Internships and Work Experience

Most people think of internships as a structured placement lasting several weeks over the summer, but internships can come in many different shapes and sizes - and they are also not the only type of work experience. Depending on what types of work or employers interest you, you could also consider some of these options:

• Virtual internships are usually open to all students. You can find them on websites such as The Forage, which offers online case studies which you can complete in your own time, or Bright Network who run live online experiences. Virtual internships can give you a real insight into an area of work - and they can look great on your CV. 
• Insight programmes usually only last a day or so and are designed to let you experience a specific employer. They can be highly competitive as successful candidates are sometimes fast-tracked to full internships programmes in future years.
• Off-cycle internships happen, as the name suggests, usually happen at different times of year and are common in finance/investments.

At the University of Aberdeen, we also offer part-time internships, during term time and in the summer, in person and virtual, through our ABDN internship programme.  All of our opportunities are paid and give you professional work experience.

What is right for you will depend on many factors and, of course, on your career plans. You are welcome to discuss your ideas with us in an appointment.

Most summer internships are full-time. This means they are not usually an option for international postgraduate students. Find out more on our Job search for international students page.

While you can find a good range of internship vacancies on MyCareerHub, it is certainly not the only source. Depending on what you are looking for, we also recommend that you look at - and, where possible, subscribe to:

• Internship and graduate job websites such as Bright Network, Target or HIGHERiN. These general websites advertise a wide range of opportunities, usually with large employers. Our Work Experience resources list a number of these websites.
• Sector- or job-specific websites such as Gradcracker which specialises in STEM vacancies.
• Employer websites - If you have specific employers in mind, then you can also go directly to their careers pages. We also recommend that you research and subscribe to their social media channels (particularly LinkedIn), so you don't miss anything.

However, if you can't find what you are looking for, don't worry: not everything is advertised in the same way. You might be able to find more suitable opportunities on other websites or you might need to look in other, more creative ways. You can always book an appointment to discuss your ideas and options with us.

Our mini career course on "Finding internship opportunities" is a great introduction to the different types of internship opportunities available to you, where to find them and also how to find "hidden" opportunities.

Internships can be just as competitive as graduate jobs - and sometimes even more so. This doesn't mean that you should make a huge number of applications. Instead, focus on the quality of your applications, so you give yourself the best chance each time you apply.

Our CVs, Applications and Interview pages give you information on all stages of the recruitment process, from CVs to assessment centres. You don't need to have a specific opportunity in mind to start drafting or updating your CV. You can always adjust your document later to tailor it.

Once you have drafted your application, you can also ask for feedback, either by booking an appointment or submitting it via our Ask a question service.