15 Summer Work Experience Programs in the United Kingdom (UK) for High School Students
If you’re a high school student eager to explore future career paths, summer work experience programs can be a great way to get started. You’ll gain practical experience, develop confidence in workplace settings, and start to understand how your academic interests connect to future career paths. These experiences also allow you to meet mentors and professionals who can provide guidance, advice, and inspiration as you plan your next steps.
Why should you attend a work experience program in the UK?
The United Kingdom offers a wide variety of structured placements through universities, companies, and cultural institutions. During your program, you can help with projects, assist professionals, attend workshops, or explore industries such as healthcare, finance, and engineering under guidance. Whether you live locally or plan to travel from abroad, spending your summer in the UK gives you access to respected academic and professional settings while helping you develop the skills and perspective needed for your next steps.
To make the search easier, we’ve made a list of 15 summer work experience programs in the United Kingdom (UK) for high school students.
If you are looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Medical Internship and Shadowing Program for High School Students
Location: Various clinics in London
Stipend: £5,000
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 1-4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-24 (typically Year 10-12); Must show commitment to pursuing a medical or healthcare-related career; Must be fluent in English (IELTS ≥5.5)
This Medical Internship and Shadowing Program will place you in a London clinic or hospital, where you’ll observe doctors as they manage patient cases, perform procedures, and navigate the daily demands of clinical care. The experience centres on shadowing, giving you a direct view of medical decision-making, professional communication, and the workflow of a healthcare team. At the end of this program, your supervising doctor provides a transcript and reference letter summarizing your involvement.
2. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Two weeks during the summer
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18
The Career Insights Program offers high school students an introduction to professional environments across multiple industries. As a participant, you can expect to engage in hands-on projects with established companies and connect with industry experts through interactive workshops. You'll also visit operational sites, including offices, factories, and headquarters. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work to industry professionals. You can explore career paths in subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, business, journalism, fashion, and more. The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback. You can find more details about the application here!
3. Imperial College London: Year 12 Work Experience Programme
Location: Imperial College, London, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – July 3
Application Deadline: January 12 – March 5
Eligibility: Current Year 12 students attending UK state schools with the ability to commute daily to the London campus
Imperial College London’s Year 12 Work Experience Programme places you inside active research environments for five days. As a participant, you’ll observe how scientists and engineers approach real academic work across fields such as bioengineering, climate science, materials, mathematics, chemical engineering, and biomedical research. You’ll follow a structured schedule that mirrors professional routines, from navigating a campus setting to collaborating with mentors and peers on small research tasks. Lab visits, workshops, and department-led activities will introduce you to research methods used at the university level. You’ll also attend sessions on UCAS applications and personal statements, led by student ambassadors who describe their own academic pathways. The program ends with a mini academic conference where you’ll present your findings.
4. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; Financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies, depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships will connect you with a rapidly growing startup for an eight-week remote placement where you’ll contribute to ongoing company projects in fields such as technology, AI/ML, health tech, journalism, and marketing. As an intern, you’ll work under a startup manager while also receiving structured support from a Ladder Coach who will help you navigate expectations and track your progress. Your responsibilities may include research, data tasks, content development, or assisting with product workflows, depending on the company’s goals. Because many participating startups are actively scaling, you’ll gain insight into how early-stage businesses operate and adapt.
5. FDM Apprenticeship Programme
Location: Sheffield Hallam University/North Eastern University, London, UK
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round intake; 3-year programme
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students (16+) in the UK who meet degree entry requirements in digital and technology solutions
The FDM Apprenticeship Programme is a three-year paid pathway that integrates full-time work with 20% protected study time at partner universities such as Sheffield Hallam University and Northeastern University (London). As an apprentice, you’ll focus on areas like IT Support, Robotics Process Automation, Information Security, Salesforce Administration, IT Business Projects, or Software Development while contributing to internal tasks before joining client projects. Most of the week is spent working within professional teams, giving you ongoing exposure to real operational environments across major companies. Academic modules run alongside this, helping you build the theoretical foundation that supports your technical role. Throughout the program, you’ll receive guidance from mentors who support your professional development.
