INTERNSHIP IN LONDON

An internship is a personal investment of your time in return for someone else's expertise.

Yes we do!

Internships are fast becoming a necessary step to gaining the vital experience needed in order to enter the job market 'running' - experience which gives you the edge over others who may not have done an internship and thus makes you more attractive to potential employers. Taking up an unpaid internship confirms your genuine interest in any particular sector and removes any doubt a potential employer may have about your motivation for applying for a particular job.

The minimum stay is 6 weeks and there is no maximum duration, however stays of longer than 6 months are uncommon. The longer you stay, the more attractive it is for host companies and also you should receive increased responsibility within your placement.

At the moment placements/internships are only available in London, however in the near future we plan to offer Cambridge as a potential destination.

Unfortunately we cannot offer internship placement to non EU students.

You must me minimum 17 years old and have a reasonable level of English.

The minimum recommended level of English you should have is 'intermediate' or a minimum of level 'A2' using the European Self Assessment Grid - meaning you should be able to communicate without difficulty through English on various familiar/everyday situations. Having a lower level than this will make it difficult for you to understand what is going on in your host company and therefore no benefit will come from taking up an internship as there will be no basic communication ability upon which to improve while based in a busy work environment.

Most professional sectors are available for office based work such as HR, Marketing, Tourism, Finance, Computers/IT, etc.. (Click here for a full list) There are also opportunities for more technical placements however a longer stay of approx 12-24 weeks would be necessary.

No, internships in UK are on an unpaid basis. Some host companies do provide the cost of a local bus/rail ticket during your placement which will cover the cost of local transportation in the city of your placement/internship.

You should be prepared to work a full working week, in UK this means 40 hours per week, normally Monday-Friday but depending on the sector or nature of the internship, shift/weekend work may be an integral part of your experience. In most cases interns will have reduced working hours of 30-35 hours per week... however on occasion you may be required to work longer.

This will depend on many factors such as your level of English, length of stay, etc... and most importantly your attitude towards the work you are given, no matter how simple it may seem! As a minimum you will be providing administrative assistance or office support for the full time staff... at the other end of the spectrum you may become involved with serious projects the company is embarking upon.

Some companies wish to interview interns as a matter of procedure and maintaining standards. Other companies may have a doubt over your level of English (for example if the work involves much customer contact) and may request an interview to confirm your level. If you are not already in UK then a telephone interview will be arranged and normally it will be you who phones the host company for the interview, in the same way you would go to the company's office for a personal interview.

They are not obliged to do this, however it can happen and typically 5% of all interns are offered permanent/contract positions within their host company.

In this case you are one of the lucky ones! You will be responsible to deal directly with the host company on all issues regarding contracts and payment.

Surprisingly no! There is one fee per placement no matter how long you stay. Even for the minimum stay of 6 weeks, the cost of an internship is cheaper (per hour) than a language course for the same 6 weeks! Also as there is only one placement fee, a 12 week internship will cost the same as a 6 week internship (excluding accommodation)!

Yes, official certificates from Internship In London are available, this certificate will provide you with confirmation of your start date, duration, and host company name (plus department in which you worked) - it will not specify which tasks you performed. In addition, if you request a written reference letter from your host company then they should be able to assist and normally this will list some of your daily tasks.

Yes, your personal contact information will not be used for any purposes other than those related to your work experience or host family accommodation. Unless you specifically authorize it, your details will not even be shared with other interns for friendship purposes!

The advantages are that you will not have to worry about things like food shopping, utility bills, laundry expenses, isolation, security deposits, etc... it also allows you to make new friendships with people from another country and gain an insight to a different culture.

The disadvantages are that you should abide by house rules and as every family is different, so are the rules/customs. However most host families will open their home and treat you as an adult, granting you certain freedoms, but it is always important to remember that you are a guest in their house and will not have the same freedoms as you would if living in your own rented accommodation.

Included in the price is single room accommodation, laundry washed once per week (but you must do your own ironing!), breakfast & evening meal, electricity/gas, and hot water. Use of the telephone and internet access are strictly under the control of the host family and their decision on such things should be respected, there are many internet and call shops available if your family does not permit use of the phone, internet, etc. Reasons for refusal of permission for these items can be a result of a bad experience with previous/other interns or students who may have abused permission to use the phone/internet. It should be remembered that this permission should be seen as a luxury more than a 'right'.

Rooms vary greatly in size and facilities, there is no official grading system for host families as there is with hotels/guesthouses. We would grade families on the warmth of their welcome rather than their social status. It will be highly unlikely that you will have a private bathroom or items such as television etc in your room.

We endeavor to place you as close to your host company as possible, normally on a direct transport link. However in some cases, typically at busier times of the year, it may not be possible to place you close to your host company. Travel times of 1hour should be expected.

You may ask your host family if they can stay with you but the family are under no obligation to accept. If the family does accept, always offer to pay for the stay as if staying in a guesthouse. Otherwise there are various options for hotels/hostels/guesthouses available in London.

You will need to check with your host family when you arrive what rules they may have in place. Normally you will be granted freedom to come and go as you please, but please remember communication and politeness are the key to a successful stay. Always ask before taking something which is not normally included in your stay, etc... this will make your stay more comfortable if you can establish good open communication with your host family.

When making your booking you will be asked to detail any medical requirements, special dietary needs, or allergies you may have. These will then be passed on to the host family before your arrival so they are aware of your needs. It will also be helpful if you remind the family when you arrive of any special requirements as host families do generally take interns/students from many different agencies and there is always a chance they may forget about your particular needs!

There are other options available like student apartments to share.