Why intern abroad in the UK?
We’re putting our serious hat on for a sec. The pointy graduation one. Getting hands-on work experience in your academic field can be essential to nailing that first job after college. And in a competitive job market, immersing yourself in a different cultural and professional environment with an internship overseas can set you apart from other candidates. Plus, the UK is a total boss when it comes to internships abroad. A cultural, creative and corporate superpower – every sector and industry are represented here. You’ll learn from leaders in your field, build your network, and grow personally and professionally by living and working in one of the most dynamic and diverse places in the world. A win for your work life – and your social life.
Intern UK for up to 12 months
Just graduated and having a ‘what’s next?’ moment?
The UK is one of the top places in the world to do an internship overseas. But there's an expiration date on nailing that global experience and British accent. You must have entered the UK and started your internship within 24 months of your graduation certificate.
This way to the UK!
Intern UK | fr $1,539
Handled by our dedicated London team, we provide the UK sponsorship and visa expertise to intern in the UK for a summer or up to a year on an overseas internship.
If you’re a current full-time student, Intern UK is perfect if you need to get academic credit as part of your degree, or want to use your summer break or a semester away to get valuable short-term work experience. Or if you’ve graduated in the last two years, it’s a unique window to come to the UK for up to 12 months – increasing your earning potential, growing your skillset and building your professional contacts.
Internships can be paid or voluntary, 1-12 months, and we can sponsor you if you're applying from your home country – or if you're an international student on a study visa.
About the visa
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Who and for how long
What visa do I need? To intern abroad in the UK, you need to be eligible for a Temporary Work GAE (Government Authorised Exchange) visa – previously known as the Tier 5 visa. This allows international students and recent grads to come to the UK for 1-12 months to complete short-term work experience. To be eligible for this visa, you must be:
- 18+
- Any nationality
- Either a full-time degree level student (unfortunately distance learning is not permitted on this visa); or a recent graduate who will start their UK internship within 24 months of the date on your graduation certificate.
- If English isn’t your native language, you’ll need to show a SELT (Secure English Language Test) certificate equal or above of a B2, or IELTS score of 6.0.
- You must be able to show proof of funds of £1,270 when applying for your sponsorship and when you enter the UK.
- You must not have interned at your host company before. (We can sponsor you up to two times, but it must be at different UK companies).
- You cannot work alongside your internship on this visa, for example, you can’t do a casual bar job while doing your internship.
- You must have travel insurance that includes a minimum of USD $100,000 medical cover and repatriation of mortal remains. (Our team can suggest an insurance provider).
- You must have an internship offer that has been vetted by our team to ensure it meets the UK Government’s criteria for this visa. (See the below tabs for the types of internships that are permitted).
Why do I need a sponsor? Before you can apply for a Temporary Work GAE visa, you must have a government-approved UK sponsor (This is us, BTW). Together with our UK sibling company, BUNAC, we provide the placement and host company vetting to issue the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) you need to apply for your visa.
The visa process includes an online application and in-person biometrics appointment in your home country. (EU passport holders with e-passports can complete their biometrics online). The Temporary Work GAE visa itself costs £298 and must be paid directly to UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration). For internships over 6 months, you are required to pay an IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) of £1,035. This gives you access to NHS (National Health Service) treatment while in the UK and is paid directly to UKVI.
Finding an internship
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Where and what you can do
What industries can I work in? Marketing internships, fashion internships, accounting internships, publishing internships, museums internships... the UK hosts every sector and industry under the sun. (And despite the rainy reputation, we do get epic summers. Not to mention, your Euro Summer is only a 90-minute train under the channel...).
Apart from interning in healthcare and hospitality, we can sponsor you to work in pretty much any field. And unlike some student or grad visas, your UK internship doesn’t have to be connected to your degree - giving you the freedom to get experience in a sector that’s aligned with your future career aspirations.
Where can I work? While most interns tend to head for London, you can intern anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – getting to see more than just the capital and saving some ££ on rent.
Like any experience worth having, finding an internship can be hard going. It takes research, determination and some minor-but-legal stalking on LinkedIn. Or paying a placement company to sort it for you. We reach out to UK companies actively searching for interns, vet the roles, and add them to our online Job Hub where you can search and apply directly (book Placement Support program).
Internship criteria
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Plus, paid and voluntary roles
Are internships paid? We can sponsor you to do a voluntary (or unpaid) internship, or a paid internship. Salaries vary between placements, but they must meet the minimum wage requirements below. The cost of living in the UK, especially in London, might be higher than in your home country. While we don’t offer accommodation, we work with some great people who do. When you book, we’ll give you all the intel you need on how to find a place to live.
Internship criteria checklist It’s a UK immigration requirement that your internship must be:
- A maximum of 12 months in duration and at least 25 hours per week.
