Find and Apply for Summer Internships

All internships available through The Summer Internship Programme are advertised on CareerConnect.

Once logged in, go to "Internship Office and Skills Programmes"on your dashboard. You can then select the option either to search Internship Office and Skills Programmes (which then enables you to filter by location, sector, etc), or to see the Programme List.

Selected internships that appear on CareerConnect are also advertised via our 'Internship Alert' mailing list, on the Internship Office Facebook page, in the weekly Careers Service newsletter, and on the Careers Service news page.

International Internships - Batch 1

• Summer Internships advertised to students: 20 January
• Student applications deadline: 17 February
• Applications sent to internship host employers: by 19 February
• Employers inform Internship Office of chosen applicant: by 26 March
• Internships can start from 23 June onwards (Trinity Term ends 20 June 2025)

UK Internships - Batch 2

• Summer Internships advertised to students: 18 February
• Student applications deadline: 17 March
• Applications sent to internship host employers: by 19 March
• Employers inform Internship Office of chosen applicant: by 23 April
• Internships can start from 23 June onwards (Trinity Term ends 20 June 2025)

Late-Advertised Internships (International and UK) - Batches 3, 4 and 5

• Late internships will be advertised from March to May
• Summer Internships are advertised to students for a three-week period after the internships go live
• Applications are sent to host employers within one week of the application deadline
• Employers will be asked to inform the Internship Office of their chosen candidate within three weeks
• Internships can start from 23 June onwards (Trinity Term ends 20 June 2025)

Applications for the Summer Internship Programme open in Hilary Term of each year.

You can apply for:

• 3 international internships in round 1 
• 2 UK internships in round 2
• Unlimited applications in any of our 'late' rounds (rounds 3 to 5)

How to apply

Click 'Apply Now' on the vacancy page of your chosen internship on CareerConnect. You will then be required to:

1. Upload a one-page Curriculum Vitae

This should be saved as surname_firstname(cv) in PDF format. We require that you submit a one-page CV.

Please be aware that if your CV runs over to two pages, only the first page will be sent with your application. Please do not include a photo on your CV. Make sure you keep a copy of the CV you submit.

2. Fill in the online Application Form

This includes a 600 word personal statement, in which you should outline your suitability for the internship in question. It is a good idea to save a copy of your personal statement elsewhere, in case there are any problems uploading your application. For guidance on writing your personal statement please see our page on How to Write Cover Letters.

3. Confirmation of submission

If your application has been uploaded correctly you should receive an automatic confirmation email from CareerConnect, and your application will appear on your CareerConnect dashboard. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your application has been submitted successfully. The Internship Office is unable to accept applications via email, so please ensure that you upload your application in good time in advance of the deadline. If you are repeatedly encountering issues uploading your application, or if you do not receive a CareerConnect email notification within 24 hours of submitting your application, please email summer-internships@careers.ox.ac.uk.

Points to note

• You will need to follow the above process for each internship opportunity featured on CareerConnect that you wish to apply for.
• The Summer Internship team will send off all applications only after the application deadline has passed (employers are not considering applications on a rolling basis).
• Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
• Do not submit any extra paperwork unless it is specifically requested by the employer.
• A written reference is not required to apply. However, you should make sure you have a referee available who can be called upon to provide a reference if requested by the host organisation. If you are asked for a reference, please ask your referee to use this Reference Form.

Get help with your applications

There is a lot of support available from the Internship Office and Careers Service to help you with your application. See our webpages on how to write a one page CV, and how to write a personal statement.

Throughout the application period for the Summer Internship Programme, we hold regular application support sessions. We can discuss your internship goals, clarify any questions you have about the programmes, or provide feedback on CVs and personal statements. Sign up to a session on CareerConnect with our team or one of our Careers Advisors.

The Internship Office aims to make opportunities equally available to all current, matriculated Oxford students, regardless of race, gender or degree of disability. This policy is in accordance with the Careers Service mission statement, and the University’s Integrated Equal Opportunities Policy. To discuss any confidential issue relating to any additional needs you may have, please email summer-internships@careers.ox.ac.uk.

Processing applications

• Your application will be considered by the host organisation after the closing date. Organisations are requested to shortlist and interview within a defined time-frame, but it is not always possible for them to do so.

