Internships

• The scheme is open to all students currently studying at the Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Loughton campuses of the University of Essex and recent Essex graduates (from the last three years)* 
• University of Essex international, EU, and UK students and recent graduates can apply, as long as they are eligible to work in the UK.
• Students must be fully registered onto their first year of study at Essex before they can join the scheme.
• ERASMUS/Exchange students can join the scheme during their time at Essex; however any internship undertaken must be completed before they leave the University of Essex. Once they have finished their studies here they will be withdrawn from the scheme
•  Students who leave the University without completing a qualification will not be eligible to continue to take part in the Essex Interns scheme as they are not graduates. 
• Intermitting students are deemed to have their student status temporarily suspended and will be withdrawn from the scheme until they return to the University to resume studying.
• The scheme is not open to students who are or have registered for study at a partner organisation.

*Except for graduates who have gone on to further study at post-graduate level outside of the University of Essex. In this case they will fall under the careers support of their most recent University.

Important information

• Employers will require you to provide proof of your Right to Work in the UK before you can commence any internship.
• Students who have student immigration permission will have restrictions on the maximum number of hours a week that they are allowed to work in term time and the type of work they can do. Your terms and vacations are determined by official University term starts and end dates for your course (not the date you finish exams or study). For more information about the work conditions that apply to those with student immigration permission please read our immigration pages.

There is no limit to the number of internship a student or graduate may take while they are eligible to be part of the Essex Interns scheme however:

• A student or graduate cannot work on an internship with the same employer more than once.
• Students and graduates cannot work on more than one internship at the same time.
• Students should only work in an internship during term time that does not exceed the University of Essex guidelines on the total number of weekly hours worked – currently up to 15 hours. No student may take an internship of more than 20 hours a week during their term time. Other extracurricular work including frontrunner positions, and jobs should be taken into account within these limits.

Essex Interns work with a wide range of business sectors and organisations from charities and Not for Profits, to commercial businesses and creative and cultural organisations such as museums and theatres, to create exclusive opportunities including roles in administration, project work, fundraising, marketing, business management, IT and research.  We encourage students to be open minded about the opportunities, as many skills are transferrable from role to role.

Our internships are predominantly based in Essex, London and Suffolk, but we can seek internship offers from employers nationwide.  Internships are available all year round, as and when we receive them from employers and could be part time around your studies or full or part time during vacations or on graduation.

If you have student immigration permission there are restrictions on the type of work you can do. Please read our immigration pages.

All Essex Interns managed internships will be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (some may offer a higher rate).

As well as being paid to improve your skills and develop your knowledge of different sectors of business, you will be able to make a significant contribution towards the development of the organisation you will be working in. There may also be opportunities to continue working within the company after the internship. Other benefits include gaining practical knowledge of the sector of work, training and development opportunities, and networking. 

Please note: The promotion of an internship by Essex Interns does not constitute full endorsement of either the employer or the opportunity by Essex Interns. Information is provided in good faith but it is the responsibility of the applicant to carry out their own research and due diligence in order to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of both the opportunity and the employer for their own purposes.