universities
BRING MORE OPPORTUNITY TO YOUR STUDENTS
Redefining University Internship Success
Enabling Universities to guarantee scalable, impactful, and highly accessible paid internships for their students, and supercharge graduate outcomes alongside benchmarks like the TEF.
Transformative internships,
proven outcomes.
%
employed within 6 months
%
roles/extensions offered by host
%
roles linked to internship field
%
from low-income/diverse backgrounds
Addressing the challenges of University internship provision
Universities play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between academia and industry. However, effectively delivering internships at scale involves overcoming numerous, complex challenges. From our extensive experience, we’ve seen that these typically include:

Quality & Scale
Many universities struggle to consistently source internships that are both meaningful and relevant to students’ academic paths and career ambitions. Securing quality opportunities requires substantial time, expertise, and network-building.

Administrative Complexities
Managing internships involves rigorous processes including employer vetting, student onboarding, safeguarding, compliance with employment law, and ensuring effective placement matches. These processes, while crucial, consume significant resources.

Student Confidence & Engagement
Not all students feel adequately prepared or confident to pursue internship opportunities, creating engagement gaps. Supporting these students requires intentional, individualized mentoring and training approaches.

Equitable Access
Internships have traditionally favored those who can afford unpaid roles or relocation expenses. Universities committed to social mobility must work actively to create accessible opportunities that do not exclude students from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds.
See what our interns are saying…









Clients we’ve worked with:










So, how many internships can you help fund?
Flexibility and accesibility is a core principle of our internships, and a key driver of participation and popularity among the 60k+ students who look out for our opportunities. Part-time, full-time, remote, hybrid, in office – whatever your budget and your goals, you decide the set up, and as part of this programme you only pay half of the amount shown below, with the other half being matched by local employers.
Example:
A University employability team has been given £500,000 to fund paid internships with local businesses. The team need to maximise the number of students this impacts, whilst retaining a focus on the real graduate outcomes being created post-internship.
Traditionally, the University might have opted to sponsor 4 high-impact students on 12 month full-time placements, trusting in the employer to provide a quality experience for each intern.
Through The Grad Soc, that £100,000 can now subsidise 100 students, on part-time 6 month internships alongside their studies, with the knowledge that a full programme of professional and personal development is being delivered, with 98 of those students likely to be in further employment 6 months after they finish interning.
Hint: Try dragging the slider along to calculate the cost of your next internship!
*Minimum internship length 4 months
See What Our Clients Say About Their Interns








Development-focussed internships tailored specifically to create meaningful long-term graduate outcomes.
Fully Managed Internships: Removing Administrative Burden
Our approach alleviates pressure from internal university teams by handling the end-to-end process. We undertake employer engagement, internship creation, student selection, onboarding, mentoring, and ongoing performance evaluation. This comprehensive management ensures consistency, compliance, and quality at every stage.
Strategic Co-Funding Model: Maximizing University Resources
The financial realities facing higher education mean strategic resource allocation is essential. Our unique co-funding structure ensures universities pay only half of the internship costs, with matched funding secured from our extensive network of SMEs and industry-leading employers. This model significantly extends the impact of university budgets, enabling a broader student reach without additional administrative overhead.
Expert Training and Mentorship: Preparing Students for Real-World Success
Effective internships are about more than placement—they must be transformative learning experiences. Our program includes intensive pre-placement training covering essential soft and industry-specific skills, complemented by continuous weekly mentorship and structured evaluations. Universities partnering with us benefit from students who enter internships equipped, confident, and ready to contribute meaningfully from day one.
Inclusivity at Our Core: Supporting Social Mobility and Diversity
Genuine social mobility requires deliberate, inclusive practices. Every Grad Soc internship is paid above the UK Living Wage, includes remote/hybrid flexibility, and prioritizes equitable access through inclusive recruitment strategies. This ensures internships genuinely reflect the diversity of the university population and align closely with institutional social mobility and inclusivity targets.
Our Virtual Internship Programmes (VIPs)
Are you interested in helping us create equal opportunities for millions of young people across the UK?
Join us in building our brand new Virtual Internship Programmes (VIPs) launching in late 2025. As a University, you can efficiently and affordably scale opportunity and employer-led learning to thousands of students across the region, boosting your reputation, graduate outcomes and impact on the local economy.

