Summer Intelligence Internship

Job summary

Location: London, with time split across two London sites in Central and West London (TFL Zones 1 and 2).

Internship payment: £6,773 plus accommodation, if required

Hours of internship: full-time (36 hours a week, Monday to Friday). You'll be expected to be based on-site from 9am to 5pm throughout the internship. You'll also have five paid days’ off to use throughout the internship. You’ll be office-based for the duration of the internship, you cannot intern from home.

Dates of internship: 14 June to 27 August 2027 (11 weeks)

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? Our Summer Intelligence Internship is a great opportunity to spend some time exploring the day-to-day activities of an intelligence team at MI5. Discover how we keep the UK safe. And find out if you could see yourself building a career with us.

Am I eligible?

You are eligible if you are a British National from a Black, Asian, mixed-heritage or other ethnic minority background and you are also from a socially or economically disadvantaged background* as these groups are currently under-represented in the UK’s Intelligence Services. That’s why we invite university students in their penultimate or final year of study (for the 2026/2027 academic year), who are from these backgrounds, to apply for this internship.

*For more details about the eligibility criteria, visit our Internships page.

About us

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing, and assessing intelligence, and then collaborate with a range of partners including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. An internship at MI5 will be unique and challenging but you’ll be in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Job description

About the Internship

This 11-week internship, taking place in the summer of 2027, is an opportunity to find out if a career in intelligence is something you’d like to pursue. As part of a cohort of fellow interns, you’ll gain unique insights into our organisation, 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 and gain valuable experience in the world of intelligence.

Over the first two weeks, you’ll receive specialist training which will teach you all about MI5 and what we do. You’ll then be placed in one of our investigative teams where you’ll experience what life as an Intelligence Officer is like. With support from your development partner and as part of the wider team, you’ll learn how live investigations are run. You’ll also spend time understanding different roles and departments which are crucial to the Intelligence Officer role – gaining exposure to a variety of different areas across MI5.

At the end of the internship, you’ll have the opportunity to apply to join the organisation as an employee on our Intelligence Officer Development Programme. If you choose to make an application for employment following the internship, then you’ll need to go through a competitive application and selection process for that role in order to join.

Please note that we’re also running an intelligence internship at GCHQ and a technical internship at MI6 in the summer of 2027. You can only apply for one of these three internships at the UK’s Intelligence Services, so we’d encourage you to read about all of them and choose the one that’s most aligned with your skills and interests.

• GCHQ (Cheltenham): if you’ve got a passion for data and analysing information to see what it can reveal, GCHQ might be the right agency for you

Find out more about GCHQ’s Intelligence Internship and apply.

• MI6 (Central London): for STEM students who hold, or are on track to achieve, a 2:2 by July 2028 and are passionate about technology, world events and international affairs, what we do at MI6 will fascinate you. Applications opening soon.

Person specification

About you

For the 2026/2027 academic year, you’ll need to be in your penultimate or final year of university, from a Black, Asian, mixed-heritage or ethnic minority background, and also from a socially or economically disadvantaged background**.

Like us, you’ll be driven by integrity, respect, creativity, professionalism and the desire to have a positive impact on the UK. It’s also worth considering what you’re passionate about and whether that aligns with what we do at MI5.

We look for naturally inquisitive people who thrive in a team and bring real enthusiasm. People who enjoy making sense of unique information to solve complex challenges, who like collaborating with others and are passionate about contributing to keeping the country safe.

Our operations are hugely varied, which is why increasing diversity in our agencies is needed more than ever before. Having a diverse organisation is vital to ensure we have diverse insights, perspectives, innovative ideas and different skills to keep the country safe. And you could be exactly who we need to help us achieve our mission.

**For more information on the internship eligibility criteria, please visit our Summer Intelligence Internshippage.

Benefits

Internship payment and accommodation

As well as an experience you won’t get anywhere else, while you’re with us you’ll receive £615.73 per week (£6,773 for the total internship).

For successful candidates who don’t live within a reasonable commutable distance to Central London, we’ll also provide you with free accommodation for the duration of your internship, so you don’t need to live nearby to consider applying to us.

Time off and other benefits

We’ll give you five paid days off that you can use during the internship. Everyone will need to attend the first two weeks for training, and the final day, so make sure you take note of these dates when applying as you won’t be able to take leave at these times. While you’re with us, you’ll also have access to organisation-wide events where you can network with people from other teams, learning even more about what we do, and where you could take your career.

Equal opportunities

At MI5 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse organisation that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. Find out more about our commitment to diversity.

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