6. JPMorgan & Chase Work Experience Program
Location: UK JPMorgan offices in London, Bournemouth, Glasgow, Edinburgh
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 1 week in the summer
Application Deadline: November 2
Eligibility: Students aged 14-16 (Years 10-11 in England/S3-S4 in Scotland) with an interest in finance or technology
The JPMorgan Chase Work Experience Programme introduces you to roles in finance and technology across UK offices such as London, Bournemouth, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. It begins with a virtual preparation workshop covering CV writing and interview techniques before moving into a two-day onsite experience. During your time in the office, you’ll meet teams across business and tech functions, participate in skill-building activities, and work on a small business challenge that mirrors real workplace tasks. You’ll also tour the workplace and speak with professionals about their career paths and daily responsibilities. After the onsite component, the programme concludes with a follow-up virtual session that reinforces what you learned and helps you reflect on your progress.
7. PwC New World New Skills Work Experience
Location: Various PwC offices across the UK
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 4 days in August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in Year 12 (England & Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland), or S5 (Scotland); Typically attending a state school and meeting one or more social mobility criteria
PwC’s New World New Skills Work Experience is a four-day paid programme designed to introduce students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to careers in professional services. As a participant, you’ll engage in sessions led by teams across Audit, Consulting, Risk, and Technology, gaining an overview of how large firms operate across multiple functions. The program emphasizes transferable skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving through workshops and group activities. You’ll also take part in structured networking sessions with employees at various stages of their careers. The programme also introduces PwC’s early career options, including entry-level roles and Flying Start degree pathways.
8. Imperial College London: Year 9 Girls Engineering Summer School
Location: Imperial College, London
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: August 5 – 8
Application Deadline: January 12 – March 17
Eligibility: Year 9 girls studying in UK non-fee-paying schools who are on track to achieve high grades in maths and science
The Year 9 Girls Engineering Summer School at Imperial College London is a four-day, on-campus programme that introduces you to a range of engineering disciplines. Held at the South Kensington campus, the experience includes hands-on workshops, lab-based activities, and collaborative challenges led by academic staff and student mentors. You’ll rotate through departments such as Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Design Engineering, and Materials Science, depending on the annual schedule. Daily reflection sessions help you connect technical activities to real-world engineering applications and career pathways. The program concludes with a group presentation, where you’ll showcase an engineering concept or project developed during the week.
9. NHSBT Work Experience Programmes
Location: Bristol (Filton) and London (Tooting)
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 5 days in June and July, varies by location
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18 (Years 12-13) interested in scientific or laboratory careers; Must be sponsored by their school
The NHS Blood and Transplant Work Experience Programme is a one-week placement designed for students interested in healthcare science and the infrastructure behind blood and organ services. Based at NHSBT centres in London and Bristol, the program introduces you to teams involved in donation services, laboratory testing, and transplant coordination. You’ll take part in facility tours, meet scientists and donor care professionals, and learn how clinical and logistical teams work together to support patient care. A practical session in the training laboratory provides insight into the scientific methods used in blood testing and processing. The program also includes career-focused guidance outlining educational routes into biomedical science, medicine, nursing, and related healthcare fields.
10. British Airways Work Experience & School Programmes
Location: British Airways head office and operational sites across the UK, including London (Heathrow), Cardiff, and Glasgow
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 3-5 days in summer (exact scheduling varies; plus 1-day Insight Days)
Application Deadline: Rolling; Applications open in September, January, and April
Eligibility: Students from Year 10/S4 and above (ages 14-18); UK residents with a valid passport who can travel to the placement location
British Airways’ work experience opportunities give you brief, structured exposure to careers in aviation through placements lasting three to five days. You will be placed in departments such as engineering, operations, customer experience, or logistics, where you will gain insight into how different teams support airline operations. The experience typically includes workplace tours, guided activities, and interactive sessions with employees who explain their roles and responsibilities. Some placements may allow you to observe team workflows or contribute to a small task or project. You will be supported by a mentor who guides career pathways and training options within aviation. You’ll also be encouraged to explore British Airways’ Speedbird-Z online platform for additional career resources.
