Uptree

Placement details

Overview

Location: Cheltenham (GCHQ) - Please note that the location shown below is for illustrative purposes only. The location will be shared if you are successful in your application. 

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? Their Summer Intelligence Internships are a great opportunity to spend some time exploring the day-to-day activities of the UK’s Intelligence Services. Discover how they keep the UK safe. And find out if you could see yourself building a career with them. 

Start Date: 

• GCHQ: 29 June to 4 September 2026 (10 weeks)

Full-time (36 or 37 hours per week) and office-based for the duration of internship plus five days’ off, though you will need to attend the first two weeks for training and the final day.

Application Criteria: 

• British National from a Black, Asian, mixed-heritage or other ethnic minority background and from a socially or economically disadvantaged background
• University student in your penultimate or final year of study (for the 2025/2026 academic year)

*For more details about the eligibility criteria, visit the Summer Intelligence Internship page on the MI6 website.

To work or take part in internships at the agencies, you need to be a British National or hold dual British nationality. You can read more about the eligibility criteria on the GCHQ ‘how to apply’ page. 

These internships require the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Learn more about the vetting process at GCHQ.

Key Skills: 

• Passion for analysing information and discovering what it can reveal
• Naturally inquisitive
• Thrive in a team
• Enthusiasm
• Enjoy making sense of unique information to solve complex challenges
• Enjoy collaborating with others
• Passionate about contributing to keeping the country safe.

Application deadine: applications will close when enough applications have been received, so we advise that you apply early!

How to apply: click 'Apply' at the top of this page! Make sure to select Uptree as your 'application source' when applying!

 

About the Summer Intelligence Internships

The Summer Intelligence Internship is currently open for applications to GCHQ during the summer of
2026.

As part of a cohort of fellow interns, you’ll gain unique insights into GCHQ, along with access
to specialist training and lots of support from a dedicated internship manager, mentors and the
wider team. It’s a great way to build 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 employment with them once the internship is over. Please note, should you choose to apply, you will still need to go through the usual competitive application and selection process to secure a place.

As well as an experience you won’t get anywhere else, while you’re with them you’ll receive an
internship payment and five days’ paid leave to use throughout the internship. Plus, they offer free
accommodation for the duration of your time with them, if you need it. And of course, you’ll be able to
enjoy organisation-wide events, as well as their clubs and societies, where you can learn and network. What’s more, you’ll have an experience you’ll never forget.

 

About The UK’s Intelligence Services

GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 are the UK’s Intelligence Services. They safeguard the UK’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 of their people, they gather secret intelligence and collaborate closely with their partners in the UK and overseas to detect threats and work out ways to stop them.

You can find out more about the UK's Intelligence Agencies by visiting their Company Profile page.

 

Next Steps

Click ‘Apply’ at the top of this page! Make sure to select Uptree as your 'application source' when applying!