Spy chiefs are recruiting more ethnic minorities and disabled students for placements when off uni and they’ll get paid up to £7,000.
Bosses have advertised places at Britain’s top intelligence HQs.
They want to fill internships at GCHQ in Cheltenham, Glous, plus MI5 and MI6, both central London.
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The places for summer 2026 come with accommodation and payment.
GCHQ offers £5,223.27 plus accommodation, if required, MI5: £6,729 plus accommodation, if required and MI6: £6,910.65 plus accommodation, if required.
The positions are full-time, 36 or 37 hours per week, and office-based for the duration of internship plus five days off, as reported by Need To Know.
The advert says: “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 Internships are a great opportunity to spend some time exploring the day-to-day activities of the UK’s Intelligence Services.
“Discover how we keep the UK safe.
“And find out if you could see yourself building a career with us.
“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 2025/2026 academic year), who are from these backgrounds to apply.
“GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 are the UK’s Intelligence Services.
“We 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 our people, we gather secret intelligence and collaborate closely with our partners in the UK and overseas to detect threats and work out ways to stop them.
“We’re running three internships in our intelligence teams at GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 during the summer of 2026.
“Whichever agency you choose to spend the summer with, you’ll have the opportunity to find out if a career in intelligence is something you’d like to pursue after your degree.
“As part of a cohort of fellow interns, you’ll gain unique insights into your chosen 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, 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 your chosen agency 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.
“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.
Dates: 29 June to 4 September 2026 (10 weeks)
“If you’re an enthusiastic problem solver who’s interested in looking after the UK’s security at home, you might want to consider joining us at MI5.
Dates: 15 June to 28 August 2026 (11 weeks)
“If you’re passionate about world events, curious about different cultures and work that’s focussed overseas, you’ll be fascinated by what we do at MI6.
Dates: 11 June to 28 August 2026 (11 weeks and two days)
“We’re Disability Confident
“We are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme.
“This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
“Being Disability Confident, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that best meet the minimum criteria for this internship will be offered an interview where practicable; this is known as ‘Offer of an Interview’.
To work or take part in internships at the agencies, you need to be a British National or hold dual British nationality.
“These internships require the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting.
“It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes.
“Remember, these internships are only open to university students in their penultimate or final year of study, who are also from an ethnic minority and socially or economically disadvantaged background.”
