Paid student internships at SOAS: What students achieve and what comes next

SOAS offers paid internships, helping ensure that every student has the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience. Here's a rundown of what's on offer, what students have achieved and where these opportunities can take you.

For the last five years, SOAS Careers’ paid internship programmes have helped hundreds of students gain meaningful work experience across a wide range of organisations and departments. 

These are not just tickbox internships. SOAS students get to co-create projects with SOAS teams and apply what they've learnt in a real-world environment during summer placements, meaning they develop key skills, build confidence, and explore future career paths.

Here's what's on offer:

Co-Creator Internships: Work with SOAS teams to have a real impact

Co-creation is not just a name; it's a core principle of the internship. The Co‑Creator Internship Programme offers paid opportunities for students to work in partnership with SOAS to support developments in learning, teaching and assessment, and the student voice.

This means you don’t just complete tasks, you contribute ideas, shape outcomes, and collaborate with staff on projects that have a real impact across SOAS. Students have worked on projects in areas such as research, learning, digital innovation, and student experience. Students have worked with teams from the SOAS Gallery, the Communications team and academic departments. 

Past students have:

• Co-designed a second-year module on gaming and the humanities
• Explored how generative AI can be used in teaching and learning
• Created a radical reading list to diversify course content
• Developed a decolonising philosophy toolkit
• Documented 19^th Century Indian Jewellery
• Mapped global manuscript collections and developed digital exhibits
• Helped to design the SOAS app

These projects allow you to build practical skills in research, project management, and communication, while making a visible impact within the SOAS community.

Summer Internship Programme: Step into the professional world

The Summer Internship Programme offers paid placements with a wide range of employers, from NGOs and cultural organisations to consultancies and research institutions.

These internships give you the chance to apply what you’ve learned during your degree in a professional setting, explore different sectors, and gain valuable experience for your CV.

Offer paid placements with a wide range of employers, from NGOs and cultural organisations to consultancies and research institutions.

Students have worked on projects such as:

• Supporting the fight against Climate Change with Impatience Earth
• Improving diversity in the cultural industries with I LIKE NETWORKING
• Planning and delivering events at organisations such as the Japan Society
• Supporting community and cultural programmes at institutions like The Africa Centre

Some internships have been extended beyond the summer, giving students the chance to build on their experience and continue developing their skills.

What happens next? 

Students consistently tell us that these internships make a real difference to their confidence, skills, and career direction.

• “This internship has influenced my career goals…it confirmed my interest in working at the intersection of business, human rights, and conflict.”
• “The internship helped me understand how my degree connects to real-world roles and gave me the confidence to start applying for opportunities I wouldn’t have considered before.”
• “I learnt many useful transferable skills… and gained confidence in my abilities.”
• “Working closely with staff on a live project showed me how my ideas can make a real impact and helped me feel more confident contributing in a professional setting."

The internship helped me understand how my degree connects to real-world roles.

For many students, these internships are a stepping stone to future opportunities. Some have secured extended roles or used their experience to stand out in graduate job applications.

• “The experience really helped my applications stand out...I managed to get a graduate job starting next week!”
• “My career considerations have definitely expanded.”

These experiences don’t just build skills - they help you explore your options, build networks, and take the next step with confidence.

How to get involved 

You can apply for both programmes through SOAS Careers. Opportunities are advertised in Semesters 1 and 2, with support available at every stage - from preparing your application to in-role check-ins.

All internships are paid and designed to be accessible, helping ensure that every SOAS student has the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience