The Summer Experience Programme

The Summer Experience internship programme gives organisations access to a pool of enthusiastic and skilled students who are seeking valuable work experience during the summer vacation period. The benefits include:

• Additional expertise and resource at little or no cost to the organisation,
• Dynamic fresh ideas and enthusiasm to help move your company forward,
• Opportunity to implement valuable plans into action,
• Access to leading edge technological skills from current undergraduate students,
• Strengthened links to the University to connect to other business support initiatives.

We are looking for a diverse range of projects to engage our students, so will be happy to consider applications from local and regional businesses in all sectors and industries.

How it works

1. Define Your Offer: Determine what you want to offer based on your organisational needs. Discuss with our team to design your project brief. Please take a look at our case studies section to see what kind of projects have been completed in previous years.
2. Submit Project Brief: Complete the Project Brief Form detailing specifics like project details, dates, candidate profile, and application method.
3. Advertise the Internship: The internship is advertised to first and second-year undergraduates via our jobs board, emails, and social media.
4. Application Process: Students apply with a CV and cover letter. Applications are received by our team and forwarded to you for shortlisting and interviews.
5. Placement Start: Internships typically start from late May to July and should last at least six weeks (or part-time equivalent).
6. Mid-Placement Check: A team member will visit around the halfway point to ensure everything is running smoothly.
7. Celebration Event: After internships are completed, a celebration event is held for employers, students, and university staff. Awards may be presented based on nominations.

If you have any specific questions or need further assistance, please contact Shereen Hussain on 01274 232001, or email [email protected].

Costs involved

The host organisation pays students approximately £408.80 per week via the university payroll. The university manages all payroll administration. We can also offer you additional funding for six weeks subject to the following criteria:

• SME (less than 250 employees): Receive 50% funding for six-week internships (or more), with a cost to your organisation of £1,482.60 for placements between May and July 2025.
• Large Organisation (over 250 employees): Fully fund six-week internships at a cost of £2,965, with flexible scheduling throughout the summer.
• Charities - 100% funded for six weeks with no cost to the organisation.

Please note that there are a limited number of funded and part-funded placements. Any payment due is required upfront within the first week of the start of the internship and will be subject to immediate payment terms.

Case Studies

Employers and students on Summer Experience share their stories of their placement experiences.

Employer feedback for the Summer Experience programme

Get in touch

For further information or an informal chat please contact Shereen Hussain  on 01274 232001, or email [email protected]