11. Aspiring Scientists Training Programme (ASTP)
Location: Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: 1 week
Application Deadline: Typically closes in March/April
Eligibility: High school students (16+) attending state (non-fee-paying) schools, currently studying A-level/IB/Higher (or equivalent) courses in Biology, Maths, and either Chemistry, Physics, or Further Maths
ASTP gives you a weeklong introduction to scientific research at the University of Cambridge, combining daily lab sessions with workshops led by experts. You’ll spend afternoons practicing techniques used by working scientists, followed by guided discussions and interactive sessions covering research topics and academic pathways. You’ll also complete a mini research project, prepare a scientific presentation, and deliver it to peers and researchers at the end of the week. Networking opportunities with PhD students and scientists will help you understand how careers in biology evolve and what university-level study entails. You’ll also explore Cambridge’s colleges and facilities, receiving practical advice from staff and students along the way.
12. Nuffield Research Placements
Location: Across the UK (hosted by research institutions, universities, and industry partners)
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: 2 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by region, typically mid-April each year
Eligibility: High-achieving students in Year 12 or S5 (16+) in full-time education studying science, technology, engineering, or math subjects; More info here
Nuffield Research Placements are two-week summer research collaborations that place you with a STEM-focused knowledge expert to work on a live research question or development area. The placement is structured to balance independence with appropriate supervision, enabling you to actively contribute to ongoing projects in areas such as science, engineering, computing, mathematics, or quantitative social sciences. Before and after the placement, you complete guided independent study activities that help build research, data, and analytical skills. During the project, you’ll produce a scientific or technical report and a research poster that document your findings and methods. You may also choose to submit your work for a Gold CREST Award or enter the Big Bang Competition.
13. Royal Observatory Greenwich Astronomy Work Experience
Location: Royal Observatory Greenwich (National Maritime Museum), London, UK
Cost: Free (voluntary placement)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 1 week (typically in August)
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Year 10-13 students (aged 14-18) in the UK
The Royal Observatory Greenwich Astronomy Work Experience gives you a week inside the Observatory’s astronomy and science communication teams, where you’ll contribute to educational and outreach projects. Activities may include drafting night-sky guides, preparing content for social media, evaluating public sessions, or creating scripts for the Observatory’s Look Up! podcast. You’ll also have the chance to speak directly with astronomers about university pathways and careers in astronomy, museum work, and STEM communication. Because the Observatory is undergoing refurbishment, you’ll work behind the scenes at the National Maritime Museum, gaining exposure to how scientific institutions operate day to day. Staff will guide you through the process of translating scientific concepts for varied audiences.
14. InvestIN Summer Experiences
Location: University College London (UCL) and the surrounding University of London campus, London
Cost: Programme fees: £2,225 – £4,400; Residential package: £3,725 – £7,550; Optional Heathrow airport transfers: £300
Cohort Size: Limited spots per program
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18
InvestIN Summer Experiences immerse you in one- or two-week career exploration programs where you’ll complete practical tasks alongside professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering, law, media, architecture, and veterinary science. The schedule combines work-based simulations, site visits to London workplaces, and academic sessions hosted at UCL or the University of London campuses. You’ll engage in skill-building activities, observe professional workflows, and receive feedback designed to help you understand expectations in competitive careers. Some experiences allow you to work toward a Level 3 Award in Work Experience, which can contribute to UCAS points. At the end of the programme, you’ll receive a certificate and may request an industry reference summarizing your performance.
15. Lite Regal Medical Internship and Shadowing
Location: London-based placements; Typically GP Surgery, Central London Clinic, or London Hospital
Cost: £1,750 – £7,000 (non-residential); £2,250 – £9,000 (residential)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; Limited cohort size
Dates: Available year-round (1-4 week durations)
Application Deadline: Rolling; Apply at least 8 weeks before the intended start date
Eligibility: Students aged 17+ (minimum Year 12), aspiring to study Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Psychology, or related healthcare fields; UK and international students with English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 5-6 or above
The Lite Regal Medical Internship and Shadowing Program allows you to observe doctors working in real clinical environments across hospitals and private clinics in London. Placements may involve shadowing specialists in areas such as cardiology, neurology, or general medicine, offering insight into patient consultations and diagnostic decision-making. Alongside clinical observation, the programme includes hands-on skills workshops hosted at University of London facilities, where you’ll explore topics such as anatomy and basic surgical techniques. Throughout the placement, you’ll receive ongoing mentorship from healthcare professionals, with opportunities to discuss medical training routes and career expectations. Upon completion, you will be awarded certificates and, in some cases, reference letters from supervising physicians.
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