trade Elective will be automatically entered into a draw to have their […]
Understanding the Carbon Footprint of Elective Travel
At Fair Trade Electives, we encourage students to think critically about the environmental impact of international travel and make informed personal choices about their carbon footprint. In this reflective news article, our Co-Founder and Academic Lead, Professor Jon Dowell, shares his insights on carbon calculation, offsetting, and responsible global mobility based on his recent recruitment […]