Working at GCHQ
Join us in our mission to keep the UK and its citizens safe
Pages
Page 5 of 5
Summer placements
Once you’ve finished school, college, or university, there are plenty of paths you can take, and GCHQ offer options to suit them all. Whether you’re ready to step straight into paid employment or prefer to continue your studies, you’ll find opportunities designed to help you build your future and gain valuable experience.
Our summer placements are a great way to get started, giving you the chance to explore your interests, develop new skills, and gain unique insights into your chosen field. Many of our programmes are paid, and where possible we’ll also cover travel and accommodation—so you can focus on learning, growing, and making the most of a rewarding experience.
Summer placements at GCHQ
Expand the menus below to find out more.
As an Intelligence Intern with GCHQ, you’ll immerse yourself in one of our intelligence mission teams. You don’t need a technical background; your passion for puzzles and interest in new technologies will be welcomed and encouraged by friendly, supportive teams. With access to genuine case studies and briefings by various Operational Intelligence teams, you’ll experience our organisation and get involved with real projects.
And after your internship, you will be eligible to apply for employment with us. This internship is your opportunity to discover if a career in intelligence is right for you.
In just nine weeks, you’ll stretch and develop your maths research skills and work alongside our experts on problems that have genuine practical importance. You’ll have the chance to do everything from investigating cryptographic algorithms and assessing application and protocol security, to developing mathematical techniques and analysing data sets.
Interested in applying for the Internship? Why not practice your skills by trying out our sample internship questions below. It’s a great way to help you prepare and put your problem-solving skills to the test.
This two-week training programme is for maths students from under-represented groups in our maths community, currently women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. You'll gain an insight into the nature of GCHQ’s work. You’ll be introduced to a mix of technical content we use in maths and cryptography roles at GCHQ, as well as meeting current mathematicians and learning skills that are useful in the world of work.
With lectures, workshops and practical learning opportunities, you’ll get real insights into how we use innovative technologies. And you’ll be supported the whole time. If you show us real passion and dedication, we might offer you another summer placement - or even a job. On this ten-week course, you’ll also receive £300 per week and free accommodation.
This scheme gives you the opportunity to build your technical skills and meet other like-minded students. Our roles span a range of areas, including research, engineering and computer network operations. You’ll take on university-delivered classroom and lab education, along with technical training and real projects.
Our skilled language specialists will help you make the most of your Mandarin or Russian language skills. You’ll get to experience some of the technical and analytical tools we use and get stuck into our projects. With plenty of support, you’ll draft intelligence reports, translate foreign language material and deliver briefs.
Sign up for job alerts
You can create a job alert to be notified about new opportunities as soon as they are posted on our vacancy page.