Work Experience bursaries

The University of Birmingham Work Experience Bursary scheme offers financial support for undergraduates of all years to undertake unpaid or low-paid work experience. 

The work experience can be within the UK, overseas or for research related experiences (for example, a research project at a university or within an organisation that is undertaking research). Awards for this bursary strand are for work experiences that are undertaken outside of term time and during the summer vacation period only (between June and September).

Important information regarding COVID-19

If your internship is overseas, you must consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) and read the appropriate foreign travel advice and safety and security advice for your destination. In particular, you must consult the guidance in relation to COVID-19 and the location of your proposed work experience, as well as take into consideration the below points:

• Consider risk factors such as your health, safety and wellbeing, the eventuality of having to self-isolate whilst on your trip or upon your return and the possibility of becoming ill whilst you are abroad.
• Research the support available pertaining to your health, safety and wellbeing from your host organisation.
• Download the GlobalRiskManager app for travel advice, security information and to receive alerts for any incidents occurring in your destination country or region. You need to have registered on the Risk Monitor Traveller website before logging into the app. Alerts can be configured by country, proximity, severity and/or category to ensure that you receive the alerts that you need. Please find more pre-travel information and how to download the app on our insurer’s pages at our insurer's pre travel advice page.

• The University reserves the right not to fund any student it deems is travelling to an unsafe destination. In the event of safety and/or security concerns arising after the initial bursary offer has been made, the University reserves the right to revoke its offer of bursary funding which has not been spent or which can be recuperated via refunds or insurance claims.

If you have any queries or concerns, please email the team at workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Information about the bursary

• To apply for a bursary you must complete an application process. The application process consists of 2 parts; an online application form and an online video interview. To be considered for a bursary, both parts of the application process must be completed before the bursary deadline date. 
• The online video interview must be completed via Shortlist.Me; direct links to the interview can be found in the application form and guidance document. 
• If you have been awarded a bursary previously, you can apply again, however, you must strongly demonstrate how this experience is different, and builds upon the previous opportunity for which you received an award.
• Students can only apply for one bursary scheme, not both.

Information about University of Birmingham's Turing Scheme

Work Experience and Gateway Bursary applicants may also be eligible to apply for funding via University of Birmingham’s Turing Scheme, which provides funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It can also be used toward international internships you have sourced yourself (including experiences organised by a third-party organisation). Prior to completing your Work Experience or Gateway Bursary application, we recommend reviewing the Turing Scheme information on the My Global Story Canvas course and if you are eligible to apply, submitting an application via the Turing Scheme online form. If you are successfully awarded via the Turing Scheme but still require funds to cover the remaining costs of your work experience, then you may be eligible to apply for the Work Experience or Gateway Bursary. When prompted in the application form, please ensure you accurately identify the amount of funding you have secured via the Turing Scheme. The deadline to apply for funding via this scheme is Sunday 20 March 2022. If you have any queries regarding the Turing Scheme please contact turingscheme@contacts.bham.ac.uk.  

How to apply

To apply you must complete both the online application form and the virtual video interview by Thursday 28 April 2022. You can access the application form and video interview below:

• Online application form 
• Virtual video interview