Interviews

• If your application is being taken forward by the employer, they will communicate directly with you to inform you whether you will need to have an interview, and what form this will take.
• The Careers Service has a webpage on interviews to help you prepare.

If your application is successful

If your application is successful you will be contacted directly by the host organisation.

Firstly, you should think carefully about whether you are serious in committing to the offer. Please only accept the internship if you fully intend to see it through.

If you decide to accept the offer you should now think about the next steps:

• Do you have adequate funds to undertake the internship? 
• Have you discussed the details of the internship project with the host organisation?
• If you are travelling abroad have you completed the mandatory e-learning module on 'Planning for a Safe Internship' offered by the Internship Office, and researched the necessary vaccination and visa requirements?
• Please look through your roles and responsibilities which you agreed to at the application stage.

When you are sure you are in a position to accept the offer, please confirm your acceptance with the employer.

If your application is not successful

If your application is not successful, you will be contacted by the host organisation. Please note that if your applications are unsuccessful, you will still be able to apply to further internships on the programme that have later deadline dates.

Checklist

In applying for an internship through The Summer Internship Programme you agree to the following roles and responsibilities. Please read through the list below carefully and use it as a checklist to help prepare for your internship. This list is a mandatory component of the programme and online application form; you will be unable to submit an application unless you agree to the below.

By applying to and participating in the Oxford University Summer Internship Programme I agree to:

• Satisfy myself that the internship is suitable for my needs in terms of content and environment.
• Take responsibility for checking the viability of the internship, including (for international internships) regularly checking the Foreign Office website, as well as local guidance to ensure the internship can be undertaken.
• Cover directly any costs arising from health protection measures, such as quarantine, testing or any other requirements of travel, save where the costs are expressly covered by any scholarship or other funding which I may be awarded relating to the internship. The Internship Office cannot be held responsible for additional costs that arise.
• My personal data being transferred to the internship host for the purpose of assessing my application. I also accept that my data may be processed by the internship host in a country outside of the UK’s GDPR adequacy regulations.
• Under no circumstances accept an internship that I do not fully intend to complete. (Students who are in doubt as to whether to accept an internship offer should seek advice from the Internship Office or a Careers Adviser). Please note that students can accept a maximum of 2 internships through the Summer Internship Programme.
• Make travel arrangements and, where necessary, find suitable accommodation for the duration of the internship.
• Contribute to the internship in a professional manner.
• Obtain adequate travel and medical insurance which includes cover for personal money and property risks; any emergency medical expenses; and repatriation in case of a medical emergency or death.
• Act as an ambassador for the University of Oxford, being aware at all times that my personal conduct both on placement and outside of work will reflect upon myself and the university.
• Communicate regularly with the assigned point of contact within the host organisation.
• Research the terms of any University or College travel grants that I wish to apply for to complement any stipend that may be offered by the host organisation or through the programme and apply for such grant(s) in good time.
• (For International Internships) Ensure that my passport is up to date and understand how long my passport must be valid for to enter the required country.
• Obtain visa and work permits where necessary and take responsibility for making enquiries as to whether these are required. See our webpage on international travel and work experience visas for useful tips and resources.
• (For International Internships) Arrange to have any necessary vaccinations etc which may be appropriate for the host country.
• Advise the Internship Office on summer-internships@careers.ox.ac.uk if any difficulties arise before or during an internship that may affect my ability to complete the placement.
• Provide feedback to Oxford University at the end of the internship.

I understand:

• The package of support or funding that is offered with this internship, and it is my responsibility to satisfy myself that the internship is financially viable for me. If a host is funding this internship and I become aware of any difficulties in receiving payment from the host organisation I will notify the Internship Office immediately. I understand that the Internship Office is not responsible for reimbursing me in respect of any funding the host organisation may fail to pay me.
• That there is support available from the Careers Service, should I wish to declare a physical or mental disability or any health issues that I feel may impact my internship. Further, that while the Careers Service can communicate disability-related needs to the internship provider on my behalf, the University is not responsible for the steps, if any, taken by the host organisation in response to that information and cannot advise on the extent of the host organisation’s obligation, if any, to make reasonable adjustments.
• That if I am successful in securing an international internship, it is my responsibility to take reasonable steps to familiarise myself with the laws and customs of the location I am travelling to, including checking the Foreign Office website.
• That if I accept an international internship I must complete the mandatory Careers Service training on ‘Planning for a Safe Internship’ before going and undertake appropriate research into the laws and customs of the country, to ensure that  I understand any risks associated with such travel (visit the dedicated Foreign Office webpage with useful advice for solo female travellers, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travellers, as well as Mental health travel advice).
• That the University is not responsible in any way for the acts and/or omissions of the host organisation or any other aspect of my internship experience.

