B-Experienced Internship Programme

The B-Experienced Programme is for undergraduates and postgraduates with no or minimal work experience. This programme aims to ensure our students and recent graduates have sufficient work experience to enable them to apply and secure future professional work experience and/or graduate roles. 

Due to the aims of this programme, we reserve the right to judge applicants’ eligibility on a case-by-case basis. If you are unsure whether you are eligible, please contact our team on workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Please note if you have already have a broad range of work experience, we encourage you to look for paid opportunities outside of this programme where you can transfer your skills to other roles.

Cycle 1 eligibility (applications open from October 2026 for Spring internships): 

1. All Birmingham Scholars (from all year groups) with no or minimal work experience* (students who joined the University through Pathways to Birmingham, Care Experienced routes, Realising Opportunities, the Postgraduate Access Scholarship, the Sanctuary Scholarship, or Black students from IMDQ1 neighbourhoods aligned with our Access and Participation Plan (2025–28)
2. All Undergraduate students who have a home address in a IMD Quintile 1 and have no or minimal work experience
3. Unemployed graduates who graduated in 2026 with no or minimal work experience
4. All other final-year Undergraduate students with no or minimal work experience

Cycle 2 eligibility (applications open from February/March 2027 for Summer internships)

Open to all undergraduates and postgraduates with no or minimal work experience*. 

For both cycles, we strongly encourage applications from undergraduate students who are Birmingham Scholars and / or are an undergraduate student from a low socio-economic background, defined by having a home postcode (at the time of application to the university) in an IMDQ1 neighbourhood (If your home address is in Northern Ireland you will need to contact us with your home postcode).

How do I know if I have too much work experience for the programme?

 Opportunities which fall into the following categories would be eligible for the programme: 

• Volunteering 

• Part-time jobs in non-professional roles e.g. bar/restaurant work and customer facing retail  

• Work shadowing, Insight Days and external virtual programmes such as those on Forage and Bright Network’s Internship Experience UK 

• Society membership, Student/Course Reps and Student Ambassadors  

• If you are an international student with no UK work experience or have gained minimal experience from the above examples, and have work experience in your home country, you would be welcome to apply.

Opportunities which fall into the following categories would not be eligible for the programme: 

• Any formal/professional work experience of 35 hours/5 days or more, including placements and internships   

• Part-time jobs in professional roles developing higher level skills of 35 hours/5 days or more e.g. in marketing, web development, accounting, office-based roles or anything which requires a more significant level of responsibility or scope  

• Any internship programme or short voluntary placement organised by the University of 35 hours/5 days or more, e.g. B-Experienced internships; UoB’s Graduate Internship Programme and a Go Global international opportunity.

• If you are an international student with UK based experience that meets the criteria outlined above, you would not be eligible for the programme.

• Attend Careers Networks top tips sessions on how you can articulate your experience in applications, and for interviews and assessment centre success, demonstrating your transferable skills. (Your past/previous experience doesn’t have to match the job you’re applying for).  

• Check out the Careers Network events page for our workshops and events, to gain tips and for opportunities  

• Visit us at Careers Corner in The View (on the Green Heart Forum) – our work experience drop-ins are every Tuesday 12:30pm -1:30pm 

• Come along to our weekly careers drop-in on Wednesdays 1-3pm 

• Email our team on workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk 

If you have no or minimal work experience, this programme offers you the chance to:

• Engage in a project or business area for a host organisation
• Develop a wide range of skills to enhance your CV whilst getting a bursary
• Make a recognisable impact with third sector organisations. 
• Gain practical experience of professional working environments
• Gain recognition on The Birmingham Award, enhancing your transcript

1. Interns will receive a bursary (provided by University of Birmingham) of the following amounts for undertaking an internship through the programme, based on: 
   • £750 if undertaking a 70-hour internship.
   • £1500 if undertaking a 140-hour internship.
2. You must be able to commit to a part-time or full-time internship lasting 70 or 140 hours in length. Time can be taken flexibly to fit around studies and other commitments.
3. Students on a confirmed leave of absence are not permitted to apply or undertake an internship during the period of their absence.
4. You must provide your bank details via the University Funding Administration System (UFAS) to enable the bursary funds to be transferred to an eligible bank account.
5. Successful candidates must read, agree and sign the B-Experienced ‘Internship Agreement’ prior to commencing the internship experience.

6. Successful applicants will be required to complete a digital ‘Internship Pathway’ on Careers Connect, which will include internship evaluations and reflection logs. 

7. By undertaking a B-Experienced Internship you are eligible to gain recognition on The Birmingham Award, the University’s employability award. 

8. This activity will be automatically featured on your Enhanced Transcript, please email workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk if you would like to remove this from your transcript.

Internships will be advertised on Careers Connect and will be distinguishable on Careers Connect by a title starting with ‘B-Experienced Internship'.

Please note you will be prompted to sign in with your university username and password when accessing Careers Connect - all current students will automatically have access. If you are a recent graduate you will be required to register first and wait until your account has been verified in order to access the vacancy, which can take up to three working days.

If you are having trouble registering for a graduate account, please email careersenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk for support.

You can speak with your host organisation during the application process and before your work experience starts to highlight any reasonable adjustments that you may need. This is to ensure that you do not experience any barriers or challenges during the application, interview stage and when undertaking the role. These adjustments can include physical adjustments (such as adapted equipment), flexible working patterns and any support or training. You can also request for reasonable adjustments to be made during the application process.

It is your responsibility to inform the host organisation of what you need and why so they can make amendments in due course for your experience.  For more information on what reasonable adjustments are and how you can request them here are some helpful links: 

• Adjustments in the recruitment process
• Reasonable adjustments at work
• Reasonable adjustments and your rights

The B-Experienced Internship Programme application form will provide you with the opportunity to highlight any reasonable adjustment requirements for recruitment and selection purposes.

Please email the team at workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your particular circumstances before your application is forwarded to the organisation hosting the internship.

As an international student on a student visa, it is important that you understand and have an awareness of any restrictions you need to follow on your student visa.

• International students who are on a visa must ensure their visa regulations permits them to undertake the internship they are applying to or scheduled to undertake.
• It is the responsibility of applicants on a visa to ensure they comply with their visa requirements and do not exceed the maximum hours they are permitted to work in the UK. This may be a combination of their B-Experienced internship and any other work you are taking on outside of the programme.
• Successful applications need to inform the host organisation of any restrictions to arrange a working pattern so that their weekly working hour limit is not exceeded.

Further information about studying and working in the UK can be found on our Working in the UK webpage. Please note: it is a criminal offence to exceed your working hours. If you have any questions about your ability to work in the UK whilst on a student visa, contact the University of Birmingham’s International Student Team.