Frequently Asked Questions
Who Are The Grad Soc?
We are internship innovators, dedicated to transforming the landscape of internships and early talent programmes. We specialise in creating accessible, flexible, and meaningful internship opportunities for students and graduates, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Our mission is to bridge the gap between talented young people and companies looking to nurture the next generation of professionals.
How can partnering with The Grad Soc improve graduate employability rates?
Partnering with a specialist internship provider like The Grad Soc significantly boosts graduate employability by providing structured, meaningful, and real-world experience tailored to industry demands. Internships increase practical skills, industry knowledge, and professional networks, making students more attractive candidates. The Grad Soc’s internships specifically have a proven record, with 98% of interns employed within six months, directly enhancing graduate outcomes.
What are the key benefits of a co-funded internship model for UK universities?
A co-funded internship model allows universities to maximise their budgets effectively. Universities typically fund half the internship cost, matched by employers. This model extends university resources, enabling institutions to offer more internships to students without extra administrative load, promoting scalability and stronger community partnerships. The Grad Soc facilitates this approach, securing matched funding and ensuring seamless administration.
How do paid internships impact social mobility and inclusivity in higher education?
Paid internships dramatically improve social mobility by removing financial barriers that traditionally prevent disadvantaged students from participating in unpaid (and also paid) placements. By ensuring internships are paid at or above the UK Living Wage and offering flexible remote/hybrid options, providers like The Grad Soc enable students from all backgrounds to access valuable work experience, significantly supporting universities’ widening participation targets. By identifying, understanding and removing these barriers, we have been able to significantly outperform the UK employment market in low-income and diverse hires.
How can universities efficiently scale up their internship offerings without additional administrative burden?
Universities can scale internship programmes efficiently by partnering with providers who manage all administrative responsibilities, from employer engagement and intern recruitment to ongoing mentoring and performance tracking. This outsourced expertise allows universities to increase internship availability without increasing internal workloads. The Grad Soc’s fully managed model delivers precisely this capability, significantly reducing the administrative demands placed on universities.
What metrics should universities track to measure the success of internship programmes?
Universities should track metrics such as graduate employment rates post-internship, alignment of roles with academic studies, student satisfaction, social mobility outcomes, and employer feedback. These measures demonstrate tangible returns on investment and institutional impact. The Grad Soc actively tracks and reports these metrics, providing comprehensive insights to partner universities.
What makes a successful university and employer internship partnership?
Successful partnerships are characterised by strong, clear communication, alignment of internship opportunities with academic curricula, mutual understanding of goals, and robust support mechanisms. A dedicated provider like The Grad Soc acts as a bridge, managing employer relations, setting clear expectations, and ensuring internships deliver meaningful experiences that align with both university objectives and employer needs.
How do internships align with university strategic goals and academic curricula?
Internships aligned with strategic university goals enhance graduate employability, support social mobility, and deepen local employer engagement. Integrating practical work experiences into academic curricula enriches theoretical learning with practical application, ensuring students graduate as highly employable, skilled professionals. The Grad Soc specialises in creating internships closely matched to academic programmes, providing demonstrable curriculum relevance and measurable institutional impact.
Why is pre-placement training crucial for student success in internships?
Pre-placement training ensures students are prepared and confident before commencing their internships. It equips them with essential soft skills (communication, teamwork, problem-solving) and industry-specific knowledge, enhancing their ability to contribute effectively from day one. The Grad Soc’s structured training programmes directly result in higher student confidence, improved internship performance, and better long-term career outcomes.
How can universities ensure internships provide meaningful, real-world experience linked directly to academic programmes?
Universities should partner with providers who rigorously vet opportunities, align placements with academic curricula, and clearly define expected learning outcomes and industry relevance. Internships should involve real projects that contribute to business objectives and provide measurable student growth. The Grad Soc meticulously designs internships around academic alignment and industry needs, ensuring each experience contributes significantly to student development and institutional success metrics.
What role do internships play in enhancing student confidence and career readiness?
Internships offer practical, hands-on experiences that bridge classroom learning with workplace demands, directly boosting student confidence and career readiness. With mentorship and structured professional training, internships help students develop crucial workplace skills and resilience, increasing their employability. The Grad Soc’s internships include dedicated mentoring and support, consistently resulting in high confidence and career-readiness levels among participants.
I Want Some Interns, What Are My Next Steps?
Brilliant! To get started with hiring interns through The Grad Soc, follow these steps:
- Download Info Pack: Start by downloading our internship information pack.
- Book a Call: Schedule a call with us to discuss your internship needs. You can book a convenient time using our Calendly link.
- Agreement: Once we understand your requirements, we’ll draft an agreement outlining the terms and conditions.
- Recruitment: We’ll manage the entire recruitment process, from advertising to vetting candidates and presenting you with top candidates.
- Onboarding: After you select your intern, we’ll provide them with pre-internship training and ongoing support to ensure a smooth and productive experience.
By following these steps, you can efficiently integrate talented interns into your team with minimal effort.
Are You CPD Accredited?
Yes, we are CPD accredited. This means our training and coaching programmes meet the Continuing Professional Development standards, ensuring the integrity and quality of the learning experience. Our CPD accreditation guarantees that interns receive high-standard training, which maximises their contribution to your company.
Still have questions?