Internships, Part-Time work or Volunteering
Short-term or casual work is easy to fit in with your studies, but still packs a punch in giving you valuable workplace experience and skills. You can also do several short-term roles during your time at University, which will enable you to trial different job roles, in the UK and abroad, all the time building up your CV.
Internships in the UK
Internships are typically short-term, lasting for a few weeks. Loughborough University runs an exclusive internships programme called Talent Match, and there are also a good range of websites to look at for alternative internship and placement opportunities.
Talent Match programme
Our Talent Match internship programmes are designed to support you throughout your time at university, whatever year you are in. They are paid, short-term opportunities in the UK and abroad, created exclusively for Loughborough students.
Early Futures Internships: Part A and B students
Designed to support our first- and second-year students into some work experience. These micro-internships are paid professional work opportunities with employers and typically last 50 or 60 hours in length spread across 4-6 weeks so you can manage the work around other commitments.
This programme is currently closed but watch out for more opportunities in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
Finalist Futures Internships: Final year students and recent graduates
Designed to support our current final year students and previous year graduates who are keen to secure some graduate-level work in person or remotely. These micro-internships are paid professional work opportunities with employers between February and March 2025. Internships last 50 hours in length spread across 4-6 weeks so you can manage the work around other commitments.
This programme is currently closed but watch out for more opportunities in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
Master’s Futures Internships: Master's (Postgraduate taught) students
Designed to support master's students gain access to internship opportunities with UK organisations and build work-place experience that boosts your CV with transferable, professional employability skills that will help you on your career journey. These internships are paid professional work opportunities taking place between February and April 2025. Internships last 100 hours in length spread across 4-6 weeks so you can manage the work around other commitments.
Our Master's Futures programme also includes a Master's Mentor scheme, designed to connect current international students with international alumni working in the UK, to benefit from sharing their lived experiences.
These programmes are currently closed but watch out for more opportunities in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship and work opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
Summer Internships: All year groups
Our Talent Match Summer Internships all take place within the University in schools or in professional services departments, and are designed to offer students the opportunity to gain valuable employability skills and increased confidence in entering a professional work environment.
Lasting approximately 8 weeks full time, these paid work opportunities take place from July to September. They may involve a hybrid work model or be entirely in-person based in internal departments within the University.
This programme is currently closed but watch out for updates in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
Additional Internship opportunities and Insight weeks
There are many other ways to find an internship, whether in-person or virtual, during the summer or throughout the year. Our section Where to look for opportunities has some fantastic websites to get you started in your search for an internship.
Insight weeks are also worth considering as a way to gain an understanding of different industries or job roles. Generally aimed at 1st and 2nd year students, they are often unpaid and typically last between one to ten days, usually during the Easter or Summer vacations. Insight weeks are heavily biased towards Finance, Accountancy, Investment Banking, with a few in Engineering and Law. You can also try our where to look for opportunities to search for these.
Internships abroad
Short-term work experiences abroad are a little harder to find but can be a great way to pick up knowledge of other countries and cultures. Loughborough University offers a Talent Match Global programme, and there are also a good range of websites to look at for additional international internship and placement opportunities.
Talent Match Global
Our Talent Match Global has two schemes, developed to give you access to a variety of virtual internship work opportunities and industry-related project experiences with global organisations. These are designed specifically to give you insights into employment abroad, as well as develop employability skills sought after by employers.
TM Global: Industry-related project experiences
Apply your knowledge to a real-world global scenario and gain valuable insights and skills.
Short 2-week long (20-25 hours) project-based opportunities, providing a great chance to network with international employers on virtual industry related challenges on themes such as: International Business, Growth Strategy, AI.
This programme is currently closed but watch out for more opportunities in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
TM Global: Virtual internships
Designed to support our first- and second-year students in gaining professional work experience. These virtual micro-internships are paid professional work opportunities with employers based around the world. Internships last 50 hours in length spread across several weeks in Summer so you can manage the work around other commitments.
This programme is currently closed but watch out for more opportunities in the Autumn Term!
You can also search for other internship opportunities on a number of websites - take a look at our 'Where to look for opportunities' pages - and don't forget to book your Careers Advice appointment to boost your success.
For even more opportunities abroad, see also our section on Interested in working abroad?
Part-Time Work / Freelancing
Casual weekend or vacation work, with flexible hours to fit alongside your studies, can be a financial bonus whilst at university and give you an insight into working life.
Freelancing, where you are an independent worker and can provide expertise in your chosen area to any company - for example design, programming, data analysis - can also be an excellent way to earn while you gain experience.
We recommend you make yourself familiar with your working rights and always research the company advertising the part-time role to ensure they offer suitable working conditions and pay.
The Student Advice and Support Service advises students on practical issues that might affect their time at University including student money matters (student finance, hardship funds, budgeting, dealing with debts) and housing rights (contracts, deposits, repairs).
To find part time opportunities, see our section about Where to look for opportunities.
Volunteering
Volunteering is about offering your time to do something useful e.g. helping a group, a charity, or an individual, but without receiving payment. These types of opportunities can be some of the most rewarding work you will do and are still valuable in gaining transferable skills.
Try these links to find out more about opportunities and advice: