Ioana Husaru, a Brunel University student, shares research on the challenges facing students when looking for internships with advice for employers, universities and students.
When entering or leaving university, the uncertainty of career choices plagues a student’s mind. The choice of your future is never straightforward. It appears there is only one path that leads to satisfaction, but how do you start a path that’s confusing to start and then follow?
A group of interns from Queen Mary University of London explored the challenges students and graduates face when seeking and applying for internships.
The Internship Survey report shares findings of a survey of 75 students and recent graduates from 14 universities as well as insights from Brunel University and Queen Mary University of London.
Internships are crucial for employability
The study highlighted that with a growing number of graduates entering the job market each year, a university degree alone is no longer considered sufficient. Employers increasingly look for candidates who have practical work experience, which is daunting for students who do not have a clear path in mind in their career journeys.
Internships are a great start to discover a path on a student’s career journey, especially with how daunting the job process and market has become. They help students become more work-ready by providing them with hands-on experience, confidence, and skills that often outweigh academic qualifications.
Students face major barriers in the application process
Only 17% of surveyed students described the internship search process as easy, highlighting widespread difficulty.
Many students pointed to unclear job descriptions, a lack of transparency in the recruitment process, and limited opportunities for networking as major challenges. Furthermore, many students reported finding aptitude tests and video interviews particularly stressful.
The limited time available to prepare for such assessments and the anxiety associated with being recorded during video interviews added to the difficulty of the process. Students often feel unprepared for the early stages of internship recruitment, which are crucial as employers use them to filter candidates.
Support services are underutilised
The data revealed a strong link between the number of internship applications students submitted and their awareness of university support services.
Students who submitted between one and five carefully tailored applications - around 43.8% of the sample - tended to be aware of support resources, such as application workshops and career guidance. These students often focused on a few relevant internships and were generally more successful.
In contrast, students who submitted six to twenty or more applications were less likely to be aware of support services. These students frequently learned from trial and error and improved their applications over time, suggesting they began with weaker submissions.
Internship success rates vary by year group
The study found a surprising trend: first-year students secured more internships than students in their second and third years.
This is likely due to lower competition for first-year opportunities such as spring weeks or early access programs. In contrast, students in Years 2 and 3 typically apply for more competitive internships that often serve as pipelines to graduate roles. As a result, they face much tougher competition and are less likely to succeed because of adequate preparation and support.
Social impact matters, but is not a primary factor
When asked about the importance of social impact in internship selection, 40% of students said it was important, while 26.7% stated it was not. This suggests that while social impact is a desirable quality, it is not a top priority for most students when choosing internships.
Other factors, such as job relevance and future career prospects, tend to outweigh considerations of a company’s ethical or social practices.
Quality of applications matters more than quantity
The research consistently showed that students who submitted a small number of tailored applications were more successful in securing internships. These students often had access to support resources or benefited from personal networks.
On the other hand, students who submitted a higher number of generic applications were less likely to succeed, reinforcing the importance of quality over quantity in the application process. By doing this, the process may take longer to achieve and can cause frustration, especially since it becomes a continuous routine.
Students struggle to bridge the gap between education and work
A significant number of students found it difficult to locate internship roles that aligned with their long-term career goals. This may also be due to the growing pressure students feel when needing to know exactly what they want to pursue, though in numerous cases, people switch careers many times in their lives.
Others expressed challenges in adapting to a professional work environment after spending years in academic settings. These responses underscore a broader gap between academic education and real-world career readiness.
Recommendations
For universities
Universities should increase efforts to promote awareness of available careers resources. Targeted support for second- and third-year students is essential, including application workshops, industry networking events, and internship preparation programs.
Platforms such as ifutures could serve as valuable career communities by connecting students with employers, offering application support, and providing direct access to internship listings.
For employers
Employers should improve transparency during the early stages of the application process. Clearer job descriptions, simplified entry routes, and well-defined expectations would make it easier for students to understand what is required.
Additionally, employers should provide more flexible and inclusive recruitment practices, as well as host networking events to engage with students earlier in their academic journeys.
For students
Students should be encouraged to begin preparing for internships as early as their first year, but most importantly be made aware on how to prepare.
They should explore industries of interest (whether or not it accounts to a specific job), attend university workshops and career fairs, and seek extracurricular experiences to strengthen their CVs.
Importantly, students should prioritise quality over quantity by submitting well-researched and tailored applications and use feedback to continuously improve. Overall, the skills a student gains is what employers truly need, not necessarily where they were gained from unless the job requires so.
Conclusions
This study reinforces the idea that internships play a vital role in students’ employability and career development. However, the process of securing an internship is fraught with challenges. A lack of clarity in job postings, limited access to support services, and poor preparation for application assessments all contribute to student frustration.
While many resources are available to assist students, awareness and access are lacking, particularly for students in their second and third years. There is a need to bridge the gap between what universities offer and what students need to succeed in a highly competitive job market.
Preparation in the early stages of a student’s academic journey - starting in the first year - can offer a significant advantage, however there should be more initiative taken to support these students at their different points in their academic years.
Moreover, employers should improve the clarity and accessibility of their recruitment processes to help students find suitable roles more easily.
By taking coordinated action across universities, employers, and students, the barriers to internship success can be reduced. Early preparation, better guidance, and clearer employer communication will help ensure that all students have a fair and equal opportunity to gain valuable experience and successfully transition into the workforce.