I confirm the information provided in this application is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and true, and I understand that inaccurate or untruthful information may compromise my application and/or terms of agreement of the internship and/or lead to the offer of the internship being withdrawn.

Join our Internship Alert mailing list

You can join our mailing list in order to receive information and updates about our internship programmes and their opportunities. To do so, sign up through the Internship Alert webform.

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 Careers Service news pages and newsletter

You can also keep updated with our programmes by keeping an eye on the Careers Service News page. The weekly Careers Service newsletter also highlights any important news about our office featured on the blog.

Follow the Internship Office Facebook page

We regularly post news about the Internship Programme on our dedicated Facebook page, so please follow the page to stay up to date!

Can the Internship Office provide funds for external internships?

No. Unfortunately, we do not provide funds/bursaries for external internships (i.e., those not offered through the Summer Internship Programme), however, the Internship Office sometimes has access to leftover funds that are not fully used by our Summer Internship Programme, if this is the case, we usually publicise it towards the end of the academic year in May/June time. Please join our Internship Alert mailing list here: https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/internships-alert to be notified about this opportunity. We strongly encourage you to contact your college/department as they may have grants/bursaries available for this purpose.

Can the Internship Office or the University cover my travel insurance for my international placement?

No. Internships offered through the Summer Internship Programme fall outside of “university business”, therefore University insurance cannot be used. The University of Oxford travel insurance is for university business only, such as work-related travel for staff, or specific research field trips, etc. Internships are not connected with your course of study, so they are not considered to be university business. Therefore, we request that all students taking part in internships source their own private insurance that meets their needs.

I would like someone to have a look at my CV and personal statement before submitting my application, can you help?

Yes. You can book a one-to-one application support session with a member of our team on CareerConnect in the ‘Appointments’ section or book a session with one of our Careers Advisers.

I’m a visiting student. Can I apply for the Summer Internship Programme?

No. Unfortunately, visiting students are not eligible to apply for our internship programmes. However, you are entitled to book an appointment with a Careers Advisor and attend talks, workshops and fairs offered by the Careers Service. See our Careers Service eligibility grid.

I have suspended my studies. Can I apply for the Summer Internship Programme?

Yes. Students who have suspended their studies are eligible to apply for our internship programmes.

Can the Internship Office sign a modified internship agreement?

No. The internship agreements offered by the Oxford University Internship Office have been carefully and thoroughly checked and agreed by the University's legal services team, and we can only sign the version approved by the University. See more details on our Internship Agreements webpage.

I’m an international student and I’m not sure if I have the right to work in the UK for a UK placement, can the Internship Office help?

Please note that the Internship Office is not allowed to provide any immigration advice/guidance. Therefore, please contact the Oxford University Student Immigration team directly at student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk to check if you have the right to work in the UK.

I have been selected for an international placement and I’m not sure which type of visa I should apply for. Can the Internship Office provide advice on this?

No. The Careers Service and Internship Office cannot provide any advice on visas, and students are encouraged to research the visa they require. If you need a visa, discuss with your employer which visa you should apply for and read our International Travel and Work Experience Visas webpage.

What’s the maximum duration for summer internships?

In general 12 weeks, but UGs and PGs non-finalists can do maximum 8 weeks, and finalists and 1-year masters students can undertake summer internships for up to 12 weeks.

Can I accept two summer internship offers?

Yes, as long as the two summer internships do not overlap during the summer vacation. You cannot accept more than two internship offers through the Summer Internship Programme.

I am a masters student and I will be writing my dissertation in the summer. If I want to join my host from September/October onwards, can I apply to the Summer Internship Programme?

Yes, as long as you submit your application while you are a matriculated student and your internship host agrees to a delayed timeline. Final year students can start their summer internship in September as long as the maximum duration is 12 weeks. Please note that Turing funding will be unavailable in this case.