Host an Intern

CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) is a US-based non-profit organisation that has facilitated international and educational exchanges for more than 75 years. We are proud to enable international connections between innovative organisations and global talent through our various internship programmes.

CIEE internships are designed to provide students with professional skills through a short-term placement with a local organisation or company. These internship programmes provide our students with many benefits such as developing their professional skills, enhancing their resume, fostering a global network, learning about local business culture and linkages between local and global industry trends.

The students who join this programme are enrolled in American and Australian universities and complete their internship in London as part of their studies for academic credit. CIEE look after the housing, visa sponsorship, insurance coverage for our students.  

We have programmes running year round, so we are always eager to connect with companies and organisations interested in supporting international internships. We partner with all types of organisations including start-ups, small-businesses, non-profits to multinational corporations.

Please find a summary of how the programme functions below, and do not hesitate to contact the CIEE London Internship Team with any questions you might have at londoninternship@ciee.org.

Programme Overview

If you are interested in learning more about our programmes and how to host an international intern, click here!

To learn more about the dates of our upcoming internship programmes, click here!

Why host a CIEE intern?

  • Global perspective: Students from different parts of the world can bring a fresh, global perspective to your organisation. The students can provide insights into international markets and cultures, which can be beneficial for businesses looking to expand on a global scale.

  • Diversity: Students from different cultural backgrounds can help contribute to a more diverse and inclusive workplace. This can help foster creativity and innovation, as well as improve team collaboration and problem-solving.

  • Cost-effective: As CIEE internships are unpaid, hosting an intern can be a cost-effective way to get extra support at your organisation on short-term projects.

  • Skill enhancement: Students are often eager to learn and contribute, which can lead to increased productivity. They can also bring new skills and ideas to the table in relation to various workstreams, projects, etc.

  • Corporate social responsibility: By hosting an intern, you are supporting international education and cultural exchange. This can enhance the organisation’s reputation as a socially responsible entity. At CIEE, we are keen to showcase your collaboration on our various social media channels and promote your commitment to our programme and students.

What type of projects have students worked on in the past?

  • Data intern: Support the product team in their daily operations and tasks with data intelligence tasks.

  • Communication and content intern: Translated and transcribed organisation's content for access by the wider public.

  • Sales & business development intern: Data acquisition, data cleanup, and data scraping.

  • Social media marketing intern: Assist in creating and scheduling content, engaging with followers, analysing performance metrics, and supporting various marketing initiatives.

  • Public health intern: Support with programme delivery, conducting research, developing policy, and shadowing professionals.

  • Finance intern: Balance sheets, review financial statements, attend business meetings, networking and building new relationships with partners.

  • History and culture intern: Supporting with operations, company tours, ad-hoc event planning, research and more.

Interested in hosting an intern from our programme at no cost to your company?

  • We have had the pleasure of working with many London-based companies and organisations through our internship programmes. Company profiles range in size and industry, but what they have in common is an interest in contributing to a student’s professional and personal development. At CIEE, we work with companies that can offer the following:

    • Relevance: The company’s industry and work should be relevant to the intern’s field of study or careers interests. This ensures that the intern can gain practical experience that aligns with their academic and professional goals.

    • Supportive environment: The company should be able to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for the intern. This includes having a dedicated supervisor or mentor who can guide the intern and provide feedback.

    • Learning opportunities: The company should be able to provide meaningful learning opportunities for the intern. This means that the intern should be given tasks and projects that contribute to their professional development.

    • Compliance with laws: The company should comply with all relevant labour laws, including exemptions from the national minimum wage requirement, visa regulations and hybrid working models. At CIEE, some hybrid-models are permitted based on the visa requirements.

    Intern Visa Process

    • Cultural exchange: The company should be open to cultural exchange and learning. This includes being respectful of the intern’s cultural background and being willing to learn from their unique perspectives.

  • Students that participate in CIEE programmes are enrolled in Australian and American universities and receive academic credit for their internship programme. Majors and level of experience will vary from student to student but common trends are:

    • Business (Sales, Marketing, Accounting, Finance)

    • Psychology and Public Health

    • Law

    • Communications and Public Relations

    • Data Science & Analytics

    • Computer Science

    • Sustainability & Environmental Studies

    • Politics & Public Policy

    • Social Media and Technology

    • History and Culture

  • CIEE London students

    No, The businesses that accept CIEE London students to undertake internships are therefore exempt from the requirement to pay those students NMW, as the students do not qualify for it.

    The students are likely workers (so would ordinarily qualify for NMW), but, because they are undertaking a UK higher education course and the internship lasts for less than one year, the Regulation 53 exemption applies. The students do not qualify for NMW for the work done for the business as part of the course.

    The National Minimum Wage is usually be paid to anyone classed as a “worker”. A worker is someone who does work personally under a contract of employment or service. Many individuals undertaking internships or work experience are likely to be workers and will therefore be entitled to the National Minimum Wage, unless an exemption applies.

    Under Regulation 53 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (as amended) (NMW Regulations), the following exemption is set out:

    A person who undertakes a higher education course or further education course, and before the course ends is required, as part of that course, to attend a period of work experience not exceeding one year, does not qualify for the national minimum wage as respects work done for the employer as part of that course.

    For CIEE, the Regulation 53 exemption applies as the students are undertaking a UK higher education course and the internships last for less than one year. Our students do not qualify for National Minimum Wage for the work done for the business as part of the course.

    The National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)

    Key Exemption:

    There are a number of exemptions relating to the payment of NMW. The one that is key in relation to this issue is the exemption from the requirement to pay NMW to a work who is undertaking work experience as a student as part of a course.

    Under Regulation 53 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 (as amended) (NMW Regulations), the following exception is set out:

    A person who undertakes a higher education course or further education course, and before the course ends is required, as part of that course, to attend a period of work experience not exceeding one year, does not qualify for the national minimum wage as respects work done for the employer as part of that course.

    The definition of a higher education course is set in the NMW Regulations as meaning “in England and Wales, a course of a description referred to in Schedule 6 to the Education Reform Act 1988(16).”

    Any higher education course provided by an accredited provider in England (or Wales) would appear to be within the scope of the definition.

  • All students arrive on specialised visas, either a Student or Government Authorised Exchange visa to complete an internship in London. Students will be required to complete a certain amount of hours based on the type of visa they are arriving on. The internship schedule is determined by the supervisor and shared with the CIEE London Internship team and student prior to their start.

    In addition to the internship, students participate in excursions, events, and opportunities organised by CIEE to fully immerse themselves in the city. During term time (September to May), some students may enrol in academic classes and a mandatory internship seminar alongside their internship.

    Students are responsible for communicating these other commitments to their supervisors but we ask that companies afford them with flexibility to be able to participate in both mandatory and optional activities.