What is RIS

Flexible, paid, internships for all undergraduates at UoR

What is the Reading Internship Scheme?

Are you looking to gain experience, build your professional networks, and develop your transferrable skills all whilst earning a competitive salary? Then the Reading Internship Scheme could be for you.

The Reading Internship Scheme is the University of Reading's internship scheme; it's exclusive to University of Reading undergraduate students and gives you the opportunity to undertake paid internships with businesses. Internships are a minimum of 140 hours (or 4-weeks) and run throughout the year - you can apply for part-time internships during the semester or full-time internships during vacation periods.

Where do I find RIS opportunities?

All RIS internships are advertised on MyJobsOnline. Once logged in, select ‘Opportunities’ and filter by ‘Reading Internship Scheme’ which will bring up all the current roles we have available. All RIS internships will have ‘Reading Internship Scheme’ clearly in the title so you will be able to distinguish between RIS roles and other internships that organisations may be advertising.

Internships are added regularly as and when we receive them from employers so make sure to keep an eye out on MJO or join our LinkedIn Group to keep updated.

How do I apply?

Don't have any previous work experience? Don't worry; RIS doesn't ask for a CV or any previous work experience. We just ask you to fill out a simple application form and showcase relevant skills and lots of enthusiasm! Once you’ve found an internship you’d like to apply to, just click on the ‘apply’ button in the job description on MJO and this will take you to the application form.

The application form will ask you a few simple questions about the opportunity and why you believe you’re suitable. There will be prompts and guidance on the form itself to help you through it but you can also access extra resources on our applications hints & tips page.

The Reading Internship Scheme is designed to help you gain work experience and insight into different sectors. We want you to be able to get this experience even if you don’t have much on your CV so the application form was created to make the scheme as accessible as possible.

The form is also anonymous so employers won’t see your name, degree discipline, year of study, or anything apart from your answers to the questions. This is to ensure a fair application – we want you to be assessed based on the merit of your application as opposed to anything else.

When do internships take place?

The scheme runs throughout the academic year and advertises both semester and summer internships. Semester internships tend to be advertised from November to March and summer internships from January to May so make sure you check MJO depending on which one you’re interested in.

Internships will differ in length but will be a minimum of 140 hours (approx. 4 weeks if full-time summer), Each internship will specify the exact length so make sure you check this before applying as you will be expected to commit to completing the set hours. If an internship clearly states that it is 10 weeks over summer and you are unable to do 10 weeks, please apply to a different one with a suitable length.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is RIS FAQs

Is it paid?

Yes! Every opportunity through the Reading Internship Scheme pays at least the National Living Wage (21 and over rate regardless of your age). You can see current Living Wage rates on the gov website. You may also be eligible for the RIS Expense Bursary which is an extra £100 you’d get from RIS on top of your salary.

As you’re employed by the organisation you’re undertaking the internship with, your salary will be paid to you directly by your employer through their PAYE, not the University. As such, if you have any questions about payment dates, please talk to your employer in the first instance. The RIS Expense Bursary is a grant which, if eligible, would be paid to you by the University, not your employer. If you have any questions about the bursary, please contact ris@reading.ac.uk as your employer will not be able to help with this.

Who am I employed by?

You are employed by the organisation you’re undertaking the internship with, not by RIS or the University of Reading. As such, you should receive an employment contract by your employer, not the University. You will also be paid directly by your employer, through their PAYE. If you have any questions about your contract or payment dates, you should ask your employer in the first instance. If you’re experiencing any issues or difficulties, please contact RIS on ris@reading.ac.uk and we will be happy to step in.

How many hours am I allowed to work per week?

If you’re completing a Term-Time Internship (from November – May), you will only be able to work up to 20 hours per week as your internship is operating during term time. You are able to switch to full-time hours outside of term time (Easter and Christmas break) but must revert back to part-time hours once the vacation period is over. Please refer to the University term dates.

If your internship is a Full-Time Summer Internship, you are able to work full-time hours from 31 May 2027 to 17 September 2027 – please refer to working time regulations. Most internships will likely be between 35 to 40 hours per week if full-time but double check with your employers if you’re unsure as the days and times you work is between you and your employer.

If you’re an international student, please check your work permissions and restrictions. More information can be found on the webpage Working rights and limits during your studies - Tier 4 | University of Reading.

I applied but haven’t heard back yet… when will I know the outcome of my application?

The employers will only see your application after the closing date of the advert. So, if you’ve applied within a week and the advert is live for another 2 weeks the employer wouldn’t have seen your application yet – so don’t panic! Once an employer has shortlisted, you will receive a message from MJO to say whether you’ve been shortlisted or not. If you haven’t heard back, they’re likely still shortlisting.

Can I use an internship from the scheme towards any modules on my course?

No, RIS is an extracurricular work experience programme, which cannot be used towards any credit baring initiatives as part of your degree programme. The scheme is a great way for you to gain experience and also transferable skills which you will need for future employment.

Who can take part?

If you are an undergraduate (or have very recently graduated) from the University of Reading and are based in the UK at the time of the internship, you are eligible to apply to RIS vacancies. You can apply to any of the vacancies that you’re interested in, even if it’s not within your specific degree sector.

Do I have to be based in the UK even if I’m undertaking a remote internship?

Yes - all interns must be based in the UK at the time of the internship.

How many internships can I complete on the scheme?

You can complete one internship on the Reading Internship Scheme per academic year. We operate the scheme this way to ensure that as many students as possible can access support through the scheme.

Why do I have to be UK based when undertaking an internship?

All payments made to the interns are via the employer's UK payroll, which means UK income tax and National Insurance contributions are paid to the UK Government (if the relevant thresholds are met). If an individual were to be paid on a UK payroll whilst they are working outside of the UK, it could mean that the relevant tax and social security contributions are not being paid to the country where the work is being completed. This could expose both the individual and the employer to risk in terms of potentially a substantial fine, which could be levied against the employer and the individual by HMRC on behalf of the other country’s tax authority. As tax legislation varies between different jurisdictions and the tax legislation itself may vary depending on an individual’s own circumstances we are not able to quantify this risk.

Large multinational organisations will often have international mobility teams and a number of foreign payrolls to facilitate individuals working in different countries. However for smaller organisations who participate in the Reading Internship Scheme the cost of placing one individual on a foreign payroll can run into thousands of pounds and unfortunately even requesting tax advice can cost hundreds of pounds. This unfortunately makes engaging a worker on a foreign payroll uneconomical.

How many internships can I apply for?

You can apply to as many internships as you like. However, you are only able to do one internship per academic year so if you have been offered two internships (or more!) you will have to pick the one you’d like to do and withdraw from the others.

What would completing a virtual internship be like?

Students working remotely will be working from the comfort of wherever they are. This means you do not need to worry about having to travel to complete your internship. The internships will still involve a project with regular catch ups with the team you are placed within, however these will all be done via call or message.

Virtual internships are very different, however are still great experience as lots of organisations have an element of home working in their business as usual approach. There are countless resources online with tips for how to make the most of a remote internship.

Keep up to date with the latest RIS information.

Find out more about RIS and how you can get involved