Job summary
Bringing fresh perspectives to intelligence.
Ever wondered if a career in intelligence could be right for you? Or is it something you�ve never considered, but could get curious about? Our Summer Intelligence Internship is a great opportunity to spend some real time working in the UK�s Intelligence Services. Discover how we keep the UK safe and find out if you could see yourself building a career with us.
GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 are the UK�s Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard Britain�s people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. Through the ingenuity of our people, we gather secret intelligence and work closely with our partners in the UK and overseas to detect threats and work out ways to stop them.
Eligibility
People from a Black, Asian, mixed-heritage or other ethnic minority background and who are also from a socially or economically disadvantaged background* are currently under-represented in the UK�s Intelligence Services. That�s why we offer this 10- to 11-week internship to university students in their penultimate or final year of study (for the 2024/2025 academic year), who are specifically from these backgrounds.
*For more information about what this means, visit our Internships page�.
Internship dates
As part of the internship, you�ll get pro-rata annual leave. So, you�ll have up to five days off during the periods below.
GCHQ: 30th June to 5th September 2025 (10 weeks)
MI5: 16th June 2025 to 29th August 2025 (11 weeks)
MI6: 12th June 2025 to 29th August 2025 (11 weeks and two days)
Job description
About the internships ��� � � � ��
We�re running three internships in our intelligence teams at GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 during the summer of 2025. Whichever agency you choose to join, you�ll help piece together intelligence and identify possible threats. As part of a cohort of fellow interns, you�ll gain unique insights into the Intelligence Services � while sharing your own, because everyone's perspectives contribute to making our operations a success.
You�ll get access to specialist training and lots of support from a dedicated internship manager, plus mentors, line managers, and the wider team along the way. It�s a great chance to gain new skills and develop your abilities, as well as figure out if a career in intelligence is something you want to pursue after your degree. If it is, you�ll have the opportunity to apply for a role with your chosen agency once the internship is over (you�ll still need to go through the usual application process if you do).
Choosing the right agency for you
Whichever agency you choose, you�ll have a brilliant experience ahead of you. You can only apply to one of us, so here�s some insight about each internship to help you pick:
GCHQ
Location: Cheltenham (accommodation provided)
Dates: 30th June 2025 to 5th September 2025 (you�ll have five days of annual leave during this time)
If you�ve got a passion for data and analysing information to see what it can reveal, GCHQ might be the right agency for you.
We�re the UK�s Intelligence, cyber and security agency. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats to protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. We focus on five main areas: Cyber Security, Counter Terrorism, Strategic Advantage, Serious and Organised Crime and Supporting Defence.
As an intern at GCHQ, you�ll be working in one of our intelligence mission teams. Our Intelligence Data Analyst teams work in a rapidly changing technological environment, problem solving every day. We use bespoke technology, finding information from different places, including a high volume of data generated by many internet-connected devices. If you do have specialist skills such as cyber, data science, or coding experience, you may get the opportunity to use and develop these skills on the internship. However, these are not required and are not an essential part of the role.
MI5
Location: London (accommodation provided)
Dates: 16th June 2025 to 29th August 2025 (you�ll have five days of annual leave during this time)
If you�re an enthusiastic problem solver who�s interested in looking after the UK�s security at home, you might want to consider joining us at MI5.
We keep the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats.
On the MI5 internship you�ll be placed in one of our investigative teams where you�ll experience what life as an Intelligence Officer is like. You�ll work closely with your development partner and as part of the wider team, learning how live investigations are run. You�ll also spend time shadowing people in different roles and departments who are crucial to the Intelligence Officer role, gaining exposure to a variety of different areas across MI5.
MI6
Location: London (accommodation provided)
Dates: 12th June 2025 to 29th August 2025 (you�ll have five days of annual leave during this time)
If you�re passionate about world events, curious about different cultures and work that�s focused overseas, you�ll be fascinated by what we do at MI6.
MI6, also known as SIS (the Secret intelligence Service), protects the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. Using innovative technologies, we work across the globe developing foreign contacts who can help the UK government counter these threats, through the provision of secret intelligence.
At MI6, you�ll be working with a dedicated internship manager for the duration of the 11-week, 2-day internship, 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, a requirements perspective, or many others. More importantly, you�ll see the human side of how we operate across the many strands of our work. You�ll also be given the opportunity to see and experience our training via a short residential trip.
Person specification
About you
For the 2024/2025 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 also from a socially or economically disadvantaged background**.
Whichever agency you choose, you�ll share our values � integrity, respect, creativity, 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.
We all look for naturally inquisitive people who thrive in a team and bring real enthusiasm. People who enjoy making sense of complex information, doing challenging puzzles, work collaboratively 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 workforce 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.
**For more information on the internship eligibility criteria, please visit our�.
Benefits
Salary, expenses and accommodation
While you�re with us, you�ll contribute to our work. So, we�ll pay you a pro-rata salary. If you join us at GCHQ in Cheltenham, you�ll receive a salary of �4,972. With MI5, your salary will be �6,159. And at MI6, it�ll be �6,363.
If you need it, 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.
Some travel expenses may be covered for the duration of the internship.
Annual leave and other benefits
We�ll give you five days of annual leave that you can use at any time during the internship. And while you�re with us, you�ll also have access to organisation-wide events where you can network with people from other teams, learning even more about what we do, and where you could take your career.
Equal Opportunities
At GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from those from an ethnic minority and low socio-economic backgrounds who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.
Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our websites:
