INSTEP programs - Cambridge Internships

Cambridge Internships

*Intern working at his desk*

The INSTEP Cambridge academic internship program is designed to integrate the study of economics and business and to combine an internship experience with specially related coursework. Each semester and summer there are a small number of selected internship placements available for students with a GPA of 3.2 or higher with a major and resume in the relevant areas.

When applying for an internship, you must also complete an Internship Proposal Form as part of the Application for Admission. On this form you can give detailed information about the type of internship you are looking for. The information on this form is then considered in relation to the specific areas offered by firms or consultancies in Cambridge to see if there is a placement available relevant to your interests. It is important to note that all INSTEP internships carry academic credit and are not paid. This helps you as a student in two ways. Firstly, it ensures that you will be interning in an area relevant to your interests and secondly it makes it much easier for you to receive academic credit from your home school. An academic project of about 2500 words must be submitted to INSTEP at the end of the internship based on the research, or an aspect thereof, carried out at the internship. These projects are assessed by INSTEP faculty.

You will be expected to intern a maximum of 20 hours per week in addition to your coursework so you should prepare for a considerable time commitment. One of the seminars in which you enroll will serve to reinforce the academic component of your internship. These seminars are specially designed to help you integrate your coursework with your internship (and visa versa), and also to give you an opportunity to discuss any issues that arise from your internship throughout the semester with other students and the faculty member.

Eligibility

To be accepted as an intern, you should have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 with a major in an economics or business related field and a major GPA of 3.2 or higher. You must complete an Application for Admission including an Internship Proposal Form and submit an up to date resume. In order for your internship proposal to be considered these must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to the beginning of the program for which you are applying. Internships are only a small component of the INSTEP Cambridge program so if you are not accepted as an intern, you may still have the opportunity to participate in the program by registering for courses only.

What Types of Internships are Available?

The actual number of internship placements available varies from program to program depending on the requirements of firms and consultancies given the academic nature of the placements. However, recently we have arranged internships placements in economic, business, and financial and geopolitical research.

Examples of Past Internship Placements in Cambridge

*** RAND Europe ***
Geopolitical and geo-economic research for governments and business. RAND Europe is an independent think tank that serves the public interest by improving policy making and finding public-private solutions to shared problems. Its work is objective and multidisciplinary.
*** Rathbones ***
Established in 1742 the firm specializes in providing a personalized and professional investment service for private individuals, their trusts, charities and pension funds together with trust, tax, financial planning and banking services.
*** Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC)***
Projects concentrating on Corporate Strategy, Local Economic Development, Economic Forecasting and Modelling, Evaluation and Impact Analysis, Business Development, Corporate Relocation, Labor Market and Training Needs, Local Regeneration, and Leisure and Tourism.