What comes to mind when you think of internships? Office attire and Excel spreadsheets? Thankfully, that's not the whole picture. As an intern, you could be organising a music festival or working with animals at a wildlife trust — the sky's the limit. That’s why many students, even first-year undergraduates, are eager to apply for summer internships to gain exciting work experience, even if it's just for a few weeks.
There are three main reasons behind the popularity of summer internships, which are now increasingly being offered to first-year students as well as those in the second or final year of their degree studies in the UK.
🎯Gain real work experience in the industry (paid/unpaid)
🎯Build soft skills under professional guidance
🎯Secure a successful job offer upon completion
In this article, we will be diving deep into various aspects of summer internships with a focus on first-year students in the UK through the following angles:
💼 Summer internships for first year undergraduates
- Relevance of summer internships
- Non-STEM related internships availability
- STEM-related internships in the UK
- Government vs Non-government based internships
- Other summer work experience suggestions
🚀 Overview of Summer Internships for Undergraduates
Regardless of your undergraduate programme at university, you will always be encouraged to apply for summer internships.
If you are currently a first-year university student, you might notice an increase in postings for insight programmes or spring weeks, rather than summer internship vacancies, offered by various organisations. What do these programmes actually entail, and why are they mostly targeted towards first-year students?
🧠 Insight Programmes vs Summer Internships
Insight programmes are specifically designed with first-year undergraduate students in mind, as they offer a short (a few days) and focused introduction to the industry — particularly the corporate world, organisational culture, and various career paths.
Summer internships, on the other hand, are mostly undertaken by second-year or final-year students over a longer period (ranging from weeks to months). Internships offer a glimpse of real-world career experience with genuine work responsibilities.
More companies and organisations in the UK are gradually offering internship programmes that are specifically open to first-year undergraduates for one main reason: to secure younger talent early for more efficient hiring in the future.
Look for internships without any age restrictions (as long as you're above 18)
Look for diversity internship schemes which target applicants with the following criteria:
✅Low-income backgrounds
✅Female
✅Ethnic minorities
✅Those with disabilities
🔬 STEM Student Internships (First-Year Undergraduates)
First, let's talk about the STEM student internships that first-year undergraduates can apply during the summer holidays. Working experience in the STEM industry is highly valued, and many first-year students actually look forward to being part of practical work and projects in the industry, as it would help them gain insights into the application of the theories and calculations that they have studied during their lectures.
Here are some STEM student internship examples for those in the physical sciences or life sciences field:
For example, Rolls-Royce UK offers a 10-week summer internship for any student who is working on a STEM degree or joint STEM degree.
For example, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) offers a 6-week internship program in Bangor for undergraduate students in the UK who are passionate about environmental science and global challenges.
We recognise that some first-year students may have an interest in research and a desire to experience what postgraduate life in STEM entails. Here are some research-based summer internships offered by various higher learning institutions:
For example, Lancaster University offers vacation summer internships in mathematical sciences to its students under the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
For example, Imperial College London offers summer internships for students who are pursuing any undergraduate degree at the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department under the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP).
🎨 Non-STEM Student Internships (First-Year Undergraduates)
Now, it's time to look at the non-STEM student internships. First-year students, it's important to note that some non-STEM summer internships are specialised due to the nature of the company, such as those offered by arts-related organisations. On the other hand, there are also large corporations like universities or research-based companies that offer a wider range of general internship positions to cater to the various subfields and departments available.
As you review some of the examples below, it's best to check their latest application deadlines, as they may differ each year.
For instance, if you are currently studying a Mass Communication degree or an English language degree, you can consider the following summer internship suggestions:
For example, the BBC offers a 5-week internship under the CRBA Summer Diversity Internship Scheme to explore the relationship between media and business.
For example, Penguin Books UK offers an 8-week summer internship, where it's open to candidates above 18 years old from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
On the other hand, there are also non-STEM internships that covers different the business and operation aspects of the organisation, and supports applicants of different undergraduate programes.
For example, Pfizer offers 2 to 12 weeks' internships for first-year students (any university student) under the Summer Student Programme. Areas of interest include: Finance, general business, marketing, and regulatory affairs.
