• To report an imminent threat call 999 or ring the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321
  • Current Threat Level: SUBSTANTIAL
  • Find out more about terrorism threat levels

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ Summer Intelligence Internship

Applications for the Summer Intelligence Internship are now closed. Sign up for a job alert to be notified of future opportunities.

You could choose to apply for the Summer Intelligence Internship here at MI5, or with our partner agencies GCHQ or MI6. Whichever agency you join, your fresh perspective will be welcomed and truly valued by our friendly teams operating at the heart of national security. You won’t just be sitting on the sidelines – this is your opportunity to get unique insight to our operations, gain experience, and make key contributions to real projects. 

For the 2025/26 academic year, if you’re in your final or penultimate year of university, from a Black, Asian, mixed heritage or ethnic minority background and from a socially or economically disadvantaged background, this internship will help you discover if a career in intelligence is right for you. We’re confining the applications for this internship to those within this demographic due to a current underrepresentation in our workforce. Not sure if that’s you? Scroll through the banner below for a full breakdown.

You are from one of the following Black, Asian, mixed heritage or other ethnic minority backgrounds:

  • Asian or Asian British: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese or other Asian background
  • Black, Black British: Caribbean, African or any other Black background
  • Mixed-heritage: White and Black Caribbean, White and Black African, White and Asian or any other mixed heritage
  • Other ethnic minority group
  • White other (for example, Romany Gypsy, Scottish Travellers or Irish Travellers)

At age 14, the main/highest income earner in your household was not self-employed and not in senior management and employed in one of the following categories:

  • Technical and craft occupations (for example: motor mechanic, fitter, inspector, plumber, printer, tool maker, electrician, gardener, train driver.
  • Routine, semi-routine manual and service occupations (for example: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant (eg. restaurant/takeaway), sales assistant (eg. retail), HGV/bus/taxi/minicab driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff.
  • Unemployed, but seeking work
or
  • If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals as a statutory benefit at any point during your school years? (Does not include meals received through other means, eg. boarding school)

    • You are currently in the penultimate or final year of studies at university

    It doesn’t matter what subjects you’re studying, we’re looking for people from a range of backgrounds and degree disciplines. As long as you are in your penultimate or final year of studies at university, and meet the other criteria, you can apply.

    You are a British citizen or hold dual British nationality

    To be eligible to apply, you must be a British citizen. If you hold dual nationality, of which one component is British, you will nonetheless be considered. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. Further information on our

    What will you do?

    You can only apply to one internship, so make sure you read about each one and think carefully about which is right for you.

    The internship with MI5

    Over 11 weeks with MI5, you will be placed in one of our investigative teams where you’ll experience what life as an Intelligence Officer is like. You’ll help us investigate and disrupt international terrorism. You’ll learn how front-line operations are run, piece together intelligence and create a picture of possible threats. There will also be the chance to contribute to setting strategies, explain risks to a range of audiences and experience being part of a close-knit, multidisciplinary team. By the end of the internship, you’ll understand how we keep the UK safe. When you complete your internship you’ll have the opportunity to apply for employment with MI5, for example as an Intelligence Officer on our Intelligence Officer Development Programme (IODP). Although please note, should you choose to apply, you’ll still have to go through a competitive selection process to secure a place.

    The internship with MI6

    Over 11 weeks and two days with MI6, you’ll be supported by a dedicated internship manager to ensure you have a varied experience within one of our exciting mission teams. You’ll be introduced to all sorts of operations, whether that be from a data perspective or a requirements perspective. More importantly you’ll see the human side of how we operate in all strands of our work. You’ll also be given the opportunity to see and experience our training. If you choose to make an application for employment following the internship, then you’ll need to go through a competitive selection process in order to join us as an employee.

    Dates: 11 June 2026 to 28 August 2026 (11 weeks and two days)

    The internship with GCHQ

    Over 10 weeks with GCHQ, you’ll immerse yourself in one of our intelligence mission teams. You don’t need a technical background; your passion for puzzles and interest in new technologies will be welcomed and encouraged by friendly, supportive teams. With access to genuine case studies and briefings by various Operational Intelligence teams, you’ll experience our organisation and get involved with real projects. And after your internship, you will be eligible to apply for employment with us. This internship is your opportunity to discover if a career in intelligence is right for you.

    Dates: 29 June 2026 to 4 September 2026 (10 weeks)

    Who do we look for? 

    For the 2025/2026 academic year, you’ll need to be in your penultimate or final year of university, from a Black, Asian, mixed-heritage or ethnic minority background, and from a socially or economically disadvantaged background. 

     

    You’ll share our values – integrity, respect, creativity, professionalism, and the desire to have a positive impact on the UK. It’s also worth considering what you’re passionate about, and what you enjoy, when you’re choosing which agency to apply for an internship.

     

    We all look for naturally inquisitive people who thrive in a team and bring real enthusiasm. People who enjoy making sense of unique information to solve complex challenges, are collaborative, and are passionate about contributing to keeping the country safe.

     

    Our operations are hugely varied, which is why increasing diversity in our agencies is needed more than ever before. Having a diverse organisation is vital to ensure we have diverse insights, perspectives, innovative ideas, and different skills to keep the country safe. More importantly, a diverse organisation makes for an enjoyable, fulfilling working environment. And you could be exactly who we need to help us achieve our mission. 

     

    Do I have to get security clearance?

    Everyone who is involved with us needs to go through a security clearance process that we call vetting. It means you’ll have to tell us a bit about you and your family. But don’t worry if you can’t answer all questions – there’s no need – we understand families come in all forms so if you can’t answer certain questions, that’s okay. You can find out more about vetting, and watch a video explaining it, on our Vetting page.

     

    What will you get? 

    As well as an experience you won’t get anywhere else, you’ll receive an internship payment as outlined below.

     

     

    • MI5: an internship payment of £6,729 in London (for the 11-week internship) 

    • MI6: an internship payment of 6,910.65 in London (for the 11-week and 2 days Internship)
    • GCHQ: an internship payment of £5,223.27 in Cheltenham (for the 10-week Internship)

    …plus, we’ll give you five paid days off that you can use during the internship.  

    For successful candidates who don’t live within a reasonable commutable distance, we’ll also provide you with free accommodation for the duration of your internship, so you don’t need to live nearby to consider applying to us. 

    What happens at the end? 

    At the end of the internship with MI5, you’ll have the opportunity to apply to join the organisation as an employee on our Intelligence Officer Development Programme (IODP). If you choose to make an application, then you’ll need to go through a competitive selection process.

     

     

    You can’t tell your friends what you do which is a shame as some of the stuff is pretty cool

    Work Environment

    https://misisecure.com/careers/work-environment

    Career Growth

    Benefits

    Work-Life Balance

    Awards and Support