About the Summer Internship Programme

The 2024 Summer Internship Programme is open for applications on CareerConnect.

  • International Internships: Applications open from 15 January and close on 12 February.
  • UK Internships: Applications open on 13 February and close on 11 March.
  • Late internships will be advertised from March to May.

You can browse opportunities by sector on the Summer Internship Programme Sector List

Internships are offered by private companies, international organisations, world-leading NGOs, cutting-edge research institutions and many other organisations, and all are exclusively available to Oxford University students. In 2022, students completed internships in over 35 countries, and gained valuable work experience while travelling to new and exciting locations. The Summer Internship Programme also offers the chance to explore work experience options in a variety of sectors in the UK, from finance to law, and more.

The programme is open to all current, matriculated Oxford University students (both undergraduates and postgraduates), including those in their final year of study. Visiting students are not eligible to apply. The internships are advertised on CareerConnect from the beginning of Hilary term each year.


The Summer Internship Programme offers both remote internships (which can be undertaken from any location) and in-person internships (which are undertaken at the employer’s premises). These arrangements are considered carefully according to the circumstances surrounding each placement. For in-person internships, it is essential that interns regularly check the Foreign Office website, as well as local guidance on travel restrictions to ensure the internship can be undertaken.

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Although every internship is unique, we try to ensure that they provide the following common elements:

  • Full-time work for 2-12 weeks during the summer vacation
  • A defined project, which creates real value for the host organisation and a valuable learning experience for the student
  • Interaction with an assigned supervisor or mentor within the host organisation
  • A stipend, or some assistance with travel or accommodation
  • Payment at the national living wage or above, if the internship is in the UK and in the for-profit sector
  • An international experience or access to an internship placement in the UK that is not readily available through alternative internship programmes

From first year undergraduates to DPhil researchers, students in all areas and at all levels of study enjoy the benefits of undertaking an internship.

What are the benefits of an internship?

Don’t just take our word for it! Students who’ve taken part in the programme have told us that internships can help in the following ways:

Develop your professional skills

I am so glad that I decided to undertake this internship! It equipped with so many vital skills for applying for entry-level roles in publishing and gave me a real taste of the industry. I was really lucky to have such a supportive manager and an opportunity to ask questions, take on real responsibility, and provide my own suggestions. It really felt like a proper job and a nice change from an academic environment. Completing this internship raised my confidence to pursue my publishing career ambitions!

Saidakhon Azizova, Hertford College, Final year undergraduate, BA English Language and Literature,  Intern at Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research, Germany (remote working

 Gain insight into a new industry sector

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have always wanted to work in museums, since I was a child, so the opportunity to go behind the scenes and help preserve valuable specimens was really rewarding. It was great to gain a better understanding of what experience and qualifications I would need to work in conservation and museums one day.

Rosa Parker, Lady Margaret Hall, First Year Undergraduate, MBiol Biology, Intern at University of Oxford Museum of Natural History

Realise your professional goals 

This has been the most rewarding internship that I have undertaken so far in my career. This is because it was so closely associated to what I actually want to do. In some ways, this internship helped me realise my professional goals. I absolutely loved working in the photograph collections. Researching, cataloguing, producing knowledge as part of this internship, allowed me to both contribute knowledge and to make the contribution of knowledge accessible to communities globally.

Aayushi Gupta, Kellogg College, First Year Postgraduate, MPhil Visual, Material, and Museum Anthropology, Intern at Centre for Historic Houses, India (both remote working and in-person)

Develop career ideas

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Brilliant Club and would highly recommend this organisation to any future interns. I feel as though I was able to gain valuable insight into the access / education sector, and was fully supported throughout the experience. What really amazed me throughout my time with The Brilliant Club, and what I think will stay with me wherever I work in the future, was how much the staff cared about making sure that everything was right for each individual child, which I think was really inspirational. This internship has confirmed to me that I would like to work in an education charity in the future. I can't recommend The Brilliant Club enough.

Harry Twohig, Mansfield College, Second Year Undergraduate, BA History, Intern at The Brilliant Club (remote working)

Make a genuine impact

I very much enjoyed my time with TNG on this internship. I felt that I had a lot of ownership over the work that I did and was very pleased that I got to see some of it made publicly available during my internship. The internship confirmed for me that programming is a career path I could go into successfully.

Matthew Colpus, St Catherine’s College, Third Year Undergraduate, MMathComSci Mathematics and Computer science, Intern at TNG Technology Consulting, Germany (remote working)

Gain valuable experience while working remotely

I have gained an invaluable insight into the operation of a think tank and the real-world impact of its work. Through attending weekly team meetings, I was able to get an insight into the workings of Igarape, and in particular its "think and do" ethos, in that it seeks to produce research reports highlighting (often technological) solutions to the challenges it studies. I had an amazing time with Igarape. Everyone made me feel very welcome and supported, despite the placement being conducted virtually. I was given independence to pursue projects how I saw fit, but still made to feel that staff were invested in my progress and that my work was important to the organisation.

Edmund Kelly, Merton College, Second year Undergraduate, BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Intern at Igarapé Institute, Brazil (remote working)

 

The Summer Internship Programme experience

Reading feedback from previous interns gives you a great idea of what you might be doing on the programme. Many of the internships will be offered by the same organisations next year.

Read feedback from our 2022 Oxford summer interns

See the internships through our interns’ eyes…

Each year we run a competition for The Summer Internship Programme interns’ photographs of what they saw and experienced during their placements. Here are our 2022 winners

We will also be inviting all University of Oxford students who take part in internships facilitated or funded through the Internship Office in the 2022-2023 academic year to submit original and interesting photos that best represent their internship experience, accompanied by a short description. Find out more about the Photo Competition

More information and advice about applying for opportunities on the Summer Internship Programme is available on our webpages:

You can join our mailing list to receive updates about our internship programmes. Sign up through the Internship Office alert webform.

 

Like and follow our Facebook page to keep updated with deadlines and new internship opportunities. 

Please see the Careers Service Privacy notice for details on how the personal data you enter on to this form is stored and used.

The Internship Office

Address: Careers Service, University of Oxford, 56 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PA
Email: summer-internships@careers.ox.ac.uk
 

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