For example, the University of Bath offers an 8-week Bath Insights Internship Programme for students to work at different departments in the university.
Don't forget to check out the opportunities for summer placements for Year 12 students.
🏛️ Government and NGO Summer Internships: What To Know
Apart from summer internships in STEM and non-STEM fields, many students also choose government and NGO internships to make the most of their summer holidays. These internships cover various fields, are open to students of any major from History, Political Science, Business, and even STEM fields and appeal to those passionate about contributing to society.
If this sounds like you, here are some important things to keep in mind during the application process — whether you're applying for a government internship or an NGO internship.
✅ Government internships
- Limited availability and competitive, especially for first-year students
- More elaborate application process (eligibility requirements and security clearance)
- Mostly paid, formal working environment, which could be more rigid (on-site)
- Usually applied by those who plan to work in the public sector one day
✅ NGO
internships
- Very much targeted towards first-year students with a high volunteering focus
- Many NGO internships are unpaid roles, only covering basic expenses (meals)
- Remote internships are more commonly offered
- Usually applied by those who are drawn to meaningful, mission-driven work
Having said that, it's important to apply for an internship that matches your career aspirations, skill focus development, and also your personal fulfilment. Here are two examples to give you an idea of what to expect regarding internship duration, eligibility, and remuneration.
For example, the Civil Service has a Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme (6-8 weeks) for students in their final 2 years at university (second year at least) with a 2:2 or higher in any degree subject. Interns are currently paid £430 per week (paid monthly).
For example, Wellcome Trust has an 8-week summer internship for first and second-year undergraduates from July to August at their office in London. Interns are currently paid £13.85 per hour.
🌟 Make the Most of Alternative Summer Internship Opportunities
Granted, summer internship opportunities for first-year students are relatively limited compared to those available to second- or final-year students. As a result, despite your best efforts, you might not land your desired internship. The good news is that summer internships are just one of many types of work experience you can pursue as a university student in the UK. Here are some of the options that you can look into to make the most of your summer holidays.
🔍 Join Spring Weeks and Insights days
As mentioned earlier, this is one way for first-year students to explore various careers. Spring weeks are relatively short and offer a glimpse into the industry and what a typical working day looks like, whether within the company itself or through other professional commitments. For example, HSBC offers a four-day insight programme for first-year students in the areas of wealth and personal banking, as well as commercial banking.
Spring weeks or Insight programmes are a great way to build a strong skillset and networking skills. Many applicants of these programmes end up receiving an offer for summer internships with the organisation the following year, which could even lead to a potential job offer upon graduation.
🔍 Virtual internships
Online learning is not the next big thing, it is now the next big thing.
Donna J. Abernarthy
With a wide selection of virtual internship options these days, you can have the best of both worlds by acquiring important skills about various industries at your fingertips, anywhere and anytime. Platforms like UCAS and Bright Network offer various virtual internship programmes for free, and full certification upon completion. For instance, some of the industries covered by the 4-day Virtual Internship Experience UK (or IEUK) under Bright Network include:
- Commercial Law
- Finance, Professional Services & Consulting
- Technology and Engineering
- Business, Operations, and Marketing
Important note: The current 2025 application deadline for IKUK is 6th July 2025, 11:59 p.m, and the internship will take place from 14th-17th July 2025.
Since 2020
🔍 Volunteering/ Part-time Job/Freelancing
At the end of the day, every form of work experience counts, whether it's paid or unpaid. Whether you're volunteering at a library or an animal shelter, working part-time as a waiter, or freelancing as a photographer for a friend's graduation, you can include these experiences on your CV.
Detail each work experience by highlighting the skills you learned and applied, ensuring a balance between hard and soft skills.
If you need any assistance to curate a good CV, you can always hire an experienced CV writing tutor from Superprof to guide you and give you personalised feedback.
At Superprof, you can master any subject from the best tutors in the UK. All you need to do is indicate the subject you want to learn and your current location to start browsing a wide selection of tutors' profiles. From their profile, you can view their tutoring experience, tutoring qualification, tutoring methodology, and hourly rates before booking your first lesson.
We hope this article has given you some valuable insights on summer internships for first-year students in the UK. May you have a successful application and the best working experience this summer!
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