- A supernumerary position, meaning that the role is not taking the place of a permanent employee.
- It must include complex activities rather than routine tasks, backed up by a detailed training plan (read: you’re not making copies, or coffees).
- It must include employer supervision. We look for a ‘full-time staff to intern’ ratio of 5:1.
- If it’s a paid internship, it must meet the UK’s National Minimum Wage legislation.
- If it’s a voluntary internship, it must meet UK Volunteer Rights guidelines. Internship longer than six months must be paid.
- Your host company should be registered with Companies House in the UK for at least the last 12 months.
- At least 30% of a hybrid internship must be based in the company’s registered office. You cannot be fully remote.
How we help As a global family of work abroad brands, we’ve worked closely with the UK Government since 2009 to launch this unique program for students and grads. We know the rules inside and out – so get on the dog and bone (Cockney for phone) if you have any questions. Don’t know what a Cockney is? Watch a Guy Ritchie film before you jet in.
How it works
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Step-by-step support
The whole process, from assessing your internship offer to attending your visa appointment, can take up to 12 weeks. Please start the Intern UK process as early as possible, especially if you’re heading out for a summer internship in the UK.
1. Check the eligibility Check the ‘About the visa’ tab above to make sure you’re eligible for the Temporary Work GAE visa.
2. Find an internship You must have an internship offer before we can sponsor you.
- If you already have an internship lined up, great – just ensure if meets the criteria checklist in the tab above and pay your deposit.
3. Vetting and paperwork Once you have your internship offer, our team will vet your placement and host company to ensure it meets the immigration requirements for this visa. We’ll then issue the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) you need to apply for your Temporary Work GAE visa.
4. Apply for your visa Unfortunately, we’re not able to apply for your UK visa for you – it must be done via the UK Visa and Immigration website (UKVI). Our team have assisted thousands of students with this part of their application, and provide step-by-step guidance.
5. Attend your appointment You’ll then need to send your passport to a UK Visa Application Centre in your home country and attend a biometrics appointment (mugshot and fingerprints). EU passport holders with e-passports can do this part online.
6. Sort the essentials Once your visa is secured, it’s safe to book your flights and UK accommodation. In your online customer account, you’ll find information and advice with everything you need to know about moving to the UK.
7. Arrive in the UK You’ll independently start your internship in the UK. Our UK JENZA team will be in touch for monthly check-ups, check-ins with your supervisor, and will be on hand if you need anything.
What's included
Inclusions
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) required to apply for your Temporary Work GAE visa
- Step-by-step guidance on applying for your visa and attending your biometrics appointment
- Evaluation of your internship offer to ensure it meets the UK visa requirements
- Vetting of your prospective UK employer to ensure they comply with UK regulations
- Support with the essentials, from finding UK accommodation to travel insurance
- Monthly check-ins with the London team to ensure your training is going to plan
Cost 0-6 month internship - USD $1,539 6-12 month internship - USD $1,639
Why is it more? For internships over 6 months, we’re required to do a second site visit to your employer.
See below for visa fees and any additional costs.
What's not included
UK Temporary Work GAE visa. This is paid directly UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration) and currently costs £298.
Support funds (UK). As a requirement of your visa, you’ll need to show proof of £2,530 in support funds.
Travel insurance for the UK. It’s a requirement to have travel insurance that covers the duration of your trip and repatriation back to your home country. We partner with Global Secutive, leaders in travel insurance for international exchange students and visitors, who’ll be able to provide a quote for your trip that meets UK Government requirements for this visa.
Employee pre-site visit (if required) USD $150 (or currency equivalent). We will need to conduct an in-person visit, prior to approving your internship, for any UK company who has fewer than 20 full-time employees, less than £3 million turnover, or who has been trading for less than two years.
SELT. If English isn’t your native language, you’ll need to provide a SELT certificate equal or above of a B2, or IELTS score of 6.0.
Flights. We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved.
Accommodation in the UK. The resource section in your online account has advice and recommendations on finding UK accommodation.
Intern UK Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) For internships over 6 months, this is £1,035
What our UK roadtester had to say
Why intern abroad vs intern at home?
Doing a professional internship during or after university is a tried-and-tested way of increasing your employability. But doing an internship overseas, is like internship 2.0 for your resume. For future employers, it shows you have the confidence and drive to take on new challenges and adapt to different cultural environments. And for you, it will expose you to wider range of industries, opportunities and cultures that you might not have experienced at home. Plus, the global citizen card is massive. And who doesn’t want a summer of music festivals and rooftop hangs in London, with jollies over to Europe on your weekends off?
JENZA Travel International Ltd, trading as JENZA, is a company registered in Dublin, Ireland with Registered Company No. 707281 and registered address at 29-31 South William St, Dublin, Ireland, D02 EY96.