If you have a science or technology-related function in your organisation, consider offering an internship opportunity for an enthusiastic University of Melbourne student. All organisations, including government, NGOs and private enterprises, can participate as host organisations.
Through the internship program, organisations can access students from all science and technology disciplines at the University of Melbourne. High-calibre interns are available from both undergraduate and graduate courses.
What are the benefits to your organisation?
- Access motivated students with the latest knowledge in their field
- Gain a fresh perspective
- Meet and ‘road-test’ potential future employees
- Develop connections with the Faculty of Science
- Excite the next generation of science and technology workers
- Promote your organisation as an employer of choice among our students
How does it work?
Internships at a glance
| Internship type | Internship duration | Remuneration |
|---|---|---|
|
Bachelor of Science students (second or third-year)
Bachelor of Agriculture students (second or third-year) | 80–100 hours | Unpaid |
| Masters students (various courses) | 80–100 hours | Unpaid |
| Masters students (environment, food and packaging, agriculture, and conservation streams) | 200 hours | Unpaid |
Key Dates
Internship start and end dates must align within the semester dates to be counted toward internship hours.
| Activity | Semester 2 2026 | Summer 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising period | Late March - May 2026 | August - mid October 2026 |
| Position description due | Monday 27 April 2026 | Monday 12 October 2026 |
| Earliest internship commencement date | Monday 13 July 2026 | Mid - late November 2026 |
| Latest internship commencement date | Monday 27 July 2026 | TBC |
| Latest internship conclusion date | Friday 23 October 2026 | Mid February 2027 |
| Teaching dates | Monday 27 July to Sunday 25 October 2026 | Monday 24 November 2026 to Sunday 21 February 2027 |
What can interns do?
The nature of the work can vary greatly, depending on the organisation and the intern. It is important that these experiences allows students to apply their knowledge in real-word settings and gain valuable insights into their career pathways. It can be a mixture of different tasks and activities such as:
- Field or lab work
- Data analysis
- Marketing or communications activities
- Literature searches
- Shadowing employees
- Contributing to part of the Business as usual or project work.
What does the host organisation provide?
The host organisation must provide:
- A meaningful experience
- A safe working environment
- Experienced staff to induct, supervise and mentor the intern. Please note: Opportunities with host organisations operating for less than two years and without adequate staffing of less than five full time paid employees may not be approved for promotion.
- A brief student evaluation at the conclusion of the internship.
Each host organisation can administer its own selection process, and can negotiate work hours with the student. Placements can be in a block or over a longer period of time.
For PhD interns, the host organisation provides a stipend of $3000 per month. Other undergraduate and graduate interns do not need to be paid.
Insurance and agreements
The University's Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance covers liability for the University and any of its students in relation to internships, work placements and industry projects.
Host organisations will be asked to sign the University's standard Letter Agreement. This outlines the terms and conditions, managing confidentiality and the assigning of IP.
Our intern was able to gain practical experience in the field of food science and technology and apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in university coursework to real-world scenarios. The contributions to the company’s quality assurance department is commendable, and I would like to thank the University of Melbourne for providing us with the opportunity to host this internship. Priya Muthumuni, Aquaworks Pty Ltd
Recent internship hosts
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
- Bureau of Meteorology
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI)
- Florey
- Melbourne Museum
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
- CERES
- Vacupack
Getting started
Do you have an internship opportunity that you would like us to promote to relevant students? Email the team to discuss the possibilities.